2. amps-preamps
  3. 142451-123906

marantz pm-15s2

Hi to all.

I own monitor audio silver 100 speakers which i love. I had plugged them to a yamaha ax-397 amp and the result was perfect to my ears. I then decided to move to a much more expensive and "better" amp because i thought i would get even better sound. The receiver is marantz pm-15s2 but i was a little disappointed. It seems to be a little muffled/dark in the highs (maybe this is what they call warm when they talk about marantz amplifiers).

So the marantz when was new, was 6-7 times more expensive than the yamaha ax-397 but i still find my cheap yamaha more fun to listen. My yamaha produces tha same level of low frequences and the same detail as marantz and more crispness in highs even it used to cost just a few hundred of euros.

Obviously in terms of aesthetics and build quality marantz is miles away (it is gorgeous) but in sound terms I am not impressed.

How could be this possible. Maybe wrong matching? Or just taste? Is yamaha value for money and offers a lot in its price?

Maybe should i trade my marantz with another brand. I was thinking about cambridge audio cxa60/a80 which is still cheaper than marantz but maybe is more value for money.

Any thoughts please? Had anyone similar experience with this marantz?

Thank you in advance.
itzikia
2 responses Add your response
matt0404
17 posts
 
Many reviews I’ve read of the Marantz PM14/15 have echoed your sentiment here; the top end is a bit rolled off, dark sounding, etc. Seems to me this characteristic is inherent to the amp and its design.

If you like the sound of your current Yamaha, why not take a look at the A-S1000, A-S2000, A-S1100 or the A-S2100 (whichever fits your budget)? They’ll have similar build quality to the Marantz and should give you more, in terms of sound quality, of what you already like about your current Yamaha.

I haven’t much experience with Cambridge Audio gear, so I can’t comment there.

itzikia OP
11 posts
 
I used to own both yamaha a-s1000 and a-s2000. The first one with monitor audio bronze 2. The result was good but nothing special. Then I upgraded to harman kardon hk 990 which was also a bit dark but I liked it so much. Monitor audio bronze 2 sounded so good even it was an entry level speaker...

Then unfortunately sold both monitor audio and harman and bought focal aria 906 and yamaha a-s2000. The result was too bright and annoying. I think the combination was fail but I also think that yamaha a-s2000 is too bright and dry. I did't like it...I think the old yamaha series (ax series) is more balanced than a-s or that is my taste.

Finally i bought monitor audio silver 100 which I like a lot and i think they deserve better amplification than yamaha ax-397 that's why I "upgraded" even finally it was not an upgrade in my ears...

Thats why i think of brands like cambridge audio, creek etc which may be more audiophile. Unfortunately I always make blind buys or buys based of  others opinions  because I tend to buy secon-hand.
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