vintage receiver for JBL L100's

[nstewart2004]

I have a pair of JBL L100's and want to buy a vintage reciever. I have been researching reviews for various speakers and have narrowed my options down to the following:

-- pioneer sx1250, marantz 2325/2330, kenwood kr-9600, sansui 9090db

I am least likely to buy the sansui because I've read its sound quality and construction is of poorer quality. Both the Kenwood and the Pioneer are rated at 165 WPC, which will certainly be sufficient to drive the JBL's. I picked up on the sentiment from a few reviewers that the Marantz has the cleanest sound of all, but am concerned that the wattage isn't adequate (at 125 WPC). The speaker manual suggests that amplification can range from 60 to 150 WPC, though many on this site say the JBL's can easily handle upwards of 200 watts.

Which reciever would you buy? Any additional suggestions would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time-- Nate

[Geoffcin]

I have a pair of JBL L100's and want to buy a vintage reciever. I have been researching reviews for various speakers and have narrowed my options down to the following:

-- pioneer sx1250, marantz 2325/2330, kenwood kr-9600, sansui 9090db

I am least likely to buy the sansui because I've read its sound quality and construction is of poorer quality. Both the Kenwood and the Pioneer are rated at 165 WPC, which will certainly be sufficient to drive the JBL's. I picked up on the sentiment from a few reviewers that the Marantz has the cleanest sound of all, but am concerned that the wattage isn't adequate. The speaker manual suggests that amplification can range from 60 to 150 WPC, though many on this site say the JBL's can easily handle upwards of 200 watts.

Which reciever would you buy? Any additional suggestions would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time-- Nate


About my old receiver!; the Pioneer SX1250. It was a brute, those 160 watts were REAL watts, and it could, and did drive difficult loads with ease. It died an untimely death from my over enthusiam though (2 sets of speakers played at high volume for hr's and hrs). If you can treat it a bit more gently than I did I'm sure you would have many years of enjoyment from one. Heck I still wish I had it!

[Jack]

nstewart....I have no first hand knowledge of the Kenwood,the Sansui, or the 2330, only what I've read and/or been told, so I'm no help there, but I own the SX1250 and a friend of mine owns the Marantz 2325. Both are beasts, no doubt. My basement setup is the 1250, and a Sony XA7ES cdp driving a pair of Energy Veritas 2.1's and sounds fantastic. However, the Energys are not that hard to push, but I have very little doubt that it could drive the JBL's no problem. My 1250 is in excellent (but not mint) condition and has been professionally cleaned and the tuner aligned within the last 6 months and the tuner picks up and separates stations, with just a passive antenna, MUCH better than either my new(er) NAD or Adcom tuners (not knocking the NAD or Adcom, just the way it is in my experience). I love the way my Pioneer looks and sounds and have no problem recommending it, provided, as with any piece of vintage equipment, it has been taken care of over the years. My friends Marantz 2325 is also quite beautiful to look at and listen to. Unfortunately, I'm at a loss for what speakers it drives (he is in Canada fishing as I write this), but if you would like to know, just PM me and I will let you know when he returns. His is also a basement setup with a Pioneer Elite cdp. He would say that his system sounds better than mine and it may well, but honestly I can't say one way or the other. I really like them both. After listening to his system on many, many occasions at both soft and loud volumes, I doubt that the Marantz would have too much trouble driving the JBL's, BUT I don't know this to be fact, so keep that in mind. To make a short story long, both of these particular units are beautiful in a big beasty, shiny kind of way, sound great IMO, and I would recommend them. Hope this helps and sorry for the novel....Jack
It just came to me, his speakers are B & W 602 S3's (I think that's right).

[hifitommy]

and it soundsl like the pio is the one with it. i dont know what the sansui has so i cant comment.

if the marantz were a 2270, i would say go for that but the 2230 and 35 are underpowered unless youre in a SMALL toom.

if the sansui has more than 60wpc, it might be a good one to go with.

[topspeed]

I'd definitely recommend the Marantz recievers. As others have noted, they are absolute tanks but they last forever, look very cool in a retro sorta way (everything old is new again ;)) and put out real watts. What is the sensitivity of your JBL's? Just because a speaker is rated to 200 watts doesn't mean you should feed it that much. I'd also consider vintage Fischer receivers.

Hope this helps

[Geoffcin]

I'd definitely recommend the Marantz recievers. As others have noted, they are absolute tanks but they last forever, look very cool in a retro sorta way (everything old is new again ;)) and put out real watts. What is the sensitivity of your JBL's? Just because a speaker is rated to 200 watts doesn't mean you should feed it that much. I'd also consider vintage Fischer receivers.

Hope this helps

But the vintage ones that have high power are all super expensive collector items. Seriously cool looking too!

[Beckman]

Both the Kenwood and the Pioneer are rated at 165 WPC, which will certainly be sufficient to drive the JBL's. I picked up on the sentiment from a few reviewers that the Marantz has the cleanest sound of all, but am concerned that the wattage isn't adequate (at 125 WPC). The speaker manual suggests that amplification can range from 60 to 150 WPC, though many on this site say the JBL's can easily handle upwards of 200 watts.

Which reciever would you buy? Any additional suggestions would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time-- Nate

I wouldn't be so concrened with wattage. I own an Onkyo TX-8511(100x2) and a Myryad Z140 (only 50x2). The myryad drives my speakers (Infinity IL-40's) much better than the Onkyo did. Of course the Myryad is a class A amplifier. If I was looking for a good vintage amplifier I would judge by weight more than rated power (sounds stupid). Ususaly the heavier receivers have larger transformers and bigger heat sinks which is what you need when pulling a lot of current. I am sure the Marantz at 125 WPC would easly drive your speakers.
Good luck:)

[Swerd]

The JBL L100 speakers you have are known for both efficiency and power handling. They sound good with either low or high powered amplifiers. I have had a pair since 1973 and have listened to them mainly through an equally old Marantz 2230. That's 30 watts/channel. I have also heard them driven with amps from as low as 15 to as high as 200 wpc. They all work well.

Any of the recievers you mentioned should have plenty of reserve power to make those speakers do well even in a large room. I would buy whatever you can find at a suitable price. The Marantz 2330 at 130 wpc should be great, and may have an edge over the others you mentioned in that it is more popular now among vintage buyers. Reselling it, or getting repairs may be easier than with the others.

Remember also that to double the volume of a speaker, you need to increase the amplifier's power by a factor of 10. So the difference between 130 and 165 watts is negligble.

[nstewart2004]

All of your suggestons have helped me to decide on the Marantz. Thanks a lot for your help, I was surprised by the fact that people still care- not that I'm old enough to know what 'good-folk' are like! Seriously, I really appreciate the responses. Thanks, Nate

[v rod]

good choice.i have marantz 2330b runing b&w 610,4 ohm speakers,loud and clear sound!

[audio amateur]

V rod this thread is 6 years old...

[Jose Jimenez]

A Marantz 2275, not 2270 will save the tweeters, but a McIntosh 4100 would be top flight. The power guard circuit and equalizer is top notch and it has a good tuner and quiet phono section. Six years and we still are talking the same stuff...