2. amps-preamps
  3. 1009078517

Integrated Amp upgrade

I have a Maarntz PM-84D integrated amplifier. I bought it 2 years ago to upgrade from a Adcom 545 preamp and B&K 202 amp.

The stereophile stated back in 1988 that the Marantz PM-94D was the best integrated amp in the market. The difference between the PM94D and the PM84D was the power output as far as I could learn.

I wonder if anyone has upgraded from the old Marantz integrated amps to the newer integrated amps such as Creek 5350SE or the Musical Fidelity A300 and Rega Mira and found significant improvement.
chander
joolz
64 posts
 
what about a lfd mistral le, if you have $1500..
chander OP
9 posts
 
The Marantz PM 84D in its day cost about $ 2000. Not very inexpensive I would think. But it seems to me from reading reviews that costs have come down quite a bit in the last decade. I was just curious if anyone had compared the old, $ 2000 + integrated amps with the newer integrated amps in the $ 2000 - range (such as the Creek, or Musical Fidelity).
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
What HiFi is in my opinion the worst of the British HiFi mags. It seems that every piece of Marantz equipment presented for reviews gets five stars. Nearly 10 years ago, on the strength of such a review I demo'd a $500 marantz integrated amp against similarly priced offerings from Arcam, Audiolab and Mission/Cyrus. The Marantz was totally outclassed in every respect by all three brit amps.
I would recommend you go and listen to a few of the integrateds you mentioned, even if it's inconvenient, before believing any of the What HiFi Marantz reviews.

FYI : I'm not biased against Marantz ... I think they make wonderful CD players (I own a CD67SE). However I don't believe that their amps are competitive, or have been for at least 10 years.
joolz
64 posts
 
i agree with sean ''what hifi'' is a pub beer boy mag'' i cant believe people put in their mags
''VOTED TOPS BY WHAT HIFI'' overated tacky mag filled full of jap gear what you can buy at curry's or circuit city...NAFF!!!!!!!!!!
even HIFI choice mag has gone down the hill fast reviewing tacky gear and home theatre stuff...
my mates at home now read HIFI+
ritchieb35's avatar
ritchieb35
1 posts
 
Personal Preference and price point rule the day here, fellas.
Opinions of sound are too nebulous; no matter who issues them.
Many times the matching of components, power ratings, speakers (OHMs Etc.) and room characteristics get lost in the shuffle.
You like certain types of amps and want to be proud and satisfied with your choice, and so the tendency may be to lock in to a certain brand and shut out others.
I do not need to agree or disagree with any one. I own 3 Marantz IA's' (I have owned other brands) and they each match up differently with the speakers and rooms they work in.
I do notice that I have to try diff. combos of spkrs/amps/components to get desired effects.
More to discover