• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Marantz faceplates color

J

jacquesl

New Member
Hi to all,
I buy a Marantz 120 to match my 1150. But surprise, the 120 (Sun Valley) faceplate is a little bit yellow and the 1150 (Chatsworth) is metalic "white". Is it correct ? He is coming from Reims which is in Champagne-France area, could be a relation between the color and the wine :drunk: ?
If yes, which tuner will better color match the 1150 : 120B, 125 or 150 ?
Best regards - Jacques
 
Register to hide this ad
The correct cosmetic match for the 1150 would be either the 125 or 150 tuners. I have a 125 ccurrently onnected to an 1150D integrated amp and a 150 connected to a 3600 pre-amp and they are perfect faceplate matches.
 
I've seen a black faceplate before on a 120. Would that be an international version? Must be rare as hell too I bet.
 
Hi, a few pics.
Marantz 120 1150 : color of 1150 is more or less correct. 120 is not so pink, more champagne.
Marantz 120 1150 paper : with a sheet of white paper for comparison.
Marantz 120 inside : FYI, a little bit of corrosion and few traces of drops on the chassis and the bottom plate.

About the 120 color, in this catalog in french, it's writen for the 105B that he also have a gold anodized (marketing is great) faceplate. http://www.acec13.fr/TVC/Marantz/Catalogue1.html So I understand that the whole product line as to be champagne.

Yes, I checked classic-audio.com, but didn't find anything about faceplate colors.
There is also an AK topic : Marantz Receivers - Turn "Golden" with age ??
Regards - Jacques
 

Attachments

  • Marantz 120 1150.jpg
    Marantz 120 1150.jpg
    150.2 KB · Views: 78
  • Marantz 120 1150 paper.jpg
    Marantz 120 1150 paper.jpg
    100.9 KB · Views: 63
  • Marantz 120 inside.jpg
    Marantz 120 inside.jpg
    156.5 KB · Views: 54
jacquesl said:
Hi to all,
I buy a Marantz 120 to match my 1150. But surprise, the 120 (Sun Valley) faceplate is a little bit yellow and the 1150 (Chatsworth) is metalic "white". Is it correct ? He is coming from Reims which is in Champagne-France area, could be a relation between the color and the wine :drunk: ?
If yes, which tuner will better color match the 1150 : 120B, 125 or 150 ?
Best regards - Jacques
Click to expand...

Hi!

The 120 tuner came in both "colours" - The silvery and the champagne-look.
I have three 120's - two with the champagne AND engraved lettering ..and one with a silver look and silkscreened lettering.
The right tuners for the 1150 is not the 120 - the 120 is from the previous generation . The 115B - 120B - 125 - 150 are all a correct match in timeperiod and appearance with the 1150.

regards
Freddy
 
At first there was Tuner Model 105, 110, 115 and 120.
Than, in some cases the "b" models followed: 105b, 115b, 120b.
Some of the tuners have gold anodized faceplate and some not.

I think the series of model 104, 112, 125 and 150 replaces them.
In the german catalogue the correct match in the timeline for the 1150 are the tuners 104, 112, 125 and 150. After this the "4-letter" line (eg. 2130) begun.

Marantz gave the recommandation to the model 150.

And it is not so easy to get the right production years. Different sources, different results.

And maybe the "b" models could match to your 1150 if the faceplate finish is the same.
 
Depending on what is meant by "match".

The size of the 104/112 -tuners do not match the 1150.
The only tuners that are a correct match in size - appearance - timeperiod - generation are the 115B - 120B - 125 -150. Those were never issued in the champagne-colour as the 1150/D never was.

The 120 tuner was issued in champagne (engraved) - silver and - black (ultra rare)

regards
Freddy
 
You can sell your rare, champagner 120 Tuner for a lot lot of money and buy two or three "normal" 120´s with silver faceplate.

marantz1201.jpg
 
Of course, I mean they match with the faceplate colour. Freddy, you are right.
I´ve read an article that the 120b was also produced in the same timeline as the 125. But I don´t know if their era end at the same time.
Here the scan of it:

Is it wrong what they have written of the colour from the 125 ......:scratch2:?

And in the following catalogue scan is written, that marantz wanted to match the 104 to the amplifier 1030 and 1060. Certainly it make sense that other components should match also.


And because Freddys 120 is "golden" I think, marantz should definatly manufactured amplifiers (and tuners) that match in size and colour.

It is really exciting to put all the little pieces together ......:D
 
I never saw - and I've seen a few - 125's with a champagne faceplate. They were not champagne but silverish all of them. The 125 came in two different faceplates though. One issue with the "AM/FM Stereo Tuner Model 125" written on the centre of the faceplate just under the PVC-scale - between the pushbuttons (early) - and another issue with the "Model 125" Stereophonic tuner" written on the top rim of the faceplate over the scale (late)

About the 1030 - 1060 amps: Two faceplate flavours are known to exist. The ordinary silverish and a slight champagne'ish faceplate (rare). I'm not sure about the faceplates of the 104 - 112 tuners, but I've only seen them in silver tones aswell.
This could be because the 1060 was issued rather early in the years where the champagne plates were made. ( up to '75)

Therefore it leads me to think that no Marantz at all from 1975 and on was issued with a champagne faceplate - untill the 4-digit series (1180DC etc.) - which had a very slight golden hue to it.

regards
Freddy
 
The 125 and 150 are the best match for my 1150 because they are included in the same products line. They are also recognized as very good tuners. 115(b) and 120(b) don't have the same design (screws) but close enough for me, and the most important : with the same dimension. I found that a scope model could be fun. The 150 is expensive for a 30 years component. This is why I was looking for a 120 or B. And I like it, but was surprized with the champagne color.
Reading the catalogs it doesn't seem to be so rare. To my advice it could be a market (importer) choice. Like the mono or multivoltage. Interesting to see that the lettering method changed with the color : engraved or silkscreened
Bizarre that nobody knows the true story.
 
I agree with Brian about the faceplate suppliers. There was never such choice for the customer. No "optional golden colour" or anything. The golden option was never a catalogue number! Has something to do with what supplier they used at a certain time - some suppliers had more "gold" in the anodizing than another suppliers. Generally you can say that after '75 they seem to have a supplier that just didn't put so much gold into it - so to speak. In previour generations of different Marantz models you can see a variety in the faceplates - some golden - some engraved - some silverish - even black.
Some people take pictures of their Marantz, and let some Tungsten light shed over the faceplate to make us believe it is more golden than it actually is.
Marantz has during the years used the golden plates as a marketing gimmick aswell. Especially when Marantz wanted to get back in business after a drawback in quality.

regards
Freddy
 
Yes Freddy, you're right, 115B & 120B are also a best match for a 1150.
About color : I can't imagine that the Marantz responsibles had accepted to be color dependent from a supplier. Could you imagine the loss of reputation if opening a box in a shop was a "color" lottery. It sould be interesting to compare the production time. I imagine that is the stamp that we can read inside.
Is there any Marantz worker who could explain that ?
Best regards - Jacques
 
I understood that it was general knowledge that the champagne face plates were early production runs for any given model. A promotional move if you will to kick of sales for a new model. This had to cost Marantz more to produce as they do have the engraved lettering and are anodized therefore much rarer than their silver faced siblings.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom