1030, 1040, 1060?

Alienz

Alienz

Super Member
Hello,

I only recently started my adventures in vintage hi-fi, I've got a 70s Sansui, Luxman and Philips amp but I'd also like to get a taste of the 70s Marantz sound. I missed out on buying a 1060 in a thriftstore some months ago, still regret that :(
On the dutch version of ebay I dont see the 1060 go for less than 100-125 euros but the 1030 and 1040 seem to go for less than half that price.

So my question is: are there any big differences in sound between the 1030/40 and the 1060 in frequency response etc? Would I get a good impression of the 'Marantz sound' with a 1030/40?
The 1060 seems to be so much more popular then those smaller ones or is that just down to watts/power? I also read a review in a 70s hi-fi magazine where the 1030 was 'not recommended' , I think it was because of problems in the low end.
I also wonder if a 1030/40 can power a pair of 25-50watts speakers. And why does the 1040 look so different with the black and all? :) There's a 1040 on offer now, bidding starts at 30 euros...

Thanks,

Gerard
 
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i own a 1030 and a 1060 and like both. in fact, i could almost (almost) say i prefer the 1030. the speakers are likely the reason, however. my 1030 drives a pair of OLAs while the 1060 is connected to an Advent /1 pair. both sound great and i would definitely repair or replace if either died on me. i live in a small apt and don't need lots of power. the 1030 works just fine, in that regard. i wouldn't hesitate to recommend it if you are in a similar situation. of course, the 1060 already comes highly recommended by most and i concur...
 
I have both a 1030 and a 1060. The 1030 is a nice amplifier if it is used with very efficient speakers in a smaller area. If you looking to power a pair of JBL 100's you may be disappointed. I have tried using it with my pair of HD770's and it runs out of power quickly. The 1030 also lacks a mid range tone control, which I prefer having.

Even though the 1060 may be more expensive I think the additional power is worth the extra money in the long run. Most 1030's do not have pre-amp out and amp-in connections. The exception to this are the earliest production units (maybe built in the first year or so) I have a unit like this.
 
Thanks guys, seems there's not a huge difference soundwise between those then. I think I also might be confused with the 1060B, that one does seem to have a different setup than the 1060.
Still not sure if should place a bid on that 1040, specwise it seems to have a slightly broader freq response and more watts but i havent found many reviews on it yet, maybe there werent many build? I'm very very tempted though...:)
 
Avoid the 1040, it is a more recent model and will not represent that "Marantz sound" that you are looking for. It might be nice in its own right, but not in the kind of way that we all cherish here. :) The 30 is as old as the 60, and probably sounds about the same.

Unfortunately, Marantz has the most expensive "price per watts" of all the vintage solid state gear... It must be the design that appeals to so much people.
 
Coconuts 500 said:
Avoid the 1040, it is a more recent model and will not represent that "Marantz sound" that you are looking for. It might be nice in its own right, but not in the kind of way that we all cherish here. :) The 30 is as old as the 60, and probably sounds about the same.

Unfortunately, Marantz has the most expensive "price per watts" of all the vintage solid state gear... It must be the design that appeals to so much people.
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Thanks! Thats just the information i needed, on my way home today i actually decided i would put a bid on that 1040 but i wont now. I missed out on a 1030 with some defects last week, thats why i'm a bit jumpy I guess :)

Are there any other 70s Marantz models that I should look out for? I dont need a lot of power, 20-30 watts is more than enough for me. I also saw some of those smaller receivers, 2216 etc, they look very nice but I dont really listen much radio.
 
I actually just picked up a 1040. While admittedly it doesn't sound as good as my 2265b or McIntosh MC7300 it sounds pretty good for such a small amp.
 
Alienz said:
Are there any other 70s Marantz models that I should look out for? I dont need a lot of power, 20-30 watts is more than enough for me. I also saw some of those smaller receivers, 2216 etc, they look very nice but I dont really listen much radio.
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The 1030 is more or less the same as the 2015/2215 receivers, and the 1060 = 2230. :) The receivers are more appreciated than the integrateds, due to their beautiful tuner scale. I never listen to the radio either but I love and prefer receivers above all since they tend to look so good. I (and everybody else here, undoubtedly) will definitely recommend any receiver in the 20xx/22xx line.

If you truly want that old Marantz sound, avoid the "B" models since they all came out at a later time (1978-79), and sounded rather different, more "modern". Still very nice, though!
 
Thanks :)
I assumed the 1040 was in the same series because of the number. I think I'll just have to wait till a 1030 or 60 is on offer on the net here again, been scavenging thrift stores for some months now but what are the chances of finding one there again? :)
I might also put an ad up on the dutch ebay asking for one, I'm slowly getting the hang of repairing amps too, i might ask for one with some defects, it will be a bit cheaper too i guess
 
Coconuts 500 said:
I just saw a 2015, totally broken, go for 60€. Add tons of shipping to that. Man, Marantz amps are expensive!
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Yup, and I missed out on the deal too :(
I said I accepted the offer, next day I had a migraine, wasnt able to respond to his reply late that evening but he said he hadnt received the money yet and my adress therefore he couldnt send them. I replied that I was ill and would pay straight away, havent heard from him again :(
I can't deny I'm a bit pissed off about this, not sure wether I should be angry at the migraine or him though :)

Seems marantz and me just don't go together, this is the 3rd time I missed out on a 1030/1060! :(

edit: oops wrong thread :)
 
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