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How to Connect This Marantz Setup?

Chitown84

Chitown84

Active Member
Hey guys, how do I properly connect my Marantz gear? I have never had a 3 piece like this and don't want to risk damaging somehing as it has all been serviced.

Marantz 250 amp, 120 tuner, and 3300 preamp is what im trying to hook up.

Currently running a Pioneer SX850 and a Pioneer PL518 tt with Dynaco A 35 speakers. Finally ready to connect all this Marantz gear but I don't want to blow something up lol. I am downloading the manuals after im done posting this so Im sure I will come up with my own solution but I want to ask you guys just for reassurance.

Thanks in advance. Very curious how this is gonna sound compared to my Pioneer 850
 
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This may help (the 1060 in this thread = your 3300 preamp, and the Yamaha = your 250 power amp):

Marantz 1060 integrated amp/ Yamaha P2250 amp.

Hey folks, I need a little help with this. I have somebody interested in buying this Yamaha amp but they want to hear it operating first. Can I connect it to the 1060 amp through the pre-out? I don’t want to connect it incorrectly if it’s at all possible for fear of blowing something up or doing...
audiokarma.org
 
BTW, the Marantz 250 has RCA input connections...so no need for the XLM or 1/4" converters mentioned in the thread I linked.
 
spark1 said:
This may help (the 1060 in this thread = your 3300 preamp, and the Yamaha = your 250 power amp):

Marantz 1060 integrated amp/ Yamaha P2250 amp.

Hey folks, I need a little help with this. I have somebody interested in buying this Yamaha amp but they want to hear it operating first. Can I connect it to the 1060 amp through the pre-out? I don’t want to connect it incorrectly if it’s at all possible for fear of blowing something up or doing...
audiokarma.org
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, my assumption was correct in putting the 3300 outputs going to the power amp then. The tt, 120 tuner, and speakers will all then go to the 3300. I actually haven't been able to find a normal manual on these units though, only service manuals.
spark1 said:
BTW, the Marantz 250 has RCA input connections...so no need for the XLM or 1/4" converters mentioned in the thread I linked.
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I was literally typing to ask you about this. I looked at the back and could see it also though. I try to do a little leg work myself too lol.

What's your opinion on this setup vs my pioneer setup? im very excited to hook it up and give it a shot.
 
ok so I apparently I don't know what im doing because I can't get the amp or pre amp to power up at all. the amp doesn't have a switch so it should turn on as soon as its plugged in but I get nothing. haven't even messed with the tuner yet. all this stuff was serviced in December of 23' and worked perfectly but has been sitting in my basement covered up since then. It has to be user error. I have tried plugging directly into the wall outlets, into 2 different power strips and nothing. can't get the amp or preamp to turn on. preamp out goes to the input of the power amp via rca cables. and the tt is going into phono 1 of the preamp. not sure what else there is to try.

can I connect the 250 amp to my pioneer 850 receiver?
 
Yes, you can use preamp out connection from SX850 to the Marantz 250.

You can also use the preamp out from the 3300 to the power amp in connection of the SX850.

Does the power indicator lamp of the 3300 come on when you power it up?
 
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spark1 said:
Yes, you can use preamp out connection from SX850 to the Marantz 250.

You can also use the preamp out from the 3300 to the power amp in connection of the SX850.

Does the power indicator lamp of the 3300 come on when you power it up?
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ok so I just got back from taking it to the guy who repaired it. amp is totally fine and the 3300 is totally fine, the light was out on the 3300 so that was throwing me off, as well as having the amp plugged into a "switched" outlet on a power strip. repair guy was nice enough to replace the bulb on the 3300 for me too.

came home and had success at first, which was amp meter lights coming on and 3300 light coming on. meters were moving once I dropped the stylus down on a record but I can't hear anything at all from my speakers, zero. I had the tt plugged into phono 1 so I tried phono 2 and still nothing. when I move the volume knob on the 3300 it will make those meters on the 250 move also so im not sure what the hell im doing.

the only thing I can think is that maybe the rca cable connecting the 3300 and 250 isn't the right one? I snagged it off my auris bloothoth device. I don't have another one laying around to try either. but then again, if the meters on the 250 are moving when the stylus hits the tracks and when I adjust the volume on the 3300, I don't think its the rca cable.

this is really frustrating and im not sure what other trouble shooting I can do without help.
 
Chitown84 said:
ok so I just got back from taking it to the guy who repaired it. amp is totally fine and the 3300 is totally fine, the light was out on the 3300 so that was throwing me off, as well as having the amp plugged into a "switched" outlet on a power strip. repair guy was nice enough to replace the bulb on the 3300 for me too.

came home and had success at first, which was amp meter lights coming on and 3300 light coming on. meters were moving once I dropped the stylus down on a record but I can't hear anything at all from my speakers, zero. I had the tt plugged into phono 1 so I tried phono 2 and still nothing. when I move the volume knob on the 3300 it will make those meters on the 250 move also so im not sure what the hell im doing.

the only thing I can think is that maybe the rca cable connecting the 3300 and 250 isn't the right one? I snagged it off my auris bloothoth device. I don't have another one laying around to try either. but then again, if the meters on the 250 are moving when the stylus hits the tracks and when I adjust the volume on the 3300, I don't think its the rca cable.

this is really frustrating and im not sure what other trouble shooting I can do without help.
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Are the speakers connected to the amp or the preamp?
 
Can I assume that the speakers are connected to the Marantz 250?

NOTE - NEVER CONNECT OR DISCONNECT SPEAKERS WITH THE AMP POWERED ON!

Edit: As @kwayde alludes to above, the 3300 does have a rather unique capability whereby you can connect speakers to it, rather than to the power amp. This gives you access to the A/B speaker selector of the 3300, but requires that you connect the speaker outputs from the 250 to the "special" speaker input connections on the 3300.

I didn't get into this earlier so as to avoid the potential for confusing you, as most folks are not familiar with this kind of arrangement.

For now, I would recommend you connect speakers directly to the 250. This requires only the preamp out connection (from the 3300, in to the 250).
 
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kwayde said:
Connect them to the amp.
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im so retarded, I really do amaze myself. I wonder why I even mess with this stuff sometimes considering how little I know about how to work it.

the amp has screws that I assume I would just wrap the wire around and screw down. just like wiring up an outlet?
 
Chitown84 said:
im so retarded, I really do amaze myself. I wonder why I even mess with this stuff sometimes considering how little I know about how to work it.

the amp has screws that I assume I would just wrap the wire around and screw down. just like wiring up an outlet?
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Put some spade lugs on the wires. I never like putting bare wire that close together. One strand can easily short it out them you have big problems.


IMG_20250627_173334343.jpg
 
See here:

1751063539822.jpeg

Preamp L and R RCA cables plug into the Inputs hacks. Speakers connect to the Loudspeakers jacks. Make sure to connect them so that the same leg is on black or white for each speaker.

1751063678963.jpeg

Preamp out goes to amp via RCA cables. Turntable to either Phono 1 or 2, tuner to Tuner or Aux 1 or 2.
 
spark1 said:
Can I assume that the speakers are connected to the Marantz 250?

NOTE - NEVER CONNECT OR DISCONNECT SPEAKERS WITH THE AMP POWERED ON!

Edit: As @kwayde alludes to above, the 3300 does have a rather unique capability whereby you can connect speakers to it, rather than to the power amp. This gives you access to the A/B speaker selector of the 3300, but requires that you connect the speaker outputs from the 250 to the "special" speaker input connections on the 3300.

I didn't get into this earlier so as to avoid the potential for confusing you, as most folks are not familiar with this kind of arrangement.

For now, I would recommend you use connect speakers directly to the 250. This requires only the preamp out connection (from the 3300, in to the 250).
Click to expand...

kwayde said:
Put some spade lugs on the wires. I never like putting bare wire that close together. One strand can easily short it out them you have big problems.
Click to expand...
so if I had multiple sets of speakers that would be useful but since I only have 1, then connecting to the power amp will do. but with there only being screws to attach to, should I even attempt it or just buy the spade lugs? do those lugs have to be matched with the gauge of speaker wire I have? I would like to try it now without the lugs but if you guys think I can potentially short something out then I will just leave it alone for now
 
Chitown84 said:
so if I had multiple sets of speakers that would be useful but since I only have 1, then connecting to the power amp will do. but with there only being screws to attach to, should I even attempt it or just buy the spade lugs? do those lugs have to be matched with the gauge of speaker wire I have? I would like to try it now without the lugs but if you guys think I can potentially short something out then I will just leave it alone for now
Click to expand...
FWIW, I am using bare wire on my amp. I tinned the ends to keep them from fraying.
 
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