Fisher was one of the major American hi-fi makers of the tube era, and its receivers from the early 1960s are still bought, restored and used every day. This guide covers the two Fisher models in our catalog. Note up front that only one of them is a tube receiver. The 500-C is a vacuum-tube stereo receiver. The 800-T is a later solid-state (transistor) receiver, and listings that call it a tube receiver are wrong.
Fisher 500-C: the tube receiver
The 500-C is an early-1960s FM-stereo tube receiver with a built-in multiplex decoder. It has no AM band. Its sibling, the 800-C, adds AM. The power amplifier uses four 7591 output tubes in push-pull, two per channel, with 12AX7 tubes in the phono, tone and phase-inverter stages. It is rated at roughly 30 W per channel at 0.7% distortion into 8 Ω (published as 75 W "music power" for both channels together). It weighs about 38 lb without a cabinet. Features include a signal-strength meter, a "Stereo Beacon" light that indicates stereo broadcasts and switches between stereo and mono automatically, a front-panel headphone jack and a magnetic phono input. Fisher changed the FM front end during the production run, so early and late units differ inside.
Who it suits: listeners who want tube sound from a single chassis with a tuner and phono stage built in, and who are prepared to pay for, or do, a proper restoration. It pairs best with reasonably efficient speakers.
Fisher 800-T: solid state, not tubes
The 800-T is one of Fisher's transistor receivers from the late 1960s and early 1970s (sources give dates from about 1968 into the early 1970s). It is an AM/FM receiver that weighs around 30 lb. It is known for unusual tuning features: AutoScan electronic scanning, Tune-O-Matic pushbutton presets for four FM stations, and support for a wired remote. Restorers point out that many of the early transistors Fisher used are fragile and not always easy to replace, and that the automatic tuning circuits add complexity to repairs. Specific faults reported during restorations include failed output transistors, blown emitter fuses and burnt resistors, and bias diodes that are not properly in thermal contact with the output devices.
Who it suits: someone who wants a late-1960s American receiver with distinctive tuning features and accepts that it is a solid-state restoration project. It does not offer tube sound.
Tube receiver safety: do not just plug it in
A tube receiver runs internal voltages of several hundred volts, and its filter capacitors can hold a lethal charge after it is unplugged. Work inside the chassis is for people trained to do it. For a buyer, the most important rule is simple: do not power up an unserviced 500-C at full mains voltage to "see if it works". Here is why:
- Filter capacitors. The original multi-section can capacitors are decades old. Replacements are hard to find, so restorers often fit a modern board in their place. A failed filter capacitor can short and take the power transformer or rectifier with it.
- Bias supply. The 7591 output tubes depend on a negative bias voltage. Fisher receivers of this generation used selenium rectifiers, and one documented 800-C restoration replaced the original selenium bridge in the bias supply with a modern silicon bridge. If the bias supply fails, the output tubes conduct far too much current, which can destroy tubes and damage the output transformers.
- Coupling capacitors. Leaky coupling capacitors feeding the output tube grids push the bias positive. They are routinely replaced with modern film types during restoration.
- Output tubes. Restorers set the bias so each 7591 draws its correct idle current, and many add individual bias adjustment for each tube. Tube condition and matching should be measured, not assumed.
A careful technician checks the bias supply, replaces the critical capacitors and then brings the unit up gradually on a variac or current limiter while monitoring bias. Budget for this before using any 500-C that has not had that work. The restoration guide covers the general process.
What else to inspect on a 500-C
- Volume/power switch. The combined volume control and power switch is a known failure point, and exact replacements are hard to find.
- Knobs and caps. The brass knob caps often fall off. Check that all knobs are present and original.
- Dial glass and faceplate. Cracks in the dial glass and heavy wear on the faceplate are hard to put right.
- Tubes. Ask whether the tubes have been tested, and whether the 7591s are original or replacements. Current-production 7591s exist, so originals are not essential, but test results are informative.
- Accessory jumpers. The rear panel has connections for Fisher's Spacexpander reverb accessory that need jumpers when no accessory is fitted. A missing jumper can leave the unit silent.
What else to inspect on an 800-T
- Every tuning mode. Ask for a video showing manual tuning, AutoScan and the Tune-O-Matic presets. Each is a separate system that can fail.
- Both channels at moderate volume. Output-stage failures are a known issue. A unit that has blown fuses or a dead channel needs a technician.
- Lamps, meters and switches. These are the usual era-appropriate checks.
How to read an eBay listing
- "Powers on" for a tube receiver may mean the seller just risked the filter capacitors and bias supply. Ask what was replaced before it was switched on.
- "Restored" should list the work: can capacitors or a replacement board, coupling capacitors, bias rectifier, bias set and measured, tubes tested. Photos of the chassis underside are worth asking for.
- "As-is" on a 500-C means a full restoration project.
- Ask for a video of FM reception and a record or line source playing through both channels.
- Shipping. Ask the seller to remove the tubes and pack them separately, and to double-box the chassis in foam. A heavy transformer can break loose or crack the chassis in transit.
For current listings, see the live eBay snapshot on the 500-C and 800-T pages.
