Marantz 3200 Preamp and 140 Amp Score + Questions

[artsybob]

Hello all! Last summer a former work colleague of mine was relocating across country and decided to give me his old audio equipment for free- including a Marantz Model 140 power amp. After a little while I decided to locate a matching Model 3200 preamp to go with it and to assemble a nice solid state system to go next to my Realistic SAF-40D-based tube system. I've never had a separate amp/preamp system before, only integrated amps and receivers. It seems red and white RCA cables connect the "pre out" stage on the preamp to the input stage on the amp. Does the plug for the power amp go into one of the sockets on the back of the preamp? I know it's designed to the amp turns on when the power amp does. Also, what's the consensus on these Marantz units? I've heard they're really good. I've powered them on but I haven't connected them to speakers yet. Do these usually require a full recapping? Thanks for the help!

 

[Lavane]

Nice score. The 140 is a decent power amp. I had two that I restored. I gave one to my son, and kept the other. I had bought a 3200 preamp as well, but even after going through it, I wasn't that thrilled with it. There isn't a replacement for the relay in it if it fails. I'm just not a fan of Sliders either personally.
That's just my opinion though. Let your ears decide.
I did find my 1060 integrated amp makes a really good preamp for the 140 though. The phono preamp in the 1060 is better than the 3200 as well.
The 3200 isn't t horrible or anything. But the model 33 preamp I had was much better. And once I tried the 1060 with it, the 3200 was passed along.
The new owner is pretty happy with it. To be able to use headphones with the 3200, you have to use the built in speaker selecor on the 3200. Run speaker wires from the amp into the 3200, and then out to the speakers.
The 140 power amp is easy to restore. Its.very modular. If I remember right I only had to unsolder one wire from each amp board. The rest use connectors. If you decide to recap the 140, do replace the two flat gray film caps, one on each amp.board with a good polypropylene film cap.
I had two 140's at the time and doing an A/B test after restoring them both, the one with the flat gray film caps sounded a bit lifeless compared to the other I used better caps in.
Ive moved on to tube equipment now and sold off most of the Marantz seperates I had, but kept the 140, the 1060, and a 112 Tuner.
If you need to clean the sliders on the 3200, after cleaning them with contact cleaner, use some Fader Lube on them. They will slide better and stay quiet longer.