Marantz PM 80

[malvai]

Hi guys!
My Sansui A 3900 from the 70s finally passed on... to other hands!

Meanwhile found a Marantz PM 80. A class A+B Amp from the early 90s. Black in colour.

It gives out 100 + 100 wpcs @ 8 Ohms. It also has a Class A switcher for it to play on pure Class A. On pure Class A it dishes out 20 wpc @ 8 Ohms.

It sounds a lot smoother when played on class A.

Since I have paired this amp to my Tannoy Reveal BS speakers, the 20 wpc @ pure class A is more than enuff for me most of the times.

The source I have attached to this is my Technics SL 1300. And my laptop through a Creative DAC.

Finally, my '2nd Sound' (for my office) is sorted!

Its amazing, the more I research, listen and learn, I find that the best amplification and speaker tech happened between 1985 and 1999.

Or prior to that - between 1972 - 1981.

The stuff that is being dished out after 1999 is mostly rehased stuff from the 85-99 period. That too with lousy quality standards.

Examples?

Look at the Krell FPB series. Or The Jeff Rowland stuff... Or even Bryston. The BSST2 is a lousy upgrade over the BSST. I find there is virtually very little difference in the sonic quality. But an amazing amount of problems with quality.

Even the B&W stuff is becoming more and more suspect....

 

[COOLDUDE7808]

hi ,

where do get these old ones ....i am looking at adding a amp to my Pm7001 for more power .....can u provide some inputs

 

[malvai]

hi ,

where do get these old ones ....i am looking at adding a amp to my Pm7001 for more power .....can u provide some inputs

Sure man. Which city are you in?
Can keep an eye out for you.

 

[vivek.saikia]

Sure man. Which city are you in?
Can keep an eye out for you.

Hi Malvai,
Can you keep an out for me as well

Cheers!
Vivek

 

[malvai]

Hi Malvai,
Can you keep an out for me as well

Cheers!
Vivek

Sure. Tough, you have some great amount of equipment in Pune already man. Just look around!

 

[soundofmusic]

Hi Malvia
I am a great fan of Sansui and the Marantz PM 80 is a great amplifier , and can easily beat any amplifiers below 50k at present. There is no comparison between the older stuffs and the latest ones , provided you get the older stuffs in good condition.

regards
Vijaykumar Mohan

 

[myriad]

Hello guys,
I had the same amp some 10 years back. I still repent letting go this amp after couple of years due to upgaraditis. Most of my listening was in Class A operation. Still remeber i paid 32k for this amp. Malvai, it can still beat many modern amps. A very good buy i think.
Enjoy
vasu

 

[COOLDUDE7808]

i stay in mumbai ..

 

[malvai]

@ cooldude: cool man, will tell you as soon as I see something interesting.

 

[miroflex]

Hi guys!

Meanwhile found a Marantz PM 80. A class A+B Amp from the early 90s. Black in colour.
I am looking at used integrated amplifiers for use with my Sonodyne RP4000D turntable with a Classic MM cartridge and Sonodyne Uranus II or Philips speakers (which I may upgrade, depending upon which amp I buy).
There is a PM 80 for sale which is not working in Class A mode. What would be a reasonable price for it?
Would an Arcam A70 (newish) be a better buy (in terms of sound quality) at Rs. 25k?
Any opinions on the respective phono pre-amplifier stages of the above two amps would be welcome.
I am in Allahabad and the amps are in Mumbai so I would have to travel quite a distance to try them out.
Thanks and regards.
miroflex

 

[malvai]

go for the arcam... its very difficult to bring older amps up to spec in this country... so if it not working at some levels , best to avoid...

 

[surjitsalvi]

HI Micro!

Are you talking about my amp!

Regards,
Jeet

 

[jls001]

Its amazing, the more I research, listen and learn, I find that the best amplification and speaker tech happened between 1985 and 1999.

Or prior to that - between 1972 - 1981.

The stuff that is being dished out after 1999 is mostly rehased stuff from the 85-99 period. That too with lousy quality standards.

Those were tough times for Japan. The Yen appreciated against the dollar by about 260%. Folks like Sansui who used to make sterling amps could not longer sell them at competitive prices, and had to start cutting down on parts quality. The marketplace was merciless in rejecting them, resulting in a nosedive for Sansui from which they never recovered. Today, Sansui as a brand, is a manufacturer of cheap electronics - not even a pale shadow of their former glory. Victims of globalisation as the bulk of their sales was export. And unfortunately they were not alone. The story was repeated across the industry. Such marques as Nakamichi got sold, and the more unfortunate ones went belly up.

Joshua

PS: a Technics AU 607 (which is nothing but the Japanese domestic 100V version of the international AU 517) is available in Mumbai. Seller asking for 12K. Includes step down transformer. The AU 517 is one model below the AU 717. 65W into 8 ohms, Direct Coupling topology using no capacitors in the signal path. Bandwidth 0 to 200000 Hz. 50V/usec rise time, blahblahblah. Supposed to be very dynamic amp. Two phono inputs. Vinylheads, are you reading this? You can now run two tables!

If anyone's interested, I can provide seller's details thru PM.

Disclaimer: I have no interest in this other than to inform members of its availability. I have not seen it myself nor tested it, and cannot vouch for the condition of the unit nor of the trustworthiness (or lack thereof) of the seller:lol:.

 

[marantzcdfan]

Hi guys!
My Sansui A 3900 from the 70s finally passed on... to other hands!

Meanwhile found a Marantz PM 80. A class A+B Amp from the early 90s. Black in colour.

It gives out 100 + 100 wpcs @ 8 Ohms. It also has a Class A switcher for it to play on pure Class A. On pure Class A it dishes out 20 wpc @ 8 Ohms.

It sounds a lot smoother when played on class A.

Since I have paired this amp to my Tannoy Reveal BS speakers, the 20 wpc @ pure class A is more than enuff for me most of the times.

The source I have attached to this is my Technics SL 1300. And my laptop through a Creative DAC.

Finally, my '2nd Sound' (for my office) is sorted!

Its amazing, the more I research, listen and learn, I find that the best amplification and speaker tech happened between 1985 and 1999.

Or prior to that - between 1972 - 1981.

The stuff that is being dished out after 1999 is mostly rehased stuff from the 85-99 period. That too with lousy quality standards.

Examples?

Look at the Krell FPB series. Or The Jeff Rowland stuff... Or even Bryston. The BSST2 is a lousy upgrade over the BSST. I find there is virtually very little difference in the sonic quality. But an amazing amount of problems with quality.

Even the B&W stuff is becoming more and more suspect....

Terrific statement: The stuff that is being dished out after 1999 is mostly rehased stuff from the 85-99 period

An exception for this would be the NAD3020

 

[malvai]

agreed marantcdfan.... the nad 3020 does not fall into the same category.... though i do prefer the original 3020 over the later 90s models...

 

[quad]

Hope I am not going OT here.
The 70s era Marantz were built like tanks. I got a Marantz 2270
a few months ago from a local sale and am totally amazed at the build
and sound quality of this nearly 40 year old receiver.
I have been working on restoring it - recapping, implementing all recommended
service advisories such as replacing phono transistors, changed relay
and fixed the power on delay circuit etc. It has a DC offset of zero!

 

[miroflex]

How were the Sansui AU-D5 and AU-D7 amps in terms of sound quality and phono pre-amplifier stages? Would they be worth 7k and 12.5 k respectively?

 

[soundofmusic]

How were the Sansui AU-D5 and AU-D7 amps in terms of sound quality and phono pre-amplifier stages? Would they be worth 7k and 12.5 k respectively?

Hi Miroflex

I have the Sansui AU D7 and the NAD 3020. I find the Phono in the Nad to be better then the Sansui AU D7, that said the phono in the sansui is not bad at all.
Reg the Pricing there is no market price as such for these Vintage. If you like the amp and the amplifier is in good condition then go for it. You will not get a well maintained Vintage amplifier for less price. 12.5k for a Sansui is nothing, Modern day amps starts from 20k and cant even be compared with the Sansui.

Regards

 

[miroflex]

HI Micro!

Are you talking about my amp!

Regards,
Jeet

Hi Surjit,
There are several old amplifiers for sale whose owners I have been in touch with. The two of us have also exchanged PMs but have yet to talk to each other and meet. I look forward to doing so.
Thanks and regards.
miroflex

 

[denzong]

thanks for the AU 717. working like a sweet baby. however always on the look our for exciting stuff.