Marantz 2500 Receivers
Marantz 2500 Receivers
USER REVIEWS
[Apr 22, 2019]
OldAudioDouche
Strength:
Excellent FM section. Very Good Pre-amp and features. Nice styling, Conservative Power Rating... Warm, Clean sound. Compared to my previous 2330Bs (3 of them) this thing ROCKS! The FM does not drift, the amps do not clip and the headroom is beyond belief! Bought Used, but appears to have a LOT FEWER HOURS OF USE than my first 2500! The scope on my first was dim and it need a major re-cap. I bought it used for $500, used it for almost 10 years and resold for over $1200. Nice when you can use and make money on equipment! This current unit cost me more, but included the DLB-1 Dolby Decoder! I have replaced a few fuse lamps and it's my main Livingroom Machine and I love it! Ironically, I picked-up another 2500 a week later for $2000 as the buyer used "Reciever" vs. "Receiver". eBay didn't pick-it-up. I was the only bidder. And, Voi-La, it also came with a DLB-1! It has fewer hours than this one and it's sitting in-reserve. I plan to ship both out for FULL RESTORATION as I've decide that these will be the units I will use till I die! I run BIC Venturi Formula 5 and 6 (Spec II)... a bit bass heavy, but when I want to challenge the windows in my home the BICs are a great match for the 2500, even-though they are getting 40% more power than they're rated for! Oh well! Clean Power works. Unlike my old 2330Bs, these don't clip at levels that will drive you out of the room. The 2330B was my first powerful receiver... and I've had 3 total. ALL shared the same issue: Drifting FM as the unit warmed, clipping and on 2/3 unstable power outputs. The 2500s, on the other hand, can take abuse and not whimper! The 2330B was a whiny little Bitch compared to the 2500. The FM on the 2330B was good (as long as you were willing to re-tune with time), but the 2500 is drift-free, captures weaker adjacent channels better than the 2330B and has better separation. Weakness:
Chassis is crowded so any servicing requires three hands, not two! Price Paid: 1800
Purchased: Used
Model Year: 1979
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[Nov 04, 2012]
Dave
AudioPhile
I bought my 2500 as part of mint condtion complete used system way back in 1988 for the paltry sum of $600.
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[Jan 20, 2004]
moparaddict
AudioPhile
Strength:
Power like a Chrysler hemi. Musicality, warmth, and soundstage. Beautiful, elegant, unique Marantz look. Nothing cheap about it.
Weakness:
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! 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. Similar Products Used: Fisher 400, 400T. Marantz 2220. Lafayette tube receiver. Dynaco ST70. Various mediocre setups. |
[Mar 28, 2003]
Donald Hayes
AudioPhile
Strength:
250(wpc) @ 8ohm 330(wpc) @ 4 ohm the fan is also a good feature
Weakness:
the size, its hard to find a stereo cabinent for it to fit in. its very heavy, but thats agood thing to some people 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 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. |
[Aug 28, 2001]
Jason
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Review for 2385 Receiver: Sound so dynamic, musical, detailed and forceful that I've never heard before.
Weakness:
You might have a hard time finding one, or paying the price. I really wanted it though, and it was worth every penny. REVIEW FOR THE MARANTZ 2385: Similar Products Used: Marantz 2226B and 2285B, McIntosh amps, Sansui receivers, Pioneer SX receivers. Tube amps, etc..... |
[Oct 29, 2000]
joe
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
High Power, Much greater than rated. Warm Tonal characteristics. Produces a deep and wide sound stage. Excellent Fm tuner and solid am reception
Weakness:
None 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. Similar Products Used: Marantz 2245, Pioneer xs-1280 |
[Feb 14, 2000]
Bob Anderson
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Weakness:
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. 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. Similar Products Used: marantz 2270 |
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