My First 2270 = Sweet

Wornears

Age & Treachery
I bought a very clean 2270 with wood case from a local SA yesterday. It powered up, the protection relay clicked, and an FM signal was indicated by the meters when I put my fingers across the antenna points. Has one tuner lamp out. Let's just say I bought it for lunch money and leave it at that. <G> They even gave me $5.00 off the tagged price because I have bought from them before. I've left their price sticker on the underside on the wood case just for future shock.

First Marantz I've had since the mid-70s/'80s when I had a 2230(?) receiver and a separate tuner I can't remember the model of either. Got the 2270 home, did all the normal cleaning and and lubing and measured DV mv at 65mv in the R channel and 86mv in the Left. Found the adjustment procedure instructions on AK (you guys rock!), but didn't mess with adjusting it right now because it isn't that far out of whack, and I wanted to see it how it sounded.

Sidebar: Is there really that much hearable difference between DC at say 0--50mv per side and the values I have? The adjusting pots still have the original paint on them and they have never been moved. As best as I can tell it may have been unmolested -- it certainly must have been in a cabinet because there was zero dust in it, and the wood case and face are an 8.5/10.

Interestingly it must be an early one because it was built in Sun Valley and not Japan, and has Motorola transistors and has gray Elon capacitors vs. the normal black ones I usually see -- but maybe they were swapped out. I don't know too much about this brand these days. Anyone have a service or owner's manual source I can pay for a copy of?

Also read in the archived threads on the 2270 that I should keep 4 ohm speaker impedance loads off it -- so for now I have it powering a pair of NHT SuperOnes (8 ohm) and ADS L-810 (6 ohms) -- only one pair at a time and I'm too old to get stupid with the volume knob.

How does it sound? It is a very "comfortable" sound compared to my Yamaha, Carver, Sony, and Nikko,and JVC receiver use. Probably closest to the Sony -- STR-6800 -- build quality is as good as that, and surprised me how close in component and build quality it comes to my Yamahas of the same era.

Gave me a bit more respect for Marantz -- although I prefer the cleaner look of the Yamahas (and it is light years ahead of JVC receivers of the '70s in looks, and also the Sonys). Definitely not going to be flipped out of here.
 
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The 2270 is a wonderful piece of equipment. I've serviced hundreds of them over the years, and they respond very well to service.

DO get a can of Caig DeoxIT D5, and treat all the switches and controls.

Fred Longworth
 
Wow, nice find. With the way Marantz's are going on ebay that one will be worth its weight in gold before to long.
 
Nice! I've had mine for 13 years now! Best $25 (came w a pair of Imperial 6 spkrs!) I ever spent:banana:
 
I like your description of the 2270 sound as "comfortable." I feel the same way about mine. Looks like you did well!
 
Thanks for all your comments; I can certainly understand why the brand has so many followers. It really is a top candidate in the mid-power line receivers of that era -- the wood case and how it frames the faceplate is so well done. Very easy on the eyes and ears.

Marantz prices on EPrey have gone way up, and I had stopped following them as they got in the "stupid money" place they are now. But, in general IMO, vintage audio prices seem to be up, and tube gear in particular. Wow. You can list a bare tube chassis that looks like if you touch it the piece would collapse under the weight of the rust, and say "hasn't been tested" and get $50--$100 for junk that should be melted and recycled -- if there is any metal left.

This 2270 find was just the luck of being in the right place at the right time. If you spend enough time in thrifts, eventually the right time comes along. (Although I have backed off from my three times a week "Circle of Thrifts" I used to take. I actually have a real job and kids to keep putting through college, etc...<G>)

Fred: Thanks for your service tip for cleaning. I did use DeOxitD5 in the cleaning and Caigs Pro Gold too -- spend enough time on AK you learn about DeOxit!

Question for Fred because of your service background: 1) Should I be concerned with the DC mv values I measured? and 2) In your experience, will the 2270 reliably support 4 ohm impedance speakers? Thanks for any comments you have based on your extensive service experience.
 
Congrats, that's a nice receiver. :thmbsp: My neighbor has a nice one, with the wooden case, though the wood needs refinishing. He says he likes it that way. :D
 
Post Correx On My 2270 Place of Manufacture

Wornears said: "Interestingly it must be an early one because it was built in Sun Valley and not Japan, and has Motorola transistors and has gray Elon capacitors vs. the normal black ones I usually see -- but maybe they were swapped out. I don't know too much about this brand these days."

Correction: After re-reading the label (with a flashlight) I see that it has "Made In Japan" in smaller letters under "Sun Valley" on the back tag. My lousy eyesight is to blame for this confusion. I apologize.

When I first turned it on I also didn't immediately see the Antenna Attenuation ON/OFF switch and wondered why I wasn't getting decent FM reception (it was set to ON). Time for a visit for new glasses (been wearing them since 1961 -- no not this pair! -- I can start a forest fire with the lenses though).

Here's a more detailed commentary from another forum I belong to:

"You should read up on Marantz history. The 22xx series receivers as
well as all tuners after the Model 20B, most preamps and amps and
almost everything else that was introduced after 1968 were
manufactured in Japan by Standard Radio of Japan, a majority owned
subsidiary of Superscope, sole owner of Marantz after 1964 (Marantz
was later sold to Philips).

"The 22 series receivers, tuners and preamp/tuner as well as the first
run of 22xx receivers, including 2270, 2245, 2230 and 2220, carried
labels that said simply "Made in Japan". Later, as a marketing ploy,
the 22xxs were labeled "Designed in USA, produced in Japan". Any
products carrying that label were engineered and manufactured in Japan.
What was made in the USA was all the early models from 1 - 33, the
240, 250, 500, 510M, 1120, 1200B, 3300, 3800. Also, there was a run of
Model 19 that was assembled in Japan from American parts."
 
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