Marantz speakers

[bigtonenz]

Hi,
I've just scored some marantz sp 930 pro speakers.
If anyone can tell me anything about them it would be much appeciated.
They are in immaculate condition and sound great.
The bass speaker seems to be in the middle of the box.
thanks,
Bigtone

 

[TLS Guy]

Hi,
I've just scored some marantz sp 930 pro speakers.
If anyone can tell me anything about them it would be much appeciated.
They are in immaculate condition and sound great.
The bass speaker seems to be in the middle of the box.
thanks,
Bigtone

I can't say I remember that particular speaker, but it dates form the around 1979 I believe.

The Far Eastern manufacturers made a hard push to make inroads into the speaker market at that time, especially to compete with British manufacturers and also JBL and Altec Lansing from the US.

Even though they competed on price, their efforts were a dismal failure. Even aggressive pricing could not make up for the fact their speakers were rock bottom awful.

I can't remember a Far Eastern design from that era that was not a waste of space.

If you like them may be you have hit on a very odd exception, but from the driver complement I doubt it.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

I don't have any personal experience with those, but a Google search for "Marantz 930" will provide you with some information such as from this site here.

Do your speakers look like this?

 

[highfigh]

I can't say I remember that particular speaker, but it dates form the around 1979 I believe.

The Far Eastern manufacturers made a hard push to make inroads into the speaker market at that time, especially to compete with British manufacturers and also JBL and Altec Lansing from the US.

Even though they competed on price, their efforts were a dismal failure. Even aggressive pricing could not make up for the fact their speakers were rock bottom awful.

I can't remember a Far Eastern design from that era that was not a waste of space.

If you like them may be you have hit on a very odd exception, but from the driver complement I doubt it.

Sony SS-U2000 and SS-U3000 were pretty good for some things.

 

[TLS Guy]

Welcome to the forum!

I don't have any personal experience with those, but a Google search for "Marantz 930" will provide you with some information such as from this site here.

Do your speakers look like this?

That will be them alright. Typical of Far Eastern speaker of the period. Too many drivers and crossover points, and worst of all those 5" paper coned mid range drivers, which eared the acronym "squarkers." And that they were!

 

[WmAx]

I have heard some favorable things said about the Marantz 930/940 speakers. I doubt they will give you realistic sound, but from what I have heard, they get loud and clean, with high output LF bass to 20Hz flat. Probably a great 'party' speaker, similar to the old Realistic Mach One. Clean, loud, reasonably flat response. Refined/realistic sound? In no way is this the case, however.

-Chris

 

[KnarlyCharly]

I know this is over 3 years later, but SP930 are not the other 930 that has been mentioned sofar. SP series came about in the mid to late 80's, and share nothing with their predecessor, the Design series model 930 from 1977-79, which were designed by brilliant engineer Edmond May. His designs include the LE series drivers manufactured by JBL, JBL 4310 monitor, L166 Horizon, L65 jubal, and Frazier-May Dixielander. The Marantz models he designed were the Model 4/5/6/7/8 MKII series, First gen High Definition Series, HD44/55/66/77/ & 88, Second gen HD series, HD440/550/660/770/ & 880, DS900/920/930/ & 940. He also designed two lines right after the HD/DS lines, Model X00, which are 200/400/600/ & 800, and the M series, M2/M10/M16. Do not confuse Ed's "MXX" series with the earlier "XXM" series Marantz that were suffixed. The last two designs were in production for less than a year during 1980 when Ed suddenly passed away while at his desk. Marantz built a special anechoic chamber for him to utilize in the refinement of his designs with the Marantz nameplate. His designs are superbly tuned for the flattest, most accurate sound reproduction. In no way are they erratic, muddy, mushy or harsh.