Marantz PM450 vs NAD 3225PE

 

New member
Username: Nader

Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2004
Today I bought for ~30 USD ! an old Marantz PM450. Was thinking of using it for background music in some areas of the house. Then I wanted to anyway compare them to my old NAD I had bought when a student. The surprise is that this crapy Marantz seems to have an incredible clarity of sound and deeper bass (build date is 1981!) than the NAD which is surely old but I though was of a higher design ?

What are your opinions as to these oldies. For info my speakers are home made polypropylene & ribbon treble 4Ohm components in a wodden frame filled with sand.

Looking foreward to hints to clarify this surprising discovery.

Thanks
Nader
 

Silver Member
Username: Hawk

Post Number: 215
Registered: 12-2003
Nadar:

One of the truly overlooked facts about gear this old is oxidation of the circutry. If your NAD has been in the garage in a moderately moist climate (like my old Yamaha), for instance, it may have oxidized more than the Marantz which may have been kept in a home in a very dry climate. You just never know where an amp or receiver has been. After 20 years, it can affect the sound pretty seriously.

However, Marantz gear from the 70s and early 80s was extremely well built, so I am not surprised, particularly since I think your NAD was one that was built by Proton Corp of Taiwan. Their earlier Proton built gear was just not as good as the gear sourced out of Toshiba from the same general era. NAD designed them well, but Proton never executed very well.

Now, Marantz stuff built say between 1970 and 1982, was over-built, which accounts for their longevity. I have a very good friend who bought a Marantz receiver in 1973 and it finally died (right channel is gone) last year. Until then, he refused to even consider anything new, arguing that no receiver then available was as good as his classic Marantz at a reasonable price. He was, of course, correct, as a good stereo receiver is near impossible to find. However, he has now heard some pretty impressive integrated amps and is thinking perhaps he might break down and get one.

Anyways, a couple of thoughts.
 

New member
Username: Nader

Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2004
Hawk:

Thank you for your reply. You have two points right:

1) the NAD I have was indeed produced by Proton
2) it did stay for about one year, packed in a box in a cellar which at the time was a little humid !

Is there an easy way to take away oxidization (if any) from the NAD ? to be honest when I hooked it back after we moved into our new house, I did not notice any difference it is just lately that I kept feeling the sound was so muffeled and dim. That was when I started looking for second hand amps on ebay like sites and got the Marantz.

I must say that I am really impressed with this brand I knew a little about in my adolescent tiems arround the 1980s. I think I will try and complete the set with other marantz stuff.

Do you have any suggestions regarding their CD players, there is a CD 94 (with wodden sides) for sale (build date is ~1987.

Cheers
Nader
 

Silver Member
Username: Hawk

Post Number: 228
Registered: 12-2003
Nadar:

There is a product called "Cramolin" and distributed by Monster Cable which is meant to dissolve oxidation on interconnects and jacks on the back of a unit. I have never used it on the inside, but you might try it on teh output stages. Cramolin is hard to find, but you can try doing an internet search for it.

As for Marantz CD players, I can't say whether it is any good or not. I still use a 1987 vintage Kyocera CD player because I have yet to hear anything better, regardless of price, so that is a pretty good era for CD players (I think they were more concerned with getting the analog stages right back then, so it would probably sound pretty good). If that Marantz was a top of the line unit, it might be a real steal. On the other hand, that is about the time that Marantz started getting passed around from new owner to new owner. like an unwanted child, so you never know.

Good luck!
 

New member
Username: Nader

Post Number: 3
Registered: 02-2004
Many thanks for your advice.

Cheers
Nader
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