2230 –> 2285 Model Decision To Make

[tybrad]

2230 –> 2285 (and everything in between) Model Decision To Make

Please forgive if it's been asked before- I looked, honest!.:yes:

I want to put a vintage Marantz in my stack and am looking at 2230 up to 2285. I would like to solicit opinions from those who've used them about things like clarity, warmth, faceplate options, amp punch, etc.; anything other than the obvious power differences. It would be driving Kappa 7's, ESS AMT's or Ohm Walsh 2's. What are your opinions on the slider balance?

Thanks guys, and soon welcome me into the vint Marantz club..

 

[michiganpat]

I have both, kinda (a 2230, and the 2285's little brother, the 2265).

IMHO, the 2230 is a little warmer sounding, very pleasing, but almost too warm at times to the point of slightly "muddy", depending on speakers/recordings compared to the 2265

the 2265 (and 2285) has some nice features not on the 2230

--the dolby FM button helps squelch some broadcast hiss, even if nobody is broadcasting in dolbyFM

-2 tape monitors vs. 1 (more potential input connections)

-flexible tone controls-- regular settings boost frequencies below ~350 hz and above 4000 hz, also has the option of only boosting under 100 and above 10k hz. really nice for use with speakers & recordings already a little fat/boomy in the midbass (see this thread http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=342446)

-tone controls independently adjustable for right and left channel.

-speaker connections much nicer/beefier on the 2265/85

-internal switches for pre-main connection--no need for external jumpers

there is a lot more headroom on the 2265, to get approx. the same volume level between the two, the volume position is turned up roughly 1/2 as much as the 2230.

I personally prefer the slider balance, it has a little detent for centered, the 2230's dial does not. of course, it's not as beefy, and you see some slider balance knobs broken off on used units

if I could keep only 1, I'd keep the 2265, of course, part of that is it was my uncle's that he bought new.

 

[tybrad]

I have both, kinda (a 2230, and the 2285's little brother, the 2265).

IMHO, the 2230 is a little warmer sounding, very pleasing, but almost too warm at times to the point of slightly "muddy", depending on speakers/recordings compared to the 2265

the 2265 (and 2285) has some nice features not on the 2230

--the dolby FM button helps squelch some broadcast hiss, even if nobody is broadcasting in dolbyFM

-2 tape monitors vs. 1 (more potential input connections)

-flexible tone controls-- regular settings boost frequencies below ~350 hz and above 4000 hz, also has the option of only boosting under 100 and above 10k hz. really nice for use with speakers & recordings already a little fat/boomy in the midbass (see this thread http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=342446)

-tone controls independently adjustable for right and left channel.

-speaker connections much nicer/beefier on the 2265/85

-internal switches for pre-main connection--no need for external jumpers

there is a lot more headroom on the 2265, to get approx. the same volume level between the two, the volume position is turned up roughly 1/2 as much as the 2230.

I personally prefer the slider balance, it has a little detent for centered, the 2230's dial does not. of course, it's not as beefy, and you see some slider balance knobs broken off on used units

if I could keep only 1, I'd keep the 2265, of course, part of that is it was my uncle's that he bought new.

Thanks Pat, very informative. User input is my best way to "audition" equipment that is not in a store. Any others to chime in?

 

[Coconuts 500]

Balance sliders need a lot (!) more maintenance than regular ones. They often start behaving upredictably, and I have had annoying problems with slider potentiometers on every piece of gear that has them (including Marantz). Needs a lot of deoxit, often. Luckily, these are also VERY easy to clean - they are wide open so you can just press the spray nozzle right in there and spray away. No need to take anything off.

 

[Robisme]

De-oxit Fader lube is the only Caig product I would use on sliders.


The 2230 is a cap coupled amp. I think it is a well built, if not over built 30, WPC amp. (Receiver)

Rob

 

[Arkay]

One thing I note is the speakers you are intending to use the receiver with. They are all fairly big speakers, that are efficient enough to be run loud enough with a lower-powered source, but you'll find they will appreciate more power, and will sound better with a higher-powered source. On that basis alone, I would go with the 2285, or even better, the later-model 2285B. The regular 2285 is closer to the 2230 in character, but the 2285B is overall a better receiver, IMO.

The 2230 is very musical, a bit closer to "tube-like", but the speakers you are using will "open up" better with the extra headroom the more powerful amp will provide.

Another alternative (perhaps the ideal compromise?) would be to use the 2230 as a pre-amp for its sweet sound, and use another power amp, to better "feed" the speakers.

 

[Jailtime]

De-oxit Fader lub is the only Caig product I would use on sliders.

Rob

:yes: Only Faderlube on sliders!

One thing I note is the speakers you are intending to use the receiver with. They are all fairly big speakers, that are efficient enough to be run loud enough with a lower-powered source, but you'll find they will appreciate more power, and will sound better with a higher-powered source. On that basis alone, I would go with the 2285, or even better, the later-model 2285B. The regular 2285 is closer to the 2230 in character, but the 2285B is overall a better receiver, IMO.

I'd be looking at a power amp to run the Kappa 7s. And a 2285 to run the other speakers, if you must have a Marantz receiver. The 2285 is superior in build quality to the 2285B. It has shielded tuner boards, separate heatsinks for L and R channels, and larger filter caps.

I'm looking at some Ohm Walsh 2XOs right now. I should grab 'em so I can speak from a bit of experience here. The original Walsh 2 was around 85dB sensitivity, IIRC.

 

[michiganpat]

speaks I've run on the 2230 are: AR18, Smaller Advents, some homebuilt ported based on AR M1 holographic woofers ($6 PE closeout in '95) and vifa tweets, acoustalinear 660B (3-way, 12" AS speakers that look to use CTS drivers that were Best Buy's house brand in the 70's when they were still called Sound of Music) all of which are in the 85 db sensitivity range. the 2230 will drive them loud enough to be almost too loud in a 24x24 garage.

I've run the same speakers and my AR312HO's (4ohm imp, 97db/1w/1m sensitivity) with the 2265....the 2265 will drive them all to near ludicrous, and the 312's to downright painful levels.