Post your stereo system!

mrussel1

DJ253147 said:

mrussel1 said:

Every few years I get antsy and start tinkering.  Today I made a change.  I've been collecting gear for 20+ years and sometimes it sits. In this case,  my Poineer sx750 has been in a closet for several years.  My Marantz has been on the 3rd floor where I used to hang out when my kids were young.  Two are out of the house now,  so I hadn't used the Marantz in months.  
So then I had an epiphany.  I decided to insert this little amp  selector into the chain.  It allows 2 amps to connect to one (or two) sets of speakers.  And fortunately my phono stage has both balanced and unbalanced outputs. 
So now I can choose whether to listen to the more refined,  neutral and revealing McIntosh setup, or the looser and warmer Marantz. The latter is better for records that may not be as well engineered or pressed.  
Got it all up and running today and enjoying the Marantz again.  
I also put the Pioneer up on the third floor and it's connected to my Pro-ject and some big B&W towers.  So nice to have that drier sound again too! 

Pics..

Awesome setup you’ve got there and a great idea with that amp/speaker splitter unit. 

I’m an occasional lurker in this part of the forum and really enjoy it. 

I’m  finally taking the plunge to post up a few acquisitions I’ve made in the last couple of years.  I’ve  picked up a Pioneer SA-8500 Mk2 Int. Amp and a TX-9500 Tuner both in really good condition. Both sound great, what an awesome tuner. 

In between picking up those 2 pieces while not really looking I happened upon a Sansui 881 Receiver at a vintage audio shop. Great condition also so I looked up a few reviews and ended up bringing it home. Does it ever kick ass.Before purchasing  I checked the reviews on Hifi Engine. I think the 15 reviews gave it 5 stars, one guy  referring to his unit as the Beast which is appropriate. 63W aside but I don’t often turn it up past 9 o’clock. For speakers I’ve 
got a pair of Paradigm 9se Mk2’s which I bought new in ‘92 along with a Rotel 960 Amp and a Preamp/Tuner. My Turntable is a Yamaha YP-801 which  I bought years ago.

I'm surprised we don't have more people around here with Sansui's.  They have a strong following and people that have them, love them.  The guy I bought both the Marantz and Pioneer has a whole room full of vintage gear, mostly Mcintosh.  But the system he uses for himself was a Sansui G9000.  It was an impressive piece of gear.  

I'm sure yours sounds great too.  It's a very reputable piece of equipment.  I'm also a huge fan of Paradigm speakers.  I don't your model specifically, but it is good gear.  Rotel is also very good, and a great match for B&W.  Those two companies complemented each other for years.  

dudeman

DJ253147 said:

mrussel1 said:

Every few years I get antsy and start tinkering.  Today I made a change.  I've been collecting gear for 20+ years and sometimes it sits. In this case,  my Poineer sx750 has been in a closet for several years.  My Marantz has been on the 3rd floor where I used to hang out when my kids were young.  Two are out of the house now,  so I hadn't used the Marantz in months.  
So then I had an epiphany.  I decided to insert this little amp  selector into the chain.  It allows 2 amps to connect to one (or two) sets of speakers.  And fortunately my phono stage has both balanced and unbalanced outputs. 
So now I can choose whether to listen to the more refined,  neutral and revealing McIntosh setup, or the looser and warmer Marantz. The latter is better for records that may not be as well engineered or pressed.  
Got it all up and running today and enjoying the Marantz again.  
I also put the Pioneer up on the third floor and it's connected to my Pro-ject and some big B&W towers.  So nice to have that drier sound again too! 

Pics..

Awesome setup you’ve got there and a great idea with that amp/speaker splitter unit. 

I’m an occasional lurker in this part of the forum and really enjoy it. 

I’m  finally taking the plunge to post up a few acquisitions I’ve made in the last couple of years.  I’ve  picked up a Pioneer SA-8500 Mk2 Int. Amp and a TX-9500 Tuner both in really good condition. Both sound great, what an awesome tuner. 

In between picking up those 2 pieces while not really looking I happened upon a Sansui 881 Receiver at a vintage audio shop. Great condition also so I looked up a few reviews and ended up bringing it home. Does it ever kick ass.Before purchasing  I checked the reviews on Hifi Engine. I think the 15 reviews gave it 5 stars, one guy  referring to his unit as the Beast which is appropriate. 63W aside but I don’t often turn it up past 9 o’clock. For speakers I’ve 
got a pair of Paradigm 9se Mk2’s which I bought new in ‘92 along with a Rotel 960 Amp and a Preamp/Tuner. My Turntable is a Yamaha YP-801 which  I bought years ago.

It sounds like you have some awesome gear! Old Pioneer and Sansui stuff, especially their amps and receivers were very, very nice.

I'd love to have one of those Yamaha turntables too.

Well done

mickeyrat

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

Is it mid May yet?

Any day now. Hang in there, man! It will be worth the wait. 

annnnnd my black faceplate arrived today......

are you sure it isnt May?

dudeman

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

mickeyrat

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

dudeman

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

mickeyrat

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

well I think it will come down to how much the repairs come in at that will determine how soon I persue a case.

dudeman

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

well I think it will come down to how much the repairs come in at that will determine how soon I persue a case.

Sounds fair. At least you have options these days. The reproductions are a relatively recent thing. Maybe the last 10 years or so?

You used to either have to track down an original or build your own. I have thought about building one for each of my receivers but I always talk myself out of it. Personally, I don't think I would spend the money on a repro, even though they do look nice.

At the end of the day, I still like the look of them naked, especially since the wood cases make my receivers too big for my current rack.

At this point, I'm pretty sure I'm going to sell the one I have along with my 2245.

mickeyrat

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

well I think it will come down to how much the repairs come in at that will determine how soon I persue a case.

Sounds fair. At least you have options these days. The reproductions are a relatively recent thing. Maybe the last 10 years or so?

You used to either have to track down an original or build your own. I have thought about building one for each of my receivers but I always talk myself out of it. Personally, I don't think I would spend the money on a repro, even though they do look nice.

At the end of the day, I still like the look of them naked, especially since the wood cases make my receivers too big for my current rack.

At this point, I'm pretty sure I'm going to sell the one I have along with my 2245.

price on that? both as a package or seperate....

dudeman

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

well I think it will come down to how much the repairs come in at that will determine how soon I persue a case.

Sounds fair. At least you have options these days. The reproductions are a relatively recent thing. Maybe the last 10 years or so?

You used to either have to track down an original or build your own. I have thought about building one for each of my receivers but I always talk myself out of it. Personally, I don't think I would spend the money on a repro, even though they do look nice.

At the end of the day, I still like the look of them naked, especially since the wood cases make my receivers too big for my current rack.

At this point, I'm pretty sure I'm going to sell the one I have along with my 2245.

price on that? both as a package or seperate....

Not sure yet. A buddy of mine is interested and he's trying to talk me into trading it for a guitar. 

I'll PM you details when I know more. 

mrussel1

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

My 2245 came with the hideous metal with the crappy veneer glued to it.  My plan was to strip it down and take it to a rim shop and get it painted with a very hard, durable piano black paint.  Alas, things went south as the stripping process was slow, difficult, and not effective.  It was hours of labor with a heat gun and the right tools.  I abandoned the plan and purchased something similar to this.  Now this was several years ago and these are now $100 more, easy, than when I bought it.  I will say that it is very nice, piano black, but not as hard as if you bought something 



https://www.ebay.com/itm/225028549814?hash=item3464bf2cb6:g:uFwAAOSw4ztipyn-&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA0P1swGITozQJ8ZxWvmkx6ktB7dXwffyCYZAiR2PF7R780XP0Gi0DT0KQh3lKYGvy1CNjnGgcdV3JoKyQYRxw9SIcBBqcvW1nDHIeDsCzKbh9s++4yEynWUN9pEYSGeB1g6atL/OfRpYS0I6eQRS3jDdhwc+JdUGZNklfhSyMgkQ0mjWERp5RhYT66bRvoQWEAJ82cR+rQrcBVmkFxFE4Jh5bjbyFM7Rxcw0Xlvu8Cvj93oz7W5TDuwncEG40Lr9YkNUDkTfh1nICPta2OCHUT9s=|tkp:Bk9SR4Th6YPlYQ

mickeyrat

mrussel1 said:i

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

My 2245 came with the hideous metal with the crappy veneer glued to it.  My plan was to strip it down and take it to a rim shop and get it painted with a very hard, durable piano black paint.  Alas, things went south as the stripping process was slow, difficult, and not effective.  It was hours of labor with a heat gun and the right tools.  I abandoned the plan and purchased something similar to this.  Now this was several years ago and these are now $100 more, easy, than when I bought it.  I will say that it is very nice, piano black, but not as hard as if you bought something 



https://www.ebay.com/itm/225028549814?hash=item3464bf2cb6:g:uFwAAOSw4ztipyn-&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA0P1swGITozQJ8ZxWvmkx6ktB7dXwffyCYZAiR2PF7R780XP0Gi0DT0KQh3lKYGvy1CNjnGgcdV3JoKyQYRxw9SIcBBqcvW1nDHIeDsCzKbh9s++4yEynWUN9pEYSGeB1g6atL/OfRpYS0I6eQRS3jDdhwc+JdUGZNklfhSyMgkQ0mjWERp5RhYT66bRvoQWEAJ82cR+rQrcBVmkFxFE4Jh5bjbyFM7Rxcw0Xlvu8Cvj93oz7W5TDuwncEG40Lr9YkNUDkTfh1nICPta2OCHUT9s=|tkp:Bk9SR4Th6YPlYQ

have seen those. same folks who do the repop blackfaces

mrussel1

mickeyrat said:

mrussel1 said:i

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

My 2245 came with the hideous metal with the crappy veneer glued to it.  My plan was to strip it down and take it to a rim shop and get it painted with a very hard, durable piano black paint.  Alas, things went south as the stripping process was slow, difficult, and not effective.  It was hours of labor with a heat gun and the right tools.  I abandoned the plan and purchased something similar to this.  Now this was several years ago and these are now $100 more, easy, than when I bought it.  I will say that it is very nice, piano black, but not as hard as if you bought something 



https://www.ebay.com/itm/225028549814?hash=item3464bf2cb6:g:uFwAAOSw4ztipyn-&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA0P1swGITozQJ8ZxWvmkx6ktB7dXwffyCYZAiR2PF7R780XP0Gi0DT0KQh3lKYGvy1CNjnGgcdV3JoKyQYRxw9SIcBBqcvW1nDHIeDsCzKbh9s++4yEynWUN9pEYSGeB1g6atL/OfRpYS0I6eQRS3jDdhwc+JdUGZNklfhSyMgkQ0mjWERp5RhYT66bRvoQWEAJ82cR+rQrcBVmkFxFE4Jh5bjbyFM7Rxcw0Xlvu8Cvj93oz7W5TDuwncEG40Lr9YkNUDkTfh1nICPta2OCHUT9s=|tkp:Bk9SR4Th6YPlYQ

have seen those. same folks who do the repop blackfaces

Yes,  Germans if I recall.  

mickeyrat

mrussel1 said:

mickeyrat said:

mrussel1 said:i

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

My 2245 came with the hideous metal with the crappy veneer glued to it.  My plan was to strip it down and take it to a rim shop and get it painted with a very hard, durable piano black paint.  Alas, things went south as the stripping process was slow, difficult, and not effective.  It was hours of labor with a heat gun and the right tools.  I abandoned the plan and purchased something similar to this.  Now this was several years ago and these are now $100 more, easy, than when I bought it.  I will say that it is very nice, piano black, but not as hard as if you bought something 



https://www.ebay.com/itm/225028549814?hash=item3464bf2cb6:g:uFwAAOSw4ztipyn-&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA0P1swGITozQJ8ZxWvmkx6ktB7dXwffyCYZAiR2PF7R780XP0Gi0DT0KQh3lKYGvy1CNjnGgcdV3JoKyQYRxw9SIcBBqcvW1nDHIeDsCzKbh9s++4yEynWUN9pEYSGeB1g6atL/OfRpYS0I6eQRS3jDdhwc+JdUGZNklfhSyMgkQ0mjWERp5RhYT66bRvoQWEAJ82cR+rQrcBVmkFxFE4Jh5bjbyFM7Rxcw0Xlvu8Cvj93oz7W5TDuwncEG40Lr9YkNUDkTfh1nICPta2OCHUT9s=|tkp:Bk9SR4Th6YPlYQ

have seen those. same folks who do the repop blackfaces

Yes,  Germans if I recall.  

yep. they wrapped my faceplate with a half a roll of bubblewrap, tucked in a box of paper. pretty sure sll that stuff and the box weighed more than the faceplate!!!

dudeman

mrussel1 said:

dudeman said:

mickeyrat said:

dudeman said:

Oh man!

It's hard to tell in the photo of your 2275 but is the case black metal or brown woodgrain-looking metal? 

Also, are you looking for a wood case for it?

Black case. Imperfect at this point. No dents or anything like that but some spots where the paint was chipped or something. Like these white spots in places on the top.

And yes, a woodcase has been considered. Question is do I search and pay up for an original or buy from the vintage hifi place that does custom cases in a variety of wood choices? Ash, Cherry or Walnut. Along with some exotic woods and more expensive as you might expect. New replicas seem to be priced the same as the originals are going for.

I think at some point I will get a case as I will be transferring the 1228 and the 1257 Duals I have into wood bases and get rid of that plastic they sit in now.

They certainly look good in wood! Classic look, for sure. The prices are pretty crazy whether you go old or new. I have an old WC-22 that fits my 2245 and 2275. The guy I got it from attempted to repair a couple spots where the veneer was damaged and he did a piss poor job of matching it up. I  might end up painting it or selling it. 

I'm pretty sure @mrussel1 painted the metal case when he blackfaced his Marantz. Looks good in the pictures! Hopefully he can describe his process here.

Also, if I were going to wood case a Marantz, I would probably take the metal cover off, just for cooling purposes. 

I think when it gets warmer outside, I'm going to paint the metal covers on my 2215b and 2275. Right now, one is brown and the other is black and the one on the 2275 has a couple discolored spots. Can't really see either of the cases when they're in the rack but knowing that they are different still bugs me a little. 

My 2245 came with the hideous metal with the crappy veneer glued to it.  My plan was to strip it down and take it to a rim shop and get it painted with a very hard, durable piano black paint.  Alas, things went south as the stripping process was slow, difficult, and not effective.  It was hours of labor with a heat gun and the right tools.  I abandoned the plan and purchased something similar to this.  Now this was several years ago and these are now $100 more, easy, than when I bought it.  I will say that it is very nice, piano black, but not as hard as if you bought something 



https://www.ebay.com/itm/225028549814?hash=item3464bf2cb6:g:uFwAAOSw4ztipyn-&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA0P1swGITozQJ8ZxWvmkx6ktB7dXwffyCYZAiR2PF7R780XP0Gi0DT0KQh3lKYGvy1CNjnGgcdV3JoKyQYRxw9SIcBBqcvW1nDHIeDsCzKbh9s++4yEynWUN9pEYSGeB1g6atL/OfRpYS0I6eQRS3jDdhwc+JdUGZNklfhSyMgkQ0mjWERp5RhYT66bRvoQWEAJ82cR+rQrcBVmkFxFE4Jh5bjbyFM7Rxcw0Xlvu8Cvj93oz7W5TDuwncEG40Lr9YkNUDkTfh1nICPta2OCHUT9s=|tkp:Bk9SR4Th6YPlYQ

That case looks great! I guess I misremembered how yours shook out. Either way, the black case and black faceplate look awesome together. 

mookieblalock

Finally have my new system just about set up. Mr.  Russell, did you get your VPI Prime from Upscale Audio? Mine came pre-setup from them, and everything looks good, except when i lower the stylus on the outside of the platter the tonearm swings back toward the base as it gets close to the platter.

When the cover is on the stylus everything is stable. Anybody have any advice on what I need to adjust? I’m afraid to tinker too much with it because it seems like it needs a minor adjustment, just not sure if it is the counterweight or something else? I’m going to measure the platter again, but I’m pretty sure it’s level.

mrussel1

mookieblalock said:

Finally have my new system just about set up. Mr.  Russell, did you get your VPI Prime from Upscale Audio? Mine came pre-setup from them, and everything looks good, except when i lower the stylus on the outside of the platter the tonearm swings back toward the base as it gets close to the platter.

When the cover is on the stylus everything is stable. Anybody have any advice on what I need to adjust? I’m afraid to tinker too much with it because it seems like it needs a minor adjustment, just not sure if it is the counterweight or something else? I’m going to measure the platter again, but I’m pretty sure it’s level.

Beautiful rack!  Which cartridge did you get with the TT?  And yes, I did get mine from Upscale and have been thrilled with it.  It does seem like a minor adjustment when the tonearm is swinging, but I don't want to give you bad advice here.  I haven't tinkered with mine since I set it up originally.  It is likely the counterweight though.  I'd call them.  You will get quick support.  

Great looking Yamaha too.  I love the look of those upper end integrated amps.  Which model did you get and how do you like it?

dudeman

mookieblalock said:

Finally have my new system just about set up. Mr.  Russell, did you get your VPI Prime from Upscale Audio? Mine came pre-setup from them, and everything looks good, except when i lower the stylus on the outside of the platter the tonearm swings back toward the base as it gets close to the platter.

When the cover is on the stylus everything is stable. Anybody have any advice on what I need to adjust? I’m afraid to tinker too much with it because it seems like it needs a minor adjustment, just not sure if it is the counterweight or something else? I’m going to measure the platter again, but I’m pretty sure it’s level.

Do you mean that the arm wants to swing back toward the outer edge of the record when lowering it? If so, I assume that is the affect of the anti-skate doing its job.

Anti-skate should be set to match the vertical tracking force for your stylus. You can pretty easily confirm that if you have a scale appropriate for measuring vertical tracking force. 

I apologize if you already know this or if it isn't what you are experiencing trouble with.

Nice rig!

mookieblalock

mrussel1 said:

mookieblalock said:

Finally have my new system just about set up. Mr.  Russell, did you get your VPI Prime from Upscale Audio? Mine came pre-setup from them, and everything looks good, except when i lower the stylus on the outside of the platter the tonearm swings back toward the base as it gets close to the platter.

When the cover is on the stylus everything is stable. Anybody have any advice on what I need to adjust? I’m afraid to tinker too much with it because it seems like it needs a minor adjustment, just not sure if it is the counterweight or something else? I’m going to measure the platter again, but I’m pretty sure it’s level.

Beautiful rack!  Which cartridge did you get with the TT?  And yes, I did get mine from Upscale and have been thrilled with it.  It does seem like a minor adjustment when the tonearm is swinging, but I don't want to give you bad advice here.  I haven't tinkered with mine since I set it up originally.  It is likely the counterweight though.  I'd call them.  You will get quick support.  

Great looking Yamaha too.  I love the look of those upper end integrated amps.  Which model did you get and how do you like it?

Thanks for the advice. I called and it was just a very small adjustment to the counterweight. Everything looks good now. Great service.

I ended up going with the Ortofon Bronze. Debated between that and the black, but figured I can swap out for the black in the future. Amp is the a-s1200. Got a great open box deal on it and it sounds great so far. The biggest obstacle with my setup was getting my rack level since I have thick, plush carpeting. Had to get some heavy duty spikes to get to the sub floor. Kind of a pain, but we’re good to go.

mookieblalock

dudeman said:

mookieblalock said:

Finally have my new system just about set up. Mr.  Russell, did you get your VPI Prime from Upscale Audio? Mine came pre-setup from them, and everything looks good, except when i lower the stylus on the outside of the platter the tonearm swings back toward the base as it gets close to the platter.

When the cover is on the stylus everything is stable. Anybody have any advice on what I need to adjust? I’m afraid to tinker too much with it because it seems like it needs a minor adjustment, just not sure if it is the counterweight or something else? I’m going to measure the platter again, but I’m pretty sure it’s level.

Do you mean that the arm wants to swing back toward the outer edge of the record when lowering it? If so, I assume that is the affect of the anti-skate doing its job.

Anti-skate should be set to match the vertical tracking force for your stylus. You can pretty easily confirm that if you have a scale appropriate for measuring vertical tracking force. 

I apologize if you already know this or if it isn't what you are experiencing trouble with.

Nice rig!

I’ve got it figured out as you saw above. I actually don’t use the anti-skate on the Prime as they don’t recommend it. Thanks for the compliment and suggestions. I appreciate it!