Marantz 2270 + B&W DM2000: What subwoofer?

Hi Funky – the key word here I think is borrow instead of buy. Try to find an audio dealer or friend who will lend you an amp for a couple of days to listen to with them. I always try to see what I can get out of the speakers first in a room on their own before I add subs. Adding subs properly takes time and a lot of patience.

As a general rule for a solid state amp – if it is i.e. – 80 wpc at 8 ohms. I want to see 160 or close to it at 4 OHMS on the spec sheet. A doubling. Or I walk away. The B&W’s dip below 8 ohms in regular use. The speakers are 87 db which is the same sensitivity as my 801s. A good tube amp of 80 -100 watts will also work but needs to be tried.

There is a bulb right next to the B&W badge on front. It may be burnt out. From what I can remember when the circuit was activated they shut down for quite some time making you think you had blown them. They take a long time to reset.

Pink Floyd – The Wall - Comfortably Numb. Not the vinyl but only the CD – something in the way it was engineered.
At 4:30 onwards in the song, as it reaches crescendo, something would make his amp send a signal causing his DM2000’s to activate the circuit when played really loud. I would then get a call “I think I blew the speakers”.
he is still using them and it has been over 15 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpzxf_flm8M

Funkymojovibes,

There is no model # for this "particular" set of Altecs. As I said, a friend made these for me. I was unable to find a vintage speaker that I liked so these "worked for me" because they are pure vintage on the outside and very clear sounding from the inside.

Hi Funky:

You are correct, the 8 ohms rating for both your Marantz and B&W would indicate that they are compatible, at least on paper.

I originally thought that your B&Ws were not rated at 8 ohms and because of the power anomaly with the Marantz, you could be running out of gas ... but that is not the case. My apologies for not doing the research and relying instead on memory before posting for the first time.

So, I was using two different Marantz receivers (2216B and 2240) for a number of years. I used them with a number of different monitors. The pairings I liked best were the following: Rega Ara, NHT SB2, Wharfedale Diamond 9.0, and Omega Super 3i. The pairings I liked least were the B&W 302 and the EPOS ELS3.

Like yourself, I was getting good sound from the Marantz, but I felt that there was more to be had. Even though I grew up with warm, organic sounding stereos (think Philco tube amplifiers, vintage Pioneer receivers, Dual turntables, and EPI and AR speakers), over the years I have become more accustomed to the sound of more accurate, slightly leaner sounding separates and CD players.

So what does it all mean?

Leave well enough alone. I think you can only take vintage Marantz receivers so far. They will only sound so accurate. Your system most likely sounds as good as it will. That's a good thing ... you can stop right here.

If I were to do anything, I would consider changing speakers. I was most excited about how my Marantz receivers sounded with the Omega single driver speakers. Single driver speakers can be unforgiving with badly recorded music though and can sound 'honky' with vocals. Omega has done a lot of work to correct this. I would look at their new line Hoyt-Bedfords .

Best of luck,

Rich

Have a Marantz 2230, but am thinking of getting a 2270.
Reason is want to play B&W 685 speakers and likely will need more power. Don't want to have to turn thing way up to get good sound.

Am using tower speakers from vintage Technics rack system now and rarely turn volume up half way. Speakers sound "OK" but, my sound desires outpace what speakers capability.

Want: Low volume, good stage with clarity from vinyl. Also, the 2270 has two preamp points for my Technics 1600MKII and 1650 TTs.

Anyone have any thoughts on using 685s? with a 2270?

Have used this speaker for years with a variety of amps and receivers and have had no issues with clarity, soundstage, or dynamic range with quality components and well recorded media. I would say they sound about as good as you are going to get from a 2-way speaker with 8" bass driver in a 32" unported box. Would I like more bass, absolutely, but I think I am getting the performance this speaker was designed to provide. Cheers.