Your loyalty to a brand is touching, but my last Marantz purchase wasn’t so heartwarming. I had bought the NAS 7004, one of the first streamer DACs. It was so buggy as a streamer that it was unusable. I was not allowed a refund, only to exchange it for an equally buggy 7004. Marantz stopped making and then refused to stop supporting it a few years later. I have seen many posts about Marantz service in Agon, none of them favorable. Let me just say that in my experience they treat consumers with contempt
What is to become of Marantz Reference and HIFI as we know it
So I have been in a quiet morning for KI and Marantz as a brand for five months now.... The Marantz brand has been an American Icon in high-end audio and Saul Marantz might very well be the first “Audiophile” ever?
The Marantz brand has been with all of us for soooo very long! And in my family I’ll always remember the glowing blue of the hard earned family receiver...
When Saul knew his time was up and when he sold his company he made sure he had the assurance that someone would have/keep his vision and they sent him Ken Ishiwata, aka KI!
KI kept his end of the deal and more! KI has always had Saul Marantz in mind and his best interest at heart when guiding the Marantz companies References series.... And now sadly KI is gone, no longer with us. I always thought that somehow I would meet him at some trade show or something and shake his hand, thank him for all he did to make an impression on our hobby and in my life... Again sadly that never happened and as someone who loves HIFI I regret it.
But the larger question looms as what happens to Marantz high-end reference series/products now? They have been carefully guided by Saul Marantz and Ken Ishiwata for all these years! And there was no passing of the torch as there was between Saul and Ken...
I fear that the lone fighter for Marantz HIFI is gone now and it will not recover? I hope I am wrong and that someone in the Japan division will take it up but only time will tell...
Here is to you KI for keeping that flame alive all these years
The Marantz brand has been with all of us for soooo very long! And in my family I’ll always remember the glowing blue of the hard earned family receiver...
When Saul knew his time was up and when he sold his company he made sure he had the assurance that someone would have/keep his vision and they sent him Ken Ishiwata, aka KI!
KI kept his end of the deal and more! KI has always had Saul Marantz in mind and his best interest at heart when guiding the Marantz companies References series.... And now sadly KI is gone, no longer with us. I always thought that somehow I would meet him at some trade show or something and shake his hand, thank him for all he did to make an impression on our hobby and in my life... Again sadly that never happened and as someone who loves HIFI I regret it.
But the larger question looms as what happens to Marantz high-end reference series/products now? They have been carefully guided by Saul Marantz and Ken Ishiwata for all these years! And there was no passing of the torch as there was between Saul and Ken...
I fear that the lone fighter for Marantz HIFI is gone now and it will not recover? I hope I am wrong and that someone in the Japan division will take it up but only time will tell...
Here is to you KI for keeping that flame alive all these years
- ...
- 19 posts total
Mahler you are reinforcing what I am sadly hoping does not become a norm! Now your 7004 was not a Reference unit, never the less that is what happens when a culture is lost and only corporate bean counters control policy! Now I will say my UD 7007 had two issues on its video side and Marantz was fantastic in its service side! The second time it was out of warranty yet they covered it at no cost and returned it with great results... This can be verified by my HIFI place “The Sound Shop” in Colorado Springs..... http://www.the-sound-shop.com/ So for me Marantz has been great on the warranty side but this is getting off the message! Im worried that the legacy of Saul and KI to continue reference grade products that challenged anything out there is lost? I hope I am wrong.... |
I would not compare the lower tier marantz stuff to the reference gear, different animals in my opinion, this coming from a lifelong marantz buyer and listener. I have to say my pm14s1 reference is quite the integrated as well as their reference cd/sacd players. This is not to dispute the supposed bad customer support referenced above, not that i ever needed any support, as I never experienced an issue with the brand. |
Well I want to vote for the lower tier stuff. 10 years ago I dusted off my albums and bought the most expensive audio I’ve ever purchased. A Marantz PM5003 integrated. Refurbished I think. It was so marvelous I I keep it (unplugged:)) next to my new higher end gear to remind me of the joy that it and the loudness knob provided. Funk boogie and soul. |
- 19 posts total