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In my garage I alternate between a pioneer sx 737 and a pioneer vsx-9500s. In the rack I've got a cd player, tape player, jvc fully automatic phono and a rinky dink Bluetooth receiver all connected by analog output/ inputs. For streaming, I use a Playstation 3 thats hooked up in two ways via hdmi and composite analog, the hdmi going to the vsx 44 at the bottom of the rack and the analog going to either vintage piece of my choice. My little playground lol.
I have a Maratnz SR-1000 Receiver I bought for $150 CDN. It runs from my PC, to a Geshelli Labs J2 DAC, to Marantz, to a set of Sansui Alinico 8" driver speakers w/ 1 Tweeter, and a set of Sears Dynamic Magnet 12" driver speakers w/2 Tweeters capable of a solid 35khz low end. Its rounds the sound, and since these old receivers can run 2 sets of speakers at once this match makes Beautiful sounds from Music to Movies. Loudness button for Movies, Music runs without. Rarely do I use the tone controls as it sounds perfect nearly always without any adjustment. The receiver did get a upgraded Power Supply, and replacement of any worn or Caps etc. a few years before I bought it.
I dug my dad's old Sony PS LX-2 out the cellar, cleaned it up/serviced and replaced a few parts, found a new headshell on ebay, fitted a modern Sumiko cartridge and fed it through pro-ject tube phono amp into a modern system... sounds fantastic to my ears!
Not sure what is considered vintage but I use a 32ish year old NAD 2400PE amp for my 2 channel listening. I used to have 2 2200PE's but sold them 20 years ago and have kicked myself ever since for it. Got the 2400 in 2020 and am really happy with it.
I utilize a Google Chromecast Audio (discontinued) via a 3.5 mm to stereo RCA cable. It is a very simple setup but has and continues to serve it's purpose well with everything I have connected it to.
I'm no expert in vintage equipment but I reused my dad's 80s hifi equipment that my mom packed up and put in storage when he passed when I was young. A Hafler power amp/preamp/equalizer, Nakamichi tape deck, Dual turntable, and B&W loudspeakers. Still sounds good to this day and works flawlessly!
@@mc116 Nice deck...I would believe. I have the BX 150. It makes great tapes. I believe...ANY Nak deck is a good deck 'cause-well- it's a Nak- When you get around to firing up your Dad's deck, feel free to send me an update. Good luck with...all!
I have a fully restored Marantz 2245. I LOVE it! Non fatiguing and beautiful sounding. I'll never sell it. I have no issue with getting up and touching the knobs. That's part of the engagement factor..
More vintage please. Brings back great childhood memory of listening to my dad's Fisher 500T receiver hooked up to his KLH Model 6's. Both of which are still functioning well 50 years later.
Purchased a Marantz 2230 in 1972. I now use it with Bluetooth improving the sound from a Peloton. Also the stream music using an old Ipad. Two years ago I finally made a custom Mahogany case for it, repaired the on off switch, replaced the bulbs with new Led and cleaned all contacts. Works great after 50 years.
I have a Marantz 4270. I am the original owner. I followed you with updating it at JA. They did a fantastic job. They also changed the speaker plugs to banana plugs. I also added the Bluesound Node to it. . it with Klipsch 6000f. The turntable is a Bang and Olufsen Beogram RX. This is my bedroom system. Found JA because of you, so thank you
I've done this very thing: found a rebuilt Marantz 2252 ($350 on eBay), Realistic Nova 7b (unused by Houston Boy Scout Troop, still in unopened boxes, $75 on CL), and Fluance w/Ortophon blue (cuz saw it reviewed here, $450), and my digital Swiss Army knife, a Marantz ND 8006 for CD and streaming (Amazon, $1300 on sale). I. LOVE. IT. So much fun to listening to Spoon sitting on the floor, hypnotized by that glowing blue dial...! Love, love, love this channel.
I still have my Dad's old Pioneer SA7800 safely packed away. The amp that started my hifi obsession. I need to get it out now and show it some love. Nice work as always Andrew and Kristi.
Took my Marantz 1070 console in for repair and found out it just needed cleaned! Amazing. The repair shop suggested I buy a Dayton Audio Bluetooth receiver. I use this amp to power my pool speakers. Now have endless music to listen to and remote volume. It's great!
I'll never, ever ditch my vintage collection of receivers, e-q's, reel to reels & ANYTHING associated with stereo equipment manufactured 35-40+ years ago. There's a good reason why after all these years this equipment is still functional & sounding great. There's plenty of other gear that can easily bring you up to date...e.g: wifi transmitters/receivers, digital & analog signal convertors & a cadre' of other connectors & enhancers to keep your favorite vintage gear employed.
I recently went down this path with my old man's 2235b. I rebuilt it last year and added a Node before Christmas. Works exactly as you described. Great sound and looks and the Node gives it all the modern amenities I need. Just need to build a pair of CSS Critons and I will be done...
I recently added a Schiit Saga + to my setup which goes into the Aux on my 1965 Fisher tube integrated amp, so I can control not just the volume but select inputs with a remote. I have both my schiit modi DAC (which has my computer, CD player and TV digital out connected to it) as well as my magni phono preamp hooked up to it. It’s great for audiophile nerd outs where want to A/B the vinyl version to the digital (maybe I shouldn’t admit that I do that) and I never get tired of reminding my kids how lucky they are to watch marvel movies with the sound coming through an all tube stereo signal chain while they roll their eyes at me.
I really like that you pay attention to vintage hifi. Some of us still have units that are plus 50 years old and they still sound good and are a testament to reliability that today's gear might have a hard time keeping up with in years to come. I wish that I had a time machine so I could find out just how well class D amps will stand the ravages of time.
Love vintage gear, I still have my JVC RS-77 receiver that I have now owned for 42 years, I put some new binding posts on it myself as it makes it so much easier to pull out and plug it in, I also still have the speakers that I bought with that receiver, my Bose 601 MK1s in great condition, also my Dual 522 turntable, now that system did my 21st birthday and 39 years later I set it up for my daughters 21st, her friends couldn't believe that it did my 21st and all said it was the best system they have ever heard, vintage HiFi we had it all back then, hey keep up the great work guys
This really can be the way to go. I just finished swapping out a late 2010's 7.1 setup with a Yamaha Aventage receiver (Atmos and all the latest stuff). The Node allowed me to utilize a recently serviced McIntosh MA6100 and Sonus Faber Concertino's (with original stands). I'm running the Node with a modern sub to fill out the lower range that the SF's lack. This setup is amazingly simple and competent. Like Andrew notes, I'm able to utilize all of my devices and have my LG C9 run all the HMDI's direct with the ARC controlling the volume out to the Node. I turn the Mac on and up to 75% volume and let the Node handle the rest. I don't miss a center channel and everything sounds great at all volumes. I highly recommend this path if you have some older quality equipment lying around. I was fortunate enough to find my vintage stuff at crazy cheap prices over the years and I'm confident that it would well over $3,500ish to replicate the quality of sound I'm able to get with this vintage gear. On top of all of that, the vintage stuff just looks so classy.
I bought a Pioneer SA-6500 II 30-watt amplifier in the late 70's. It's still going strong. My update, plugging in an Apple Airport Express to the AUX and using it to control volume and stream music from every apple device in the house using wi-fi. No HDMI, but I use it just to listen to music.
While I was out on a run about a year ago, I found an old Pioneer SX-650 on the side of the road. Got it serviced and it works like a champ. I still need to re-do the case, but that's just cosmetics. I connected it to my TV, which has all the music apps on it, with a Metra Ethereal CS-DAC dac. It only costed me only 30 bucks. It's small and I hide it behind my amp. I paired it with two Cambridge Audio SX-50s, and it makes listening to both music from Apple music and any other content sound great. I set the output to both internal and optical. So all I have to do is mute the main tv and turn on the amp to hear the tunes. I might not have the ability to remote control the volume or enjoy a movie with surround sound I'd like from a more modern receiver... but I don't really need that right now.
I am in absolute love with our vintage 2230. I have it paired with a Fluance rt85 and a couple of lower end Klipsch towers (hoping for a speaker upgrade this year). The Marantz surprises us nearly every time we put on different vinyl. My wife and I both remember the Marantzes from our earlier years in the 70’s, so it was familiar and that’s why we built our system around a vintage piece (an SX 780 was also on the table, but the Marantz that found us REALLY found us - like “I know you are my new stewards, I can feel it, so please take me with you now - I want to see my new home…”). Newer components can make our heads spin a bit, so getting the best of the old and new in our system has us smiling from ear to ear. The Fluance is sublime.
My Marantz 2216B purchased new when the minimum wage was $2.35. Never ever broke down and resides in my sons room. At 16 watts per channel it really outperformed some of my stronger Pioneer gear. I am a Marantz man! Thanks for posting. Purchased in 1978 for about $160.00.
Love this one. I was in my late teens in the late 70s, and this Marantz and the Pioneer you showed were common sites in my world. Totally warms my heart to see this beautiful old equipment still being loved and used. Thanks!!
I’ve had an early 70s Marantz 1120 for a year now and I love it. Been in for repair twice (the downside of using vintage gear), but it looks the business and never gets fatiguing. Running it with a pair of Celestion 3000 speakers (old 80s ribbon design)
I have a Bluesound Node 2i (older model without HDMI eARC) connected to my vintage McIntosh C26/MC2505 combo and it's such a great device. Sounds great and it's so simple even my non-techy wife can turn on and use the stereo. If I had a TV in that room I would almost certainly upgrade to the newer model to use eARC.
Glad to see another vintage focused video, I personally own a 2235 of this era which are some of Marantz's best. They are very pleasing to the ear for sure. As for streaming / dac I love pairing my vintage receivers with the often overlooked Apple Airport Express which has proven to put out high quality sound, often alot better than bluetooth audio, That plus a cheap Wifi plug and you can turn it on / off / adjust sound and tracks all from a smart phone. You can typically pick up a plug + airport express for $75 or less combined . Keep cranking out the great videos.
Most of my audio equipment was purchased new in late 1970's/ early 80's. Nice to see that soooo much of this stuff is highly desired. Of course I have my preferences but please remember that when buying vintage (or anything) caveat emptor.
Great video. I have Marantz 2270, 2230, and 2210 all restored and I love the sound. I have them connected with vintage JBL L15s, 4401s and L100s with a subwoofer. I am testing out the Audioengine BeFi and so far, it has been pretty good.
Currently working on restoring my dad's Pioneer SX-1250 (at least what I'm capable of). So far, just looks like a lot of cleaning up and making sure the dust doesn't start a fire when I plug it in. Going to pair it with a pair of Ohm H Legacy speakers. Love the channel and the vintage/retro vids. Makes me miss my dad, but in a good way.
Kyle that is wonderful that you're able to still enjoy your father's Pioneer. I bet when you're done with your clean out, it will be the "best" amp you've ever heard or will own. Be well!
I have a Kenwood ka 305, my first "real" amplifier. I bought it high school and used it through college (do the math.. I'm over 60). After some minor electrical "tune up " things I plugged it in and turned it on. I started playing some of my favorite albums and dare I say... became emotional. It was like having a beer with a dear friend I haven't seen in over 40 years. I spent the evening staring at the simple red power on light and drifting between music and memory... it was wonderful! So you answer your question of the day, I didn't actually bring the Amp to the 21st century, Other than turning it on! More accurately it took me BACK in time and reminded me why I love music so much and still do to this day.
I have the Marantz 2270 from 1974 . The 2270 has 70 vintage watts and 38 pounds. (Appricate your alls hardwork) Soon as i get a day off from work i will video compare against my Marantz PM 8006 thats also 70 watts 😃 Thanks Andrew/Christi. 'Have your power supply recapped' 😃 No pops when ya turn on
Nice and timely topic! I JUST upgraded my Bang and Olufsen 6500 series system with a 1Mii 5.0 Blue Tooth transceiver. Now I can stream from my tablet and two laptops from anywhere in the home. Very happy with that, 1990 meets 2022 !
I use a Luxman R-115 receiver in my audio room. I purchased it in 1987. I love the sound and have had it serviced. It has a CD, Phono, 2-Tape Deck, and 2-Video inputs. I run a CD player, Cassette Deck, Turntable, CD Changer, and a Yamaha WXC-50 streaming preamp into it. The Yamaha gives me ROON. I love it.
I had a Marantz 2216 while in high school. Bought it used from a local stereo and TV store right after Christmas 1978 with 100 dollars Canadian my parents gave me for Christmas to put toward a receiver. As I recall, the store had it priced at $99.00. I had to borrow money from the friend I was shopping with to pay the sales tax. My dad was surprised I came home with a Marantz for so little money. It worked just fine for the five years I owned it and it looked super-cool too.
Great video - was teenager in the late seventies and remember drooling over Marantz, Sansui and Pioneer gear (that I could not afford) at local audio shops. Went through a vintage period recently where I bought a series of different Monster receivers and used the BlueSound Node and works great. One more rec would be that one of the most frequent failures/quality/unwanted noise issues I experienced was with the built-in phono preamps. With so many phono preamps to choose from it’s an easy upgrade, just plug into aux or tape inputs and you’re ready for vinyl. I still kept my Marantz 2275, but my main gear now is modern build tube amps.
@@1ring2rule3pigs I didn't know they were the first, that's cool. My G-5700 was my dad's, I'm pretty sure he bought it in 1980 (could be wrong, but sometime around there). It worked perfectly, but I had it refurbished anyway, and it's still absolutely fantastic and now I trust it to keep on working for a long time to come.
I agree. I have the G7500. Bought it new around 79-80. I had it totally restored a few years and I love it. I had a Marantz 2325 as part of a vintage collection I have but didn’t prefer it’s sound so sold it. Sansui made great sound equipment back in the day. I will never sell the G7500. Sounds too good.
I have the Carver M1.0T, the amp from the Stereophile magazine challenge in 1985. It was a gift from my father. I sent it to Nelson Audio and had it modified to increase output from 350 to 500 watts into 8 ohms. Also, i had the power cord changed out for an detachable power plug, switched the leds from red to blue and added a 12V trigger for auto in/off. It is a wonderful amp with a wonderful story.
I don't know how to turn old HiFi into something modern, but having working old gear makes it easy to listen to all those free 78 records. I'm a tech and HiFi geek who recommends older gear, because it's easier to diagnose and repair. Really, it is using off-the-shelf parts. I love your old-school setup.
After restoring a Marantz 4300 and a 2275 with all up graded audio file components, a Zen Blue V2 music streamer was added to the mix with fantastic results. The sound and function is outstanding!
Buy an old Apple Airport express with the 3.5mm out for $50 on Craigslist and a 3.5mm to rca cable and you get volume control and all the other goodies the other streaming boxes have. I mostly listen to vinyl on my Yamaha CR-2020 but the airplay is a really nice addition to the AUX in, if you’re looking to stream in a pinch.
This. I have a Airport Express hooked up to every receiver/amp in my house. The only caveat to this is that AirPlay 2 streaming tops out at CD quality (44/16). Unless this has changed.
This also works really well for streaming to a Zone 2 (outside ) speakers as many receivers zone 2 only accepts analog unless you $$$$. Cue tunes from the pool with a smartphone and/or watch.
Vintage receivers like the Marantz & Sansui will never go down in value and technically can be repaired to outlast us.. Great video, I typically pair my vintage receivers with AirPort Express's which can be had for cheap + a wifi plug.. For under $60 you can have full streaming from ios / mac / windows + be able to power it on and off.. Therse a nice app for Windows that allows the airport express to streamed to from any app called TunerBlade.
For shits and giggles I bought a WiiM mini and was blown away... I have since purchased the WiiM Pro... I had an EverSolo on order, backorder, and cancelled it. I use the WiiM Pro with my PS Audio gaincell DAC/Pre with my 1970 Sansui 4000... But, even without the PS Audio, the WiiM sounded incredibly good on the Sansui with its inexpensive DAC. Something these Sansui units do to the music, none of my modern gear could even come close to the sound out of this baby. I'm using Zu DW6 speakers with their Supreme upgrade. Sounds incredible.
In the middle of rebuilding a 5000A and agree, A properly working Sansui is very hard to beat in sound esp when you move to the AU-XX line @@michaelwright1602
ChromeCast Audio digital out into SMSL Sanskrit 10th outboard DAC going into a 25 year old Arcam Alpha 9 amp. Works a treat and I love it! And I’m primarily a vinyl and CD person first and foremost and the CCA and DAC does not let the side down. That lot partnered to Dali Oberon 3’s and it’s really quite something. I love it
I have many vintage receivers and intrigated amps (have the skills to repair). I picked up a 2216 in need of a lot of repair. At 16 watts, it is very impressive. And, yes, vintage gear is much more repairable than contemporary gear.
I was looking for a Pioneer SX series receiver like my brother had when he was in high school and came across a McIntosh MAC 4100 and pair of McIntosh XR-16 speakers for $1000. I jumped on it and added a U-Turn turntable based on Andrew's review so I could get back into vinyl after a 30+ year abscence. I added a Marantz streamer and love my system. I did add a WiFi plug so I can ask Alexa to turn the stereo on and off to save wear and tear on the power button.
I use an HDMI switch/DAC (from amazon) to select between my audio & video sources for my TV. The analog audio signal from the HDMI switch goes in the Aux input of my Pioneer SX-720 receiver (35W p/c). So any source selected for the TV can also be played on the Pioneer (TV box, optical drive or Apple TV). The Pioneer drives a pair of vintage Dynaco A25XL. I much prefer the simplicity of use and sound quality of this 2.0 setup than the insanely complex Denon 7.1 AVR I used to have!
An easier way would be to connect a Bluetooth receiver to Aux imput and use your phone or computer to stream from Spotify, Tidal, RUclips, etc. This transmiter you can find really cheap, I would say from 20 dollars onwards. Better ones can cost a bit more but they're worth it.
Vintage gear can rock! I have a thoroughly modern system except to 2 utterly vintage tuners- a McIntosh MR78 and a Marantz 20B. Both sound great, are quiet and no groans due to age. Both have been serviced within the large 2 years. And both are old school beautiful. The oscilloscope on the Marantz is not only eye candy it’s also the best tuning tool for fm radio. I will add a node plus a vintage receiver is an incredible combination.
I have 2 vintage Marantz receivers, a Model 2270 and a Model 4400, which get daily use. Both have been rebuilt and sound absolutely outstanding through Klipsch speakers. To my ears, I'll match either Marantz system up to a similar aged vintage McIntosh system and while McIntosh is no slouch, the Marantz sound just as great. As as side note you may recall the 2270 that came out of a fire was used in Marantz advertisement because while charred, it powered up and worked as specified. Most of all the gyro tuning and the blue dials of the Marantz are simply mesmerizing.
I found this video very informative! I’ve been around vintage gear when it was new, since I was a kid. My mother had some pretty nice stuff for the time in the early 1960’s. I bought my first system in 1970 and upgraded that to Sansui SX-7500 quad system in 1977. I have a few vintage pieces in my home. Pioneer SX-780, Marantz 2020 European Tuner (Brown Face) with Marantz 3300 PreAmp, Nakamichi Receiver 3, Fisher Tuner FM-600 with Fisher CA-800 Amp, JVC FX-1010 Tuner with JVC AX-Z1010 Amp. The only thing that I added to my SX-780 was a Harmon Kardon HK BTA-10 Bluetooth device to stream music from my iPhone.
Great video! I love vintage gear and the looks of those receivers are unmatched: the wood cabinets, the brushed aluminum, those meters and the lights and they sound good too, truly timeless! Having said that, I would not use them as the main amp for all music and TV as well, too much stress for being so old. Based on your video of the Pioneer SX450, I bought the SX550 in excellent conditions and it is the center on my "vinyl corner". Upgraded the cartridge of the "old" but in grade shape Technics DL-D2 with an Ortofon 2 Blue and an ifi ZEN phono preamp, RP600M as speakers, which have grown on me, and for about $1,000 I have a modest system that is a pleasure to look at and listen to, at least for me. Please, continue to review vintage gear.
From what I've observed, the lower wattage receivers seem to have somewhat of a pop to them when they are powered on. The higher level receivers usually have a relay that clicks before any sound goes to the speakers, so they are essentially silent on the power up.
Has anyone ever hooked up an old receiver with a modern preamp? I have a vintage Technics 818 receiver that was doubling as a door stop (it weighs 41lbs), and decided to get it fixed, if it wasn't extremely expensive to do so. Turns out, it wasn't too bad at $300. So when I got the Technics back, instead of unplugging everything from my Bryston preamp-into the Technics, I simply ran a lead from the preamp out into the Technics AUX input, and wired the speakers to the Technics. I bypassed the Technics tone controls (it has a switch to do so on the front), put the volume at noon, and used the Bryston for the source. I wasn't real sure what this would sound like, but I can honestly say, I'm quite blown away how good it sounds. Sounds quite wonderful. Seems warmer and maybe a bit rolled off on the top end, which I don't mind at all. I find many recordings too hot on the top end. The midrange is maybe a little more pronounced.But it is very clear despite the slight top end roll off, has a lovely sound stage and can really kick some butt if you crank it up (the Technics is 110W RMS/channel). There's no noise or interference I can hear, which is probably due to the Bryston, as it is very quiet. Could be my old ears too. I tested listening to everything from Diana Krall to ACDC for about 3 hours at a decent volume and suffered no listening fatigue at all. That was unexpected too. Before hand, I thought I might sell the Technics when I got it back repaired, but now, I'm not so sure I'll do that. Anyone else ever hook up an old receiver with a modern preamp? I see some doing the reverse, using the vintage preamp into a power amp, but not the way I did it. It works, at least in my case, very well.
I have my PS Audio GainCell DAC/Preamp, it is an analog preamp, not digital, hooked up to my 1970 Sansui 4000 without issue. I put the volume on the Sansui at 12 o'clock and simply use the volume control using the PS Audio remote to control the volume. Mo issues here, and I do not play it that loud. I have a pair of Zu DW6 speakers, which you could power with a 9 volt battery, so there is very little strain on any of the electronics. I hooked up the PSA unit to the AUX input on the back of the Sansui.
I myself added a HEOS link to our vintage Denon integrated amp system that drives my patio and garden speakers. This way I can sync to our Marantz SR 8012 receiver in our main system for a whole house setup that enables us to stream the same music through out the house along with the patio and garden speakers! The great thing about the HEOS link is it can also be used as a pre amp with both analog and digital inputs and like the Node it allows me to remotely control the volume of our vintage amp with my tablet or phone via the HEOS app!
Now I'm getting excited. I still have my JVC system from 79. I bought it when my girlfriend moved out, taking the Marantz with her. It's in mothballs currently. Needs a new turntable. But its a decent 60watt per side system. If I recall
I put a Sonos Connect between my turntable and amp so I can not only stream music to the amp but also enjoy my vinyl collection in every room of the house through the Sonos ecosystem. And before you all judge me for putting vinyl into digital bits and listening to them through a lamp on the other side of my house. I get to enjoy my collection while in the shower and to me, that's pure joy.
Marantz should reissue a couple of these old receivers with the vintage look, but modern reliability & conveniences. Outlaw's vintage vibe receiver has been wildly popular, & the vintage look is largely responsible for Klipsch's Heritage line popularity.
I agree that Marantz should totally lean into their older esthetic --even more so than they have recently. As for Outlaw's receiver, it's a unique looking piece for sure. And I'm not sure I completely agree re: Klipsch as those speakers have been in constant production for decades. If anything, Klipsch never really abandoned their core esthetic like other brands.
Modern reliability? That's a backward step! The beauty of vintage hi-fi is that it was over-engineered - that's why it's still going strong after 40+ years, often with no work needed. Modern tech just doesn't have that level of survivability built in any more.
One thing that can be done to update vintage is use a MiniDSP Flex for room correction and sub integration. This doesn’t have to replace the Node as you can hook it up between the preouts and main in so you still have the Node as a Source and can still use the vintage units volume control etc.
There really is nothing like those dials, meters and glowing displays of vintage receivers. I have a vintage Sansui 9090DB paired with a Node and JBL L100 75's. Looks and sounds great aside from a couple scratchy EQ dials.
I bought an Arylic on your recommendation and it has been awesome! I’m using it now on my fleet of vintage Nakamichi receivers. TA-1A, TA-2A, SR-3A and AV1. And my NAD 7130 before it died (of course it died!). It is so much fun to listen to these sweet old units and have the convenience of a remote, etc… Also, it now gets to travel with me; being able to plug into a Airbnb house stereo is a game changer! Thanks for the great content and the product suggestion, really appreciate it!
I have a Node 2i connected to a Pioneer SX-980 driving Klipsch Forte II. Love it. The 980 is massive overkill for the Forte speakers but I didn't realize that going into this. Oh well, still sounds great and has awesome prescence in the room.
Love Marantz. I have a 2220B & 2245. Can't wait until I can afford to have the 2245 restored but it sounds great as is, in all original condition. What I don't like though, is when one doesn't have a mid-range control. I'm glad both of mine do.
Well I have the Marantz 2225 which I bought new in 1976 or 1977. It always had the litlle click/pop when you turned it on and I had a habit of always turning down the volume prior to turning it on. I have not turned the unit on in 25+ years. I am going to be sending it to Just Audio and have them go through it and bring it back to life. It was working well last I remember, only a light or two burned out on the meters and dial. Can't wait to hear it against my XTZ A2 300 Class D amp. I am sure the sound will be very different. I always like hearing about vintage gear, maybe I am showing my age?
You've totally nailed this one. That is really how I feel about it how it should be done, keeping it as original as possible while not depriving oneself of the benefits of the day. 👍 I have Bluetooth dongles hooked up to most of my vintage and "purist style" amps and will be able to easily adapt by simply replacing them by something different in the future.
Any decent sub will have speaker level inputs, thus a sub out RCA jack is not necessary to add a sub. In fact, using the speaker level inputs is better because the sub receives the exact sound signature as the amp, rather than from the pre-amp or whatever upstream. The speaker wires in parallel to the sub do not take any power from the amp. Only the signal is sent to the sub's speaker level inputs.
I would not call my stuff vintage but they are pretty old. Im running a pair of Jamo S506 tower speakers (made in 2010) off a JVC RX-6012R receiver (made in 2001). Bought them used a couple days ago and they still sound great. Absolutely no problems with either of those.
Thanks Andrew for giving me an idea of reusing an older Yamaha Reciever. Yes it has push/pull speaker connectors, but I will order some Sewell FlexPin speaker endings that will accept 12 gauge wire and will fit in the reciever’s push/connectors. Using the Bluesound Node for TV and subwoofer connections will allow me to setup a small but capable system for my bedroom. That’s why I love watching your video’s.
Beautiful receiver!! Love the Marantz units, my favorite sounding receivers. They were definitely built to last, and they sound good. I paid 1000 for my 4300. Theres no denying how much better they look than anything made in the last 30 years.
Hi Andrew. I am using a Carver C - 9 Sonic Hologram Generator which i purchased in 1979, to give me a 3 dimensional sound stage from 2 stereo speakers when watching movies in my home cinema / music room. It still seems to be working correctly.
I absolutely love my reconditioned Marantz 2245 with walnut case (cleaned and refitted with LEDs by Living in Stereo!)Part of a vintage system with large Advents and an Andover Songbird streamer tucked behind. Those Marantz lights and tuning wheel always get me! Punchy, fun sound!
Before I got my Marantz NR1710 I had a 20 year old TEAC AV Receiver and I used a Yamaha Wi-Fi DAC for modern connectivity! The Yamaha sounded great and it is still on the market, but it does have limited modern functionality and only outputs through analog connections with no subwoofer pre output. It’s the Yamaha WXAD-10 and I gave mine away to a friend with a 20 year old Pioneer AV Receiver but he doesn’t use it so I’m taking it back😅. Now I use the zone 2 function of my Marantz for exclusive headphones listening with passive and high impedance headphones. It still sound great and even better with the Marantz as a processor and input! Great review on old Marantz gear, now I want an old receiver!
I grew up listening to the Marantz 510M and Marantz 240 and I remember them with fondness. Personally I'm still running a pair of Denon POA-4400s with only one service in 37 years.
Updated my system by using a Chinese tube bluetooth receiver (running on 12AX7s) and my decommisioned iPhone as my source/remote. Paired my 70s Sony receiver with a 90s bookshelf speaker and just love listening to it every day.
In my office I have a setup that has an Onkyo C-7030 CD player (being used as a transport) and a bluetooth receiver connected to a Geshelli Labs DAC and the DAC connected into the aux port of a Pioneer SX-828 receiver. I listen to this for hours and hours a day and I love the sound of the 828 so much that I bought, repaired and set up another one in my home "man-cave." (other 70's vintage equipment I have connected to the SX are: Pioneer(s): CT-F9191 cassette, RT 707 Reel to Reel, PL 610 Turntable. I also use an Aircom component cooling unit and everything is plugged into a Furman power conditioner.) Oh, my speakers are Wharfedale 4.2's (I've tried different speakers over the years and with the style of music I prefer (mostly classical and jazz) I just love the Wharfedale sound!)
This was a valuable video to explain the ways you can add modern features and function to the older gear. A couple of ideas to dwell on. Almost without exception, these older receivers / amplifiers, need to have the power supply updated. Notably, the large electrolytic capacitors that filter the DC voltage, will have deteriorated with age and need to be replaced. There will be other small caps that will also need to be replaced. This can be a good thing for your ears. You will hear better bass, dynamics, and often quieter output. The Marantz 2216 was never one of their better models of that series. It's not just power output that's limited. As you go up the line, and compare specifications of let's say the 2270 to the 2216, you're likely going to find a better preamplifier, better signal to noise ratio, most notably in the phono section, and a more sensitive and selective tuner. Considering the circuit upgrades on your Pioneer, I should think that it will be definitely improved over the Marantz. You have the Marantz appearance with that model, but not their best sound. Thank you for presenting this information. I always enjoy your videos. Your wife's comments are a plus.
Andrew, I have 2 vintage receiver. Fisher RS-270 and Technics SA-AX610. I purchased a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver for 20 bucks. Plug it in the headphones port. It works good with anything Bluetooth. Thanks for the videos.
Great video. My second system is a 1969 marantz rebuilt, I connected a CD player and an Apple airport express for airplay, quite happy, sweet sounding and driving my monitor bronze bookshelves with finesse. Perfect approach, congrats
I’m the OG with my 2215b from my teens I bought with my paper route money. I updated mine with a rega rp6 record player and a pair of 80th anniversary Dentons. Love hooking it up to a vintage iMac for wired streaming with the Apple Music visualizer providing a modern take on the lava lamp. Groovy…
I own a pair of vintage Marantz receivers, a 2238B and the 2252B. Both are fabulous and honestly I much pefer them to anything current up to about $1,500. I love the vintage Marantz house sound, really full-bodied and a little warm. I plugged the 2252B in with a pair of Neat Motive SX2s and couldn't believe how much more bass there was than with my Arcam A19. I modernize them by updating to LED lights and usung the Bluesound Node 2i for streaming and volume control--pretty much exactly what Andrew did.
I'm listening to this video thru my Marantz 2220 running thru a Topping D30 DAC connected to my computer, of course. Is my Sprout 100 more clear and more defined? Of course it is. But oh, that warm, soft sound is so cozy and comfortable. When paired with a good pair of speakers (right now it's the Elac 6.2's) you will never have listening fatigue. If you're into vinyl, the phono preamp is excellent. God bless Sol Marantz, his legacy lives on.
I have a 2226B paired with a pair of 3 way Sansui SP-X6000 100 watt speakers and I can say I'm very happy with the vintage sound I get from this setup. I have a LP120XBT with a blue Ortafan hooked up and although I feel like I get CD clarity from this setup, without a modern hi-fi setup to reference I can't say I can hear any "details" from this modern turntable.😁
Excellent video as always and a great topic. To answer your question, I have paired my Denon PRA 1200 pre amp to my Marantz 6015 AVR via the Tape 1 monitor out of the 1200. The phono stage in the 1200 is exceptional and supports both MM and MC cartridges. While the Marantz handles music well, the 1200 sounds better to me when I bypass the Marantz and tie the preamp straight into the L and R amps. Your idea of adding the Node Bluesound via RCA connectors to an older or a vintage piece may provide a better solution than HEOS for my streaming music as the Bluesound will eliminate the Apple Airplay file quality limitation on the iPad and iPhone. These vintage receivers like the Marantz, Pioneer, etc. are treasures. Thank you for helping us see how to expand their capabilities to keep them doing what they have always done so well for us.
My "streamer" is primarily my 82-inch Samsung TV playing the RUclips Music streaming service, connected via optical to a 2-way splitter. One line from the splitter goes to to a pair of Klipsch R-28PF powered tower speakers and a subwoofer. The other is connected to a digital-to-analog converter which is connected to my Sherwood S-7210 receiver (on the "rear" side of the room) and a pair of "Criterion 2002+" speakers that I bought from Lafayette Radio Electronics around 1978. So, my vintage system acts like a set of rear speakers. I also wired it in reverse so that that outputs from the Sherwood receiver can use the Klipsch speakers as its "rear" speakers when it is the source (CD, tape, vinyl, FM). When I cast RUclips from my phone to the TV, I can even control the volume for both sets of speakers simultaneously with my phone!
Great vid, I’ve been a closet collector of good vintage stuff for many years ( think barn find) and as much as I love my modern HT multi channel Onkyo and Marantz gear ( although been migrating to Monolith of late) I truly enjoy my 2 channel vintage sound and warmth , using vinyl and CD,S. I have several perfectly working Luxman receivers and amps from late 70’s / early 80’s in that 30-50 watt per channel and these things are super clean with Lots of b@!!S right to the top…..only inconvenience is a remote, but moving occasionally is not a bad thing either😀
@@andrewrobinsonreviews So far very impressed, bought a new big sub ( not the latest offerings) and OMG, not level power if needed, and 7 channel amp, again , game changer,,,saving some $$ up for another 7 channel which gives some room for future expansion, another sub, and some day the pre amp separate controller,,,,this stuff is still many dollars worth, but for me is hands down best out there.
@Andrew I finally got my hands on my dad's Technics SA400 which needed repairs. While we were at it, we took a mobile phone charger which converted 240v ac to 5v dc, and had a small bluetooth receiver I had purchased online for €2 and soldered the wires to tape#2. This was inspired from your pioneer video
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In my garage I alternate between a pioneer sx 737 and a pioneer vsx-9500s. In the rack I've got a cd player, tape player, jvc fully automatic phono and a rinky dink Bluetooth receiver all connected by analog output/ inputs. For streaming, I use a Playstation 3 thats hooked up in two ways via hdmi and composite analog, the hdmi going to the vsx 44 at the bottom of the rack and the analog going to either vintage piece of my choice. My little playground lol.
I have a Maratnz SR-1000 Receiver I bought for $150 CDN. It runs from my PC, to a Geshelli Labs J2 DAC, to Marantz, to a set of Sansui Alinico 8" driver speakers w/ 1 Tweeter, and a set of Sears Dynamic Magnet 12" driver speakers w/2 Tweeters capable of a solid 35khz low end. Its rounds the sound, and since these old receivers can run 2 sets of speakers at once this match makes Beautiful sounds from Music to Movies. Loudness button for Movies, Music runs without. Rarely do I use the tone controls as it sounds perfect nearly always without any adjustment. The receiver did get a upgraded Power Supply, and replacement of any worn or Caps etc. a few years before I bought it.
I dug my dad's old Sony PS LX-2 out the cellar, cleaned it up/serviced and replaced a few parts, found a new headshell on ebay, fitted a modern Sumiko cartridge and fed it through pro-ject tube phono amp into a modern system... sounds fantastic to my ears!
Not sure what is considered vintage but I use a 32ish year old NAD 2400PE amp for my 2 channel listening. I used to have 2 2200PE's but sold them 20 years ago and have kicked myself ever since for it. Got the 2400 in 2020 and am really happy with it.
I utilize a Google Chromecast Audio (discontinued) via a 3.5 mm to stereo RCA cable. It is a very simple setup but has and continues to serve it's purpose well with everything I have connected it to.
I'm no expert in vintage equipment but I reused my dad's 80s hifi equipment that my mom packed up and put in storage when he passed when I was young. A Hafler power amp/preamp/equalizer, Nakamichi tape deck, Dual turntable, and B&W loudspeakers. Still sounds good to this day and works flawlessly!
Just curious...what Nak deck did your Dad have?
@@cardtrix1970 the bx-100! Never tested it out since I have no idea where my childhood Disney and backstreet boys music tapes went 🤣
@@mc116 Nice deck...I would believe. I have the BX 150. It makes great tapes. I believe...ANY Nak deck is a good deck 'cause-well- it's a Nak- When you get around to firing up your Dad's deck, feel free to send me an update. Good luck with...all!
I have a fully restored Marantz 2245. I LOVE it! Non fatiguing and beautiful sounding. I'll never sell it. I have no issue with getting up and touching the knobs. That's part of the engagement factor..
I have a 2245 I agree
More vintage please. Brings back great childhood memory of listening to my dad's Fisher 500T receiver hooked up to his KLH Model 6's. Both of which are still functioning well 50 years later.
Purchased a Marantz 2230 in 1972. I now use it with Bluetooth improving the sound from a Peloton. Also the stream music using an old Ipad.
Two years ago I finally made a custom Mahogany case for it, repaired the on off switch, replaced the bulbs with new Led and cleaned all contacts. Works great after 50 years.
I have a Marantz 4270. I am the original owner. I followed you with updating it at JA. They did a fantastic job. They also changed the speaker plugs to banana plugs. I also added the Bluesound Node to it. . it with Klipsch 6000f. The turntable is a Bang and Olufsen Beogram RX. This is my bedroom system. Found JA because of you, so thank you
That's so AWESOME! So glad to hear you love your Marantz rig! Sounds like a nice setup!
I also have a 4270, What is JA?
@@michaelburke5750 The Hifi store that did the restoration of my 4270. Just Audio from Baltimore Maryland.
@casyjones3806 Did they charge an hourly rate, or do they have a fixed price.
I am shopping around, and the estimates are very inconsistent.
I've done this very thing: found a rebuilt Marantz 2252 ($350 on eBay), Realistic Nova 7b (unused by Houston Boy Scout Troop, still in unopened boxes, $75 on CL), and Fluance w/Ortophon blue (cuz saw it reviewed here, $450), and my digital Swiss Army knife, a Marantz ND 8006 for CD and streaming (Amazon, $1300 on sale).
I. LOVE. IT. So much fun to listening to Spoon sitting on the floor, hypnotized by that glowing blue dial...! Love, love, love this channel.
I still have my Dad's old Pioneer SA7800 safely packed away. The amp that started my hifi obsession. I need to get it out now and show it some love. Nice work as always Andrew and Kristi.
Took my Marantz 1070 console in for repair and found out it just needed cleaned! Amazing. The repair shop suggested I buy a Dayton Audio Bluetooth receiver. I use this amp to power my pool speakers. Now have endless music to listen to and remote volume. It's great!
I'll never, ever ditch my vintage collection of receivers, e-q's, reel to reels & ANYTHING associated with stereo equipment manufactured 35-40+ years ago. There's a good reason why after all these years this equipment is still functional & sounding great. There's plenty of other gear that can easily bring you up to date...e.g: wifi transmitters/receivers, digital & analog signal convertors & a cadre' of other connectors & enhancers to keep your favorite vintage gear employed.
I recently went down this path with my old man's 2235b. I rebuilt it last year and added a Node before Christmas. Works exactly as you described. Great sound and looks and the Node gives it all the modern amenities I need. Just need to build a pair of CSS Critons and I will be done...
I recently added a Schiit Saga + to my setup which goes into the Aux on my 1965 Fisher tube integrated amp, so I can control not just the volume but select inputs with a remote. I have both my schiit modi DAC (which has my computer, CD player and TV digital out connected to it) as well as my magni phono preamp hooked up to it. It’s great for audiophile nerd outs where want to A/B the vinyl version to the digital (maybe I shouldn’t admit that I do that) and I never get tired of reminding my kids how lucky they are to watch marvel movies with the sound coming through an all tube stereo signal chain while they roll their eyes at me.
I find this review very clear. The highs are very detailed and the lows not at all muffled. Now let's hear what the comments thought of it.
👍
I really like that you pay attention to vintage hifi. Some of us still have units that are plus 50 years old and they still sound good and are a testament to reliability that today's gear might have a hard time keeping up with in years to come. I wish that I had a time machine so I could find out just how well class D amps will stand the ravages of time.
I run my Node on my Onkyo 2500 MKII and Kanto Yu Passives and I love that setup!
Love vintage gear, I still have my JVC RS-77 receiver that I have now owned for 42 years, I put some new binding posts on it myself as it makes it so much easier to pull out and plug it in, I also still have the speakers that I bought with that receiver, my Bose 601 MK1s in great condition, also my Dual 522 turntable, now that system did my 21st birthday and 39 years later I set it up for my daughters 21st, her friends couldn't believe that it did my 21st and all said it was the best system they have ever heard, vintage HiFi we had it all back then, hey keep up the great work guys
lovely story
This really can be the way to go. I just finished swapping out a late 2010's 7.1 setup with a Yamaha Aventage receiver (Atmos and all the latest stuff). The Node allowed me to utilize a recently serviced McIntosh MA6100 and Sonus Faber Concertino's (with original stands). I'm running the Node with a modern sub to fill out the lower range that the SF's lack. This setup is amazingly simple and competent. Like Andrew notes, I'm able to utilize all of my devices and have my LG C9 run all the HMDI's direct with the ARC controlling the volume out to the Node. I turn the Mac on and up to 75% volume and let the Node handle the rest. I don't miss a center channel and everything sounds great at all volumes. I highly recommend this path if you have some older quality equipment lying around. I was fortunate enough to find my vintage stuff at crazy cheap prices over the years and I'm confident that it would well over $3,500ish to replicate the quality of sound I'm able to get with this vintage gear. On top of all of that, the vintage stuff just looks so classy.
I bought a Pioneer SA-6500 II 30-watt amplifier in the late 70's. It's still going strong. My update, plugging in an Apple Airport Express to the AUX and using it to control volume and stream music from every apple device in the house using wi-fi. No HDMI, but I use it just to listen to music.
Pioneer sa-6500 is still one of my favorite bang for the buck balanced amps, I loved it
While I was out on a run about a year ago, I found an old Pioneer SX-650 on the side of the road. Got it serviced and it works like a champ. I still need to re-do the case, but that's just cosmetics. I connected it to my TV, which has all the music apps on it, with a Metra Ethereal CS-DAC dac. It only costed me only 30 bucks. It's small and I hide it behind my amp.
I paired it with two Cambridge Audio SX-50s, and it makes listening to both music from Apple music and any other content sound great. I set the output to both internal and optical. So all I have to do is mute the main tv and turn on the amp to hear the tunes. I might not have the ability to remote control the volume or enjoy a movie with surround sound I'd like from a more modern receiver... but I don't really need that right now.
I am in absolute love with our vintage 2230. I have it paired with a Fluance rt85 and a couple of lower end Klipsch towers (hoping for a speaker upgrade this year). The Marantz surprises us nearly every time we put on different vinyl. My wife and I both remember the Marantzes from our earlier years in the 70’s, so it was familiar and that’s why we built our system around a vintage piece (an SX 780 was also on the table, but the Marantz that found us REALLY found us - like “I know you are my new stewards, I can feel it, so please take me with you now - I want to see my new home…”). Newer components can make our heads spin a bit, so getting the best of the old and new in our system has us smiling from ear to ear. The Fluance is sublime.
My Marantz 2216B purchased new when the minimum wage was $2.35. Never ever broke down and resides in my sons room. At 16 watts per channel it really outperformed some of my stronger Pioneer gear. I am a Marantz man! Thanks for posting. Purchased in 1978 for about $160.00.
Love this one. I was in my late teens in the late 70s, and this Marantz and the Pioneer you showed were common sites in my world. Totally warms my heart to see this beautiful old equipment still being loved and used. Thanks!!
I’ve had an early 70s Marantz 1120 for a year now and I love it. Been in for repair twice (the downside of using vintage gear), but it looks the business and never gets fatiguing. Running it with a pair of Celestion 3000 speakers (old 80s ribbon design)
I have a Bluesound Node 2i (older model without HDMI eARC) connected to my vintage McIntosh C26/MC2505 combo and it's such a great device. Sounds great and it's so simple even my non-techy wife can turn on and use the stereo. If I had a TV in that room I would almost certainly upgrade to the newer model to use eARC.
I've got myself a 1983 Yamaha Natural Sound A-700. Integrated amplifier, I've replaced all the capacitors and it sounds fantastic.
Glad to see another vintage focused video, I personally own a 2235 of this era which are some of Marantz's best. They are very pleasing to the ear for sure. As for streaming / dac I love pairing my vintage receivers with the often overlooked Apple Airport Express which has proven to put out high quality sound, often alot better than bluetooth audio, That plus a cheap Wifi plug and you can turn it on / off / adjust sound and tracks all from a smart phone. You can typically pick up a plug + airport express for $75 or less combined . Keep cranking out the great videos.
Most of my audio equipment was purchased new in late 1970's/ early 80's. Nice to see that soooo much of this stuff is highly desired. Of course I have my preferences but please remember that when buying vintage (or anything) caveat emptor.
Great video. I have Marantz 2270, 2230, and 2210 all restored and I love the sound. I have them connected with vintage JBL L15s, 4401s and L100s with a subwoofer. I am testing out the Audioengine BeFi and so far, it has been pretty good.
Currently working on restoring my dad's Pioneer SX-1250 (at least what I'm capable of). So far, just looks like a lot of cleaning up and making sure the dust doesn't start a fire when I plug it in. Going to pair it with a pair of Ohm H Legacy speakers. Love the channel and the vintage/retro vids. Makes me miss my dad, but in a good way.
Kyle that is wonderful that you're able to still enjoy your father's Pioneer. I bet when you're done with your clean out, it will be the "best" amp you've ever heard or will own. Be well!
I have a Kenwood ka 305, my first "real" amplifier. I bought it high school and used it through college (do the math.. I'm over 60). After some minor electrical "tune up " things I plugged it in and turned it on. I started playing some of my favorite albums and dare I say... became emotional. It was like having a beer with a dear friend I haven't seen in over 40 years. I spent the evening staring at the simple red power on light and drifting between music and memory... it was wonderful! So you answer your question of the day, I didn't actually bring the Amp to the 21st century, Other than turning it on! More accurately it took me BACK in time and reminded me why I love music so much and still do to this day.
I have the Marantz 2270 from 1974 .
The 2270 has 70 vintage watts and
38 pounds. (Appricate your alls hardwork)
Soon as i get a day off from work i will video compare against my Marantz PM 8006 thats also 70 watts 😃 Thanks Andrew/Christi.
'Have your power supply recapped' 😃 No pops when ya turn on
Nice and timely topic! I JUST upgraded my Bang and Olufsen 6500 series system with a 1Mii 5.0 Blue Tooth transceiver. Now I can stream from my tablet and two laptops from anywhere in the home. Very happy with that, 1990 meets 2022 !
I use a Luxman R-115 receiver in my audio room. I purchased it in 1987. I love the sound and have had it serviced. It has a CD, Phono, 2-Tape Deck, and 2-Video inputs. I run a CD player, Cassette Deck, Turntable, CD Changer, and a Yamaha WXC-50 streaming preamp into it. The Yamaha gives me ROON. I love it.
I had a Marantz 2216 while in high school. Bought it used from a local stereo and TV store right after Christmas 1978 with 100 dollars Canadian my parents gave me for Christmas to put toward a receiver. As I recall, the store had it priced at $99.00. I had to borrow money from the friend I was shopping with to pay the sales tax. My dad was surprised I came home with a Marantz for so little money. It worked just fine for the five years I owned it and it looked super-cool too.
Great video - was teenager in the late seventies and remember drooling over Marantz, Sansui and Pioneer gear (that I could not afford) at local audio shops. Went through a vintage period recently where I bought a series of different Monster receivers and used the BlueSound Node and works great. One more rec would be that one of the most frequent failures/quality/unwanted noise issues I experienced was with the built-in phono preamps. With so many phono preamps to choose from it’s an easy upgrade, just plug into aux or tape inputs and you’re ready for vinyl. I still kept my Marantz 2275, but my main gear now is modern build tube amps.
Yeah, Marantz are nice; They're beautiful looking. But for sound AND reliability, vintage Sansui is the hi-fi King. Always has been. Always will be.
My refurbished G-5700 is AMAZING.
@@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney I have a G-4700, and you're right! Sounds amazing. And I love the digital display...1st receiver to ever have one.
@@1ring2rule3pigs I didn't know they were the first, that's cool. My G-5700 was my dad's, I'm pretty sure he bought it in 1980 (could be wrong, but sometime around there). It worked perfectly, but I had it refurbished anyway, and it's still absolutely fantastic and now I trust it to keep on working for a long time to come.
I agree. I have the G7500. Bought it new around 79-80. I had it totally restored a few years and I love it. I had a Marantz 2325 as part of a vintage collection I have but didn’t prefer it’s sound so sold it. Sansui made great sound equipment back in the day. I will never sell the G7500. Sounds too good.
I have the Carver M1.0T, the amp from the Stereophile magazine challenge in 1985. It was a gift from my father. I sent it to Nelson Audio and had it modified to increase output from 350 to 500 watts into 8 ohms. Also, i had the power cord changed out for an detachable power plug, switched the leds from red to blue and added a 12V trigger for auto in/off. It is a wonderful amp with a wonderful story.
I don't know how to turn old HiFi into something modern, but having working old gear makes it easy to listen to all those free 78 records. I'm a tech and HiFi geek who recommends older gear, because it's easier to diagnose and repair. Really, it is using off-the-shelf parts.
I love your old-school setup.
After restoring a Marantz 4300 and a 2275 with all up graded audio file components, a Zen Blue V2 music streamer was added to the mix with fantastic results. The sound and function is outstanding!
Buy an old Apple Airport express with the 3.5mm out for $50 on Craigslist and a 3.5mm to rca cable and you get volume control and all the other goodies the other streaming boxes have. I mostly listen to vinyl on my Yamaha CR-2020 but the airplay is a really nice addition to the AUX in, if you’re looking to stream in a pinch.
This. I have a Airport Express hooked up to every receiver/amp in my house. The only caveat to this is that AirPlay 2 streaming tops out at CD quality (44/16). Unless this has changed.
This also works really well for streaming to a Zone 2 (outside ) speakers as many receivers zone 2 only accepts analog unless you $$$$. Cue tunes from the pool with a smartphone and/or watch.
I recently rescue a Marantz 2230b with matching turntable and cassette deck. They look GREAT AND SOUND GREAT
Vintage receivers like the Marantz & Sansui will never go down in value and technically can be repaired to outlast us.. Great video, I typically pair my vintage receivers with AirPort Express's which can be had for cheap + a wifi plug.. For under $60 you can have full streaming from ios / mac / windows + be able to power it on and off.. Therse a nice app for Windows that allows the airport express to streamed to from any app called TunerBlade.
For shits and giggles I bought a WiiM mini and was blown away... I have since purchased the WiiM Pro... I had an EverSolo on order, backorder, and cancelled it. I use the WiiM Pro with my PS Audio gaincell DAC/Pre with my 1970 Sansui 4000... But, even without the PS Audio, the WiiM sounded incredibly good on the Sansui with its inexpensive DAC. Something these Sansui units do to the music, none of my modern gear could even come close to the sound out of this baby. I'm using Zu DW6 speakers with their Supreme upgrade. Sounds incredible.
In the middle of rebuilding a 5000A and agree, A properly working Sansui is very hard to beat in sound esp when you move to the AU-XX line @@michaelwright1602
ChromeCast Audio digital out into SMSL Sanskrit 10th outboard DAC going into a 25 year old Arcam Alpha 9 amp. Works a treat and I love it! And I’m primarily a vinyl and CD person first and foremost and the CCA and DAC does not let the side down. That lot partnered to Dali Oberon 3’s and it’s really quite something. I love it
I have many vintage receivers and intrigated amps (have the skills to repair). I picked up a 2216 in need of a lot of repair. At 16 watts, it is very impressive. And, yes, vintage gear is much more repairable than contemporary gear.
I was looking for a Pioneer SX series receiver like my brother had when he was in high school and came across a McIntosh MAC 4100 and pair of McIntosh XR-16 speakers for $1000. I jumped on it and added a U-Turn turntable based on Andrew's review so I could get back into vinyl after a 30+ year abscence. I added a Marantz streamer and love my system. I did add a WiFi plug so I can ask Alexa to turn the stereo on and off to save wear and tear on the power button.
I just picked up a 22 year old Marantz dvd player for free. it sounds so good playing cds. Old school is good!
I LOVE vintage home hifi!
I use an HDMI switch/DAC (from amazon) to select between my audio & video sources for my TV. The analog audio signal from the HDMI switch goes in the Aux input of my Pioneer SX-720 receiver (35W p/c). So any source selected for the TV can also be played on the Pioneer (TV box, optical drive or Apple TV).
The Pioneer drives a pair of vintage Dynaco A25XL. I much prefer the simplicity of use and sound quality of this 2.0 setup than the insanely complex Denon 7.1 AVR I used to have!
At what age of the equipment do we start calling it vintage? 1990s, early 2000s. Thanks Mark
I think 25 years is a good length of time to decide that
@@mattmcgourty7971 I think one of mine made it by a year!🤔
An easier way would be to connect a Bluetooth receiver to Aux imput and use your phone or computer to stream from Spotify, Tidal, RUclips, etc. This transmiter you can find really cheap, I would say from 20 dollars onwards. Better ones can cost a bit more but they're worth it.
Vintage gear can rock! I have a thoroughly modern system except to 2 utterly vintage tuners- a McIntosh MR78 and a Marantz 20B. Both sound great, are quiet and no groans due to age. Both have been serviced within the large 2 years. And both are old school beautiful. The oscilloscope on the Marantz is not only eye candy it’s also the best tuning tool for fm radio. I will add a node plus a vintage receiver is an incredible combination.
I have 2 vintage Marantz receivers, a Model 2270 and a Model 4400, which get daily use. Both have been rebuilt and sound absolutely outstanding through Klipsch speakers. To my ears, I'll match either Marantz system up to a similar aged vintage McIntosh system and while McIntosh is no slouch, the Marantz sound just as great. As as side note you may recall the 2270 that came out of a fire was used in Marantz advertisement because while charred, it powered up and worked as specified. Most of all the gyro tuning and the blue dials of the Marantz are simply mesmerizing.
Don’t ditch vintage HI-FI EVER! Great episode as always, guys.
I found this video very informative! I’ve been around vintage gear when it was new, since I was a kid. My mother had some pretty nice stuff for the time in the early 1960’s. I bought my first system in 1970 and upgraded that to Sansui SX-7500 quad system in 1977. I have a few vintage pieces in my home. Pioneer SX-780, Marantz 2020 European Tuner (Brown Face) with Marantz 3300 PreAmp, Nakamichi Receiver 3, Fisher Tuner FM-600 with Fisher CA-800 Amp, JVC FX-1010 Tuner with JVC AX-Z1010 Amp. The only thing that I added to my SX-780 was a Harmon Kardon HK BTA-10 Bluetooth device to stream music from my iPhone.
Great video! I love vintage gear and the looks of those receivers are unmatched: the wood cabinets, the brushed aluminum, those meters and the lights and they sound good too, truly timeless! Having said that, I would not use them as the main amp for all music and TV as well, too much stress for being so old.
Based on your video of the Pioneer SX450, I bought the SX550 in excellent conditions and it is the center on my "vinyl corner". Upgraded the cartridge of the "old" but in grade shape Technics DL-D2 with an Ortofon 2 Blue and an ifi ZEN phono preamp, RP600M as speakers, which have grown on me, and for about $1,000 I have a modest system that is a pleasure to look at and listen to, at least for me.
Please, continue to review vintage gear.
I bought the 2216 in 1977. It was great for it's time. And my budget at that time.
From what I've observed, the lower wattage receivers seem to have somewhat of a pop to them when they are powered on. The higher level receivers usually have a relay that clicks before any sound goes to the speakers, so they are essentially silent on the power up.
Has anyone ever hooked up an old receiver with a modern preamp? I have a vintage Technics 818 receiver that was doubling as a door stop (it weighs 41lbs), and decided to get it fixed, if it wasn't extremely expensive to do so. Turns out, it wasn't too bad at $300.
So when I got the Technics back, instead of unplugging everything from my Bryston preamp-into the Technics, I simply ran a lead from the preamp out into the Technics AUX input, and wired the speakers to the Technics. I bypassed the Technics tone controls (it has a switch to do so on the front), put the volume at noon, and used the Bryston for the source. I wasn't real sure what this would sound like, but I can honestly say, I'm quite blown away how good it sounds. Sounds quite wonderful. Seems warmer and maybe a bit rolled off on the top end, which I don't mind at all. I find many recordings too hot on the top end. The midrange is maybe a little more pronounced.But it is very clear despite the slight top end roll off, has a lovely sound stage and can really kick some butt if you crank it up (the Technics is 110W RMS/channel). There's no noise or interference I can hear, which is probably due to the Bryston, as it is very quiet. Could be my old ears too. I tested listening to everything from Diana Krall to ACDC for about 3 hours at a decent volume and suffered no listening fatigue at all. That was unexpected too.
Before hand, I thought I might sell the Technics when I got it back repaired, but now, I'm not so sure I'll do that. Anyone else ever hook up an old receiver with a modern preamp? I see some doing the reverse, using the vintage preamp into a power amp, but not the way I did it. It works, at least in my case, very well.
I have my PS Audio GainCell DAC/Preamp, it is an analog preamp, not digital, hooked up to my 1970 Sansui 4000 without issue. I put the volume on the Sansui at 12 o'clock and simply use the volume control using the PS Audio remote to control the volume. Mo issues here, and I do not play it that loud. I have a pair of Zu DW6 speakers, which you could power with a 9 volt battery, so there is very little strain on any of the electronics. I hooked up the PSA unit to the AUX input on the back of the Sansui.
I myself added a HEOS link to our vintage Denon integrated amp system that drives my patio and garden speakers. This way I can sync to our Marantz SR 8012 receiver in our main system for a whole house setup that enables us to stream the same music through out the house along with the patio and garden speakers! The great thing about the HEOS link is it can also be used as a pre amp with both analog and digital inputs and like the Node it allows me to remotely control the volume of our vintage amp with my tablet or phone via the HEOS app!
I have a refurbished & recapped onkyo tx4500 mk2. Vintage 1979. 65 watts / channel. Upgraded w/ a marantz ki- ruby sacd player. Sounds fantastic!!!
Now I'm getting excited. I still have my JVC system from 79. I bought it when my girlfriend moved out, taking the Marantz with her. It's in mothballs currently. Needs a new turntable. But its a decent 60watt per side system. If I recall
I put a Sonos Connect between my turntable and amp so I can not only stream music to the amp but also enjoy my vinyl collection in every room of the house through the Sonos ecosystem. And before you all judge me for putting vinyl into digital bits and listening to them through a lamp on the other side of my house. I get to enjoy my collection while in the shower and to me, that's pure joy.
Marantz should reissue a couple of these old receivers with the vintage look, but modern reliability & conveniences. Outlaw's vintage vibe receiver has been wildly popular, & the vintage look is largely responsible for Klipsch's Heritage line popularity.
I agree that Marantz should totally lean into their older esthetic --even more so than they have recently. As for Outlaw's receiver, it's a unique looking piece for sure. And I'm not sure I completely agree re: Klipsch as those speakers have been in constant production for decades. If anything, Klipsch never really abandoned their core esthetic like other brands.
Modern reliability? That's a backward step!
The beauty of vintage hi-fi is that it was over-engineered - that's why it's still going strong after 40+ years, often with no work needed. Modern tech just doesn't have that level of survivability built in any more.
Picked up a 2270 in 2016 and added the new Node last year.....amazing pair.
One thing that can be done to update vintage is use a MiniDSP Flex for room correction and sub integration. This doesn’t have to replace the Node as you can hook it up between the preouts and main in so you still have the Node as a Source and can still use the vintage units volume control etc.
There really is nothing like those dials, meters and glowing displays of vintage receivers. I have a vintage Sansui 9090DB paired with a Node and JBL L100 75's. Looks and sounds great aside from a couple scratchy EQ dials.
9090 is beautiful I have a 7070
I bought an Arylic on your recommendation and it has been awesome! I’m using it now on my fleet of vintage Nakamichi receivers. TA-1A, TA-2A, SR-3A and AV1. And my NAD 7130 before it died (of course it died!). It is so much fun to listen to these sweet old units and have the convenience of a remote, etc… Also, it now gets to travel with me; being able to plug into a Airbnb house stereo is a game changer! Thanks for the great content and the product suggestion, really appreciate it!
I used to own a 2216 and it was a warm-sounding small, but mighty receiver. You picked a great Marantz to cover. I have a 2250 but miss my old 2216.
I have a Node 2i connected to a Pioneer SX-980 driving Klipsch Forte II. Love it. The 980 is massive overkill for the Forte speakers but I didn't realize that going into this. Oh well, still sounds great and has awesome prescence in the room.
Love Marantz. I have a 2220B & 2245. Can't wait until I can afford to have the 2245 restored but it sounds great as is, in all original condition. What I don't like though, is when one doesn't have a mid-range control. I'm glad both of mine do.
Well I have the Marantz 2225 which I bought new in 1976 or 1977. It always had the litlle click/pop when you turned it on and I had a habit of always turning down the volume prior to turning it on. I have not turned the unit on in 25+ years. I am going to be sending it to Just Audio and have them go through it and bring it back to life. It was working well last I remember, only a light or two burned out on the meters and dial. Can't wait to hear it against my XTZ A2 300 Class D amp. I am sure the sound will be very different. I always like hearing about vintage gear, maybe I am showing my age?
You've totally nailed this one. That is really how I feel about it how it should be done, keeping it as original as possible while not depriving oneself of the benefits of the day. 👍
I have Bluetooth dongles hooked up to most of my vintage and "purist style" amps and will be able to easily adapt by simply replacing them by something different in the future.
Any decent sub will have speaker level inputs, thus a sub out RCA jack is not necessary to add a sub. In fact, using the speaker level inputs is better because the sub receives the exact sound signature as the amp, rather than from the pre-amp or whatever upstream. The speaker wires in parallel to the sub do not take any power from the amp. Only the signal is sent to the sub's speaker level inputs.
As long as it is an Active (Powered) subwoofer with a corssover, that should work just fine.
I would not call my stuff vintage but they are pretty old. Im running a pair of Jamo S506 tower speakers (made in 2010) off a JVC RX-6012R receiver (made in 2001). Bought them used a couple days ago and they still sound great. Absolutely no problems with either of those.
That's great!
The Bluesound next to the Marantz gives it away. I have a Sansui 331. It is great. These 16 watts are different from modern watts.
Thanks Andrew for giving me an idea of reusing an older Yamaha Reciever. Yes it has push/pull speaker connectors, but I will order some Sewell FlexPin speaker endings that will accept 12 gauge wire and will fit in the reciever’s push/connectors. Using the Bluesound Node for TV and subwoofer connections will allow me to setup a small but capable system for my bedroom. That’s why I love watching your video’s.
Chromecast Audio was a nifty little modernizer that I used to deploy on a 1974 Sony receiver.
I wish I had purchased when they were a available
Beautiful receiver!! Love the Marantz units, my favorite sounding receivers. They were definitely built to last, and they sound good. I paid 1000 for my 4300. Theres no denying how much better they look than anything made in the last 30 years.
Hi Andrew. I am using a Carver C - 9 Sonic Hologram Generator which i purchased in 1979, to give me a 3 dimensional sound stage from 2 stereo speakers when watching movies in my home cinema / music room. It still seems to be working correctly.
I absolutely love my reconditioned Marantz 2245 with walnut case (cleaned and refitted with LEDs by Living in Stereo!)Part of a vintage system with large Advents and an Andover Songbird streamer tucked behind. Those Marantz lights and tuning wheel always get me! Punchy, fun sound!
Great video, would love to see you do more Vintage Receiver reviews!
I love the sound of that marantz integrated amp. It's sounds spacious, wide imaging and very warm and punchy on the lower end.
Before I got my Marantz NR1710 I had a 20 year old TEAC AV Receiver and I used a Yamaha Wi-Fi DAC for modern connectivity! The Yamaha sounded great and it is still on the market, but it does have limited modern functionality and only outputs through analog connections with no subwoofer pre output. It’s the Yamaha WXAD-10 and I gave mine away to a friend with a 20 year old Pioneer AV Receiver but he doesn’t use it so I’m taking it back😅. Now I use the zone 2 function of my Marantz for exclusive headphones listening with passive and high impedance headphones. It still sound great and even better with the Marantz as a processor and input! Great review on old Marantz gear, now I want an old receiver!
I grew up listening to the Marantz 510M and Marantz 240 and I remember them with fondness. Personally I'm still running a pair of Denon POA-4400s with only one service in 37 years.
Updated my system by using a Chinese tube bluetooth receiver (running on 12AX7s) and my decommisioned iPhone as my source/remote. Paired my 70s Sony receiver with a 90s bookshelf speaker and just love listening to it every day.
That sounds great!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I forgot to mention the units I have: The receiver is a Sony STR-230A and the speakers are Boston Acoustics HD7s. 😁
In my office I have a setup that has an Onkyo C-7030 CD player (being used as a transport) and a bluetooth receiver connected to a Geshelli Labs DAC and the DAC connected into the aux port of a Pioneer SX-828 receiver. I listen to this for hours and hours a day and I love the sound of the 828 so much that I bought, repaired and set up another one in my home "man-cave." (other 70's vintage equipment I have connected to the SX are: Pioneer(s): CT-F9191 cassette, RT 707 Reel to Reel, PL 610 Turntable. I also use an Aircom component cooling unit and everything is plugged into a Furman power conditioner.) Oh, my speakers are Wharfedale 4.2's (I've tried different speakers over the years and with the style of music I prefer (mostly classical and jazz) I just love the Wharfedale sound!)
This was a valuable video to explain the ways you can add modern features and function to the older gear.
A couple of ideas to dwell on. Almost without exception, these older receivers / amplifiers, need to have the power supply updated. Notably, the large electrolytic capacitors that filter the DC voltage, will have deteriorated with age and need to be replaced. There will be other small caps that will also need to be replaced. This can be a good thing for your ears. You will hear better bass, dynamics, and often quieter output.
The Marantz 2216 was never one of their better models of that series. It's not just power output that's limited. As you go up the line, and compare specifications of let's say the 2270 to the 2216, you're likely going to find a better preamplifier, better signal to noise ratio, most notably in the phono section, and a more sensitive and selective tuner.
Considering the circuit upgrades on your Pioneer, I should think that it will be definitely improved over the Marantz. You have the Marantz appearance with that model, but not their best sound.
Thank you for presenting this information. I always enjoy your videos. Your wife's comments are a plus.
I love the look of vintage gear, specially with vu meters.
I’ve found the ‘older’ I’ve gotten the more I like vintage.
Andrew, I have 2 vintage receiver. Fisher RS-270 and Technics SA-AX610. I purchased a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver for 20 bucks. Plug it in the headphones port. It works good with anything Bluetooth. Thanks for the videos.
Great video. My second system is a 1969 marantz rebuilt, I connected a CD player and an Apple airport express for airplay, quite happy, sweet sounding and driving my monitor bronze bookshelves with finesse. Perfect approach, congrats
I’m the OG with my 2215b from my teens I bought with my paper route money. I updated mine with a rega rp6 record player and a pair of 80th anniversary Dentons. Love hooking it up to a vintage iMac for wired streaming with the Apple Music visualizer providing a modern take on the lava lamp. Groovy…
I own a pair of vintage Marantz receivers, a 2238B and the 2252B. Both are fabulous and honestly I much pefer them to anything current up to about $1,500. I love the vintage Marantz house sound, really full-bodied and a little warm. I plugged the 2252B in with a pair of Neat Motive SX2s and couldn't believe how much more bass there was than with my Arcam A19. I modernize them by updating to LED lights and usung the Bluesound Node 2i for streaming and volume control--pretty much exactly what Andrew did.
I'm listening to this video thru my Marantz 2220 running thru a Topping D30 DAC connected to my computer, of course. Is my Sprout 100 more clear and more defined? Of course it is. But oh, that warm, soft sound is so cozy and comfortable. When paired with a good pair of speakers (right now it's the Elac 6.2's) you will never have listening fatigue. If you're into vinyl, the phono preamp is excellent. God bless Sol Marantz, his legacy lives on.
Love listening to your presentation. Sounds very professional.
I have a 2226B paired with a pair of 3 way Sansui SP-X6000 100 watt speakers and I can say I'm very happy with the vintage sound I get from this setup. I have a LP120XBT with a blue Ortafan hooked up and although I feel like I get CD clarity from this setup, without a modern hi-fi setup to reference I can't say I can hear any "details" from this modern turntable.😁
Excellent video as always and a great topic. To answer your question, I have paired my Denon PRA 1200 pre amp to my Marantz 6015 AVR via the Tape 1 monitor out of the 1200. The phono stage in the 1200 is exceptional and supports both MM and MC cartridges. While the Marantz handles music well, the 1200 sounds better to me when I bypass the Marantz and tie the preamp straight into the L and R amps. Your idea of adding the Node Bluesound via RCA connectors to an older or a vintage piece may provide a better solution than HEOS for my streaming music as the Bluesound will eliminate the Apple Airplay file quality limitation on the iPad and iPhone. These vintage receivers like the Marantz, Pioneer, etc. are treasures. Thank you for helping us see how to expand their capabilities to keep them doing what they have always done so well for us.
My "streamer" is primarily my 82-inch Samsung TV playing the RUclips Music streaming service, connected via optical to a 2-way splitter. One line from the splitter goes to to a pair of Klipsch R-28PF powered tower speakers and a subwoofer. The other is connected to a digital-to-analog converter which is connected to my Sherwood S-7210 receiver (on the "rear" side of the room) and a pair of "Criterion 2002+" speakers that I bought from Lafayette Radio Electronics around 1978. So, my vintage system acts like a set of rear speakers.
I also wired it in reverse so that that outputs from the Sherwood receiver can use the Klipsch speakers as its "rear" speakers when it is the source (CD, tape, vinyl, FM).
When I cast RUclips from my phone to the TV, I can even control the volume for both sets of speakers simultaneously with my phone!
Great vid, I’ve been a closet collector of good vintage stuff for many years ( think barn find) and as much as I love my modern HT multi channel Onkyo and Marantz gear ( although been migrating to Monolith of late) I truly enjoy my 2 channel vintage sound and warmth , using vinyl and CD,S. I have several perfectly working Luxman receivers and amps from late 70’s / early 80’s in that 30-50 watt per channel and these things are super clean with Lots of b@!!S right to the top…..only inconvenience is a remote, but moving occasionally is not a bad thing either😀
How are you liking those Monolith products? They're making waves among consumers.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews
So far very impressed, bought a new big sub ( not the latest offerings) and OMG, not level power if needed, and 7 channel amp, again , game changer,,,saving some $$ up for another 7 channel which gives some room for future expansion, another sub, and some day the pre amp separate controller,,,,this stuff is still many dollars worth, but for me is hands down best out there.
In terms of bang for buck, but back to vintage, I will always enjoy listening to a well recorded CD or LP on my Luxman amp.
The startup THUMP, the 'Microsoft sound' of solid state Vintage amps (tube amps had built in suppression: Tubes warming up slowly :p ).
@Andrew I finally got my hands on my dad's Technics SA400 which needed repairs. While we were at it, we took a mobile phone charger which converted 240v ac to 5v dc, and had a small bluetooth receiver I had purchased online for €2 and soldered the wires to tape#2. This was inspired from your pioneer video