Marantz has been making solid entry-level amplifiers for decades and the Marantz 2230 is one of the old classics. This vintage stereo receiver has an excellent sound quality for its time and still holds up to this day, with many proud owners singing praises about them. So many years have passed, and there are a lot more speakers available on the market today but the question is, which pair of speakers are the best match for your Marantz 2230.
In order to find the right pair of speakers to pair with this vintage stereo amp, we need to learn more about its core strengths and limitation. How do the Marantz 2230 sound and what are the sonic characteristics. Gathering such information will be helpful for you too. Once we have gathered these details, we will then start sharing with you the best speakers that you can match with your Marantz 2230.
Table of Contents
Sonic Characteristics and Important Specifications of Marantz 2230
If you compare the Marantz 2230 to the modern-day Marantz amplifiers, you can see a big difference in the design and aesthetics. The silverish metallic front and the striking lights are what made the classic Marantz amps iconic. It might be quite difficult to match with loudspeakers that are made recently though but what’s more important will still be the sound quality. They do have a decent power output of 30 Watts per channel into 8/4 Ohms and 20 Watts per channel into 16 Ohms. The Marantz 2230 is strong enough to drive most bookshelf speakers at moderate volume. It doesn’t have a subwoofer output so we will leave the option of adding an active sub out of the equation.
The frequency response is really impressive for a vintage stereo receiver at this price range, it starts from 15Hz to 50kHz and at 0.5 % THD which is considered very low for a classic amplifier. The frequency response of the Marantz 2230 does allow a wide choice of bookshelf speakers but it is still limited by its power output per channel. Due to these specs, we have to filter out quite a number of loudspeakers. There is also a phono input which is good news for turntable users. To make it easier to aesthetically blend Marantz 2230 into your home interiors and look better with your speakers, you can go for the WC-22 wood case. It makes the appearance of 2230 so much softer and still looks good.
More Details at Amazon – WC-22 Wooden case for Marantz 2230
If you just want a relaxing music listening experience then the Marantz 2230 stereo receiver is what you need. The highs are silky smooth and mellow, no matter what volume level you are playing, it will never shrill and always sound pleasing to your ears. Due to this, you can enjoy listening to your favorite tunes and vinyl for countless hours without ever fatiguing your ears. The pleasing mellowness flows down to the midrange as well, which also produces smooth and fluid mids. The midrange reproduction is also very detailed and has a nice timbre to it.
The vocals are simply amazing and melodic, the musical instruments are equally engaging as well which is really unexpected. There is so much depth in the music presentation, and even though it has a warm touch to it but it still sounded natural and realistic. The bass reproduction is full-bodied and tightly controlled, it can be punchy when it needs to as well. The low-ends are solid but never overshadow the rest of the higher frequencies. The overall music presentation is a joy to listen to, it is warm and smooth but never a dull moment. The sweet sound quality of the Marantz 2230 always lures you in and you just want to keep playing your favorite tunes.
It is an exceptional stereo receiver for playing vinyl analog sources and will be amazing for most music genres. The Marantz 2230 will also make a great headphone amplifier, bringing the warm-sounding nature and full-bodied bass quality into your ear cans. In terms of sound quality, the 2230 stereo receiver can still compete and probably win some of the more expensive amplifiers. We now know how nice and smooth they sound, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Now with this data, we can finally share with you the best speakers to go for and match them with your Marantz 2230.
Marantz 2230 Specifications
- Power Outputs: 30 Watts per channel into 8/4 Ohms, 20 Watts per channel into 16 Ohms
- Frequency Response: 15Hz-50kHz
- Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.5%
- Speaker Load Impedance: 4 Ohms to 16 Ohms
- Inputs: 1 Line input, 1 Phono input, 1 Tape input, 1 Main input
- Outputs: Headphone output, 1 Tape output, 1 Pre-out
- Dimensions: 440mm x 137mm x 355mm (17.3″ x 5.4″ x 14″)
- Weight: 12.9kg (28.6lbs)
Best Speakers to pair with Marantz 2230
The Klipsch RP-600M Reference Premiere is definitely one of the best speakers to go with your Marantz 2230 as firstly it is a very efficient and high sensitivity bookshelf speaker. This enables the 2230 stereo receiver to drive the RP-600M with ease and push them to higher volume levels. The clarity of the Klipsch RP-600M speakers is astonishing and the Marantz 2230 warm sound characteristic helps to ease the hard edges. The bass and full-bodied sound quality of the amplifier also complements the bookshelf speakers really well.
More Info at Amazon – Klipsch RP-600M Reference Premiere Bookshelf Speakers
If a warm-sounding stereo system is what you really want then the Wharfedale Diamond 220 will be an ideal pair of bookshelf speakers for you. The sonic characteristics of the Diamond 220 are similar to your Marantz 2230 receiver, allowing them to work together seamlessly. Delivering a smooth, warm and rich music presentation without compromising the musical details. These bookshelf speakers are also capable of producing a deep and weighty bass performance which is a pleasant surprise and simply outstanding for a speaker this size. Furthermore, the affordable price point of Wharfedale Diamond 220 makes it worthy of your time to check them out.
More Info at Amazon – Wharfedale Diamond 220
The Klipsch Heritage Forte III is another amazing speaker to match with the Marantz 2230. It is a powerful speaker with very high speaker sensitivity which makes it easier for the Marantz 2230 to drive them. The Forte III also has an impressive frequency response that dugs deep into the bass extension, which helps to improve the overall bass performance of your sound system without needing a subwoofer. The speaker’s sonic characteristics are also well suited with the smooth and warm-sounding nature of the Marantz 2230 amplifier. The qualms we have is that the Klipsch Heritage Forte III is above the price range of Marantz 2230 but it is still sanely priced.
More Info at Amazon – Klipsch Heritage Forte III Floorstanding Speaker
The popular ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 is a suitable match with most Marantz amplifiers and the Marantz 2230 stereo receiver is no exception. The warm and rich sound reproduction of the 2230 stereo receiver doesn’t add brightness to the bookshelf speakers. And the ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 provides more clarity as well as transparency onto the table, not to mention, the massive details it is capable of producing. With that level of insight, it never sounds clinical, all thanks to the warmth brought by the sweet-sounding Marantz 2230 amp. This is definitely worth the effort to drop by to have a listen.
More Info at Amazon – ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers
One of the best vintage speakers to match with Marantz 2230 will be the legendary Dynaco A25. It is a classic speaker that delivers very natural sound quality and the performance you get is really worth every penny. It is also very popular among audiophiles who loved vintage HiFi components. The Dynaco A25 is smooth and mellow, quite similar to the Marantz 2230 stereo receiver but is still able to produce very deep bass with prominence. The tight bass control of the Marantz 2230 does help to tighten up the ample low-frequency output of the A25 speakers. Aesthetically both of them match well together too.
If you need more power, you can always try to get an external power amplifier. Since the Marantz 2230 is considered an entry-level stereo receiver, you might want to go with Emotiva as their power amps are below $500. Unless you need a more powerful amplifier, then it would go beyond $500. Emotiva power amps are well-recognized by audiophiles and HT enthusiasts due to the sonic performances you will get at a very reasonable price range. Parasound is another reputable HiFi brand that also designs and builds high-performance power amplifiers. The Parasound NewClassic 275 v.2 will be an amazing entry-level power amp to start with. By using an external power amplifier, you can now go for floor-standing speakers or other loudspeakers which require more than 30 Watts (RMS) of amplifier power.
More Info at Amazon – Parasound 275v2 90 Watt Stereo Power Amplifier
To Conclude
The Marantz 2230 is an excellent entry-level vintage amp and the listed speakers are some of the best which you can pair with. Due to the power output of 2230, the choices are quite limited but you can always add a power amplifier to further widen your choice of speakers. We will recommend auditioning these speakers first and see if you like their sound quality. Feel free to use them as references when hunting for other speaker’s brands or models, you can also do a direct speaker comparison during the audition.
