Fisher 400-CX-2 (Tube Preamplifier)
Documentation on the Fisher 400-CX-2 is thin. What survives lives mostly in marketplace listings and forum chatter, not in period reviews or service literature. What the record does show is a tube preamplifier that collectors describe as one of the rarest and most desirable Fisher preamps ever made. It's a "Stereo Master Audio Control Preamplifier" built in the United States.
The 400-CX-2 uses 12AX7 and 7247 tubes. It was designed to pair with the Fisher SA-100 power amplifier, and owners also note it matches the FM-200B tuner in size. It shipped in the original cabinet with all-original parts, and at least some units left the factory with German-made Fisher-branded tubes. The faceplate is solid brass, which is uncommon enough that replacement brass faceplates and faceplate jewels (sets of five) circulate as spare parts. Restoration kits, capacitor rebuild kits, and service schematics are all available for this model.
What little reception exists is enthusiastic. One owner on a forum called it "one of the best vintage preamps ever made," and it has been auditioned alongside modern builds like the VTA SP10 and Bottlehead BeePree in listening comparisons. In a YouTube comparison it was grouped with the Fisher SA100 and the Marantz 7C. Pricing reflects the scarcity. A Princeton, NJ listing asked $3,300, and one seller claims a recent eBay sale closed at $5,500, though another estimate puts the range at $1,000-1,500. A Moscow listing asked roughly 250,000 rubles.
There are no production years, original prices, or detailed circuit specifications in the record, and no independent test measurements from period publications. The one known failure point mentioned is a noisy 7247 tube with mismatched gain in a single unit.
- Tube complement: 12AX7 and 7247
- Designed to match Fisher SA-100 amplifier; matches FM-200B in size
- Solid brass faceplate; original cabinet included
- Restoration kits, schematics, and faceplate jewels available aftermarket
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