Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Marantz 2225

Equalizer was likely an ADC Sound Shaper

Going to look at a very nice 2230 today that’s been gone through. Any tips on what to watch out for prior to buying one? Being sold by a local hobbyist that does the needed cleaning, caps, and lighting changes. He’ll have it hooked up to demo.

Just got off the phone with Audio Classics, was considering having them go through the 2270. Unfortunately, they only work on the more valuable 1960’s Marantz tube equipment, not the 1970’s transistor stuff.
I did find a shop that specializes in 2270 refurbs, but at a cost of $750.00 to $850.00 it’s hard to justify for a receiver that is currently not experiencing any issues. Oh well.

I still have my Carver M400 amplifier, David Hafler pre-amp that I assembled and both Bose 901-II's and KEF speakers as well as a Yamaha turntable. All stuffed in a closet having not been used in 30 years. My youngest son wants to get it all running.

When I was a 21 year old college student in 1972, I bought a Marantz 2230.

When I as an electrical engineer with paychecks in 1977, I upgraded beyond Marantz. Crazy beyond.

In 2000 I took the giant JBJ speakers to the dump. I was trying to kick the stereo gear habit.

In 2006 I designed amplifiers that 100s were computer tested per month that sent me feedback on the data. There are many similarities between this feedback and group sizes in rifle testing.

Right now all I have is two Sangean monitors on my computer.

Great sound equipment is a blessing - always has been - at least in my life. Always needed a setup that would move A LOT of air - and with precision. So, often have used big Altec Lansing Voice of the Theater speakers, or Klipsch Corner Horns - (horns seem to do it best) and appreciated the efficiency. Usually have pushed those with McIntosh or Crown amps - and some other very good ones others have mentioned here.

Instruments and voices move air - the larger ensembles move a lot of air in performance - not easy to reproduce those real effects. Speakers other than horns, especially those with the smaller overall surface area, can sound quite good when one is up close but, regardless of amp power and volume level, I have never found them able to cause me to feel that I am standing up front and conducting the ensemble. Moving air mass is it - acoustics is acoustics.

Still have my 1979 Yamaha cr 840 reciever.

Here are some photos of the inputs and outputs. The input you can't see the lable is the phono one.

I don't have the coin to really outfit this like a die hard audiophile. I'll probably try to find some older high end speakers used. The fellow my friend bought this from has rooms stacked with audio equipment. he even had a turntable that cost over 15 grand. The marantz my friend bought from him was a 2325. It's a 125 WPC. unit.

Oh yeah, I listened to that station a lot also. I loved it when they had a "No Phill Collins or Genesis weekend" one time in about 1984-88 era.

I had a 2225 that I bought in 1976 and bought a pair of Genesis II speakers with it and a Technics turntable. They were all stolen in 1983 when punks broke into my house. I replaced it with a SONY receive and EPI 100T/E but they died years ago. What I would recommend to go with that receiver is Human 81 speakers. They are made in a small shop by a guy who worked for Genesis and EPI back in the day. The 81 is a nice 2 way speaker with an 8" woofer and 1" tweeter, like the old EPI 100s. I bought a pair of Human 81 in Oak cabinets a few years back and they are still sounding great. They are part of my home theater surround sound along with some small Energy speakers with a sub and my Yamaha AV receiver.

I do miss that Marantz tho and always note when I see one somewhere.

Have a 2235 in my workshop; with a pair of JBL L26 Decade speakers and Technics SL1200 turnatable with Audio Technica stylus. Original owner of all of them; thats where I spin my vinyl while "piddlin' around" with my hunting/fishing/gun gear. Sounds great. Have a spare 2225 I may put up for sale.

1911a1 - thanks for the photos - that is a very nice unit. Am thinking that your idea to find some good used high end speakers is a good approach. Don't know your budget, of course, but I would be looking for some old Klipsch Heresy or Cornwall speakers.

What made the Marantz sound good for early 1970s was it delivered twice the power into 4 Ohms than it did to 8 Ohms.

That made the bass notes not distort.

The speaker said "8 Ohms" but the impedance changes with frequency and there could be 4 Ohms showing up in places down in the bass notes.

I had one as well and it was special. Somehow in all the moves it disappeared.

Be careful buying old used speakers. Many used foam surrounds in the woofers and mid-range drivers and the foam over time will disintegrate. It was the foam surrounds disintegrating that put an end to my EPI 100 T/E speakers. The vast majority of the old speakers that had foam surrounds, that are still working today, have had the surrounds or drivers replaced. When I ordered my Human 81s, at the time there was a choice between foam or butyl rubber surrounds. I went with the slightly less responsive but more durable butyll rubber. The drivers using butyl rubber surrounds are the only type he offers now.

http://humanspeakers.com/

Yup...
I'd get home from pulling alert and flying an eight hour mission, put on the Sansui 9001 QRX, lay on the floor in the middle of the living room and relax to The Dark Side of the Moon. Our neighbors knew that I was back home...

Buncha guys when I was stationed in Germany.
Buying up high dollar stereo components at the PX in Stuttgart.
Huge selection of stuff in the Audio room.
Room musta been 1500 sq ft at least of anything you could think of for stereo stuff.

Big ole out do the other guy stuff going on.
Most of em had Bose speaker systems in common.

You can re-foam yourself. Not hard to do. There are kits out there. I have done it. Need to do it again.

I bought the 2230 I looked at last night. Really clean with all the basic maintenance and lights upgraded to LED’s done. Hooked it up to some Bose 301’s I have and it sounded good for those speakers. Going to be on the lookout for some better speakers for it now.

My wife likes the blue lights...chicks. 🤦🏼‍♂️

I like the blue lights too.