Fisher 800D (c. 1965–1968)

Name: Fisher 800D
Brand: Fisher

The Fisher 800D was the top-of-the-line transistor receiver of its era, built to compete directly with the Scott 399 and marketed as a reference-grade piece. It is the solid-state successor to the tube-based 800-C, sharing the basic electrical design and chassis but with transistors instead of tubes. (Fisher-Docs.com - explicit lineage) The 800D sits above the 600D in Fisher's D-series lineup, and below the 1000D. Some collectors dispute whether the 1000D was ever actually released in the US. If it wasn't, the 800D is the largest of the series in practice.

The 800D has a built-in oscilloscope display. It's a small CRT that shows a waveform for FM tuning and audio monitoring, which was a rare feature for a receiver in the mid-1960s. Owners use it to check FM multipath, and it's genuinely useful. The front panel also carries dual meters.

The 800D is a solid-state design with direct-coupled silicon output stages and massive heat sinks, a four-gang front-end tuner, and a crystal filter in the FM IF stage. It's rated at 60 watts per channel into 8 ohms with 0.5% harmonic distortion at full power, frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz ±1 dB, FM sensitivity of 1.8 µV IHF, and 40 dB stereo separation at 400 Hz. It weighs 38 lbs and measures 17.5" W × 5.9" H × 11.5" D. The tuner is sensitive. Owners report pulling in stations that newer receivers can't lock onto.

The 800D has a reputation for build quality: real wood side panels, metal everywhere, built like a tank. It also has known weaknesses. The power supply runs hot and the electrolytic capacitors dry out over decades, which is the most common failure. The speaker terminals are crimped on and difficult to replace if broken. The oscilloscope CRT is essentially unobtainium now. The receiver does not like 4-ohm speakers. Tuner alignment drifts over the years and is critical. If it's off, the receiver sounds dull and distorted.

The original price is not documented, and production years are not explicitly recorded, though the 800D is generally placed in Fisher's 1965-1968 solid-state lineup. Current market prices for the 800D range from around $450 for a non-working parts unit to $1,100 - $1,500 for serviced examples with the wood case.

Known specs: