How are Marantz turntables?

[OP Music]

A local one just popped up on my classifieds for cheap. I've been looking out for tables for my buddies, after they saw mine they got all jealous. Does anyone have experience with their tables?

 

[Bourbon]

Which model?

I've got a pair of 6300s. I like them, but they're not really high performance units. However, with a Shure M91ED and JICO SAS, they're not bad.

 

[mhainz]

As with every brand, there's good one's and not-so-good one's. What model are you looking at?

 

[bobins08]

I have mint 6300 and it performs well and sounds good. Not high end but very good.

It's price on the the used market is high and some people put it down for that. It has many nice features such as tonearm VTA, lateral adjust, a nice anti skate, auto lift and shut off without the extra return mechanics, solid quiet DD motor, mute switch, overhang gauge, nice headshells, and it can handle medium compliance stylus. I think it looks great. It even has adjustable feet for leveling.

I think the lower models are ok.

Marantz pricing in general tends to be higher.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Marantz of that generation gets panned for the prices they fetch relative to their CEC sourced relatives. The 6100 and 6300 are excellent turntables in their own right, the former I once owned.

 

[Chrisxo55441]

no complaints with my 6300 its not as good as my technics 1700mk2 but its no slouch and makes up for it in the looks department, beautiful classic look

 

[twiiii]

The turn tables were always third string compared to the better electronics. But then I can remember Saul still owning the company. Over the years we sold Marantz, and had a few TT but when you're a Panasonic Technics, Thorens, B&O, Revox, Mitsu, Pioneer dealer, they just did not match up. Specially that SLT-12 thing.

 

[peerson]

I have a 6200 with a Shure M91ED Cartridge. Sounds pretty sweet to these old ears.

 

[OP Music]

Wow, thanks for the input guys! That 6300 certainly is not a bad looking table, I actually quite like it. The one on the classifieds looks like a TT 525, incredibly simple compared to the 6300. In fact, it looks like a kids toy or something.

 

[Montycat]

Ha! I found it amusing that almost everyone seemed to assume the 6300 or similar. Marantz also applied the name to a bunch of others that were (mostly) inferior.

 

[4300]

I had a black, plastic 80s model marantz around 15 years back. Seemed like it was probably part of an all-in-one stereo system. All things considered, it was probably on par with cheapo store brand tables from the same time, but it worked well and sounded decent.