Marantz 250

[Ken.nelson0317]

Well it seems after a long search, I ended up winning the bid on a 250 while I was in the hospital. Got it for what I feel is quite the deal. Just realized I won the bid. Thinking though it will need a dc protection circuit. I'm in no big hurry anymore. It was to be the backup while Lee fixed my 400 but he loaned me the pig. So now its coming and I am excited to match it with the Marantz 3300. Think I'm gonna start trying to put together a complete PL rack. My WOPL 400 from Lee will be the starter piece. What other pieces 4000 pre-amp? Cassette deck, tuner, tt.

 

[mlucitt]

Depends on if you want to stay with the earlier PL gear or the later Series II units. I don't think they mix well in the rack, but that's just my sense of aesthetics.

Mark

 

[Ken.nelson0317]

Depends on if you want to stay with the earlier PL gear or the later Series II units. I don't think they mix well in the rack, but that's just my sense of aesthetics.

Mark

Havent seen or heard all the pieces, but think I like the earlier series plus I like the looks a bit better. Pretty much decided on the 4000.

 

[Hemi69bee]

DO NOT-----I REPEAT--DO NOT GET A 4000. (not yelling-emphasis) They were junk. You need a 3300 SerII. I have one here but it's missing a couple pushbuttons Ken. It's the cleanest, simplest pre they made, as neutral as they come, check mine and Nav's thread on the 3300.

 

[Ken.nelson0317]

DO NOT-----I REPEAT--DO NOT GET A 4000. (not yelling-emphasis) They were junk. You need a 3300 SerII. I have one here but it's missing a couple pushbuttons Ken. It's the cleanest, simplest pre they made, as neutral as they come, check mine and Nav's thread on the 3300.

Wow. That is the first I had heard. I liked the looks and they seemed easily aquired. Thank you for the stern warning and will take your suggestion. What should I expect to pay for one?

 

[mlucitt]

I have to second with Lee on this one, the 4000 is a pair of 2000 pre-amps and a 1000 noise reduction unit (should have been a 5000, but that number was already used for their tuner). The 4000 is really over the top; if you look inside a PL1000, you'll know what I mean. I like my 2000 because, like you, the Series 1 stuff is just better looking to me, but they made improvements to my 2000 and the result was the 3300.

 

[laatsch55]

Ken I have 2-2000 Ser I's, 2- 2000 Ser II, 3 3000 ser II's(also junk--14 small signal relays, all prone to failure) and 1-3300 Ser II left. I think I can get the pushbutton knobs and if not NavLinear loves a challenge and we might get him to EPDM? EM? EFDM? or whatever it is one.

 

[laatsch55]

The 4000 had a slew of edge connectors and the QC at that time sucked. I think the service bulletin part of the manual is actually larger than the original text of the manual.

 

[laatsch55]

There is a reason they are easily acquired, cause everyone wants to get rid of them. Ditto on the 300 Ser II, uses the same output as the mighty Pioneer SX 1980, good luck on finding those. just some things you can't know jumping back in after years of not bein involved.

 

[laatsch55]

I have to second with Lee on this one, the 4000 is a pair of 2000 pre-amps and a 1000 noise reduction unit (should have been a 5000, but that number was already used for their tuner). The 4000 is really over the top; if you look inside a PL1000, you'll know what I mean. I like my 2000 because, like you, the Series 1 stuff is just better looking to me, but they made improvements to my 2000 and the result was the 3300.

And to what or who do i owe this honor to?? The plane was very generous with their Bloody Mary mix, and the kids are well stocked with Crown, Bailey's Mudslide and traditional and some Cinnamon schnapps that is very INTERESTING!!

 

[Ken.nelson0317]

So would you go with the 2000 series 1 or the 3300. Does the 2000 use pushbuttons also or knobs. Which is more reliable. Price? Gonna take awhile but think it will be fun trying to put together a pl rack.

 

[mlucitt]

The 2000 uses pushbuttons and the inside is very like the 3300. The 3300 has a better regulated power supply, a much better volume control, and it is designed to accept the newer 8-pin DIP ICs that can be swapped out (they are in sockets). A spray of contact cleaner on the pushbuttons industrial end will made a world of difference in the sound. DAMHIKT

 

[laatsch55]

DAMHIKT?????

Kenny, the 3300 Ser II by far in their native state. Look at my album, all PL stuff is in there somewhere. The 2000 SerI is on top of the rack, the 2000 serII is to the right of the rack. as Mark has said, the 3300 used modern op-amps that are upgradeable as to the Ser I op's , haven't had much luck replacing the RC 4136 with anything yet, although Joe and I were getting close one time. Price??Dude i won't hold ya up. 200.00 or les decked out an re-capped, de-oxitd, op-amps upgraded, and tested like no other. We just gotta get Nav to build us some PB's.

 

[mlucitt]

DAMHIKT=Don't Ask Me How I Know This. On the PL2000 I did replace the Raytheon RC4136 14-pin DIP main (Z3) quad OPAMP with two of the modern and decent-sounding Burr Brown OPA 2134 dual OPAMPs on top of the Brown Dog adapter. Joe and I have not found an easy replacement for the two Raytheon RC4739 14-pin DIP secondary (Z1-Phono and Z2-Rear) dual OPAMPs because the pinout does not match any modern 14-pin DIP dual OPAMP. Someone said it could be done by flipping the chip over and gluing it to the top of the old chip, cutting the signal legs and using wire wrap to connect the leads on the chips together where necessary. I can't even imagine the complexity of the two chips when they are right side up, much less upside down.

I also recapped (34 caps) the preamp and it sounds better, less treble-y and a little sharper. I think the old ceramic disc and electrolytic capacitors were a bit tired, not sure about the green polyester or the red mylar caps. I used the poly caps and the Nichicon Muse caps that we use in the WOAPL board.

 

[laatsch55]

I believe it was Z1, Z2 we were trying to replace. Joe calls that " True Dead Bug Fashion", cracks me up, kinda like kerfluffle.

 

[laatsch55]

Well it seems after a long search, I ended up winning the bid on a 250 while I was in the hospital. Got it for what I feel is quite the deal. Just realized I won the bid. Thinking though it will need a dc protection circuit. I'm in no big hurry anymore. It was to be the backup while Lee fixed my 400 but he loaned me the pig. So now its coming and I am excited to match it with the Marantz 3300. Think I'm gonna start trying to put together a complete PL rack. My WOPL 400 from Lee will be the starter piece. What other pieces 4000 pre-amp? Cassette deck, tuner, tt.

Ummmm..... a WOPL 1000......

 

[NavLinear]

Here's a photo of the 3300 Series II and the 400 paired together.

 

[laatsch55]

No epiphany on how to make the skinny pushbuttons?

Good lookin pair there Nav...

 

[laatsch55]

I can't believe a Marantz dosn't have a protection circuit....

 

[NavLinear]

No epiphany on how to make the skinny pushbuttons?

Good lookin pair there Nav...

Always go in with a good pair!

I'll assume that the missing piece is the external button as the term "skinny" sort of gave it away. If that's the case than maybe something can be fabricated but the color would be white (or black if ABS is used). The material can be painted but I'd have to do some research as to what materials will bind well with the plastic.

Oh yeah - it's Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) aka stereo lithography.