Marantz PM-15S2b first thoughts

After my Marantz SA-15S2b broke in to my hearts delight, I went and bit the bullet and bought the companion piece, the Marantz PM-15S2b integrated.

My first impression was of being hit with pure mountain spring water. The spring water being the amp and the SACD player the sluice. Too much of a good thing I thought as it was weighted towards the top but the combo could unravel the Gordian Knot. The last time I heard such clean sound was the AVM/Legacy setup two Newport Audio shows ago. But this combo holds the title when it comes to communication. Perfect diction one can say.

As beautiful as the SACD player was when paired with my Burson integrated, it paled comparatively when it came to revealing information when with the Marantz. Performances are now lit up from within. When I read the HiFi review, they stated that this combo is extremely valve like and I took that to mean rolled off in the highs, euphonic, and with undefined bass.

Silly me. They were referring to SET sound. I'm not overstating this as the closest I've heard to this kind of illumination was with some Audezes on a Eddie Current headphone setup.

I don't know what Ken Ishiwata did to address the issues with the previous model as I've read that things were a bit smoothed over with it but this beast has extension, depth, layering, reach and a cleanliness that has to be heard to be believed. I know it involved using the same capacitor brand from an upscale amp of theirs along with some circuit revisions and what not but it seems to work very well indeed.

At first it was too much of a good thing and I wondered how long it would take to flesh out, mature. Some favorites were captivating and some frustrating as they'd delaminate the musical onion but in a cold manner. It came tonight and is the reason I pen this. Gradually, as it came along, the highs lost some of their prominence but not at the expense of detail and layering. It was a slow process and I thought that maybe the new Darwin ICs were too revealing as they were a perfect match when the Burson was in the equation.

So I started swapping ICs and the others I tried smeared too much, losing the air, clouding the picture. I wouldn't have know the difference had I not already used the Darwins. It was when I reinserted the Darwins that everything gelled. Timing, they say, is everything. Mids now have weight along with the bass. Things have fleshed out and not at the expense of that clear, clean revealing presentation. Things are more evenly weighted.

Until then, the Burson had the emotional advantage. Now it sounds like a good tube amp and the Marantz holds that honor as it can make that emotional connection and not give an inch.

Before I sign off and pour another two fingers of Quimay Pinot Noir, allow me to admit that this was the first time I've been frightened by a gunshot in a movie. The dynamics of this amp are amazing. It can swing with the best of them. I'm not only hearing more, as in a note here, a note there. This thing excavates music. It needs a permit. But it does it oh so gently when called for and then parks them in the cheap seats. It's built like a tank and is the heaviest amp I've ever lifted, has a great remote and features like digital volume (half db increments), tone controls, and things you can customize.

All in all a great amp and the ticket for getting off this merry-go-round. Who would of thought Marantz? I didn't, at first.

All the best,
Nonoise