Im certainly no Audiophile and the below are just my thoughts and feelings.
As some of you may have read from my previous thread asking for advice on upgrading my Marantz PM50 Amp from 1991, I decided to take a gamble and purchased the Marantz PM12 Special Edition which is a Class D Amplifier.
I had previously auditioned the Roxan Antessa and found it too soft without any sparkle.
I then listened to the Arcam S20 which i thought sounded better than the Antessa, however it didn't have enough richness and detail compared to what i was used to with my PM50, and wouldn't have considered that an upgrade.
I do not consider myself an Audiophile, however i do know what i like and what i don't like.
I therefore took a gamble and purchased the Marantz PM12 Special Edition.
I feel some type of strange romance with Marantz, and therefore went against the advise of some of the members on this forum.
I received the amplifier on Monday, and spent most of the afternoon and evening up to the early hours listening to it, as well as most of the day yesterday and all of last night up until the early hours of this morning.
I was listening to the PM12 and my PM50 simultaneously using the same Monitor Audio Silver 500 speakers.
How did i find my new amp? Really disappointing to be honest.
I purchased my PM50 from Ebay approx 15 years ago, when money was tight, for between £150.00-£200.00, and have enjoyed many years listening to music on this amp and have thoroughly enjoyed it.
Now that money is a bit better, i wanted to treat myself to a new Amp, and due to the PM50 being my first stereo amp, and enjoying it so much, i had a love for Marantz and felt some sort of emotional connection with the brand.
I therefore really wanted this to work, but it wasn't so.
As mentioned, i'm no Audiophile, however this is some of the things i noted whilst listening to them both.
PM50
Richer, Warmer, more focused and controlled vocals, vocals realistic and natural, can imagine somebody standing in front of you singing, more musical than the PM12SE, can listen for hours without fatigue.
PM12SE
More fuller bodied and spacious sounding, but also slightly on the bolshy side, and would become fatigued during long listening sessions, vocals and highs more upfront, sharper/gritty/harsh, doesn't blend in with the rest of the music, vocals are clearer but almost too clear and very artificial sounding, it sounds like the vocals were almost an after thought....
And the main thing for me? I love female vocals, but they didn't have any emotion on the PM12SE, whereas the PM50 provides such an emotional feeling to some of the vocals i listen to (for example Memory from CATS with Elaine Paige).
Therefore i have sent the PM12SE back, and have kept my PM50....such a shame as i really wanted this to work, but i couldn't justify keeping a 3K Amp that i wasn't happy with.
How can a 3K amp not sound better to me than my PM50?
Anyway some videos below (they don't prove much as its only been taken from the mic on my smartphone)
PM50
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp45k6FtxYc
PM50
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6zshiuTmJ0&t=71s
PM12SE
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lwna0IgDsU
PM12SE
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXxhg46GmZk&t=90s
As some of you may have read from my previous thread asking for advice on upgrading my Marantz PM50 Amp from 1991, I decided to take a gamble and purchased the Marantz PM12 Special Edition which is a Class D Amplifier.
I had previously auditioned the Roxan Antessa and found it too soft without any sparkle.
I then listened to the Arcam S20 which i thought sounded better than the Antessa, however it didn't have enough richness and detail compared to what i was used to with my PM50, and wouldn't have considered that an upgrade.
I do not consider myself an Audiophile, however i do know what i like and what i don't like.
I therefore took a gamble and purchased the Marantz PM12 Special Edition.
I feel some type of strange romance with Marantz, and therefore went against the advise of some of the members on this forum.
I received the amplifier on Monday, and spent most of the afternoon and evening up to the early hours listening to it, as well as most of the day yesterday and all of last night up until the early hours of this morning.
I was listening to the PM12 and my PM50 simultaneously using the same Monitor Audio Silver 500 speakers.
How did i find my new amp? Really disappointing to be honest.
I purchased my PM50 from Ebay approx 15 years ago, when money was tight, for between £150.00-£200.00, and have enjoyed many years listening to music on this amp and have thoroughly enjoyed it.
Now that money is a bit better, i wanted to treat myself to a new Amp, and due to the PM50 being my first stereo amp, and enjoying it so much, i had a love for Marantz and felt some sort of emotional connection with the brand.
I therefore really wanted this to work, but it wasn't so.
As mentioned, i'm no Audiophile, however this is some of the things i noted whilst listening to them both.
PM50
Richer, Warmer, more focused and controlled vocals, vocals realistic and natural, can imagine somebody standing in front of you singing, more musical than the PM12SE, can listen for hours without fatigue.
PM12SE
More fuller bodied and spacious sounding, but also slightly on the bolshy side, and would become fatigued during long listening sessions, vocals and highs more upfront, sharper/gritty/harsh, doesn't blend in with the rest of the music, vocals are clearer but almost too clear and very artificial sounding, it sounds like the vocals were almost an after thought....
And the main thing for me? I love female vocals, but they didn't have any emotion on the PM12SE, whereas the PM50 provides such an emotional feeling to some of the vocals i listen to (for example Memory from CATS with Elaine Paige).
Therefore i have sent the PM12SE back, and have kept my PM50....such a shame as i really wanted this to work, but i couldn't justify keeping a 3K Amp that i wasn't happy with.
How can a 3K amp not sound better to me than my PM50?
Anyway some videos below (they don't prove much as its only been taken from the mic on my smartphone)
PM50
PM50
PM12SE
PM12SE