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Marantz 2285B & 2330B phono stage with MC cartridge

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Robin2285

New Member
I have a 2285B that has been my main unit for some years and play a Denon DP-300 F turntable with a Denon DL-301 mk2 MC cartridge. Yes, the power amp switch is turned off on the turntable since I'm running into the Marantz phono stage. Great soundstage and clarity with this combination.
Recently found a minty Marantz 2330B for a steal, so I made this my main system, the 2285 is now driving my basement system. When playing records thru the 2330 the volume level needs to be turned up much higher than it did on the 2285 previously. I know that these receivers are generally best paired with MM cartridges, as Marantz states in their manual, but would think that they would at least demand the same level of power to produce the same level of volume.
Any ideas on the problem would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Robin2285 said:
the same level of power to produce the same level of volume
Click to expand...
The power output of an amp is not dictated by the position of its volume control only, but by its whole chain from source to speakers.
So it could be normal that one amp puts out the same power at 10 o'clock as another one at 2 o'clock volume position, with the same source.
 
I got a 2325 a few months ago and recapped the whole unit. I didn't do much listening before I did the recap, so can't compare before/after, but....that unit has the same situation as yours. I discussed it a little in a thread without any resolution, but I have just been living with the fact that if I go from FM listening to phono, I have to up the volume 10-15%. It sounds great, and I've just decided it is a difference in this unit from all of my 22xx receivers, which do not demand much volume difference for phono.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I guess it's just an issue unique to Marantz. Regardless of this issue I love the big sound that these units produce.
 
Steven (or anyone), can you adjust the output of the phono board with the two pots? I didn't touch the pots on my 2275's phono board when I rebuilt it so I'm not entirely sure how to adjust it let alone use it to match the output of the FM source. Can it be raised enough to more closely match the level or will it get too noisy?
 
I wish I could answer that. I asked that question in my other thread and basically got the idea those pots shouldn't be messed with. There is an adjustment procedure using a scope in the SM, but I decided to leave well enough alone.
 
The pots on the phono board are not level controls but rather DC balance or clipping symmetry adjustments.
FM radio is highly compressed (amplitude wise) and CD audio is about 2 or three times higher than the original spec for line level signals, so phono will usually be lower in volume that other sources.

Tom
 
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