For those who may not have viewed my last thread, a quick summary.
I have a Marantz PM50 from 1991, it's been a great amp, still sounds great and absolutely faultless.
However it doesnt have streaming or a remote.
I therefore purchased the WiimPro streamer, and thought I would treat myself to an amp with remote, therefore opted for the PM12 Special Edition.
I ended up returning the PM12 as didn't like the sound, compared to my PM50. Female vocals lacked emotion, and not as rich or detailed as the PM50.
I was therefore back in the market for another amp, and then realised the PM12 was a Class D, I therefore thought this may have been the reason for me preferring the PM50.
I therefore purchased the Marantz Model 50, and was sure this was going to be at least equal if not better than my PM50, as it's also a Class AB Amp.
Well nope, I've just arranged a return for this also.
Here's a few things I noted. (Whilst testing both Amps side by side by pulling the speaker plugs out of one and putting into the other).
Vocals are more upfront on the PM50 (but nicely balanced and not over powering), whereas they sound hidden away on the Model 50.
The Vocals really connect in an emotional way on the PM50, but they didn't on either the PM12SE or the Model 50.
Bass hits Stronger on the PM50, whereas it's more like a slap on the Model 50.
The PM50 has a much richer and detailed sound in the bass and mids with a nice sparkle to the highs compared to the Model 50, which sounds too soft and flat.
This PM50 has NEVER sounded under powered for my Monitor Audio 500 7G's, despite my room being approx 70ft in length, whereas the Model 50 definitely sounds under powered for these speakers/room, compared to my PM50.
This therefore brings me to the 'Why' ???
Why and how can an amplifier from 1991 out perform an Amp from today?
I'm wondering if this could be the reason......
Bit of a strange story, but if you look through some of my old posts from approx 2 years ago you will find it, but summary below.
My PM50 stopped working approx 2 years ago, powered on but no sound.
It had also suffered for a few years with the balance having to be shifted over to one side by quite some amount to balance the speakers.
The large volume knob was also loose and wobbly.
I was going to bin it, but thought would take it into work as there was a very clever guy, he was an Introvert, but one of the nicest most genuine people you could ever meet.
He repaired electronics for our industry and his office was like an Alladins Cave,.he spent all day in there alone repairing things.
I took the Amp in, asked him if he would mind taking a look before I bin it, and said I would pay for his time and parts expense if it can be saved.
Two days later, gets into work and the Amp was sitting on my desk, I went to see him and said its for the bin then is it?
He said he couldn't find anything wrong with it....he said may be I didn't have the correct input selected......and this I know was NOT the case!!
Anyway took it home, plugged it in, and it worked perfectly.
But not only did it now work, but it also no longer had a wobbly volume knob (was now nice and tight) but also the balance was spot on with the speakers, no longer needed to have one side turned up!
I also thought it sounded a lot better, but thought this was just because I thought he had done something to it.
I therefore went back into work the next day and asked him what he did, and how much i owed him, he claimed he didn't do anything to it......I said so what about the volume knob then? He said well I may have tightened that up whilst I was in there.....
Anyway he wouldn't take anything for it, but I made it up to him at Christmas, but he didn't know it was me, as I just said 'From Santa....' I thought we can both play that game lol
Therefore I'm wondering if he could have given this thing a boost or something whilst he was messing with it doing whatever he did?
All I do know is I'm now finding it difficult to replace this thing with a new one!!
And if it's nothing that he did to it, and just due to how these old Amps sound, then my advice to anybody in the market for an Amp is.....buy an old Vintage amp and not one of these new modern Amps!!
I have a Marantz PM50 from 1991, it's been a great amp, still sounds great and absolutely faultless.
However it doesnt have streaming or a remote.
I therefore purchased the WiimPro streamer, and thought I would treat myself to an amp with remote, therefore opted for the PM12 Special Edition.
I ended up returning the PM12 as didn't like the sound, compared to my PM50. Female vocals lacked emotion, and not as rich or detailed as the PM50.
I was therefore back in the market for another amp, and then realised the PM12 was a Class D, I therefore thought this may have been the reason for me preferring the PM50.
I therefore purchased the Marantz Model 50, and was sure this was going to be at least equal if not better than my PM50, as it's also a Class AB Amp.
Well nope, I've just arranged a return for this also.
Here's a few things I noted. (Whilst testing both Amps side by side by pulling the speaker plugs out of one and putting into the other).
Vocals are more upfront on the PM50 (but nicely balanced and not over powering), whereas they sound hidden away on the Model 50.
The Vocals really connect in an emotional way on the PM50, but they didn't on either the PM12SE or the Model 50.
Bass hits Stronger on the PM50, whereas it's more like a slap on the Model 50.
The PM50 has a much richer and detailed sound in the bass and mids with a nice sparkle to the highs compared to the Model 50, which sounds too soft and flat.
This PM50 has NEVER sounded under powered for my Monitor Audio 500 7G's, despite my room being approx 70ft in length, whereas the Model 50 definitely sounds under powered for these speakers/room, compared to my PM50.
This therefore brings me to the 'Why' ???
Why and how can an amplifier from 1991 out perform an Amp from today?
I'm wondering if this could be the reason......
Bit of a strange story, but if you look through some of my old posts from approx 2 years ago you will find it, but summary below.
My PM50 stopped working approx 2 years ago, powered on but no sound.
It had also suffered for a few years with the balance having to be shifted over to one side by quite some amount to balance the speakers.
The large volume knob was also loose and wobbly.
I was going to bin it, but thought would take it into work as there was a very clever guy, he was an Introvert, but one of the nicest most genuine people you could ever meet.
He repaired electronics for our industry and his office was like an Alladins Cave,.he spent all day in there alone repairing things.
I took the Amp in, asked him if he would mind taking a look before I bin it, and said I would pay for his time and parts expense if it can be saved.
Two days later, gets into work and the Amp was sitting on my desk, I went to see him and said its for the bin then is it?
He said he couldn't find anything wrong with it....he said may be I didn't have the correct input selected......and this I know was NOT the case!!
Anyway took it home, plugged it in, and it worked perfectly.
But not only did it now work, but it also no longer had a wobbly volume knob (was now nice and tight) but also the balance was spot on with the speakers, no longer needed to have one side turned up!
I also thought it sounded a lot better, but thought this was just because I thought he had done something to it.
I therefore went back into work the next day and asked him what he did, and how much i owed him, he claimed he didn't do anything to it......I said so what about the volume knob then? He said well I may have tightened that up whilst I was in there.....
Anyway he wouldn't take anything for it, but I made it up to him at Christmas, but he didn't know it was me, as I just said 'From Santa....' I thought we can both play that game lol
Therefore I'm wondering if he could have given this thing a boost or something whilst he was messing with it doing whatever he did?
All I do know is I'm now finding it difficult to replace this thing with a new one!!
And if it's nothing that he did to it, and just due to how these old Amps sound, then my advice to anybody in the market for an Amp is.....buy an old Vintage amp and not one of these new modern Amps!!
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