Vintage Marantz Stereo Love

Conradicles

I have never owned a vintage Marantz receiver. But I want to.

Got my eyes on the 2230.

Any other ones that should be on the radar?

jdjohn

Any of the 22XX series https://www.hifiengine.com/database/hifi_database.php?model_type=rec&make=Marantz&mdl=22

Mikey081057

I have a 2385.... smallest of the big boys ... 2500 and 2600 are the prize receivers. I also have a 2252B which is nice too. There seems to be a lot of love for the 2245's

The lower wattage ones have a very tube like sound to them and are very desirable for that alone.

the 2270 and the 2325 very nice units.

Find one and enjoy it. Most of them sound as good as they look!

kharp1

I'm with skip on this one...unless it's just something you're wanting to try, I'd look for quality newer stuff. I have a few pieces I've had for a while, but, hardly ever use them. They're nice, but, my other, newer stuff, sounds better.

For vintage SS gear it is some of the best stuff to own, but, buyer beware. Lots of people taking pieces and spraying Deoxit on the pots of the older stuff and calling it "refurbished." Get a bill of sale from a shop with a parts list if it's been refreshed. Even units that haven't been brought up to date are bringing fairly high prices. That, coupled with the cost of new transistors, caps, resistors, lights, and, the tuning adjusted, will price the piece out of the neighborhood, making it a passion play rather than a smart sound investment.

pongshi

I have a 4270. It's the quad version of the 2270. I run in 2 channel mode. My pride and joy is my completely restored 2325. I do not plan on parting with either one. Both of them are in wood cases.

oldrocker

I have a 2385b European model that's going nowhere.

For me the Marantz visuals are top notch backed up with good sound.

I wouldn't mind finding a 4270, 2270 or the slightly different looking MR250.

Of course the big boys being the 2500 & 2600, but for that coin I could get some higher end more modern items but the are the holy grail for Marantz.

Prices are crazy on the used market as others have said and for the money it usually costs to purchase and then having everything updated can add up real fast.

Lots of luck, hope you find a bargain like I did.

mhardy6647

I'm not much of a fan of the Superscope-era Marantz electronics; but I've said that many times before. It is OK but horrifically over-priced (over valued) IME; I assume it's those... Rococo aesthetics

EDIT: I will say that the unsuffixed "22xx" receivers were pretty nice (the "B" variants were chintzier inside and out in terms of their construction quality, comparing apples to apples, e.g., a 2220 and a 2220B). The 2270 was, I'd opine, the all-around, single best of the Superscope-era lot. They ain't cheap, neither, though

mhardy6647

2215 (unsuffixed)

2215ambient by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

2215 innards by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Mikey081057

So I found mine cheap and put some into it and one's that are not as nice without the wood case sell for more than double what I have in to mine....I wouldn't pay that now but they do sound nice and sure are a conversation piece. They don't make'em like this anymore...

Mikey081057

sucks2beme

mhardy6647 wrote: »

I'm not much of a fan of the Superscope-era Marantz electronics; but I've said that many times before. It is OK but horrifically over-priced (over valued) IME; I assume it's those... Rococo aesthetics

Just about all the vintage stuff is overpriced right now. As the guys from era age,
at some point demand will drop off. As one dealer told me a couple of years ago,
"Demand for 4 channel stuff is dropping". Why, I asked?
"Because everyone who wants it is now too old to carry it"'

oldrocker

About 7 hrs to go on this one.
https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/53082300

mhardy6647

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Yeah, yours is no kidding around beautiful.
I think you should be glad it's not a 2600...

The monster powered Marantzes are, at this late date, kind of notorious for packing a little too much heat-producing hardware in too small a space. They're, of course, not alone in that -- many/most of the monsters had issues along those lines (at least after 4 decades), but the 2600s are particularly needy in 2018 unless they've been redone already -- and, as you say, not an inexpensive rehab.

Mikey081057

I have never turned the heat on in my house in 3 full winters that I have been here Between that and the tubes the big parasound amp and the plasma tv I have plenty of warmth.

Conradicles

DSkip wrote: »

My honest opinion - if SQ is what you are after, then for the prices ANY vintage Marantz units command, you should seriously consider something from Dayens instead - either the Ampino or Menuetto.

Not totally after sound quality, more nostalgia. This will be a vintage system powering various vintage speakers powered by a Marantz.

kharp1

The Asian market has had a big impact on the prices. Read an article recently that stated the Chinese will soon have a middle class that is equal to the total U.S. population.

kharp1

I would say one occasionally, but, when sellers see recent selling prices they often don't take in to account that many of those sales are over seas. That market drives the price...at least the asking price...for everyone. As the Chinese, and Asian, middle class emerges their market will drive/dictate many things in our market. The world is getting smaller from a business perspective. We've been the power house for so long that it's probably going to be difficult to accept that our dollar doesn't dictate what happens in the retail world.

If it's nostalgia you're after then keep your eyes open for one that might need some repair and try and get a "fair" price, then either refurb it, or, pay someone to refurb it,

Conradicles

kharp1 wrote: »

pay someone to refurb it

That is my plan. There are a few very experienced folks around the country who do this to these classic Marantz beauties.

Mikey081057

Conradicles wrote: »

kharp1 wrote: »

pay someone to refurb it

That is my plan. There are a few very experienced folks around the country who do this to these classic Marantz beauties.

And you might wait a year

Conradicles

No way.

Mikey081057

of the few guys that do them well many have backlogs ... which may make it a good idea to get one that was done already. If you have to ship it and return ship that's another hundie to consider.

Conradicles

A cat on the bay sells them already refurbished and he has outstanding feedback. I would post his user name but I am not sure if it is against the rules.

He has one of the lower wattage models now...The 2015:

msg

I happened across a beautiful one when I was eaten up with vintage a couple of years ago. Turned out the guy was active over on AK, and we got to chatting a good bit. He was really friendly and down to earth (Earth?) and did some absolutely beautiful work with some of those pieces. Seemed very thorough, lots of photos, and included the old parts in case the buyer wanted them for any reason. Kinda like how really good doctors will let you keep your appendix if you ever have to have it removed. I wonder if it's the same dude...

Gerres26

There's a couple lower powered Marantz receivers for sale over on AK right now, you need to be a paying member to see them though. One is a 2226b that needs some work i think. The other is a totally refreshed 2230 with wood case, but like some have said, the price is much higher due to it being serviced already.

mhardy6647

2015 is not a receiver one sees every day. It's very pretty, and I reckon it's pretty stoutly built.

There's a little Twenty-Six here (which I think was 10 wpc, give or take) -- but it has
lower output level in one channel than the other... and I hate troubleshooting (not to mention working on) soiled-state stuff.

The Twenty-Six is on top of this photo of my tawdry little stack of low-end Superscope-era Marantz receivers.

DSC_9835 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

kharp1

I had a 2015 at one time an should have never parted with it.

Conradicles

Just put a best offer on a 2015. Hope to have a baby Marantz soon!

codycatalist

zuul wrote: »

did someone say vintage marantz?

I've always wanted me a Model 250. Just beautiful.

jdjohn

I have seller's remorse. Over the last few months, I have sold this 4270...

...and this 2235.

But it's for a good cause...my parents' retirement. My dad bought these as thrift store finds 15-20 years ago. I have cleaned, tested, repaired, and most of all enjoyed these units, and now sold them to good homes. It will be a pretty good return on my dad's investment...with me as free labor to fix them up

ThomasD

jdjohn wrote: »

I have seller's remorse. Over the last few months, I have sold this 4270...

...and this 2235.

But it's for a good cause...my parents' retirement. My dad bought these as thrift store finds 15-20 years ago. I have cleaned, tested, repaired, and most of all enjoyed these units, and now sold them to good homes. It will be a pretty good return on my dad's investment...with me as free labor to fix them up

Any more pieces you might be parting with???

stuwee

zuul wrote: »

DSkip wrote: »

Over the past handful of years Marantz in particular has experienced almost exponential growth in pricing.

Is there a reason for this? In the past year or two I've seen some prices on some old school silver face marantz and pioneer stuff that are just ridiculous... north of $2k... when did they get so popular again? and why?

Because they have 'That Look' and 'That Sound', Marantz much more than Pioneer, and it's funny how the higher power Pioneer's are getting the big bucks, while the lower power Marantz getting the same.

I've had (2) 2270's, used as a preamp mostly, never run the amp section with a 6ohm or lower speaker at high levels unless you want see magic smoke come out of the back. Gorgeous phono section, the 2230 and 2245 have one as well. Research the sale and work done, these will last many, many years, well worth the $$'s spent, spend big money on a nice one.


You will hear ooohs and ahhhhs from anyone walking into the sound room, let them use the controls, feel that wonderful tactile movement. If they don't like the sound...give them another martini