[wualta]

Quote:

I have a filter button but no -20lb button on mine. 

Not a problem if you're not getting hiss or hum in your headphones and your volume control doesn't have to be turned way down to achieve a normal listening level.
 

 

[moodyrn]

Unfortunately all of the vintage gear don't have this. But you are right. It's a non issue if you are not getting his or hum from you headphone jack.

 

[wualta]

Maaaybe we should make an informal list of those sometimes-forgotten preamp-section features that make life easier for the vintage-gear headphone fanatic. Someone using speakers, for example, might never even think of using the -20dB switch, but it suddenly becomes important with headphones.

 

[TheMarkRemains]

Quote:

Maaaybe we should make an informal list of those sometimes-forgotten preamp-section features that make life easier for the vintage-gear headphone fanatic. Someone using speakers, for example, might never even think of using the -20dB switch, but it suddenly becomes important with headphones.

absolutely ! especially some of these extreme hackers on here, don't want the uniformed to do something crazy and blow up headphones and/or go deaf !

 

[Skylab]

For headphone use, the -20dB muting is almost a requirement for the high-powered vintage receives both in terms of hiss and in terms of getting some play from the volume control.  My Pioneer SX-1250 and 1980 both use stepped attenuators, and so the muting is also important for the volume settings to be granular enough with headphones. The lack of the -20dB feature on my Marantz 2285 makes it of limited utility on some headphones.  Works fine still with the HE-6, but not as good a choice for high-efficiency, low impedance cans.

 

[jc9394]

Marantz should have a variable mute setting on the back.  At least my 2265b has it and it works great with IEM.

 

[sluker]

Skylab,
Do you think the -20dn muting effects the quality of the sound (other than muting it by -20db)?
 
Quote:

For headphone use, the -20dB muting is almost a requirement for the high-powered vintage receives both in terms of hiss and in terms of getting some play from the volume control.  My Pioneer SX-1250 and 1980 both use stepped attenuators, and so the muting is also important for the volume settings to be granular enough with headphones. The lack of the -20dB feature on my Marantz 2285 makes it of limited utility on some headphones.  Works fine still with the HE-6, but not as good a choice for high-efficiency, low impedance cans.

 

 

[moodyrn]

Quote:

Marantz should have a variable mute setting on the back.  At least my 2265b has it and it works great with IEM.

My 2325 has it as well, but it's entirely different than a -20db mute button. The variable muting pot on the back really is for permanent adjustments. You can't ideally switch back and forth(well you can, but it would be very bothersome). When I had both my kenwood and pioneer, the -20 was a must. I could easily engage it whenever I went from something like my he-6 to my jh13. That way, I had total flexibility to switch between hard to drive cans to highly sensitive cans/iems.
 
But if you are only driving highly sensitive cans or iems, you could just set it and forget it. But if you have one of the low powered ones, and are driving speakers, you may have issues driving them with the gain set to low. I really do miss my -20db button. I was shocked to see my marantz didn't have it. I guess none of them do.

 

[RexAeterna]

I really like my jh13's with the kenwood I had. It was by far the best I've ever heard them. They sounded pretty good on the sx1010 I had also. I haven't tried them on my newly acquired marantz yet, but I will once I finish with my partial restoration. Are you using the -20db button. I find this is very important when using highly sensitive iems.

got away with using iem's? i can't even use my 600ohm sextetts lp off my yamaha without the -20 db muting button. i found it most useful for mt 240DF and planer magnetic headphones, and that's off the headphone jack. on speaker outputs no matter what headphone i use that -20db switch better be on or headphones and hearing will go bye-bye.

 

[moodyrn]

Yes, with the -20db button. There was a little hiss with the pioneer, but only very little. With the kenwood, they were dead quiet. In fact it was more quiet than the headphone out of 5.5g ipod video. They had just a little hiss with that. But like I said previously, with the kenwood, they were dead quiet, and sounded excellent.

 

[claybum]

As a result of lurking around this thread, I recently picked up this unit off craigslist.

 

 
The Marantz drives my lcd2 and dx1000 very very well. I'm having a great time with it!!!!!

 

[moodyrn]

Congrats, that's a great find!

 

[claybum]

Thanks, I look forward to getting some speakers for it in the future.

 

[Skylab]

@slurker - I have not ever noticed that it does, and it shouldn't.
 
@claybum - very nice!

 

[moodyrn]

Marantz's definitely have a very unique sound. Whether that's a good thing or bad thing is in the eye of the beholder or should I say listener.