Price Paid:  $280.00 from Pawn Shop in South K

Summary:
THIS REVIEW IS FOR A MARANTZ 2385

I have arrived! And for less than $300! I'm driving a pair of Klipsch KG4's (check the reviews!) and this "400lb gorilla" never has to breathe hard! Controlled, disciplined, powerful bass like nothing I've heard from a receiver before, yet still musical and warm with more than sufficient detail.

The pairup with Klipsch is nothing short of magic. I've never had it more than halfway opened up, though, don't want to set the speakers on fire! Already had a neighbour show up at the door in hysterics! Think they moved out later....

Slap on the Scorpions and listen to "Winds of Change" stand your hair on end! On the other hand spin up Brilliant Classic's Bach Cantatas played on period instruments and you'll think they're playing in your living room. The 2385 can do it all!

Okay, so you've heard other amps do it better. I'd dare say, "Not at this price!"

Strange coincidence: my gorgeous 25yo fiancee is a part-time fashion model and full-time graduate student in music. She proposed to me less than a week after hearing passages of Beethoven's 9th on my system. Maybe the cool blue backlights did it.

Did I tell you the 2385 is built like a battleship (again like the KG4s)?

You can spend a hell of a lot more cash and get a lot less music than a pre-1980 Marantz receiver paired with Klipsch speakers. This setup NEVER fails to impress visitors. $280 for the Marantz + $255 for the KG4s = $535. Best money I've spent in my 53 year life.

Strengths:
Power like a Chrysler hemi. Musicality, warmth, and soundstage. Beautiful, elegant, unique Marantz look. Nothing cheap about it.

Weaknesses:
Big and heavy, don't count on it to fit in standard audio rack. If you're reading this, you probably don't care anyway!

Similar Products Used:
Fisher 400, 400T. Marantz 2220. Lafayette tube receiver. Dynaco ST70. Various mediocre setups.

View Comments (1)

Would you like to Comment?
Join audioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Price Paid:  $100.00 from friends uncle

Summary:
the model 2500 is a very strong and responsive reciever. the cord alone made me fall in love with this reciever, its huge. the biggset ive seen on a reciever

Strengths:
250(wpc) @ 8ohm 330(wpc) @ 4 ohm
the fan is also a good feature

Weaknesses:
the size, its hard to find a stereo cabinent for it to fit in. its very heavy, but thats agood thing to some people

Similar Products Used:
model 2600 it is the same in every way but the wattage. 300(wpc)@8 ohm 400 (wpc)@ 4 ohm, I think.

Price Paid:  $660.00 from ebay

Summary:
REVIEW FOR THE MARANTZ 2385:

This receiver is insane. To begin with, it outputs 185 watts/channel, weighs between 60 and 70 pounds, and has capacitors that are the size of a 12-oz. beer can. I play it against my other equipment that may cost more now-a-days, and it beats the stuffing out of them. It's no contest. I have this receiver hooked up to some 40-year-old Acoustic Research speakers that I have had re-foamed and the crossovers rebuilt, and it sounds absolutlely sick. It can really make you forget where you are. I'm a really big fan of the Pioneer SX receiver line, as well as McIntosh's big amps, but this receiver is just crazy-good: a freak of the audio world.

The AR's really like lots of power to sound good, and this receiver is able to drive them like they were stock cars on nitro. There is a lot of dynamic quality in the music, fast punches in the gut of very big sound when the orchestra kicks up its heels, followed by sweet, delicately handled interludes. It really delivers the punch with dynamic force, clarity and control, and softer moments with delicacy, excellent tone and detail. The tonal quality is extremely nice and accurate, and sound stage is superior. The space between the instruments is definitely more defined in the music than in any one of my other amplifiers or receivers.

When you have warm sound though, you compromise a little bit of precision. But this give-and-take situation of warmth vs. detail is very well balanced in this receiver. The loss is not really noticable, but the benefit certainly is. The absolutely un-rivaled, superior quality of sound really identifies this receiver. You've got to try it. God in heaven, try it. 5 stars all the way.

Strengths:
Review for 2385 Receiver: Sound so dynamic, musical, detailed and forceful that I've never heard before.

Weaknesses:
You might have a hard time finding one, or paying the price. I really wanted it though, and it was worth every penny.

Similar Products Used:
Marantz 2226B and 2285B, McIntosh amps, Sansui receivers, Pioneer SX receivers. Tube amps, etc.....

Price Paid:  $500.00 from Privately

Summary:
This review is for the Marantz 2385 black faced reciever. Conservatively rated at 185 watts per channel. This reciever has a t.h.d. of 0.05%. It sold between 1977-1980 for $1095.00. This reciever is awesome. The tonal characteristics and sound stage capabilities are top flight. The tone is warm. The sound stage is deep and wide. This is good as it gets for solid state. I was compelled to get this after auditioning the current crop of available stereo recievers[which is a very limited selection] and home theatre. What they have out there for $750.00 or less is shocking. Incredibly poor sound for stereo. One word-raspy. I could not believe it. My assumption was that things had gotten better not worse. The reality is that the companies have put the money into the home theatre capabilities and not into the musical reproduction aspects. All of them are extremely light. The 2385 weighs close to 80 lbs. The FM tuner section is excellent. Very good capture ratio and excellent sonics. The gyro touch tuning is super smooth and in my opinion superior to any digital set-up. In closing they don't make them like they used to. If you are in the market for music and don't give a damn about home theatre like I do. I would highly recommend one of these.

Strengths:
High Power, Much greater than rated. Warm Tonal characteristics. Produces a deep and wide sound stage. Excellent Fm tuner and solid am reception

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Marantz 2245, Pioneer xs-1280

Summary:
Even though I had my marantz 2270 since the mid seventies I traded it in for a 2500 model used, I had trouble getting the 2270 repaired and when I picked up a pair of Bose 901 series 2 I needed more power so I traded in the 2270 for a 2500 rated at 300 watts per. After 6 days it went kaputt except the ocilliscope, pardon my spelling, I wonder if this model is a lemon, I love marantz especially the blue glow, nothing like it anywhere. I need input from anyone out there. Its under warranty but it bums me out I cona't use it at this time.

Strengths:

Super, clean sound love the blue glow, pushed the 901 series 2 great

Weaknesses:
Not sure at this time see review summary but I have had 3 marantz's 2245,2270, 2500 all failed to produce sound at lowest volume level, any thoughts.

Similar Products Used:
marantz 2270