Eek - the "Marantz(er) Necromancer" seduces another victim!

[jbeckva]

Well, swore I'd never bow down to "audio snobbery" and have a "Marantz" in the collection. BUT... couldn't resist for 20 bucks on CraigsList. After shooting it full of compressed air and drenching everything with deoxit, she sings... loud and clear!

I can't believe she's only rated at 30 (is that right??) per channel. Two HUGE TO3 cans per side, although the caps do seem not to have what I'd expect them to have (err.. I think somewhere less than 10k uF's?).

Brought back another nostalgia wave, so what the heck... Put on some old (but good) classic rock and pretended I was back in the 70's for a bit.

Check her out! I still have some work to do (those lamps are actually a couple of rat shack bulbs "jury rigged" by soldering 'em onto the old fuse ones), but overall not too bad! The FM needs aligned too - anyone got a procedure down that doesn't involve sig gens??

http://www.compautomation.com/images/mz1.jpg

http://www.compautomation.com/images/mz2.jpg

[Rat44]

I have never owned any Marantz gear till I bought a new CD player last year.
Was more of a Pioneer fan.
I knew many people in my Army days that loved them.
Someday I will come across a nice reciever and give it a try.
That looks like a nice unit.
Many of the lower powered units do sound good.

[stuwee]

Damn I hate you! $20 for a 2230?!? That is consider my friend to be the sweetest sounding of all the Marantz 22xx model's, I've been lookin' for a cheap one like that on CL down here forever.Owning a Marantz is not being a snob, it's mandatory!!! I have two 2270's, you can pre-out the 2230 with a bigger amp later when you need to and still have the famous 3 martini sound, LUSH! They rock hard too! pure magic! I'll say it again, every home should have a vintage Marantz somewhere. I look forward to hearing you gush over the next few days, hell, years, !jam!*punk**pork* on Bro!!

[MacGyver]

me? i'm not much for MARANTZ. like NAKAMICHI, too much of an uppity vibe, and none of either of those two companies' products do anything for me that PIONEER doesn't do better. all this anti-snobbery, coming from a rather uppity PIONEER snob...:p

[clhboa]

My only experience with Marantz was back in the 80's when I worked at a record store that had a Marantz system. At the time I thought it was awesome. I've always wondered if it really sounded as good in real life as it does in my memory. It looks like you got a great deal.

[stuwee]

me? i'm not much for MARANTZ. like NAKAMICHI, too much of an uppity vibe, and none of either of those two companies' products do anything for me that PIONEER doesn't do better. all this anti-snobbery, coming from a rather uppity PIONEER snob...:p

:D:D Des call the men in the white coats!! uppity vibe?? Lady Ayeka has truely lost it. *whipslap*:D I never meant to say vintage Marantz sounds better than any other vintage piece however, when I got my first one, *omg* is putting it mildly, unforunately it can't play the 'Logans fill tilt, I still use it for low level jazz and classical and acoustic stuff, vocals to melt ya into the listening chair to die for INHO, YMMV, the 2230 has that extra something magic I *dunno* what, I'm gonna find out someday, waaay too many folks prattle on and on about it, so there must be something in the design, since this is not The Marantz forum, I shut up (yeah right!)

[jbeckva]

me? i'm not much for MARANTZ. like NAKAMICHI, too much of an uppity vibe, and none of either of those two companies' products do anything for me that PIONEER doesn't do better. all this anti-snobbery, coming from a rather uppity PIONEER snob...:p

Well.. just so happens that I am getting that D1S today. I'll give a good "objective" opinion then, hee hee. *punk*

[stuwee]

Well.. just so happens that I am getting that D1S today. I'll give a good "objective" opinion then, hee hee. *punk*

Keep in mind the Pioneer is more powerful, the Marantz will let you know if you push it to hard, they make a very distinct clicking sound when they clip, don't blow your speakers! Keep the levels lowish and really listen.

GO MARANTZ !jam!*punk**old*:p:p)dance()dance(*shoot* the Pioneer *devil*:D:D

[jbeckva]

Keep in mind the Pioneer is more powerful, the Marantz will let you know if you push it to hard, they make a very distinct clicking sound when they clip, don't blow your speakers! Keep the levels lowish and really listen.

GO MARANTZ !jam!*punk**old*:p:p)dance()dance(*shoot* the Pioneer *devil*:D:D

Drumroll....

http://www.compautomation.com/images/mz2.jpg

Sorry Lady... it spoiled my NAD amp as well. Seriously man... the 2230 is so open. Seems like I'm missing some of the high-end on the D1S. The Pioneer is pretty nice sounding and does kick it in the power department, but ugh... why'd have to buy that Marantz??? heheh

(I can here L.A. now... *fit*) LOL. Maybe I can do some experimenting here... see if it's the pre or pwr amp where the "gold" is.

[MacGyver]

Drumroll....

http://www.compautomation.com/images/mz2.jpg

Sorry Lady... it spoiled my NAD amp as well. Seriously man... the 2230 is so open. Seems like I'm missing some of the high-end on the D1S. The Pioneer is pretty nice sounding and does kick it in the power department, but ugh... why'd have to buy that Marantz??? heheh

(I can here L.A. now... *fit*) LOL. Maybe I can do some experimenting here... see if it's the pre or pwr amp where the "gold" is.


doesn't effect how i feel about the D1S one bit. how about some pics of yours, jbeckva?

[jbeckva]

doesn't effect how i feel about the D1S one bit. how about some pics of yours, jbeckva?

I can do that a bit later... Man... one thing... looks like there's a "film" that is the pioneer orange/red color that usually covers the display. Seems it has slipped down a little where the real colors from the FL are blue - about a quarter inch on the top. I thought it may have been the dude's camera, but live and learn.

Guess I might just get that bezel and flip panel to ya soon... may have to rob the carcass sitting behind me for the display/control board.

[stuwee]

)dance()dance( Welcome to the pleasures of Marantz!! and it probably needs a recap too. Unreal ain't it? 30+ year old receiver kickin' butt....*devil*

[Fast Forward]

Nice unit i love the looks of the old silver faces I own a 2238 which I payed 60.00 for about a year ago and I thought I stole it compared to what they bring on the bay

[jbeckva]

Here's the D1S. Note the film thing I was talking about earlier. Looks to be a real pain to replace the whole front - I may try that project over the weekend.

http://www.compautomation.com/images/d1s.jpg

It sounds pretty good. Still hard to decide since part of me does want to use it for surround (and I think I can put "frankenstein" aka that jbl subwoofer in service).

[hakka26]

I stumbled onto three 2230. Two non-working and one of those was hauled from Germany by the original owner. When it gave up the ghost the owner gave it away on CL. I found the working unit on a porch at the end of a yard sale when they were giving away the leftovers*eyepop*. Sweet receiver. Had it doing duty with the t.v. for awhile. Also have the 1060 integrated and a couple others up to the 2325. Not surprised you like the sound.

[MacGyver]

Here's the D1S. Note the film thing I was talking about earlier. Looks to be a real pain to replace the whole front - I may try that project over the weekend.

http://www.compautomation.com/images/d1s.jpg

It sounds pretty good. Still hard to decide since part of me does want to use it for surround (and I think I can put "frankenstein" aka that jbl subwoofer in service).

indeed, it has a "CENTER WOOFER OUT" as such, you can apply whatever sub woofer you desire. i once had an entire matched, late model JENSEN 5.1 surround speaker suite attached to my D1S. it did indeed sound good, and the surround modes were all quite effective, but the first time i ever heard good floor standing stereo loudspeakers with the thing, (when i was testing out the early-80's ONKYO-OEMed RCA DIMENSIA 3-way loudspeakers that my mother's hubby got her at a thrift to match her DIMENSIA TV and VCR ) i instantly found that i DID NOT want to go back to surround. i didn't even want to remove the DIMENSIA's from my system. fortunately, i eventually found those 4-way PIONEERs that are comprable to those DIMENSIAs in their sound. i have learned the incomprable pleasures of High-Fidelity stereo, and i have never looked back...

[MacGyver]

Here's the D1S. Note the film thing I was talking about earlier. Looks to be a real pain to replace the whole front - I may try that project over the weekend.

http://www.compautomation.com/images/d1s.jpg

It sounds pretty good. Still hard to decide since part of me does want to use it for surround (and I think I can put "frankenstein" aka that jbl subwoofer in service).


you do realize that you are taunting me with that GR-777 of yours, jbeckva...

[jbeckva]

you do realize that you are taunting me with that GR-777 of yours, jbeckva...

How'd that one on der'bayenstein pan out??

And now another picture... "let there be light(s)!!!"

--smokin--!jam!

http://www.compautomation.com/images/mzlit.jpg

Not done yet tho - Still needs some work in the FM section. No stereo decode. FM Mute not releasing either when selected. Hmmmmm... Need the SM so I can see the theory of op (or if someone out there's got a clue, hee hee)

[stuwee]

How'd that one on der'bayenstein pan out??

And now another picture... "let there be light(s)!!!"

--smokin--!jam!

http://www.compautomation.com/images/mzlit.jpg

Not done yet tho - Still needs some work in the FM section. No stereo decode. FM Mute not releasing either when selected. Hmmmmm... Need the SM so I can see the theory of op (or if someone out there's got a clue, hee hee)

Now that's the ticket! If your 2230 is like my 2270's the mute doesn't stay in when pushed, I don't know why. I don't listen to FM on mine, I use the lovely tubed Pilot for FM duty. I also think you should take the whole light changing film off the Pioneer, it's a very similar blue (in the pics anyway) *ducking* OUCH!!Good shot Lady A!!

[jbeckva]

Man, look what it did to my picture! My wife noticed too I'm listening to old stuff.. hmmmm...

Now all I need are some bell bottoms (no wait.. didn't they bring those back in style.. eewwwk *eyepop*)

[stuwee]

Man, look what it did to my picture! My wife noticed too I'm listening to old stuff.. hmmmm...

Now all I need are some bell bottoms (no wait.. didn't they bring those back in style.. eewwwk *eyepop*)

Nah... They get tangled in the shagging, opps.. I mean the shag carpet *devil*

[MacGyver]

Now that's the ticket! If your 2230 is like my 2270's the mute doesn't stay in when pushed, I don't know why. I don't listen to FM on mine, I use the lovely tubed Pilot for FM duty. I also think you should take the whole light changing film off the Pioneer, it's a very similar blue (in the pics anyway) *ducking* OUCH!!Good shot Lady A!!


no, i agree; the blue looks so much better than that amber that, for whatever reason, PIONEER used ONLY on U.S. market editions. the trouble though, is without that shading sheet, the FL display tube and all it's patterns are clearly visible through the acrylic window whether the the unit is on or off. if that sounds like it would float your boat, go right ahead. to me, however, it simply wouldn't look right, and would be a step away from running the receiver like this...



http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/VSX-9500SInt004.jpg

[jbeckva]

Actually I think that unless you are right up against the acrylic, the traces aren't too noticeable. I may take a stab at removing the rest of it a bit later (after I experiment with the old dead one to see how to safely do it)

Got the D1S back up now. Believe it or not... I think what was skewing me all along was "tonal control". The GR-777 does seem to roll the highs off somehow (like I said.. got a very critical ear.. to a fault sometimes ). Without the EQ and in direct mode, the D1S sounds VERY good. It is a power pig tho... at moderate listening levels it is consuming about 70W (at high... wow... quite a bit there).

Now hmmm... lessee here... subwoofer out (check).... outboard amp driven in mono (check)... subwoofer aka "frankenstein" (check)... that's my next experiment. :D

Question tho - is the subwoofer out active at all times or is it only when in surround mode??? :-?

[MacGyver]

fully active output. that sheet should come right off easily. getting to it is the fun part. it's really quite easy though; a few screws and some retaining tabs, and you can gently ease the control PCB out of the plastic bezel frame. i did this several times with the fluky 1989 VSX-9500S i once had, it shows in that pic up there. i got it back together just fine, too...

[jbeckva]

fully active output. that sheet should come right off easily. getting to it is the fun part. it's really quite easy though; a few screws and some retaining tabs, and you can gently ease the control PCB out of the plastic bezel frame. i did this several times with the fluky 1989 VSX-9500S i once had, it shows in that pic up there. i got it back together just fine, too...

I'll give it a shot later. Right now I have some good reggae coming out of the D1S. Got to admit... I'm really starting to like it. Nice and clear even when I *should* have earplugs in. *punk*