Marantz PM-66SE - Which models were available?

[admin_exported]

Hi,

Can anyone help me?

I'm looking to purchase a Marantz PM-66SE amplifier from flea bay and was just wondering which models this range came in and which one people would suggest to get.

So far I have seen on offer the PM-66SE, 66SE Special Edition (is this not the same as the 66SE, as I thought SE stands for Special Edition?) and 66SE KI Signature. Is this all of them?

Thanks for your help,

Cheers,

Greg

 

[Andrew Everard]

PM-66

PM-66SE

PM-66KI

I'd buy the KI.

 

[drummerman]

I had a KI for a long time. Good amplifier but people overprice them imo. Get one for under £50 and you probably have a fair deal.

Many of the range have/had problems with one channel cutting out sound intermittent. Make sure you ask about that before committing.

regards

 

[Andrew Everard]

A PM-66KI (or indeed any of that line) is going to be 15 years or so old by now. As dm says, I'd advise some caution when buying, and if at all possible endeavour to hear it working before parting with the cash.

 

[matthewpiano]

As drummerman has described they can be a bit fragile but get a good PM66KI and you'll have a cracking amp on a budget. I agree with drummerman that they get over-priced though, as do the matching CD players and the Pioneer A400s.

 

[eggontoast]

+1 for the KI sig version, they sound really good. The main problem with them is an underrated resistor which goes open in the power supply, but this stops it working all together. The rest is pretty bullet proof, just be sure to check the main power supply caps haven't started to bulge either if poss. You will be lucky to pick one up for £50 though, more likely £100 - £130 for a decent one.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies.

So a KI would be the way to go but currently at £145 off ebay I may just leave it for the minute.

Can you recommend any other well received Marantz/Denon amplifiers around the £100-125 mark I could look at instead? It's the Marantz sound I'm after but don't want to splash out on a newer model until I'm sure it's the sound I want and it pairs well with my Dali Zensor 5 speakers.

Cheers,

Greg

 

[matthewpiano]

Some of the cheaper Marantz amps weren't as good. Certainly avoid things like the gutless PM4001. Might be worth seeking out a PM6002 - I would imagine they might go for nearly the £100 mark and it is a good amp, if some considerable way off a newer PM6003 or PM6004.

On the Denon side, things like the PMA255UK and PMA250SE are good and affordable, as are some of the older Rotel amps like the RA930 etc.

 

[MajorFubar]

Good luck finding a PM66KI for the £50 DM thinks is a fair price, I certainly wouldn't part with mine for that price because I know I wouldn't be able to get another amp anywhere near as good for the same money. People are still asking more than that for low-grade amps from ten years earlier, such as like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pioneer-SA-620-Classic-Silver-Amplifier-Blue-Display-Amp-DERBY-DE24-/150930177674?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item232423be8a&_uhb=1

...not that I'd pay £75 for that either.

 

[Anonymous]

Is the KI that much of a step up from the normal 66SE and 66SE Special Edition and worth waiting for? Or, would a gamble on one of the normal 66SE and 66SE Special Edition models still be worth it and good value, especially as they are both available for around the £60 mark?

The same goes for the Denon models if you had to choose one of them which would it be the 255UK, 250SE or the 350SE as they are all available for around the £70 mark, and would you consider this to be a fair price?

Finally, where would you place the Denon sound characteristics compared to the following brands Marantz, Rotel, and Cambridge Audio?

Thanks,

Greg

 

[stevebrock]

get the KI superb amp!

but the 66SE is too

 

[drummerman]

Its been a long time since I've used/heard mine so I leave the intricacies of describing the differences between the models to others that may still have both or one of them but yes, the KI was better but in essence it was still a 50 or so watt amplifier with similar albeith in parts upgraded circuitry (and a lotalot of copper plating, if that thing floats your boat).

Regarding price, without wanting to upset anybody, ebay prices vary depending on the time of the year, moonphase and other weird things which I dont understand. - A couple of years ago one was for sale in a small shop down here for around £80 if I remember right. About right in my humble opinion. Buying from a retailer you at least have the comeback of a warranty, no matter how short it is. If something is wrong with it you normally know fairly quickly about it anyway.

Not trying to belittle the little (sorry) amplifier I would choose it over the other 'legends' such as the A400 or early Nad's but probably not compared to the better newer designs from various manufacturers. Especially not at over-inflated prices.

regards

 

[Anonymous]

I've owned a PM-66SE for a while now and love it, not heard the KI but the SE was amp of the year in '96.

[EDITED BY MODS - no trading, please]

 

[DIB]

You could do a lot worse than a Marantz PM7001. There is one on Ebay at the moment at starting price £120 (BIN at £225 - no chance!), might be worth keeping an eye on.

Excellent amp, I recently sold my old one privately on a forum for £120.

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