Jump to content

why so little Marantz love?


Recommended Posts

I've always drooled over Marantz.  In terms of blind fanboy stuff, I probably like Marantz more than Klipsch.  I wanted a Marantz receiver as bad as I'm wanting a Cadillac now except for a whole heck of a lot longer.  

 

Strangely though, not a whole heck of a lot of people feel the same way.  Yeah there are some receivers and a preamp or two but that's about it.  Where are all the UD-7007's, or heck even a UD-5007?  It's like people go straight from a $69 Wal-Mart Sony blu ray to Oppo.  Also why does nobody touch Marantz amps?  I don't get it.  These are probably my next two additions yet nobody else touches the stuff.  

Edited by MetropolisLakeOutfitters
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have owned many Denon Products over the years & enjoy them. Lots of overlap with Denon & Marantz.

 

So I guess by association.... I have some "love" for Marantz.

 

For me, Denon provides a lot of value for the $$$.

 

Kinda like Rolex & Tudor; a lot of shared parts, engineering & R&D.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always drooled over Marantz.  In terms of blind fanboy stuff, I probably like Marantz more than Klipsch.  I wanted a Marantz receiver as bad as I'm wanting a Cadillac now except for a whole heck of a lot longer.  

 

Strangely though, not a whole heck of a lot of people feel the same way.  Yeah there are some receivers and a preamp or two but that's about it.  Where are all the UD-7007's, or heck even a UD-5007?  It's like people go straight from a $69 Wal-Mart Sony blu ray to Oppo.  Also why does nobody touch Marantz amps?  I don't get it.  These are probably my next two additions yet nobody else touches the stuff.  

 

I have a Marantz pre/pro and like it a lot. 

 

I think one thing that happened was back when Saul Marantz was running the company (tube days) it was considered to be great by the high end audiophiles of the day -- sweeter sound than McIntosh -- then it went downhill for a while (although they still looked great).  Now it's back, apparently, with a high quality line (my pre/pro) and also a super high quality (or at least a super expensive) line for the rich.

Edited by garyrc
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's like people go straight from a $69 Wal-Mart Sony blu ray to Oppo

 

Hey hey hey, lets not dis the gear, I have the Sony Blu-ray, but I think I got the fancy $99 one, and I love it!  :wub:

 

And yes, I got it from Walmart.  :D

Edited by wvu80
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a couple of the 70's era Marantz receivers.  Have given a couple more as gifts.

As Marantz went though different ownerships it seems the quality has changed.

I think most of the 70's gear is good.  If your not opposed to the receivers I can recommend 2325, 2270, 2285B, and 2500.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recapped 1070 getting regular duty in the bedroom here. I switch it with my C28 on occasion connecting it to my MC250 in living room. I'm on lookout now for a 1060. I sold a 2225 that sounded very nice stock. I like the sound of the low watt Marantz.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From my astute observations the old Marantz equipment used to be engineered like Western Electric stuff---4 times what is required plus a spare will pop out if there is a failure. Also garanteed for 20 years.

JJK

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the Marantz 'house' sound a lot and use a Marantz pre-pro and power amp in our HT system. Pairs well with Klipsch. Also have used a small Marantz integrated amp and CDP in the 2 ch system (now in a secondary system). Conversely, I've had some VERY bad luck recently in attempting to upgrade to a new CD6005 in the 2 ch system. Three (count 'em - 3) lemons in a row from Music Direct. Finally gave up and bought a used Oppo-95 which works and sounds like a champ. I have to seriously question Marantz' commitment to quality and would likely not buy any new products from them now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to seriously question Marantz' commitment to quality and would likely not buy any new products from them now.

 

It did kind of surprise me when I learned that everything is made in China.  Even their sister company Denon has at least most things made in Japan.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fluctuating quality control has always been the issue with Marantz ever since Saul B. Marantz was more-or-less forced out of the company he founded. Basically, when something with the Marantz label on it WORKED, it was great, but you never knew if the batch your product came from was well-made or not. This was going on in the early to mid 1970's, too! I watched lots of guys buy Marantz equipment from the USAREUR Audio Club system and end up with it spending more time in the shop for warranty repairs than in their music systems...that is why I went with H/K, instead.

Edited by HDBRbuilder
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've owned a couple of Marantz AVR's and now this Preamp. I think their styling has always been over Denon, I mean they just look classy. Some say they are the same guts, but I have read articles from their employees that say D&M both maintain their own design groups in house. YMMV.

 

Just the short of it, I think Marantz charges about the same or a little more for the same "Denon", but they focus less on goodies like Spotify and more on the guts. My 0.02 cents..

 

I bought one of their blu-ray players because I had an AVR at the time and I thought it looked stylish as well (UD5007), but using Spears and Munsil to test patterns, it had chroma issues. This is unacceptable to me when the Oppo and even a $100 Sony can pass the tests. All blu-ray players should be able to output a bit for bit image, but not all can. The Marantz also had some odd issue where it was clipping 1-2 rows of pixels off one side of the image. So it went back and I've stuck with the Oppo 93 and now 103D. I imagine the UHD model will be out in October (113D?), and I will buy it too.

 

I've owned:

 

SR6005

SR6007

UD5007

 

As far their amps, my problem with them is they are overpriced when you look at Emotiva and the Outlaw ATI made amps. Functionality first, looks second.

Edited by gadgtfreek
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a Marantz AVR model SR7007. Currently using the pre outs to a bigger power amp(not Marantz). I got it as part of a package deal when I got my RF7 IIs/RC64 II and as such I really did not research it much. As I have stated in several other threads it is an OK unit but I don't get the fact that you cannot adjust the volume of the individual channels on the fly. The engineers at Marantz missed the boat on that one IMHO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't get the fact that you cannot adjust the volume of the individual channels on the fly. The engineers at Marantz missed the boat on that one IMHO.

It's somewhat of a pain to do so, being buried in a few menu levels deep, but I can change the levels on the SR-7009 on the fly. Not sure why you'd need to do that though. Or maybe "on the fly" means different things to different people.

Edited by MetropolisLakeOutfitters
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...