Vintage audio receiver

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SpiderWars

SpiderWars

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I use my receiver to watch TV and listen to music, occasionally watch an old music DVD. For the occasional movie I just need it to be loud and have 'boom/thunder', I don't need 7 speakers. Just two mains plus a sub. I was thinking instead of buying new I should buy an old Marantz or something. I remember always wanting a Marantz but never being able to afford one. I remember Pioneer and Kenwood were pretty good but IIRC Marantz was like Porsche, a step above. I know some of you guys are into the vintage audio stuff; should I just keep it simple and look for a '70s Marantz or what? They don't look too outrageous. And IIRC, 100W per channel back then was a ton of power. A lot of new receivers rated at 100W are laughable. My old 18WPC Realistic had more balls. :LOL:
 
SpiderWars said:
I use my receiver to watch TV and listen to music, occasionally watch an old music DVD. For the occasional movie I just need it to be loud and have 'boom/thunder', I don't need 7 speakers. Just two mains plus a sub. I was thinking instead of buying new I should buy an old Marantz or something. I remember always wanting a Marantz but never being able to afford one. I remember Pioneer and Kenwood were pretty good but IIRC Marantz was like Porsche, a step above. I know some of you guys are into the vintage audio stuff; should I just keep it simple and look for a '70s Marantz or what? They don't look too outrageous. And IIRC, 100W per channel back then was a ton of power. A lot of new receivers rated at 100W are laughable. My old 18WPC Realistic had more balls. :LOL:
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Marantz are classic, and sound great.

But receivers are one of those things where the vintage market hasn't "caught up" so you can find some insane deals.

I watch movies and TV with an early 80s NAD 7125 (which sounds EXCELLENT, better than all but the highest end marantz I've heard) and some fairly modest Klipsch bookshelves.

The audio quality is so good, I reference mixes on it, let alone just to watch movies and listen to music. It's actually a great way to cross-check your mixes, if your setup is right for it.
 
And check out the surrounds on the woofers for my old (90s) Phase Technology speakers. They were in pieces in a little pile at the bottom. Turns out there is a kit for $25 to replace it. They work fine at the volumes I typ play at.

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@SpiderWars

TBH your best bet is to join a vintage audio forum and just ask around there.
The thing with all of the brands you mentioned is that they all had golden years but
then joined the race to the bottom trying to out-cheap the competition.

So if you're looking for Marantz you need to approach it like an amp where they had
great years, OK years, and then just plain suck years.

Some other brands to consider if you're looking at vintage (classic 70s-80s stuff)

McIntosh
NAD
Acoustic Research
Denon
Kenwood
Yamaha - early years!
 
Back in the 70s/early 80s there was a small chain called Tech-HiFi.
Nothing but top shelf (and expensive) home hi-fi gear by all the luxury brands.
We had one a town over and walking around inside was like being in are SciFi movie
spaceship.

Imagine a full wall of shelves containing a few dozen or more receivers like that Yamaha.


Each year they'd do a catalog featuring full hi-fi set-ups they recommend based on different
price levels. I couldn't afford any of the gear but loved drooling over the pictures.

Stumbled on an excellent link about them:

https://dangerousminds.net/comments/toys_for_boys_tech_hifi_catalogs_of_vintage_stereo_equipment
 
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OP where are you located?
I am selling a loud ass old school monster receiver
it's clean as hell and i tested it
it's 40 watts per channel

Up for pedal or speaker trades etc
 

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OK, NRD incoming! One of these. Mid 70s, 100W x2 or Quadraphonic 40W x4! Can't wait to put some music DVDs thru it.
 
Donnie B. said:
Back in the 70s/early 80s there was a small chain called Tech-HiFi.
Nothing but top shelf (and expensive) home hi-fi gear by all the luxury brands.
We had one a town over and walking around inside was like being in are SciFi movie
spaceship.

Imagine a full wall of shelves containing a few dozen or more receivers like that Yamaha.


Each year they'd do a catalog featuring full hi-fi set-ups they recommend based on different
price levels. I couldn't afford any of the gear but loved drooling over the pictures.

Stumbled on an excellent link about them:

https://dangerousminds.net/comments/toys_for_boys_tech_hifi_catalogs_of_vintage_stereo_equipment
Click to expand...

I remember Tech Hi Fi !!! Tweeter too later on.
 
Marantz are glorious. I’ve owned a bunch 2238b, .2252b, 2270 and some other. I prefer the b series. Paired with vintage infinity with Emit tweeters is sonically magical.
 
japetus said:
The HPM 100s are where it is at. This was my first guitar rig and it still sounds killer
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Friend of mine had HPM150s with those crystal super tweeters on top or whatever they were. No sub needed, man they had insane punch. He had a Pioneer Receiver that I had never seen before, it was like 175W or something. He got it when he was overseas for Vietnam war.
 
This thread brings back so many great memories.

I remember this kind of gear NEVER giving me trouble. Solid,reliable stuff that you never worried about.
My dad had a Siamese cat that slept on top of his receiver because the tubes in it made it warm.
One day he pulled the amp off his headboard and opened it up to clean the cat hair out of it.
Fired it back up,and we laughed when his cat climbed right back on top of it and laid down.
I loved that cat almost as much as I loved my dad. Thanks for the memory.
 
scottosan said:
Marantz are glorious. I’ve owned a bunch 2238b, .2252b, 2270 and some other. I prefer the b series. Paired with vintage infinity with Emit tweeters is sonically magical.
Click to expand...
I had a 2325, 125 w/channel. The wattage rating on the old Marantz units was rated for continuous power, not peak. It could make a laughing stock out of some mid level modern receivers rated at 3 times the wattage.
 
Got it yesterday. Holy shit this thing has such cajones compared to my A/V receiver. I don't have the subwoofer connected and don't need it. I have to push the 400Hz Low Filter button AND turn down the bass. Loudness was ON tho. It also has hot inputs. When I first fired it up I was disappointed in the sound but quickly realized it was because of the distortion at the input. I was running a signal from my computer headphone out, cranked up all the way which is how I always ran the A/V receiver. Too hot but not like crunchy or farty, just compressed and very slight peach fuzz or something. Once I turned that way down it sounds amazing. Deep, throaty bass...clear mids and sweet, pretty highs. Punchy as hell. Now I just need that pair of HPM100s for it.

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