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Caught the vintage bug - Marantz 2270 or Pioneer SX?

For the money a working 2270 sells for I would move it on and buy something much better sounding.Larger Marantz just never did it for me.
 
I just got rid of my Marantz 2330BD and all my Marantz pieces and kept thinking the Marantz always had the better sound over all of the pioneers I've owned (SX-1080, 950, 750, 780). I also owned the 2235B, 2270, 2285 with the 2270 being the most neutral of all. The 2330BD was obviously the most robust and sounded more like the 2270 with more power, also bigger. I've had an opportunity to audition a fully restored SX-1250 side by side with my Marantz which in most, partly restored, and can easily say the SX out performed it in almost every way.
 
I would be tempted to keep both, but bluesky is giving you good advice. I've never had the 828, but I've had the 626 and it was sweet!

But, and I strongly recommend this, the receiver is only part of the picture. The speakers need to be a good match for your receiver.

Just as an example, I've had a 636 for a while, and I've tried mission speakers, technics, Rega, Ohm, and many more speakers with it. It sounded good, but not great. I just hooked up the 636 to a pair of Elipson speakers I recently got, and the synergy is really exceptional. I haven't heard the 636 sounding this good ever before!

So try to buy your speakers low so that if you don't like them together, you can sell them easily or for a profit so you can move on to the next.
 
Whatever your speakers like is the best in the end..Or it could be the other way around.
EQ no eq .. Loudness no loudness, Head/room on and on.Synergy as stated above is the ticket.


Best-

Boozehound
 
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Boozehound said:
Whatever your speakers like is the best in the end..Or it could be the other way around.
EQ no eq .. Loudness no loudness, Head/room on and on.Synergy as stated above is the ticket.


Best-

Boozehound
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Very true. Once you find the type of combination that gives you the sound you want to hear, you can hone in on that type of combination and improve on it.
 
On the speaker subject, I agree that you might want to try some other ones as well. I run modern Polks for my bedroom systems and I love them (RTR25is and TSX110Bs) with the Realistic, MCS, Kenwood and Sony receivers. But I actually found the best combo for my Marantz 2220B was a set of Realistic Nova 7s from 1973. I was really lucky to find a set that was in really nice shape. We liked them so much we re did the living room to put them front and center for the retro decor we wanted. We are going this morning to pick up a set of Nova 6s that look like they just came out of the box so now I will have another project in the bedroom to make room for them. The Vintage receiver/speaker virus is a virulent one, once you get it, it is hard to shake! I had a space limitation in this stand for the receiver so I had to get the smaller Marantz and was a bit concerned that at 20 watts it would be a step down from the 30 Kenwood but it ended up blowing the Kenwood into the weeds. It made the Novas come alive. Synergy is so important and sometimes can really surprise one.

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Kind of hard to judge or rate 45 year old electronics. Past use and storage come into play. I would listen for yourself and decide.

I use a 2270 in a secondary system in my home office. I like it enough to sink some money into a recap/restore. The phono stage is very good, especially with era correct cartridges. YMMV.
 
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I would not like to have to make this decision, myself. I would agonize, lose sleep, and (in the end) keep 'em both. And, in the meantime, probably find another one. I have pretty much the ones I like right now. So, I have stopped "ACTIVELY" looking. But, you never know...I might find a nice Tube Amp. And then it all starts over again...:)
 
Jayrosc said:
Technical stuff aside, I think the point here is that BOTH of these devices are good and rare. You are lucky enough to have found both.
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That's it.. both those units represent the best of those very popular brands during the early years of quality stereo systems becoming mainstream. Both are good and rare. I would keep both of them.. would probably prefer the sound of the Marantz, but that particular Pioneer is a nice sounding unit... not that others are bad.. and has nice, audiophile controls like mode, and individual channel tone controls... embossed face plate. For me, between those two, forced to decide... I don't know.. probably the one that consistently sounded better, which removes that answer from the OPs question since he can't make that kind of comparison. Keep them both... save money, be patient, and wait for a pair of speakers that present the same dilemma, that way you'll evolve a nice sounding and classy vintage system that will always be a source of pleasure in your life.
 
Blue Shadow said:
All this keep both talk. Just think, you are still on the hunt and keeping both every time you gear another unit leads to a bit more gear than you can handle. I would enjoy one find more and move the lesser condition units on to keep the slush fund available to grab something else when it is presented. That means the 2270 goes when you are ready to let go and hopefully a much better looking 2270 with a nice walnut cabinet will take its place or some other unit in great shape.
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Yeah.... between those two units especially. If one goes, it has to be the Marantz because of it's cosmetics and the pristine condition of that particular Pioneer, the SX 828. If both were pristine... that would be problematic.... best sounding among two pristine units versus the very subjective attractiveness factor.
 
The answer may lie in multiple systems, garage system, kitchen,...I better stop.

Speaker synergy is important, but buy low and move them on if they don't synergize. If you see a Sansui....
 
Mileage def varies. I just A-B’d my 2270 vs the 828 and prefer the Marantz paired with a set KLH model six’s. More natural and smooth. Vocals sound more naturally present vs the Pioneer sounding like I’m playing a recording. That’s not to say the Pioneer isn’t impressive. Found the Pioneer to be full of crank and midrange but it was harshing the mellow that the 2270 brought to the table. Different speakers, different music rotations? Could change things. I wouldn’t kick either out of bed!
 
Sell the 2270 as is and use the funds toward your next upgrade. I did that with a non functional 2230 that I thought I'd get repaired and don't regret it, that cash went to a Thorens 166 turntable. Then again, I wasn't receiver-poor at the time.
 
I have a marantz 2275 and a sx 850. I prefer the 2275 but it has been restored and the 850 is original. It is currently at my tech's shop waiting for a checkup. It probably doesn't need much maybe a few caps and adjustments. I had a sx 1250 fully restored and still preferred the 2275.
 
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