harmon/Kardon FA 3000X mid 60s

This is an old Harmon Kardon FA 3000X from the 60's that's been completely restored. All filter capacitors have been replaced and every tubes been tested on a Hickock 539b tester (except the one compactron tube which isn't spendy but seems to work great). All others test good and are ready for years worth of playback! If you have a modest room and are looking for a lovely tube receiver/phono player, this is it..

AI overview:

The Harman Kardon FA-3000X (also known as the FA-3 or part of The Award Series) is a vintage stereo vacuum tube receiver and FM tuner released around 1965. It is widely recognized as one of the last vacuum tube receivers produced by Harman Kardon before the transition to solid-state electronics. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]Specifications & Design

• Type: Stereo tube receiver and FM broadcast band tuner (chassis/metal case).
• Tube Complement: Uses 13 tubes including 6C9, 6EJ7, 6M11, 12AT7, 12AX7, 12AU7, and 7408 output tubes.
• Power Output: Rated at approximately 15 watts per channel into 8 ohms (24W–30W max total output).
• Frequency Response: 15 Hz to 70 kHz.
• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): ~1%.
• Inputs / Equalization: Features switchable RIAA/NARTB phono equalization, moving magnet (MM) phono input (3mV sensitivity), and line/AUX inputs (125mV).
• Speaker Impedance: 8 ohms to 16 ohms.
• Dimensions & Weight: Measures roughly 16" x 14" x 7" and weighs about 24 lbs.

Notable Characteristics & Community Notes

• Sound Profile: Audiophiles on platforms like Antique Radio Forums note that it delivers a clean, smooth, and warm tube sound, pairing well with vintage high-efficiency speakers like Klipsch Klipschorn.
• Design Quirks: According to discussions on diyAudio, the circuit features a design nickname-referred to as "Cheap Charley," which used DC heaters routed via output tube cathode resistance—a setup that requires well-matched output tubes and careful maintenance.
• Historical Context: You can explore historical archiving details and community specs via Radiomuseum.