Tokyo / Japan

Bar Martha

Sound system

Published house specification, kept separate from visitor folklore: Tannoy Autograph corner horns driven by a rotating McIntosh set (MC240, MC275, MC2300) and a custom 845 single-ended amplifier. Front end is two Garrard 301s and an EMT 930-ST into a Urei 1620 / Mark Levinson LNP-2. Autographs are large dual-concentric horns with huge efficiency; a few watts of 845 or a classic McIntosh tube amp will light the room, which is why a Tokyo record bar can play full sides at listening level without a PA.

The rotating amps are part of the culture of the room, not indecision.

Equipment · Browse this venue’s gear
Component	Manufacturer	Equipment / details
House speakers	Tannoy	Autograph — published house specification
Power amplifiers	McIntosh	MC240, MC275 and MC2300, used in rotation MC2300 · in rotation MC240 · in rotation MC275 · in rotation
Tube amplifier	Custom	845-based amplifier; builder unspecified
Mixing / preamplification	Urei / Mark Levinson Mark Levinson (Harman) · Urei (historic) / Soundcraft	1620; LNP-2 LNP-2 1620
Turntables	Garrard / EMT EMT · Garrard	2 × Garrard 301; EMT 930-ST 930-ST 301 · 2 units

About the sound system

How the system serves the room

Bar Martha’s Tannoy Autographs are paired with a rotating selection of McIntosh and custom valve amplifiers. Garrard and EMT decks feed mixing and preamplification stages, so the installation combines record handling, signal control and speaker drive as distinct functions.

A rotating amplifier collection means there is no single permanent amplifier-to-speaker description. Gain, noise and suitable loading need to be considered for each combination. The published list establishes the collection, rather than a measured comparison or a claim that one amplifier is always in use.

Technical interpretation based on the documented equipment; selection motives and measured in-room performance are not confirmed.

People & equipment