Integrated Amp Reviews

Marantz PM5003 integrated amplifier Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Source: Rega Planar 3 turntable, Syrinx PU-3 tonearm, Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridge.
Digital Source: Lector, Creek Destiny CD players.
Integrated Amplifier: Creek 5350SE.
Loudspeakers: Monitor Audio Silver RS6, Epos M5.
Cables: Interconnect: MIT MI-350 CVTwin Terminator & CVT Terminator 2. Speaker: Acarian Systems Black Orpheus. AC: manufacturers' own.
Accessories: Various by ASC, Bright Star, Simply Physics, Sound Anchor, VPI.—Robert J. Reina

COMPANY INFO
Marantz America, Inc.
100 Corporate Drive
Mahwah, NJ 07430-2041
(201) 762-0500
www.marantz.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
david.bennett's picture
Submitted by david.bennett on January 6, 2011 - 8:37pm

Does the PM5003 have sub/lfe-in? This Amp is perfect for my price range, but subwoofer compatibility is a HUGE selling point for me...

keefer's picture
Submitted by keefer on March 8, 2011 - 12:18pm

Love this amp. Picked it up today (where it was on sale for $100 off the $449 list price--nice surprise!). I'm replacing an old Yamaha A1020, purchased new in 1986 and which has been developing "issues." I was a little apprehensive about going from 125 watts/channel to 40, but my original Advent Loudspeakers love this thing! While I miss some of the more sophisticated controls of the old Yamaha (the bass and treble fine-tuning controls were, well, more fine-tuning; there was a mono switch; and Yamaha does variable loudness knobs so good), but I am also really enjoying the simplicity of this unit--and the excellent sound. And I was really pleasantly surprised by the quality of the phono input, which is just as good or better than the input on the old Yamaha.

keefer's picture
Submitted by keefer on March 8, 2011 - 12:25pm

Love this amp. Picked it up today (this year's model, the PM5004, at one of your better known electronics mall stores where it was on sale for $100 off the $449 list price--nice surprise!). I'm replacing an old Yamaha A1020, purchased new in 1986 and which has been developing "issues." I was a little apprehensive about going from 125 watts/channel to 40, but my original Advent Loudspeakers love this thing! I miss some of the more sophisticated controls of the old Yamaha (the bass and treble fine-tuning controls were, well, more fine-tuning; there was a mono switch; and Yamaha does variable loudness knobs so good), but I am also really enjoying the simplicity of this unit--and the excellent sound. And I was really pleasantly surprised by the quality of the phono input, which is just as good or better than the input on the old Yamaha.

So far I've auditioned Kind of Blue on an early pressing, and side 3 of the blue Beatles album, and was very impressed with the distinction of the bass and the clarity of the mid-range and highs. While those highs don't extend quite the way they did with the Yamaha, I also have an amp that, for under 400 bucks, is giving me the kind of solid, focused sound stage that my old Yamaha, in its better days, used to deliver.

I also auditioned recorded tapes (home tapes of my LPs) through both my Nak CR-3a and Denon DRM 500, and both sound sources came through as nice sounding as I've ever heard them on my system.

I anticipate many years of audio bliss with this amp.

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