Visiting one of Tokyo’s oldest jazz kissas with filmmaker Nick Dwyer… Last November, I spent an evening visiting listening bars with my friend Nick Dwyer, a New Zealand-born, […]
The Vintage Marantz Dilemma: The Budget Audiophiler
Have prices for vintage Marantz components made them a stretch for a lot of vintage audio fans? Fear not. We have other options.
Vintage Marantz components have seen some dramatic price increases of late and there is an increasing amount of debate on whether or not those prices are warranted. Supply and demand plays a huge part in all of this because nobody is manufacturing this equipment anymore; I think it’s fair to say that vintage Marantz gear is more popular than the current lineup.
Marantz made some excellent equipment during specific periods and there is a specific aesthetic that clearly appeals to a lot of music listeners and people who appreciate the industrial design.
I have a Marantz 2245 and since I purchased it almost three years ago, the prices have doubled and for some examples in mint condition — even tripled. The aesthetic of the 2200 Series is no doubt iconic with its silver face, black accents, blue/green lighting and of course the fonts. The sound is always described as the “warm Marantz sound.”
The 2245 features the standard equalizer adjustments of the time but also a midrange adjustment dial as well. I am personally a fan of the mid adjustment dial, because with the music that I listen to, it can bring the vocals a little more forward in the mix.
This article originally appeared at ecoustics.com and an intro has been published here with permission.
Read the full article: https://www.ecoustics.com/articles/vintage-marantz-dilemma/
