Marantz HD880 Experts and Non, What Do I Have?

[stevensctt]

You say this.......then you say this:
Yeah, it's your opinion, but frankly, I am confused.

The other speakers you mentioned, I was fortunate to have heard those models in person, except for two pairs you mention. I was impressed, indeed. There are just particular criteria in sound parameters that I like, and the Ed May Designs fit that criteria with flying colors.

Another note, you said "base", of which I assume you mean "bass".

Did you play them and plug the ports with original style closed cell foam? I have, so I can attest to the improvements with bass response. With plugs in the bass is less "peaky", while being flatter and linear.

First, edited "base" to "bass"!

The "well balanced" comment is a positive although maybe back handed. For me, there was no wow factor with the HD880, as in "that was exceptional", "that really sounded great", etc.

Maybe it the vintage Marantz sound I am not getting. Only started collecting and listening to vintage (1970s) gear for a few months but always had a desire to own vintage Marantz. I also have/had 2270 and 2385 receivers. I sold the 2385 and will sell the 2270. I am not connecting with the sound, disappointing.

I do own later Marantz gear, SM80 2CH amp (1991) and MA700 monoblocks (1997) that I find to be very good and exceptional compared to much more expensive amps.

 

[Big Tuna]

Yeah that's cool. I've had 2385's, and a 2275. I dig the Marantz sound. It is quite fullfilling to my ears. I'm running a 2500 with big Design Series 940's and have it tuned thru a impressive JVC heavyweight EQ that allows room tuning via Mic and Pink Noise. Even though I like the Marantz's, I still like my Pioneers and Kenwoods. I've also owned and heard many other units over the years, including Rotel, Sansui, Yamaha, Heathkit, Fisher, Technics, Sony, Toshiba, Harman Kardon, McIntosh, Realistic, Onkyo, JVC & Setton. I've been in the vintage game for a very long time, and it's always gonna be a part of my life. I've also heard and owned more speakers than I can even count.

 

[The Beef]

I've got a set of Marantz HD 880's I bought new back in 1981 that have been "out of service" for a good 15 years because the woofers need to be refoamed (foam rot). Just how big of a job is that and is it something a pretty much non-electronics guy (like me) can do, and do it right? I ordered the replacement foam gaskets and they came with the glue, so it looks pretty simple, but I don't want to screw up my babies, which used to sound soooooo good!! If necessary I will take them out somewhere, but I don't want some 16 year old kid, who knows about the same about it as I do, but cares a lot less about THEM then I do to do the work. So I'm looking for some advice here please?

 

[goodolpg]

Just guessing it would cost around $30-$50 each to have them refoamed by a shop.
Not sure if the shop would discount since you would provide the foams and glue. Depends on the shop.
Lots of refoaming videos on youtube.

 

[The Beef]

Thank you goodolpg! I'll look at some of the videos and see if it's something I want to take on. I surely don't want to screw them up. I may also call a shop (I did some investigating to see if I could find one that looks reliable in my area and it's kind of a crap shoot) and talk to them about it to see how they feel about it and price it out. If this is routine for them and I can get it done right for $60 - $80, I'd probably be more comfortable having them do it.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[goodolpg]

Many folks think that series of Marantz speakers (and the preceding HD XX series) are among the best speakers Marantz made.
Since you bought them new you know their history and how they've been treated over the years.
LOTS of members here are going to tell you to DIY them.
The hardest, most work intensive part isremoving the old foams and prepping the surface for the new foams. The most important part (IMO) is getting the voice coil centered when gluing the new foams to the drivers. Goof that up and you will risk damage to the woofers at worst, and having to redo them at best.
I'm a pretty handy fellow and I've done two sets of refoams myself (including a pair of Marantz HD 66) with mostly good results..
I've also had two sets of woofers done professionally.
JMO---nothing wrong with paying a pro to do them right the first time.

 

[Willy6]

Picked up a pair of HD880 on Friday (local Craigslist). Very quick audition/inspection, offered $100 and I was gone with the speakers.

The Good:

Cosmetically perfect, no dings, dents scratches, clean faceplate, no scratches to the base unit

One supertweeter faceplate as well one tweeter faceplate still had the protective plastic film installed (look yellowish in photos).

All drivers (except woofer) working.

Supertweeter, tweeter and midrange pots all functional on both.

Both grills included, all pegs intact. One grill is flawless, the other has a very small hole at the bottom (not really noticeable). Both Marantz badges affixed.

The Bad (not so bad, mostly usual, some unusual)

Woofers require refoaming (not really an issue)

Before picking-up, I assumed these were wood veneer. These were vinyl. At home, there was lift to the laminate on the top edge of one speaker. Pulled it back and amazingly the vinyl did not seem to have any adhesive o the MDF. Continued and the vinyl on the top and sides (both speakers) came off is one single piece, like gift wrapping, took about 15 secs to come off, no glue residue.

The vinyl on the back as well as the front panels below the drivers was applied with adhesive, but easily removed with a heat gun.

The banding on the rear perimeter of both speakers is actually a wood veneer. This is a strange one! (see photo).

Inspecting the speakers yesterday to check serial numbers, I discovered two different speaker connection faceplates. Obviously not a matched pair and probably different model years. (see photos)

Today I removed the woofers and discovered one speaker used common phillips head screws, the other torx head screws.

Once removed, discovered two different crossovers (see photos).

Lastly, woofers have same part number except for last six numbers/letters.
Probably the same with mids and tweeters.

I may continue working with these, install wood veneer, refoam woofers, find matching crossovers....or part out and sell and make a 500% profit.

I would prefer to keep and restore, great looking speakers IMO.

So looking for opinions on what I have. Mostly concerned with the different crossovers and if I replace crossovers, which to use? Might be best to find a matching pair.

Comments welcomed.

Five more photos in next post.

I'm not sure if this is true but I heard that JBL engineer Bart Locanthi designed the 770's and 880's for marantz back in the 70's.

 

[gregph]

Edmond May designed the 88 series, the 880 series the 940 series and the 600 series.

 

[AUDIOGEEK58]

I know this is a old posting , ED MAY or should I say DR ED MAY was enticed with stare of the art speaker lad and pre production center in California ,I am not sure ,but i believe it was Sunnyvale, not Chatsworth. He designed 5 sersis if speakers, only ,4 were put into production. I am speculating ,but i thing the 5th design was not completed enough to put in production when Dr may passed. What a career in acoustic design. The several towers speakers ,the constant 4way designs. He put Marantz on the Map for quality speakers for about a 6-7 year period. When Philips took over , what a let down. Low price vs quality contruction. From 1956 to 1981 Marantz was a great American based company. It took 20 years and the exit of Philips for then to regain there popularity and quality if product.
Much of the info comes from a former Marantz employee from New York. Reggie Jones -now retired , We had many phone conversations on the glory years of Marantz . When he left in 78 Marantz was being taxed to death in long Island. And shut down the original American facility. I know that California was the main base for Marantz America for a few years. Then a satilite facility fir the east coast was opened in Atlanta GA. I believe. The later east coast Marantz was admin only.
One thing I wish all the people that post would realize on . We all gave different hearing patterns, the tiny bones in our ears are all slightly different from one person to another. A hearing doctor explained this to me. We all hear just a little differently. Thus ,that is why there are so many speaker designs and company's. Now here is a unique item. The company that made made the woofers for the HD/DS lines has been out if business fir a number of decades. I scored another pair of HD 770 with completely trashed woofers. A independent speaker MFG used the basket and VC ti rebuild the woofer using hemp and a half roll surround. The T/S specs are the same, I have installed them in another set of 770s and am currently breaking them in. Even though Hempopotamus did a fantastic job, Jason was very straight forward that this may not be exactly what the originals sound like. Next posting I will have some photos. The 770/880 are still one of the best speaker designs ever. IMHO

 

[cobrasc429]

I purchased a new set of Marantz HD880's and a 2325 receiver new back in 1978. An Audio shop in Ft Wayne, IN was going out of business and I happened into their store at the right time. Took my system home and proceeded to enjoy it for decades. For best bass, the Q port needed plugged for any room I had them in. I too have had them mothballed for a while now, 20 yrs, but ready to go through the receiver and re-foam the subs. My HD 880's does have silver plates and walnut veneer plywood enclosures. I recall the speakers were still under warranty when I ran them so hard the voice coils got toasted and marantz replaced them. Might try to refoam them but any suggestions on a pro speaker shop in NW Ohio?

 

[goodolpg]

Around here we call those WOOFERS (subwoofers are generally stand alone cabinets (can be powered with a built in amp or passive using the system amp) with a bass driver only, though some designs may have 2, or a passive radiator). The previous series, HDXX used foam grilles which in most cases turned to dust years ago (along with the vari-q plugs?), not sure what grilles the HDXXX has.
Not sure about your area, I've used a shop in Caledonia (near Grand Rapids, MI ) for refoams before.
Hopefully someone can recommend a shop closer to you.

 

[cobrasc429]

Woofers, Got it. I found a shop close to me in Ft Wayne. Appreciate the help.

 

[goodolpg]

Cool. If you can drop them off you'll save on shipping.
They probably mean a lot to you since you bought them new, hope they end up sounding good again.
Similar deal for me, pair of Infinitys, bought new 1983, used until the foams went bad, they went into a closet for 17 years, resurrected them and enjoyed them all over again.

 

[SDA SRS 1.2]

I purchased a new set of Marantz HD880's and a 2325 receiver new back in 1978. An Audio shop in Ft Wayne, IN was going out of business and I happened into their store at the right time. Took my system home and proceeded to enjoy it for decades. For best bass, the Q port needed plugged for any room I had them in. I too have had them mothballed for a while now, 20 yrs, but ready to go through the receiver and re-foam the subs. My HD 880's does have silver plates and walnut veneer plywood enclosures. I recall the speakers were still under warranty when I ran them so hard the voice coils got toasted and marantz replaced them. Might try to refoam them but any suggestions on a pro speaker shop in NW Ohio?

Same here - the 2325 and HD-880’s have great “synergy!”

 

[Bradley]

The HD-880 received a top rating in Consumer Reports. Among various tests that CR ran on speakers, they were scored on their accuracy rating. The speakers that had the fewest deviations in their frequency response, got a higher accuracy score. Although some well regarded speakers got high accuracy scores, the HD-880 was at the top of the group.

 

[MJB1959]

NMP
These are the Marantz 940 design series, quite similar I think, I had these for a few years, and needed two super tweeters for them, never found exact replicas, and the potentiometers for the frequency adjustments on the crossover were badly corroded for reasons unknown to me at the time, parts for them seem fairly scarce, they sounded lovely, even with their faults, but I gifted them to family.

 

[Bradley]

If I remember correctly, the DS-940 was the HD-880 in a fancier cabinet.

 

[Big Tuna]

If I remember correctly, the DS-940 was the HD-880 in a fancier cabinet.

They did have same crossover tuning, but the main difference was the LF response due to larger CF cabinet displacement. They Have a bit more bottom end extension.

 

[AUDIOGEEK58]

The Marantz HD 880 is getting hard to find in good condition, not just the woofers, but many cabinets have the veneer starting to separate. I am so lucky to have found a speaker designer who is a making trashed 10 and 12 in woofer with hemp cones. Not inverted dust caps. And according to the parts express DATS V-3 , Audio Test system , the T/S parmeters are within about 2-3% of the original design. So far they sound great. Now to find tweeters that are the same build style . Marantz has been sold so many times that any of the original ED MAY designs from Sunnyvale , where the GD were designed, rested and build are gone. Either in someone's basement, or in an office file cabinet. Basicly the only way to tell anything to to get an owners manual that has all the building spec's. Saul Marantz was never a big speaker guy , he left that to several friends who build , Advents, KLH, etc. But two model 9 tube amps , a model 7pre amp with a pair of three way Advents was a site to see and listen to. The day of our past . What fun

 

[nolasally]

I happily sold my hd880 once the hd88’s came into my life. A much better all around speaker imho. Big quality difference between the two. Kinda like looking at the guts of a SX-xx50 series receiver vs. xx80 series.