Marantz Series 940 Speakers

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oldrocker
oldrocker Posts: 2,590
edited August 2014 in Vintage Speakers
Hey all, anyone have or had these? Talked to a lady who has a set. I can't find much on them.
Thanks.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,125
    edited August 2014
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    Some folks really like the better Marantz speakers of that era, but I am not one of those folks.
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  • SDA SRS 1.2
    SDA SRS 1.2 Posts: 255
    edited August 2014
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    oldrocker wrote: »
    Hey all, anyone have or had these? Talked to a lady who has a set. I can't find much on them.
    Thanks.

    I have their predecessors the HD880's matched to a Marantz 2325 Receiver. They were designed by JBL's former speaker designer Ed May and have a clear JBL-like sound. Love mine!
    Main System: Polk SDA SRS 1.2 Speakers, Sunfire Signature 600~two Amp, Carver C-16 Preamp, Carver TX-11b Tuner, Marantz 6350Q TT, Philips CDR-775 Recorder, Teac V-707RX Cassette Deck, Signal Cable Double Run Speaker Cable

    Upstairs Den: Marantz 2325 Receiver, Marantz 5220 Cassette Deck, Marantz HD-880 Speakers, Marantz 6370Q TT

    Exercise (Kabuki speaker) Room: Kenwood KR-9600 Receiver, Pioneer CS-99a Speakers, Sansui SP-X9000 Speakers (not pretty, but LOUD! :) )
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,125
    edited August 2014
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    14725686400_3d804ce408_b.jpgMarantzs speakers 1 by mhardy6647, on Flickr

    In fairness, the 940 was the top of the line at the time. The HD-880 was essentially the same speaker in simpler cabinetry.

    14725685990_eb738da0f3_b.jpgMarantzs speakers 2 by mhardy6647, on Flickr
    Both scans are from the same Marantz brochure, ca. 1978.
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited August 2014
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    SDA SRS 1.2 wrote: »
    I have their predecessors the HD880's matched to a Marantz 2325 Receiver. They were designed by JBL's former speaker designer Ed May and have a clear JBL-like sound. Love mine!

    That's interesting! I do see a JBL resemblance of sorts. There were a pair of 880s or 940s for sale locally up my way, but I passed not being familiar with them, plus they were priced a little too high for me. I do like my old JBL L80ts quite a bit for some purposes. They also sound pretty good on tubes, really mellows the metal tweeters.

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,647
    edited August 2014
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    are those passive ports under the woofer on the 920/940 speakers?
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  • SDA SRS 1.2
    SDA SRS 1.2 Posts: 255
    edited August 2014
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    No it's simply an open area - the cabinet is sealed as long as the "VariQ" foam plug is inserted in the port just below the speaker controls. The selling idea back then was to be able to have both a ported system and a sealed system with the foam plug.
    Main System: Polk SDA SRS 1.2 Speakers, Sunfire Signature 600~two Amp, Carver C-16 Preamp, Carver TX-11b Tuner, Marantz 6350Q TT, Philips CDR-775 Recorder, Teac V-707RX Cassette Deck, Signal Cable Double Run Speaker Cable

    Upstairs Den: Marantz 2325 Receiver, Marantz 5220 Cassette Deck, Marantz HD-880 Speakers, Marantz 6370Q TT

    Exercise (Kabuki speaker) Room: Kenwood KR-9600 Receiver, Pioneer CS-99a Speakers, Sansui SP-X9000 Speakers (not pretty, but LOUD! :) )
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,125
    edited August 2014
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    I think they're knick-knack shelves -- I am not sure, but I am also not being facetious. That said, it would make the cabinet dimensions (internal volume) of the two big "design series" Marantz speakers quite different than their cognate "HD series" cousins.

    If I dig out the brochure hardcopy (still in a box somewhere in da basement) -- I could check the specifications.

    Note that the marketing wrinkle of these Marantz speaker systems was the removable "Vari-Q" plug. The plug was a cylinder of very dense foam (if memory serves) --plug in, the speakers were essentially optimally (?) damped acoustic suspension alignments; removed, they were underdamped (??? - I'm speculating, of course!) bass reflex alignments.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,647
    edited August 2014
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    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    I think they're knick-knack shelves -- I am not sure, but I am also not being facetious..


    Awesome it is a perfect place for small items just under a thunderous woofer. haha :rolleyes:
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,125
    edited August 2014
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    Our sensibilities were a little different in the seventies, what can I tell ya?
    That's why all of them ol' speakers ya find at the Salivation Army have them water stains from potted plants on toppa 'em.
    Now, as to what sort of potted plants they were... well... as they say nowadays, "It's always 4:20 somewhere"...
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