Marantz pm6006

[Nelis87]

Why is this amp not recommended more in the "budget" range? Or even talked about? After hearing this thing I start to wonder why I should pay 2, 4 or 8 times as much for an amp. This amp does everything right as far I can tell(hear). Maybe looks not for everyone? Doesnt suit all speaker brands? Just curious what I'm missing here.

 

[Al ears]

Why is this amp not recommended more in the "budget" range? Or even talked about? After hearing this thing I start to wonder why I should pay 2, 4 or 8 times as much for an amp. This amp does everything right as far I can tell(hear). Maybe looks not for everyone? Doesnt suit all speaker brands? Just curious about what I'm missing here.

You only need to read around to see it is often recommended. There is, however, plenty of competition in this price bracket, probably more so than any other as this is the manufacturers bread-and-butter area.

 

[chebby]

Why is this amp not recommended more in the "budget" range? Or even talked about? After hearing this thing I start to wonder why I should pay 2, 4 or 8 times as much for an amp. This amp does everything right as far I can tell(hear). Maybe looks not for everyone? Doesnt suit all speaker brands? Just curious about what I'm missing here.

You only need to read around to see it is often recommended. There is, however, plenty of competition in this price bracket, probably more so than any other as this is the manufacturers bread-and-butter area.

Very tempting as a "safe pair of hands" type of choice. However you'll find it criticised for the very same reasons that so many people like it.

I've recently contemplated getting one as well but I have no shame! (I am a pariah on so many levels that owning a popular 5 star rated amplifier won't make a jot of difference.)

I always read actual customer feedback for these things ...

https://www.richersounds.com/product/amplifiers-receivers/marantz/pm6006/mara-pm6006-blk

... obviously they aren't paid reviewers or 'experts' but a lot of people enjoy it, a lot. Gotta count for something.

 

[MajorFubar]

Marantz have a well deserved reputation of producing strong and steady products. It received five stars from WHF at £400, at £279 at Richer Sounds you're almost stealing it off them. If you like the sound of it, get it bought.

 

[Gray]

In the time I've been on this forum I don't think I've seen an amp brand mentioned more often than Marantz, including the 6006 and predecessor models. You joined the forum a year before me Nelis87 so I'm surprised you've not seen more.

As it happens of course, you've done it the best way round - you're impressed by the sound even before reading the favourable reviews. What more do you need to know?

(like many others, I've previously owned a Marantz amp (PM66KI), always liked it, only really appreciated it when I got it out of storage and demoed it for sale - the buyer bit my hand off for it.)

Listen to the Major when he says 'get it bought'

 

[muljao]

I bagged an open box one off superfi a while back for 240 pounds. What a great amp

 

[drummerman]

+1

Marantz = musical

 

[matthewpiano]

Yes, as musical all-rounders the Marantz amps at that price have long been hard to beat. I had a PM6004 and a PM6005 and both were very enjoyable. If I was buying a new budget amp now, a PM6006 is what I would go for.

 

[manicm]

Yes, as musical all-rounders the Marantz amps at that price have long been hard to beat.  I had a PM6004 and a PM6005 and both were very enjoyable.  If I was buying a new budget amp now, a PM6006 is what I would go for. 

Glad to see you back.

 

[DIB]

And going up the range a bit you can now buy the PM8005 from Superfi for £499. They are presumably clearing old stock for the arrival of the new £1k PM8006 later in the year.

.

 

[Vladimir]

I think we overdosed on the PM6004/5. 6006 is basically the same amp.

 

[knaithrover]

I had the entry level PM5004 a few yrs back and really liked it especially nice at low volumes late @ night. At under £300 the 6006 is an absolute steal.

 

[CnoEvil]

Yes, as musical all-rounders the Marantz amps at that price have long been hard to beat. I had a PM6004 and a PM6005 and both were very enjoyable. If I was buying a new budget amp now, a PM6006 is what I would go for.

Glad to see you back.

+1

Hope you stick around for a while.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Well the marantz Pm6005 was a very good budget amplifier for the money the marantz Pm6006 there is not a lot in it when comparing the old model with the new one both amplifiers cost £350 when they first came out and if I was looking for a budget amplifier the marantz would be the first to look at .

the older marantz Pm6005 won lots of awards when it first hit the market and pretty sure the marantz Pm6006 has been reviewed as well and think it still holds a 5 star rating from what hifi .

 

[Paulq]

I have always been a fan of Marantz stuff - they just do what it says on the tin. I actually wouldn't mind sticking one in my box room to go with the MA Silver 1's I have in a box but am not sure how I could go about streaming music through it unless i buy a dedicated streamer; thus making the seemingly bargain price less attractive.

Most of my music is streamed from a NAS in a different room and I use Tidal through Linn Kazoo.

Any thoughts on a workable way to do it O wise ones?

 

[MajorFubar]

Depending on whether sir swigs to Android or Apple I'd probably buy an Airplay or Bluetooth receiver with an optical out, then use an app on my phone to stream from the NAS to the receiver. Pretty much what I already do.

 

[Paulq]

Cheers Major - iOS user here.

Any advice on:

1 - A decent receiver.

2 - Which app to use for the NAS and how that hangs together? Not really sure how that would work?

Thanks for the help.

 

[matthewpiano]

Yes, as musical all-rounders the Marantz amps at that price have long been hard to beat. I had a PM6004 and a PM6005 and both were very enjoyable. If I was buying a new budget amp now, a PM6006 is what I would go for.

Glad to see you back.

+1

Hope you stick around for a while.

Thanks both. It's been a difficult few months, hence not being around here very much, but it's good to see familiar faces!

 

[MajorFubar]

Cheers Major - iOS user here.

Any advice on:

1 - A decent receiver.

2 - Which app to use for the NAS and how that hangs together? Not really sure how that would work?

Thanks for the help.

If you can't find an Airport Express on the cheap, try a Neet Airstream. It omits the network-extender capabilities of the AEX (which you wouldn't be using anyway) and offers Airplay functionality that's at least as good as the AEX for half the price.

As for streaming apps, I use FileBrowser Pro (£1.99 I think, may have been £4.99 tops) and Foobar 2000. FileBrowser Pro's only niggle which they still haven't addressed is it doesn't do gapless playback, even in Album mode. Foobar does, but I prefer the interface of FileBrowser so unless I'm playing an album which needs gapless I tend to use FB Pro more than Foobar. I'm sure you'll get other suggestions too.

 

[Paulq]

If you can't find an Airport Express on the cheap, try a Neet Airstream. It omits the network-extender capabilities of the AEX (which you wouldn't be using anyway) and offers Airplay functionality that's at least as good as the AEX for half the price.

As for streaming apps, I use FileBrowser Pro (£1.99 I think, may have been £4.99 tops) and Foobar 2000. FileBrowser Pro's only niggle which they still haven't addressed is it doesn't do gapless playback, even in Album mode. Foobar does, but I prefer the interface of FileBrowser so unless I'm playing an album which needs gapless I tend to use FB Pro more than Foobar. I'm sure you'll get other suggestions too.

Ah ok I think I understand. I actually have an AE somewhere so, if I have this right then first step would be to get the AE set up to extend existing network, use optical out from AE into to PM6006 then the file browser to play back from iOS?

Have I got that correct?

As an aside, all of the stuff on my NAS is either 24/96 or FLAC - will there be any loss of quality streaming this way?

Thanks again for the help.

 

[chebby]

Cheers Major - iOS user here.

Any advice on:

1 - A decent receiver.

2 - Which app to use for the NAS and how that hangs together? Not really sure how that would work?

Thanks for the help.

If you can't find an Airport Express on the cheap, try a Neet Airstream.

Neet Airstream has terrible feedback on amazon. This one seems to do the same job for just a little more money and has way better user feedback ...

Clicky

 

[Paulq]

PS: I also thought about Chromecast using the C5 App - looks like that may work?

 

[nopiano]

Yes, as musical all-rounders the Marantz amps at that price have long been hard to beat. I had a PM6004 and a PM6005 and both were very enjoyable. If I was buying a new budget amp now, a PM6006 is what I would go for.

Glad to see you back.

+1

Hope you stick around for a while.

Thanks both. It's been a difficult few months, hence not being around here very much, but it's good to see familiar faces!

Good to hear from you, Matthew. Hope things are better now.