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Marantz 4430 as pre-amp for 250 power amp

CORYK

CORYK

Active Member
So I recently purchased and restored a 4430 quad receiver and a few days ago purchased a serial #5850 model 250 power amp. I experimented with connecting the input from the 4430 power amps to the inputs of the 250. The 4430 preamp didn't seem to have enough power to drive the 250 to much volume. Any recommendations on modifying the 4430 preamp to work with the 250, or am I asking to much? I really would like not to buy another preamp when this 4430 sounds so good. Thanks
 
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CORYK said:
So I recently purchased and restored a 4430 quad receiver and a few days ago purchased a serial #5850 model 250 power amp. I experimented with connecting the input from the 4430 power amps to the inputs of the 250. The 4430 preamp didn't seem to have enough power to drive the 250 to much volume. Any recommendations on modifying the 4430 preamp to work with the 250, or am I asking to much? I really would like not to buy another preamp when this 4430 sounds so good. Thanks
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Has no one tried this?
 
Coolhandjjl said:
I didn’t think that receiver had preamp-power amp jumpers. IOW, a preamp out.
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Looking at the schematic and see no preamp output. Wondering OP, where are you making the connection from the receiver to the power amp? You would have to modify the receiver to provide a pre amp out, repurposing a pair of RCA jacks on the rear panel. You could use the headphone jack to drive the power amp, being thoughtful of its input sensitivity.
 
I disconnected the inputs to the power amps and routed them to the tape out jacks. Temporarily of course. I will try the headphone out connection. Thank you!
 
Do you mean you connected the wires coming FROM the preamp section to the tape out? You can put the wires back and just connect the 250 to the once restored tape out jacks. This will bypass the preamp section and volume control.
However, you can use the gain controls on the 250 for volume.
Tape out is connected to the selector switch. You may find you don't miss the preamp section. And you don't have to even turn the 4430 on unless using the phono stage. I've run my 140 power amps with just a source selector box with a volume control before. Most sources have plenty of gain to drive the power amp without the need for a preamp.
Several of my tube amplifiers don't have a preamp, just an added volume control.
There may be an impedance difference between the 4430 amp section and 250 power amp. The preamp section may have plenty of gain for the 4430, but not enough for the 250.
 
Lavane said:
Do you mean you connected the wires coming FROM the preamp section to the tape out? You can put the wires back and just connect the 250 to the once restored tape out jacks. This will bypass the preamp section and volume control.
However, you can use the gain controls on the 250 for volume.
Tape out is connected to the selector switch. You may find you don't miss the preamp section. And you don't have to even turn the 4430 on unless using the phono stage. I've run my 140 power amps with just a source selector box with a volume control before. Most sources have plenty of gain to drive the power amp without the need for a preamp.
Several of my tube amplifiers don't have a preamp, just an added volume control.
There may be an impedance difference between the 4430 amp section and 250 power amp. The preamp section may have plenty of gain for the 4430, but not enough for the 250.
Click to expand...
Disconnected the preamp outputs from the input terminals of the power amp and ran them to the tape out. Didn’t seem to have enough to drive the 250.
 
CORYK said:
Disconnected the preamp outputs from the input terminals of the power amp and ran them to the tape out. Didn’t seem to have enough to drive the 250.
Click to expand...
Ya, it could just be the output gain of the 4430 just isn't enough to drive the 250. You had the gains of the 250 set to max?
 
Lavane said:
Do you mean you connected the wires coming FROM the preamp section to the tape out? You can put the wires back and just connect the 250 to the once restored tape out jacks. This will bypass the preamp section and volume control.
However, you can use the gain controls on the 250 for volume.
Tape out is connected to the selector switch. You may find you don't miss the preamp section. And you don't have to even turn the 4430 on unless using the phono stage. I've run my 140 power amps with just a source selector box with a volume control before. Most sources have plenty of gain to drive the power amp without the need for a preamp.
Several of my tube amplifiers don't have a preamp, just an added volume control.
There may be an impedance difference between the 4430 amp section and 250 power amp. The preamp section may have plenty of gain for the 4430, but not enough for the 250.
Click to expand...
Disconnected the preamp outputs from the input terminals of the power amp and ran them to the tape out.
 
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