Marantz vintage amplifier or receiver? I need your advice...

[admin_exported]

Hi... I'm thinking about buying marantz receiver.

but I'll use it for only listening to music.. so I don't need a tuner.

So is it better to get integrated amp than receiver?

I wonder if there's difference between amp and reciver about sound quaility.

 

[the record spot]

Which Marantz receiver are you talking about; one of the classic models? And why a receiver? Nothing wrong with them at all (the high end vintage model from Rotel, Marantz and Sansui are very desirable) but if you don't need a tuner, wouldn't an amp be a better choice? Or has someone offered you the receiver you're thinking about for a good price?

 

[Anonymous]

I use a tuner to listen to music, there is lots of music still broadcast so you may find a receiver fits the bill.

You need to be more specific about the receiver you are looking at however.

In general the 1970s amps were made for build and audio quality, before the main fashion was chasing a fast buck. Listening to them makes one wonder what happened in the past 4 decades TBH - a lot of vintage receivers sound and work better than ones bought today in my experience, and that's with nearly 40 year old capacitors and transistors.

I run some old Pioneer and Sansui amps, and a big Leak amplifier too. In fact I have a few of them,

Leak 3900a

Pioneer SX1080, SX535, SX780, SX880, SX838, SX800(tube)

Sansui 220(tube), 250(tube), 1000A(tube), 5000X, 8080db, G7000

Sony STR313L

I have a relative with a big Marantz which sounds good. Of mine the Sony is a little modern, rated at 25wpc it runs out of steam fairly quickly - especially if there is bass. It looks stunning though and has a 4 band radio! In contrast my 15(ish)wpc SEP tube doesn't stop until the house is shaking.

Of the top makes the Leak is an oddity, must have cost an absolute fortune to make and makes a superb 80wpc reference amp and has super dials. Pioneer is very solid (although the SX838 had the switches cleaned and rebuilt and transistor corrosion scraped off to stop it tripping into protection), but the Sansui is IMO the best built and the most innovative circuitry. The G7000 is the last of the all metal series, with the odd plastic chrimed switch - all others are metal everywhere. The 5000x is very sweet - found that at the tip for free.

In fact I also had an old Sansui 661, they go for peanuts on eBay. It was faulty with dust everywhere and a very bad distortion on one channel. So one fuse later and a vaccum dust and it sounded amazingly good. Check them out on eBay if you can - they look a bit dated but embarrass many modern amp. Also after 40 years none of the pots or switches make the slightest noise... I think I sold that for £25 too 😉

If you do get one and want to mod it, replacing the capacitors is the main thing that can improve it, and cleaning the switches or spraying them with deoxit. Most Sansuis are good out of the box. The tube ones are different as they are older and have PIO capacitors of which every single one will need replacing so are not an alternative unless you get a rebuilt one or are prepared to get very DIY.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi... I'm thinking about buying marantz receiver.

but I'll use it for only listening to music.. so I don't need a tuner.

So is it better to get integrated amp than receiver?

I wonder if there's difference between amp and reciver about sound quaility.

As a general overview, a separate integrated will be better than a receiver (based on price compatable electronics of the time). I agree with the others knowing which model would help, but that said, I've heard a substantial number of old Marantz integrated and receivers, and can honestly say I've never heard a bad one.

 

[nopiano]

Based on those I used to sell 25 to 30 years ago as a 'Saturday boy' in a hi-fi shop, there are likely to be far more receivers around.

At that age I'd say condition was far more important than anything else. And the bigger receivers were fabulous to look at, with those blue dials and metal switches.

There was an integrated transistor amp I recall that also had a class-A mode, though I haven't the faintest idea what model number it was. I recall it was pretty good and not pricey. Perhaps someone with a better memory can help?

 

[matthewpiano]

Are you thinking of the PM7200 nopiano?