"New" Marantz 2285B - Ahhhhhhhh!

[Ben]

My new-old (27 years!) Marantz came on Friday...

I've just finished tweaking and such and I wanna tell you....



BOO-YAH!


Wow - what a sound...fat, tubey and all-analogue - y....and that's on the CD player....the vinyl sound is out of this world....

I didn't really intend to do this...I guss I'm going to be putting the Creek Integrated on audiogon and eBay...the sound from this amp is so much more gutsy and clean.

Really incredible.



Ben

[Steve Hoffman]

Picture, please! Or link to one...

[Gary Freed]

Hi Ben,

Congratulations on your new baby! Marantz has made some very fine equipment over the years and the 2285B is no exception.

http://www.classic-audio.com/marantz/pics/2285b_blk.jpg




Here's a shot of another nice Marantz. The 115B.


http://www.classic-audio.com/marantz/pics/0115b.jpg

[Dan C]

So it has a black face plate?!:bigeek:
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!:love: :cool: :thumbsup:
Very rare beast you have. As much as I love the retro chrome plates, the black ones just look ubercool.

Enjoy that Marantz! That's good stuff.

Dan C

[Dan C]

Oops, hold on Gary. Ben might have the silver one. Here's a pic:
http://www.classic-audio.com/marantz/pics/2285b.jpg

Still a beautiful machine! :thumbsup:

Dan C

[Ben]

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
Picture, please! Or link to one...

Not a black face plate (from what I understand, very rare), but still a very purty face...


Sound coming from the Image 5T's is incredible - boom, boom, boom!


"Green River" from Analogue Productions currently driving my neighbors to the mattresses....



Hah!

Ben

[Steve Hoffman]

Have fun with it! A beauty!

[Ben]

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
Have fun with it! A beauty!


Thanks, Steve!

(Is this fun...or what?)



Ben

[Gary Freed]

Wow Ben,

You lucky son of a gun. It looks even better in Silver. Did you take that
picture? The thing looks brand new!:agree: :righton:

Wishing you many many happy hours of listening!;)

[indy mike]

My oldest bro started out with a small Marantz receiver; when he retired it to my folks (replaced a Dynaco ST-70/Pas-2 combo that my next oldest brother comandeered - grrrrrrrrrrrr) he moved to a Yamaha 40 watter. I ended up using that Marantz for a year until I started picking up used separates (still have my Dynaco ST-150 - keeps pumping out the watts after 25 years). I loved spinning that tuner dial - smooooooth movement, and those blue lights were groovy, too...

[Ben]

Originally posted by Gary Freed
Wow Ben,

You lucky son of a gun. It looks even better in Silver. Did you take that
picture? The thing looks brand new!:agree: :righton:

Wishing you many many happy hours of listening!;)

It does look nice - doesn't it?

No - that pic was sent to me by the seller when I was mulling over the unit...it's now sitting in the Salamander, having replaced the Creek 5350 SE...

BTW - it was an audiogon purchase...for $265. It had been sitting there for almost a month...now, the Creek will be heading to the 'gon.

So it goes...

Thanks for your good tidings and all the same right back 'atcha!


Ben

[Ronflugelguy]

Originally posted by Ben


It does look nice - doesn't it?

No - that pic was sent to me by the seller when I was mulling over the unit...it's now sitting in the Salamander, having replaced the Creek 5350 SE...

BTW - it was an audiogon purchase...for $265. It had been sitting there for almost a month...now, the Creek will be heading to the 'gon.

So it goes...

Thanks for your good tidings and all the same right back 'atcha!


Ben

In what ways is it better than the CREEK, Ben?:cool:

[Dave]

Congrats. Ben! She looks like a beauty. That's going to give some beautifull listening time my friend.;)

Gee, I hope your wife understands.:sigh: If not, I know of a nice home in Canada.:winkgrin:

Enjoy it Ben.:)

[Ben]

Originally posted by Ronflugelguy


In what ways is it better than the CREEK, Ben?:cool:

Good question...I'll be brief.

The Creek comes advertised as an integrated amp that helps to set an articulate, refined, and neutral soundstage. My problem was I wasn't getting the "punch" out of the music I enjoy - that being classic rock from the 60's 70's and 80's...

After six months I kind of forgot what it was like to feel my body move to the music or feel my toes go a-tappin'...I was more into this laid back, let it come-to-me thing - a direct result of the amp just not being suited to my tastes....I don't know....it just doesn't have the rich, full sound that the Marantz has - for me at least...

Someone's going to get an awfully sweet deal on the Creek. I custom ordered it in Black and Green (the traditional Creek "Look") because I didn't like the new silver case. It also already has a MM phono board installed inside, as well...

Too "delicate." Too "refined." Semantics, I guess. The amp just didn't do it for me...then again, I love to upgrade and switch out my gear all the time so maybe I'm a wacko, as well...


Ben

[Dan C]

So Ben,
You were looking at one of the high end Creek units? Like the $1,500 dollar job? And you took a 25-year-old unit instead? :thumbsup:
Goes to show you that these babies were well designed back in the day. Of course, adjusted for inflation this Marantz would be at least twice the price of the Creek when new. But man, they don't make 'em like this anymore.
Dan C

[Ben]

Originally posted by Dan C
So Ben,
You were looking at one of the high end Creek units? Like the $1,500 dollar job? And you took a 25-year-old unit instead? :thumbsup:
Goes to show you that these babies were well designed back in the day. Of course, adjusted for inflation this Marantz would be at least twice the price of the Creek when new. But man, they don't make 'em like this anymore.
Dan C


Not only was I looking, Dan - I bought the 5350 SE Integrated...

That one cost me $1800 (custom case and mm phono board) and the Marantz cost me $285 - so it goes...

Best Wishes,

Ben

:laugh:

[RDK]

Nice score, Ben! I have a much more modest 2226B (that I picked up at a thrift store for $20! :D) that I just love and use in my second system. I can only imagine how sweet that 2285 must sound.

Ray

[mudbone]

Ben, that's a beaut!!!

I have a 4300 (quad) but one channel cuts in and out.

Where would I ever get that fixed? Any ideas in the Cincy-Dayton area?

Anyone?

mud-

[Ben]

Originally posted by mudbone
Ben, that's a beaut!!!

I have a 4300 (quad) but one channel cuts in and out.

Where would I ever get that fixed? Any ideas in the Cincy-Dayton area?

Anyone?

mud-

Thanks, Mud!

Try these guys....

http://www.stereolabservice.com/


You might want to give them a call and see if they can help...they have a good reputation over on the Marantz board on Yahoo...


Good Luck!


Ben

[Ben]

Originally posted by Dave
Congrats. Ben! She looks like a beauty. That's going to give some beautifull listening time my friend.;)

Gee, I hope your wife understands.:sigh: If not, I know of a nice home in Canada.:winkgrin:

Enjoy it Ben.:)

Thanks, buddy!

The wife certainly approves....I brought it home, plugged it in - "ooooh, the pretty blue lights!"

Then I told her what I paid for it and she really smiled....


Sometimes....things work out 'ya know?

[PsychFan]

Congrats! I've been using a mint-condition Marantz 2230 as the center of my system for over a year and a half now, and it's made me a big Marantz fan. It sounds great, and looks at least as good ... I had to change some fuse lamps once (gotta keep that blue glow!), but otherwise it has given me no trouble, just great performance. (My father had urged me to avoid "unreliable" vintage equipment. Nonsense ... this thing was built to last, unlike most of today's stuff.) Enjoy it!

[mudbone]

Originally posted by Ben


Thanks, Mud!

Try these guys....

http://www.stereolabservice.com/


You might want to give them a call and see if they can help...they have a good reputation over on the Marantz board on Yahoo...


Good Luck!


Ben

Ben, I really appreciate the info.

Much thanks!

mud-

[Tomcw]

Hey Mud...
Try exercising all the switches, maybe even popping the top and spraying a little cleaner (from Radio Shack etc.) in them.
My 2230 (bought used in '73) sounds great but I have to clean or jiggle the speaker and tape monitor switches occasionally.
Good luck!
Tom

[mudbone]

Originally posted by Tomcw
Hey Mud...
Try exercising all the switches, maybe even popping the top and spraying a little cleaner (from Radio Shack etc.) in them.
My 2230 (bought used in '73) sounds great but I have to clean or jiggle the speaker and tape monitor switches occasionally.
Good luck!
Tom

Tom, thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try.

mud-

[Ian]

I think I'll go disconnect my Onkyo and put my Marantz 2220B back in the rig :p