Is the preamp section of the 1150 the same as the 3600?

[pinchechris]

I've been looking at these both as a preamp for a Marantz Model 250 power amp. They look pretty much identical (same knobs and switches) and seem to command around the same price. Just wondering if the 1150 is basically a 3600 with power?

Are there any other preamps I should consider instead?

Thanks all

Chris

 

[jstang]

I am nuts over my 7t....prices are little high but they sound great.....

The auction site had a Rack mount model a few days ago. I was really tempted to grab it, not that I need another one....


jk

 

[airtime]

I saw the schematic years ago for the 1150. It is similar but not exactly the same as the 3600. If I remember the board layout was very different and I don't remember the 1150 using the opamps in the tone circuit or the 14 pin DIN in the amp circuit. But again thats from memory. The 1150 didn't have opampa but transistors in it's place.

I've had a few marantz preamps. And my favorite is the 3600/3800. But with one caveat. Some of the stock caps MUST go. Especially that 0.22uf monolithic crap, I mean cap. And the electrolytics in the audio path MUST go, and a better film cap were that 4.7uf cap sits.

I am using the 3600 and couldn't be happier. One preamp I didn't care for that gets a lot of praise was the 3650. I know - I know it's the TOTL. But I just didn't care for it. To me it sounded like a Pioneer stereo on steroids. I guess I'm more a vintage guy.

 

[pinchechris]

good to know

Thanks for the replies. There's been a couple on ebay with one currently running. I do despise ebay though and I truly enjoy finding a good deal on CL. I just don't know if I have the patience to wait for something like that to pop up on CL. Is it possible to find a good deal on ebay??

The capacitor switches are a bit over my head. I wish I had that kind of knowledge but alas I chose a career in music instead of tech.

Thanks again

Chris

 

[airtime]

The cap changes are easy. It is a mechanical thing not an electronics knowledge issue. Don't rush into a sale if you are not sure and just keep looking.

BTW how do you like your 1200. Mine is great!!!

charles

 

[inkman69]

I dont mean to change the subject but I noticed there is a few proud owners of the 1200 integrated. I have the 1200B and the 125 tuner. I bought mine last summer off of craigslist in a package deal along with a pioneer SX-828 and a PL-a35 I got all 4 pieces for 350.00. The 1200B was a little scratchy and very brown. But after cleaning the switches with deoxit and giving knobs and face plate a bath and good waxing. My plan was to flip it...but I had it in my main system(switched out with my SX-1250) and used it as a preamp for my Spec 2 to drive my Kappa8s and It sounded awsume. excalent phono stage too. Im finding it very hard to let this one go. :yes:

 

[pinchechris]

Change away! I can talk about that 1200 all day long and it is one I will never get rid of.

The 1200 is the amp that got me into this vintage craze in the first place and sorta a fairy tale story:

I was perusing CL for a nice vintage receiver and saw an ad with a couple crummy pictures of a few marantz pieces and something else he was calling an acuephase (btw, he called them sterios). I didn't really know what an acuephase was but the blury marantz looked like a real old integrated. Heck, for $50 each it was worth it just for the Marantz. Had a hard time finding info on Acuephase amps but Accuphase sure had a reputation. Needless to say I broke a few laws in the 30 mile drive to pick them up. He had nothing to plug 'em into to see if they worked but I didn't really care for that price. I drove home with a Marantz 1200 and an Accuphase E202 for $100. I will no longer be jealous of those "thrift shop" stories. I'm hooked!

Sorry for the novel! With all the acclaim the Accuphase gets I thought I'd be selling the Marantz pretty quick. Not so. I like the Marantz more on looks alone but I have to say I've never heard anything sound so good! Holy crap are you kidding?? I've listened to every CD I own over again, even crap I don't like just because it sounds so good. Every once in a while I plug the Accuphase in just to make sure and yep, Marantz takes the blue ribbon.

I'll probably be putting the E202 on ebay in the next couple months. I hate to do it but I just don't use the damn thing. That and the Concept 16.5 are going bye bye. I'd be interested to hear how that SX-1250 sounds. I've liked the older pioneers.

side note: I feel like I've found the perfect speaker set up.

B&W DM602s and an older 8" Velodyne sub. Sounds better than anything I've heard so far.

How much are those Kappas worth? I passed up a pair that had a blown woofer but otherwise alright for $200. Had no way to get them home, wasn't sure if I'd be able to find a replacement for reasonable.

sorry for blabbing so much, I'm all fired up!

Thanks again for all the help

 

[airtime]

If you like your 1200's now try replacing the mylar caps on the tone board to spraque 715/716s. Simple drop in's and really cleans the sound. Also the original film foil cap on the tone board - and on the amp board - change to a Solon speaker grade 1uf. And on the amp board there are two 0.1ufs and a 0.22uf. Change those to spraques and you will be shocked how good that amp will sound.

charles