Help deciding between two amps

[Bigmoney]

Hey guys, I am looking to buy a nice vintage receiver for my dorm room. I have two offers that I am considering and would like to make the purchase today. I can either buy a marantz 2270 fully serviced for 250.00 or a tandberg tr 2055 for 150.00. Do you think the extra 100 bucks for the Marantz is justified. Let me add the Marantz does not come with it's wood casing. How do these amps compare sonically? Thanks guys.

[Feanor]

Hey guys, I am looking to buy a nice vintage receiver for my dorm room. I have two offers that I am considering and would like to make the purchase today. I can either buy a marantz 2270 fully serviced for 250.00 or a tandberg tr 2055 for 150.00. Do you think the extra 100 bucks for the Marantz is justified. Let me add the Marantz does not come with it's wood casing. How do these amps compare sonically? Thanks guys.

... Not a recommendation. Both Marantz and Tandberg are relatively desirable in the vintage market and command good prices on eBay. I can't speak to the Tandberg model but functionally and cosmetically excellent Marantz 2270's without case can easily go for $400 on eBay; added $75-100 for a clean case. $250 could be a bargin for the Marantz. I don't have an opinion about the relative sound quality.

[Bigmoney]

Do you believe for 250 dollars I can do any better? I hear excellent things about the marantz and it has a 4.97 rating here on audioreview!

[Feanor]

Do you believe for 250 dollars I can do any better? I hear excellent things about the marantz and it has a 4.97 rating here on audioreview!

I doubt you will get a better new receiver for $250, but there is an awful lot of nice used stuff out there for around that price. But as I implied, for $250 for a decent 2270 you can always sell it for the same or even higher price if you don't like it.

Recently our member, O'Shag, admitted he bought one on a lark, didn't think it was as good as his high-dollar rig, and tossed it in a dumpster. To me that was a very, very sad thing.

[02audionoob]

I like the Marantz receivers (and I have one), but I think they're a little pricey for the sound quality you get. I've seen the 2270 go for less than $250 on eBay, though. I haven't heard the Tandberg, but I $150 might be a little high for it, too. Since we're talking about a dorm room, I guess the extra power of the Marantz isn't much of a factor and they both look great, so maybe the Tandberg is the way to go. I think you might be able to do better for $250 or get a lower price if you want. There are Sansui, Kenwood, Pioneer and even Luxman options on eBay for under $250. Craigslist might be even less.

[bobsticks]

Do you believe for 250 dollars I can do any better? I hear excellent things about the marantz and it has a 4.97 rating here on audioreview!

Well, now your asking for an opinion so I'll give you mine...a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Meaning, yeah, you could wait around to see if a better deal comes 'round the bend. We're all waiting for that day when we walk in the pawn shop or flea market and find that Marantz Model 7 or Mac MC275 that we know is out there for only 25 bucks...

...But, on the other hand, a 2270 is a nice piece of equipment, especially if competently serviced. I doubt you'll find a better deal without threading the eye. Yes, Shaggy wasn't overwhelmed but at the same time let's remember that his main system is well in excess of 20k so it damn well should sound better.

I'm thinking even after you graduate and, no doubt, move on to some lucrative career and start a hella All-Out-Assault system you can still keep the Marantz as a centerpiece for a solid secondary/vintage system. Again, that's just "in my opinion"...but it's mine.

Good luck in school, btw.

---sticks

[Bigmoney]

Thanks guys. I decided to go ahead and buy the amp. It looks really nice and was just fully serviced from a reputable tech. He offered to show me the receipt. Now that I have a receiver I will need some speakers. BTW I am also using a Marantz universal player. It is the DV 7600. What speakers do you think should synergize well with my equipment? I recently took a trip down to my local pawn shop but they had nothing notworthy other than some kef c20's for 100 and wharfedale 7.1's for 100 bucks. Didn't seem like a good buy to me especially given their condition. As for my budget, I am pretty open. The way I view buying used equipment is that I don't mind spending a lot of money as long as I know I can get what I paid in return when I choose to sell. I have bought a lot of stuff and sold and lot of stuff on audiogon with that principle. So I guess I am looking for used speakers that should be easy to sell and retain their value. Maybe like b&w's. Anyway, what speakers do you think I can find used under 500 bucks that would synergize well with my equipment and not be too terribly affected by the horrible acoustics in my dorm? Thanks again