Marantz Audio riches to McIntosh / Nakamichi riches, what to do???

[DCRand]

Following is what I just posted in the new member thread:

So, 10 or so years ago my Dad, now 83, gave me his Marantz 2270 (yes I love my dad) which I have lovingly used, and did an LED light upgrade for ever since. Had paired it with Energy Connoisseur Series C-5 tower speakers. Also ran my Akai X 1810D reel to reel and vintage Pioneer turntable through the Marantz. As well as more pedestrian CD and Cassette players. Well, the reason I joined this site, and why I will post questions elsewhere in the forums is good old Dad, who I still love, just decided to give up audio as he is almost deaf. So gave me the Marantz replacement system which includes: A Nakamichi PA7 Amp, McIntosh C30 preamp, NAD 4155 tuner, JBL C50 speakers (in need of re-foaming) and at the moment hooked to the Marantz, 2 JVC XL-MC222 CD changers, and even a Pioneer CLD-1090 laser disc player.

Not being knowledgeable about high end audio, not sure what to do here. LOVE my Marantz - it sounds beautiful (although getting some scratchiness when adjusting volume) looks GREAT, and is all someone like me ever needs, I think. Have now paired it with the JBL's and even though they need a foam replacement - it sounds great. Seriously thinking about using the Marantz as a preamp for the PA7. But don't want to screw anything up. Sooooo advice anyone?

 

[prisoners]

Don't run the speakers if the foam is deteriorating. The surrounding material helps support the speaker cone and is part of the overall impedance measurement. If the foam falls apart enough it will cause the amplifier to work harder resulting in premature failure.

 

[Nightwisher]

Following is what I just posted in the new member thread:

So, 10 or so years ago my Dad, now 83, gave me his Marantz 2270 (yes I love my dad) which I have lovingly used, and did an LED light upgrade for ever since. Had paired it with Energy Connoisseur Series C-5 tower speakers. Also ran my Akai X 1810D reel to reel and vintage Pioneer turntable through the Marantz. As well as more pedestrian CD and Cassette players. Well, the reason I joined this site, and why I will post questions elsewhere in the forums is good old Dad, who I still love, just decided to give up audio as he is almost deaf. So gave me the Marantz replacement system which includes: A Nakamichi PA7 Amp, McIntosh C30 preamp, NAD 4155 tuner, JBL C50 speakers (in need of re-foaming) and at the moment hooked to the Marantz, 2 JVC XL-MC222 CD changers, and even a Pioneer CLD-1090 laser disc player.

Not being knowledgeable about high end audio, not sure what to do here. LOVE my Marantz - it sounds beautiful (although getting some scratchiness when adjusting volume) looks GREAT, and is all someone like me ever needs, I think. Have now paired it with the JBL's and even though they need a foam replacement - it sounds great. Seriously thinking about using the Marantz as a preamp for the PA7. But don't want to screw anything up. Sooooo advice anyone?

If you like the sound of the Marantz, yeah you can use it as a preamp. I'd venture to guess the McIntosh sounds better, because it's, well, McIntosh.

The PA-7 is a really nice amp. I have the smaller brother, the PA-5 which is a heck of an amp. Very nice-sounding.

I agree with prisoners that you shouldn't run those speakers until they are refoamed. Additionally, without the foam the cone tends to want to rub against the voice coil. Very very bad. I like Simplyspeakers for refoaming kits personally. Done I think 6 pairs now with their kits.

 

[DCRand]

Prisoner / Nightwisher, thank you both for the information and advice. Sadly, turned off the system so don't ruin speakers, and will move the refoaming project up to close to the top of the project list. Darn "have to do" list keeps pushing my pinball playing / restoring "want to do" list further toward the bottom. oh well. Thanks again.

 

[wyceeric]

I'd suggest that you can have it both ways. Mix and match components to determine the best combination for your ears as your main system, and use the rest as the basis for a system in a different room. Welcome to the rabbit hole.

 

[DCRand]

Wyceeric, thanks and beginning to understand the "rabbit hole" side of this. In process of ordering refoam kit. And completely re-engineering my stereo furniture set up. But don't have big house and wired multiple room ceiling, outdoor, and garage speakers last year to run off of the Marantz with a multi speaker switch, so second system in another room not practical. Basic plan has been to use the PA 7, with either the Marantz or the McIntosh as pre-amp, and my wife wants to use one of the two (yes two, he has over 300 classical cd's) JVC CD changers. So guessing I will have the McIntosh pre amp, 1 CD changer, the tuner, and of course the laser disc player as surplus. Will hook up the Mc to see how it sounds, after re-foaming the speakers. But if no difference to my older ears, will keep the Marantz.

 

[Nightwisher]

Wyceeric, thanks and beginning to understand the "rabbit hole" side of this. In process of ordering refoam kit. And completely re-engineering my stereo furniture set up. But don't have big house and wired multiple room ceiling, outdoor, and garage speakers last year to run off of the Marantz with a multi speaker switch, so second system in another room not practical. Basic plan has been to use the PA 7, with either the Marantz or the McIntosh as pre-amp, and my wife wants to use one of the two (yes two, he has over 300 classical cd's) JVC CD changers. So guessing I will have the McIntosh pre amp, 1 CD changer, the tuner, and of course the laser disc player as surplus. Will hook up the Mc to see how it sounds, after re-foaming the speakers. But if no difference to my older ears, will keep the Marantz.

If you're interested in selling that laser disc player, I'd be interested in buying it.

On that note, I recommend subscribing to the site so you have access to BarterTown to sell surplus. Or pursuing the rabbit hole further...

 

[zebra03]

OP , you've got problems like we would all want to have . Proceed slowly and enjoy it all .

 

[DCRand]

Thanks everyone, working today on revamping my 1970's era Richmark hanging oak wall system to accommodate the pieces I think I want to keep. Dad of course wants me to keep everything, but never owned a laser disk so will consider your offer Nightwisher. But have a week or so of sorting all this out and getting the speaker refoam project done. Do have one question about the Marantz. If use it for the pre-amp, can I run just the JBL's through the PA 7, and then still use the Marantz alone to run the ceiling and outside speakers?

 

[Old Guy8]

You mentioned that your Marantz is getting scratchy. In the General Audio section is a thread on useing Deoxit. It's a contact cleaner to clean switches. Would likely fix the scratchy controls.

 

[damacman]

Your dad has good taste. Why feel rushed in any way to "solve" the dilemma? Try various combinations of gear over the next few months in an effort to determine which combination is most pleasing to you.

Your Marantz has PRE OUT / MAIN IN jumpers on the rear. Removing these provides you access to the preamplifier / tuner and amplifier separately. So, you could certainly use the Marantz as a preamp only, or a tuner / preamp with the PA7 as the power amplifier. Yes, it is possible to use the Marantz amplifier for your zoned speakers and the PA7 for the JBLs - you simply need a pair of dual Male to single Female RCA y-cords. Plug the males into the OUT/IN jacks for each channel and the females provide a way to connect an RCA cable to the PA7. Simple.

Have fun and don't feel pressured to figure it our overnight. When you get good at pinball, hit me up.

 

[DCRand]

OG8, Damacman, thanks for the advice. Will look up the Deoxit thread. Yes, dad has / had great taste in audio, and while still with us - at 83 hearing pretty shot so doesn't listen to music anymore. Currently have PA7 running from pre-amp out jacks on Marantz with PA7 speaker wires running to 4 way speaker splitter box. But waiting for re-foam kit to arrive before can test it on the JBL's. Made 1 mistake so far, put PA 7 in the cabinet the Marantz sits on top of because didn't realize how freaking hot it gets. So hooked up a 6" fan in the cabinet with a central switch that turns on Marantz, PA7, and fan at the same time. Seems to keep things cool so far. And just for fun, hooked up one of the JVC CD jukebox players. But for space and don't ever us it reasons going to give up my cassette player and 60 or so 90 minute tapes.

Not quite understanding where the dual male jacks would plug into the Marantz, but not in front of it now, so will look at it when I have time. And not sure how this would work since before PA7, had the main speaker wires running to the main speakers and the remote wires running to the 4 way splitter. After hooking up the PA7, the speaker wire outputs on the Marantz don't seem to work.

As for pinball, up to 5 machines, 4 working, have 1 from 1950, 2 - 1971, 1 - 1974, and 1 - 1993. Member of Pinside, and when have time, spend some time there learning more about the Pin world, and my machines in particular.

 

[DCRand]

Update, and thanks for all the comments: For the moment I have settled on and set up the Marantz for a preamp / tuner for the PA 7 amp, with the CL50 speakers (re-foam kit arrived today and gluing them on tonight, glue drying while I type this), with one of the CD jukebox changers, my old Akai reel to reel, and Pioneer turntable. Going to let my old cassette deck and cassette collection go, along with one of the CD players, and the laser disc. Will keep the McIntosh preamp, and the tuner for now in storage.