Marantz 2245 Back in Action
 

I just got my 1975 vintage Marantz 2245 back from Marvin Electronics in Ft. Worth. It had been sitting in a box in my garage for the last ten years, so when Marvin Electronics came down in April to install my new projector upstairs, I sent the 2245 back with them to give it a thorough going-over. We finally made it back to Dallas last weekend for a wedding, so of course we had to stop off at Marvin's on the way! They had replaced all of the display bulbs and three capacitors, plus they did a general cleaning of all controls, interior, etc.

I just got it hooked up today in my study with my new GODAR FM1A antenna (thanks, Dan & Ivan for the recommendation! Excellent!:thumbsup:), a Sonos ZP-90 (my fourth), and my B&W Nautilus 805's (which were recently replaced in my downstairs Den zone with 805 Diamonds). I'm still waiting on my new B&W stands for the Nautilus 805's, so no pictures until the stands arrive. I promise I will post some as soon as the stands are in place. For now, a couple of high tech paste-board boxes are doing temporary duty as stands (advanced vibration damping properties, no doubt:D).

This is so cool to be using one of my first real hi-fi components again (I bought the 2245 new in 1975). The study system sounds outstanding!:thumbsup:

John.......That is very cool. New life for an old flame. Gotta love it. :thumbsup:


http://www.siamac.de/aumatt/images/2245champ032.jpg

Exactly, Dan! Brings back so many great memories!:thumbsup:

I just LOVE the Marantz gear from this time period. My first "true" component stereo amplifier was a Marantz 1030. I bought it when I was 13 years old. I still have it.

Pete

Good stuff, Pete! I agree!:thumbsup:

You really have to admire the look of that series. I have owned the 2230, 2245, and 2270. All very nice receivers, which all would make a wonderful nucleus of a study or den system. It is always rewarding to enjoy a piece from the past after an update. Enjoy the memories it brings back, and of course the warm rich music those units are capable of.:music:
Regards,
Jim

Thanks, Jim!:thumbsup:

There was a store in upstate New York where I grew up called Federal Electronics. They had the whole fleet of Marantz receivers and some of the amps. You just couldn't keep me out of the place! I'd spend hours and hours in there admiring the Marantz gear, along with JBL speakers. I couldn't afford the JBL's then, and my first Marantz amp I mail ordered from an outfit in Maryland called Baltimore Stereo Wholesalers, later to be called Stereo Discounters. Another top contender for my first system was the Fisher TX-50 Integrated amp. Fisher was also a very respected name "back in the day".


Pete

From the late 70's to mid eighties I bought all of my stuff from Stereo Wholesalers/Discounters. They were by far the biggest retailer locally. I was a Technics fan at the time.

Yes, they were around a long time, and they offered good prices. I bought a pretty good amount of gear from them in the 70's.

Pete

Fond Memories
 

I also owned the 2245 and before it a Model 26, then a 2215. I had a pair of Aztek Dulane speakers and a Benjamine Mirachord 50H turntablle. I spent many hours in local shops looking at this gear.

My 65 Ford Falcon was rear-ended and I used the money to buy the Model 26 reciever instead of fixing my bumper. I think that was their first SS reciever it had lots of problems. I exchanged it for the 2215 when it came out.

John...that is a beautiful and classic receiver;) I always loved the looks and sound of these. Looks like they did a great job restoring it, congrats and enjoy your old flame;);)

Dave

Thanks, Dave. I'm listening to Peter Frampton doing "Do you feel like I feel?" right now on FM, just like I used to when the 2245 was new! I like it!:thumbsup:

Great memories..

Great memories and a great album:thumbsup::music:

Dave

What a picture! Brings back great memories for me, too. I purchased a 2230 as my first receiver in 1973 on the "drag" in Austin. I traded it for a 2245 the next year, and a 2270 the next. From there, I don't remember what I ever did with it. I sure wish I had kept it after seeing that photo... I had a Dual TT, Revox Reel to Reeel, and Cornwalls with the 2245. Great times!

I had a 2235 first and instantly loved it. Now I have a fully restored 2226b am rebuilding a 2270. For the money, these are excellent receivers.

My Marantz gear.
 

Attachment 49647Here is my Marantz 2245, 2270 and 250m. All in perfect running condition. I think the 2245 sounds the best and is running my patio speakers.

A 2230B i use for FM radio has to be the most reliable component I have ever had. Your 2245 is one to be treasured.

My 2240B up and running in my office system. I re-lamped it myself a couple of years ago, but would really like to send it in for a re-cap and general servicing. Notwithstanding that it takes a bit of time for it to warm up when first turn on, she still performs beautifully.

Marantz was one of the cat's meow back in the day. I used to Manage a HiFi Store In Phila. Pa. We had every Marantz Receiver and Pre Amp and Power amp we could load on our demo shelves. Sold like hotcakes. Of course we had the competitors stuff which also sold well.

I'm a Vintage head. All my gear is Marantz. 3300,250's 150, Mode 500 and more. Luckily I have my own shop here at home to keep up on the flat tires. L.O.L.

Mark - did you know Dan Greenfield who was the McIntosh dealer at 21st & Sansom? Quite the iconoclast and a most 'interesting' shop.
Marantz (before going belly up and becoming just a "name" today) was some great gear.

That was my old stomping grounds back in the Hippy days. I do know of him. In fact at one time I owned a Mac 240 and a I think 2300 preamp with a pair of JBL Tower speakers. No I didn't Know him and had never been in his store. But I know of his Mac outlet.

I lived at the Parkway House at 21st and the Parkway back then. My store (RESCO ELECTRONICS) was on Chestnut street on the corner across from the Ben Franklin Hotel. I think at one point the head office had tried to get Mac into our Store but back then there were fair trade price laws and Dealer Distance sales protection so we were turned down.

Up the street from us on Chestnut street about 3 blocks was " Sam Goody" Hi Fi Store on the second floor and record sales on the first. And up the street from Sam's place was "Nathen Muchnik" store who sold "Grundig Hi Fi and Radios.

Back then HiFi was rock-en. Latter down the road a friend of mine opened a store called " Town Stereo" located at the "Widener Building street level at Broad and Chestnut. They only sold everything "Panasonic" They had a Demo room with the CD-4 Quad system. I used to work there Part time to help him out.

He did very well selling only Panasonic as at that time they made all kinds of crazy stuff.:music:

Small world. I lived at 20th & Cherry (next to Moore College of Art) and walked to the Penn campus most every day, so would go by (and into) Dan's shop quite often. Very much "old school", stuffed with gear of all sorts, but primarily McIntosh (guess that's stuck with me).
You likely recall Third Street Jazz, which was the largest record store in the world at the time ('70s). Sadly, it closed in '88 due to the CD craze. Remember Sam Goody's quite well.
As you've said, fond memories.

Yep Fond Memories,
When I was younger I was a Jr. member of the Franklin Institute which is right there. Went there many a time with my Dad. I remember siting in the cockpit of a P-51 Mustang they had on display. You could move the stick around and play with all the controls. They also had this Giant Steam Locomotive in there. Great place.

Yep I remember Third Street Jazz. To bad.. now it's DAC's and ADC. And a whole new world of Music reproduction. I also worked at Sigman Sound Studio down around Society Hill. Use to do some wire pulls and run cables during mod's and upgrades.

Those were the days of Multitrack recording and Mix down to 1/2 track at 15 IPS. Which brings me to ..... Direct to Disc recording. First done by Sheffield Labs. Have you ever listened to one? I have a few originals that sound almost as good as Digital. Check this link ...

https://www.sheffieldlab.com/ Unfortenitly they don't have DD recordings ..most are CD's Sometimes you can find them on E bay But are $$.

There still around. Every now and then I'll pop one of my DD recordings on and be amazed at the sound quality from a Piece of Vinal. I'm sure you must have run across one of there recordings in your Audio life.:thumbsup:

Yes. Believe I have three Sheffield DD LPs. The last one was given to me when I purchased a used LP. The seller had no idea what it was so just included it with the purchase. OK with me.

I have a bunch. But the standard Vinal doesn't compare to the DD Sound.

I still use my original Marantz 2270 in my system for the fm tuner. Replaced the caps once about 7 years ago. Still going strong. I bought it at Stereo Warehouse in Paramus NJ on sale in, I believe 1975, for $210. I told a friend of mine about how great it was and a month later and he went in and purchased one from the same place for $200.

When I worked at San Jose, CA's Garland Audio from 1977 to 1980 one of our "hot" demos was Dave Grusin's Discovered Again, a Sheffield D-to-D. Another was Erich Leinsdorf's recording with the L.A. Philharmonic of excerpts from Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. As you say, great-sounding discs. It's said that familiarity breeds contempt, but not in this instance. Never tired of listening to them.