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Marantz PM-250 Stereo Integrated Amplifier
Project Type
Photography
Date
April 2023
Best laid plans and all that…
After selling the PM-350, I decided to try my hand with a Marantz amp I’d never heard - or even handle before.
Listed as being in "full working order," the amp arrived in generally good shape… except for a soaking wet fibreboard base (something I’d never come across before!) With the seller refusing to accept returns, I had no choice but to replace the base with a timber fibre board and inspect all nearby components for signs of water damage.
Aside from a few mouldy parts, a transformer covered in a fine layer of fuzz, and a horribly sticky faceplate, everything seemed intact. I powered it up on a bench supply, and to my surprise, it roared to life, albeit noisily!
The sound was thin, the tone and volume controls were scratchy, and an odd smell surrounded the unit whenever the volume was pushed past 30%. A deep clean and deoxidization of the potentiometers were in order. I also had an engineer check the capacitors, just to be sure they weren’t about to fail in a spectacular ball of flames - fortunately, they were all fine.
After a full reassembly, cleaning, and an extended soak test, the amp worked flawlessly. But sonically, it just didn’t meet my expectation, especially when compared to the PM-350.