Thats right...Since when do we need a 1000 pound turntable to play a 180 gram LP record? Evem my LP Scully cutting system weighs less than that. $7000. cartridge made by some obscure Japanese garu on top of Mt. Fuji? give me a break.
I used a Marantz 2500 with my main JBL speakers in a stereo mode for some time before I went with home theater. I sold the 2500 last December locally for $1200.00. It worked well although the pots were getting a little noisy. Had it a long time (since the 70s), but I had not used it in some time and had a chance to pick up another set of JBL speakers that the money helped with.
I use JBL S8 (Paragon drivers) with Marantz SC-6 preamp and four MA-5 monoamps. Sold my JBL S2600 and my Threshold gear.
Vintage Marantz with vintage JBL really makes more music.
"I just love vintage hifi and vintage women" JBL, Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Phoebe Snow, Ruth Brown and Etta James all just make me want to become one with my stereo and sofa and never go to work....
I already replied that I have a 2325 receiver with my L300's & L36's, but I have a pair of L100's upstairs that would love to be paired with a nice 2270 someday. They're currently hooked to some junk-ass Sony 60w simulated surround receiver that can't hold a candle to vintage equipment. And please don't ask me why I bought that piece of junk, because I'm not too sure myself.
Like everyone else, I'd like to come across a 2500 or 2600 cheap, but that'll never happen.
Dave Lyons - Zanesville, Oh = L300, L36, L40,
L100a & L100a Century, J2050, S36AWII
I,m useing 6 MA5 marantz mono amps in a triamp system... No failure of amps in 20 yrs.
Cool - I recently saw an ad for someone locally trying to sell 5 of those for $750 - (I have no direct connection)
claims to have the boxes even for 3 of them - http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/ele/640044106.html
Those amps DO sound interesting ...
Here's an interesting read - http://www.thevintageknob.org/MARANTZ/MA5/MA5.html
2ch: WiiM Pro; Topping E30 II DAC; Oppo, Acurus RL-11, Acurus A200, JBL Dynamics Project - Offline: L212-TwinStack, VonSchweikert VR-4
7: TIVO, Oppo BDP103D, B&K, 2pr UREI 809A, TF600, JBL B460
Ain't that the truth !! We had a fairly large groups of friends who were all audio fanatics, and one of them always said back in '75 or '76- "I want to have a name dropper system- JBL and Marantz". He never did come up with the $$ for a Marantz, but he did manage buying the L100's. That statement only threw more fuel to my fire of doing that very same thing.
Back then, if you remember, both of those brands were basically 'free trade' items, and you paid practically the list price everywhere they were sold. So to buy JBL and Marantz, you paid more for them than many other brands. That changed in the later 70's so many more could afford to buy those brands, and that's when I jumped on my L300's in the spring of '78.
I still want a nice 2270.
Dave Lyons - Zanesville, Oh = L300, L36, L40,
L100a & L100a Century, J2050, S36AWII
There is an awful lot of misinformation here concerning Marantz.
First of all, it is near universally felt that Marantz went down hill after it was sold to Phillips (1979), not before.
The model 19 was the only American made receiver, all others were made in Japan, AFAIK. All tuners after the famed (but huge money loser) tube tuner fiasco. Marantz owned Japan Radio Corp which today owns Marantz.
All of the high end gear (except tuners) was made in America up until the sale to Phillips. This includes the 240,250,500 and their preamps--3300, 3600 and 3800. It also includes the high end integrated amps such as the 1120, 1150 and the famed 1200 (250 + 3300).
AFAIK, none of the DC series amps or integrated amps were made in the USA, but they are, none the less, very highly regarded.
As for the somewhat ignorant comment above, the gear listed above, which I own (as well as much more) is to "die for" when properly refurbished and will not only hold a candle to anything made since by Marantz, easily bests 99% of it. The stats on the 250/240 alone make it one of the very finest amps EVER made--the real working THD is <.0014% while delivering a >100 damping factor--bass to die for and the sweetest mid range ever. The 500 is simply astounding.
I use them every day and just recently swapped a pair of tri-amped JBLs in favor of the higher end Imperial 9's. Once the tweets had been swapped out (per the original engineer's instructions) for new silk dome tweets that matched the over all efficiency, they zoomed past the JBLs in bass, mid range and highs--the clarity was astounding. And the sound stage is so deep and wide, I finally feel I am in the concert hall. The JBLs are presently being bi-amped by an 1120 and a 170DC. The Imp 9s by a 240,250 and 140 with a 3300 driving the Rane Xover.
My two kids in college utilize a 1060 and 140 to bi-amp their two way Altecs--they are the envy of their classmates.
My neighbors with new Rotel, Denon, Macintosh, and other such gear are always and forever trying to figure out how to get their new stuff to even come up to par with my Marantz gear--let alone surpass it.
Nice story. But as I am sure you know, we are stepping forwards. Due what was good then, is better now. ... Regarding amps. ... NOT speakers.
Yeah I use x2 Marantz 1050 one for the left and right HF on the JBL Control 5 the other for the centre channel HF. The existing channel left over is presently powering the JBL control 1 centre back.
For the JBL control 1 sidewall surrounds I use Marantz 1030.
I picked these Marantz amplifiers around early 1990 for £40.00 £45.00 and £50.00. The two 1050 I picked up from the same second hand shop and the 1030 I picked up from Hi-Fi shop that no longer exists.
These amps have done fine for their age very little issues with them.
Very nice, JBL--have you considered having them rebuilt?
Oh contrare, you miss the point I made. There is nothing new, really, under the sun. All digital equipment must convert the signal to analogue for the speakers--speakers are and always will be analogue. THe reason why the Marantz name was so highly prized is due to the patents on their old designs. As long as they remain in force (and it only requires moderate "improvements" to maintain them) they represent a vast wealth in design--they will never be bested. Adding "HDAMS" only makes the design more proprietary, it does not make it better. furthermore, it makes the likelihood of those units being in service 30 years from now next to nill. Whereas the old units, like mine, will be in service. and Unlike the new gear, which depreciates each and every day in value, mine goes up in value. A vintage Marantz, brought up to snuff with modern caps, will outperform the new gear, guarantee it. Macintosh would not be making tube amps just like the old vintage ones if other people did not agree.
My guess is is that you are the "Thorens Rolf"--if so, aren't you contradicting yourself? I own three Thorens decks, I love them all. Not a one was made after 1975.
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