Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Alan Or Ian: Old Marantz Receiver With M40s?
#1801 02/23/02 07:12 PM
A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A
My friend bought a used Marantz 2220B (circa 1975) receiver (http://www.classic-audio.com/marantz/2220b.html) from a flea market. It is rated at only 20 watts a channel. Will it be enough to drive the M40s he already owns, or will he run the risk of clipping? It's my understanding that Marantz was known for manufacturing a robust receiver. I hope it works, 'cuz all sales are final, and he already owns the M40s, just no receiver or amp until now. Thanks!



Re: Alan Or Ian: Old Marantz Receiver With M40s?
#1802 02/25/02 01:52 AM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,459
Likes: 6
connoisseur
Offline
connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,459
Likes: 6
I am not Ian or Alan, but I can give you a little information. This receiver would have an amplifier section designed with transitors. This is a pre IC (integrated circuit) design, and these are typically better than IC output stages. The difference today is very dramatic, if poor IC's are used...and they are due to cost.

I would suggest that the output rating is very honest, and assuming it is in good condition (a BIG assumption for an amp - depending on the mileage) it sound be fine mated to the M40's

You can send Marantz a message and maybe get greater information. The website is:
http://www.marantz.com/hifi/america/index.html

Let us know if you find any further information...and what it sounds like!

Regards,

BBIBH

Re: Alan Or Ian: Old Marantz Receiver With M40s?
#1803 02/27/02 04:43 AM
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14
frequent flier
Offline
frequent flier
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14
I just happen to own a 2220 B. I bought one last year just to have something from the era. In my basement it didn't sound too hot hooked up to a pair of NHT SuperOnes- pretty raw and no headroom. Then I took it to a buddy's house, where we hooked in up to a pair of Phase Technology 7Ts (8" two-way floorstander with 89-90 sensitivity).
His regular power source was an early 90s Carver receiver rated at 80 wpc. The Carver can play louder without strain. But the old Marantz sounds better. It provides more defined and authoritative bass and more vivid imaging- just more involving overall. It has stayed happily at his house since. It generally is pretty happy up to 12:00 on the volume dial, where it is plenty "loud enough" most of the time- after that, get out the cotton balls. I also need to tame the sound with the mid and treble controls, but my friend turns the treble back up to 12:00. (He's a concrete worker.)
In sum, it should do fine if not pushed too hard and the speakers, source or room don't exacerbate the harshness in the upper mids and treble.



Re: Alan Or Ian: Old Marantz Receiver With M40s?
#1804 02/27/02 03:54 PM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,459
Likes: 6
connoisseur
Offline
connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,459
Likes: 6
Are you a collector Chip, or did you stumble upon a deal?

A couple of points to clarify:
1) positioning of a volume control should not be used as a measure of an amplifiers muscle. Manufacturers do not always use linear volume controls in their products. This means that while Amp A while be done producing usable power and start clipping around the 12o'clock point, Amp B can still be delivering stable power beyond that point. Non linear controls are typical.
2) Tone controls are subject of great debate. Introducing any control into the audio path will degrade the signal. However, as you point out, our environments are not perfect, and sometimes wee need to compensate. I have my controls set to neutral.

The PT speakers are about 4db more efficient than your NHT's so that could play a major part.

Regards,

BBIBH

Re: Alan Or Ian: Old Marantz Receiver With M40s?
#1805 02/28/02 06:45 AM
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14
frequent flier
Offline
frequent flier
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14
Gosh, no (collector, that is)! Just kinda had a nostalgic urge, so I picked up the 2220B up on ebay. Wish I'd have gotten a 2230, but I'll live, and mine is real nice. I never have messed with tone controls in neutral position at low volume- maybe all is fine then. I'm assuming it sounds hard and needs softening because it's working beyond its comfort zone (although the thing never gets beyond lukewarm).
Non-linear vvolume controls? Like the one with the "100 wpc" Kenwood receiver I bought 10 years ago? Yikes. I knew absolutely nothing- I assumed Bose was the good, etc.- about hi-fi, having not bought or researched anything in a very long time. And I buy this receiver, thinking that I'd bought a real beast at "100 wpc". Turns out it you had to have it at 9:00 to get above a whisper and above 10:00 it sounded like a 5:00 O'Clock traffic jam. Talk about a sick, disappointed feeling. (I never felt very good about selling it for almost what I paid for it.)



Re: Alan Or Ian: Old Marantz Receiver With M40s?
#1806 02/28/02 05:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,459
Likes: 6
connoisseur
Offline
connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,459
Likes: 6
Yes there are truly some horrible products available...even today! Unfortuantely a lot of people "find" them, beleive the sales rep, and walk away with an uneasy feeling. I saw a demonstration a day or so ago, where the sales rep said "Product A is a better audiophile receiver because you can turn it all the way up and it has juice left, where Product B stops making music at about half way" Little did he mention that both clipped, and the second amp was driving less efficient speakers and a sub!

I like to play by myself....and get the rep if and when I need them!

Regards,

BBIBH


Moderated by  alan, Amie, Andrew, axiomadmin, Brent, Debbie, Ian, Jc 

Link Copied to Clipboard

Need Help Graphic

Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics24,940
Posts442,457
Members15,616
Most Online2,082
Jan 22nd, 2020
Top Posters
Ken.C 18,044
pmbuko 16,441
SirQuack 13,840
CV 12,077
MarkSJohnson 11,458
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 386 guests, and 4 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newsletter Signup
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4