What is the best sounding Marantz Receiver?

lilwing

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I've had a couple 2238b and a 2270 for my impression that the 'b' had better sound to my ear.
Is there a consensus about the best sounding unit?
I'm told the 2285b is hard to beat. But need other impressions.
 
That’s a little like asking who is the most beautiful woman. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and ear of the listener. I’ve never had a b model, but their reputation is for more true reproduction compared to earlier non-b units. I prefer the warm sound of the 2230, 2245 and 2270. The 2275 is less warm, but fantastic sounding. I would place my 2325 closer to the 2270 than the 2275, which I have heard has a sound more in line with b models. Of course speaker pairing and room setup has as much or more to do with sound as model number.
 
To my ear, and units I have kept, the 2275 and 2325 are really nice. Personally, I wasn't that impressed with the sound of the 2500, 2385, but that doesn't mean much: a lot of people love them!
All Marantz receivers are pretty great, even the smallest. I think the models that came out together in 1976 (?) which included the 2250B, 2275 and 2325 is a hard group to beat for well rounded sound, and build quality. Also, whatever the Marantz sound is, I think most here would agree that it is tends to be a little warmer, and many of the favorites are different shades of that house sound. Anyway, that is how I view it. I was selling them at the time, and later models like the 2252B, 2265B and other "silver" tuner facia models really did seem to move a little toward a brighter sound: it was a noticeable change. At the end of the day, just as Steven said above, it all depends on what you team them with, your room, and individual taste.
 
I can't tell you about other Marantz models but what I can tell you is that once a Marantz 2500 is fully restored it is clean & cool as cucumber & mint. Not clinical or warm. A refreshing alternative to a warm rounded sound of the Sony 7055. Two polar opposites.
(In a modern terms it leans a little towards Yamaha RX V series in that clean sound without it's drawback of being too bright. I can't have bright on Klipsch Bell's.)
I hope to experience other Marantz models in the future just having a hard time deciding which one.
Good luck in your search!
 
And I don’t like the 2230 or 2270.

Best I’ve heard
4415
2220 I think it was a B
2230B
2275 my favorite, I have 5 of those.
The bigger units are a whole different world.
They are just serious about their job and have no problem doing it.
2325
2330
2385
2500

I recently restored a 2215 and that thing was wonderful.

A restored 4270 is impressive.

I am just finishing a repair/restore on a 4330 and it’s showing real promise.


Oh, and nothing, nothing compares to the mighty Marantz 500

Nothing.
 
Well there you have it. It appears that you will be getting a lot of impressions as to what is the best sounding Marantz receiver. I agree with others that have said that the receiver will sound different depending on what your room is like, what speakers you might have hooked up at the time, assoc. gear in your system and your individual taste.
Enjoy the journey Lilwing.
 
I haven't heard any Marantz receivers other than my 2385, all I can say about the 2385 is WOW, what a beast, I've heard it described as a iron fist in a velvet glove, I'll have to agree, amazing amp section, my class A integrated does NOT make the 2385 sound bad.
I agree with the above post, my stereo sounds completely different when I move it to the living room, room acoustics and speaker placement have a huge influence on what a system will sound like, so my experience with the 2385 may not be the same as someone else's experience. Under ideal conditions they will all sound good, under poor conditions they will ALL sound bad because the room doesn't care how "good" the gear is. IMHO of course. :)
 
Agree with BHagstrom that a restored 4270 is great sounding.

2275 2245 2240 2252B 2265 2385 all sounded good to me. Recapped 2230 was fantastic paired well in a 13 x 13 room with JBL 4311 WXA (Alnico).

2325's sound bright to my ears and the 2270's sound congested in the midbass to me- like somebody put 1 too many pillows in the kick drum/ I've heard several of them and they ALL sounded that way. restored or unrestored on a variety of speakers.
 
Loads of different opinions. Results can vary. Different receivers or amps. Different speakers, turntables, and carts. Even the room can effect the sound. My three receivers are a 4270,2252, and new to me a 2270. In my shop area they all sounded good. Using a pr of dump sourced Avid two ways and a pr of PSB Alpha on the rear. My daily system is in my sleeping quarters. The speakers are JBL Decade 26s. The turntable is Dual 1219 with a NOS Shure M55. First to go was a 4270 I got from an Aker. I like these and my first one lives in my livingroom. Next was the 2252 and now the 2270.

In this room, the 2270 sounds the best. A warm sound with distinct vocals. Next is the 4270. Warm sound, not quite as distinctive in the vocals. Last is the 2252. To me, this is the most solid state of my three. Yet it sounds great in the shop. Concrete walls and floor with an open ceiling. But hey I have a low end Sanyo Quad Receiver that's sounds decent down there. Go figure. Please note that my friend who owns a record store in Kingston uses a 2252 with Pioneer HPM 100s. Sounds great in his store! Bought mine based on his setup.

Which brings us to what I wrote above. Many things can influence the final results. My livingroom system has a second 4270 paired with JBL L100 up front and a pr of small Pioneers. Sounds great. The livingroom likes this setup. A Pioneer QX 8000 sounded like crap here. Sounded great in my old place. Results can vary. My two cents. The adventure continues. Would be fun to try other models.
 
Thank you Friends and Neighbors!!
It is conspicuous that not one of the models mentioned have the "b" suffix exept a couple for neighbor blhagstrom.. He and neighbor Bucky Badger disagree on the model I am seriously looking at now, a minty 2270.
 
Some of the "B" models sound great to me. Even the common 2238 B sounds very good. 2252B was another.

The 2275 was the one that really wowed me, followed by a couple of particular sessions with my own 2230 paired with the JBL WXA's. 2275 and 4270 were the best of them all by a pretty good margin. I seem to remember a 4230 in there somewhere also. I didn't enjoy working on it much at the time, but the result exceeded my expectations.
 
I've seen the 4270 mentioned a couple times.
What is the usefulness of this quad receiver with 2 channel media?
Is it any different than running two pair of speakers on a 2 channel system?
I ask because A) they look wonderful B) I have a glut of L100s and it sounds like fun if it's different than 2 channel / 4 spkrs.
 
Thank you Friends and Neighbors!!
It is conspicuous that not one of the models mentioned have the "b" suffix exept a couple for neighbor blhagstrom.. He and neighbor Bucky Badger disagree on the model I am seriously looking at now, a minty 2270.
If you can audition it prior to purchase that might be good. bihagstrom has had more experience with Marantz than I have had so far so some weight should be given his words.
I have had quite a few of the Marantz receivers including the big ones, and to my ears the 2230 and 2270 just seem to have that Marantz sound I like. Not that any of the others mentioned sound bad or worse, some of the B models sound great for sure and look nice to boot.
I just happen to like the 2230 and 2270. :dunno:
 
I've seen the 4270 mentioned a couple times.
What is the usefulness of this quad receiver with 2 channel media?
Is it any different than running two pair of speakers on a 2 channel system?
I ask because A) they look wonderful B) I have a glut of L100s and it sounds like fun if it's different than 2 channel / 4 spkrs.
The 4270 is a quadrophonic receiver. It has a 2-channel mode at 70 wpc and acts like an ordinary stereo. In 4-channel mode, it has 25 wpc with discreet inputs for 4 channels. You need a 4-channel source, like a 4channel tape deck or you need one of a couple types of 4-channel vinyl systems with appropriate decoder. I believe it has built in 4channel synthesizer, which takes normal stereo signal and synthesizes a 4 channel program out of it. Quad was big in the 70’s for audiophiles on the cutting edge,but it never caught on with the masses.
 
I've seen the 4270 mentioned a couple times.
What is the usefulness of this quad receiver with 2 channel media?
Is it any different than running two pair of speakers on a 2 channel system?
I ask because A) they look wonderful B) I have a glut of L100s and it sounds like fun if it's different than 2 channel / 4 spkrs.

The 4270 can be used as a 2 channel, 70WPC receiver by turning a switch on the back panel.

Just never, ever do it with the unit powered up...!
 
Never met bigger and stronger Marantz receivers. :(
The 2216 I have is a wonderful sounding little unit. The 2230 is more powerful with it's 2x30W, but for me the 2216 sounding better. Maybe it's just due to spekers. JBL L19 on 2216, JBL L40 on 2230.
 
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