Are you looking for Marantz quality in a modestly powered integrated stereo amplifier? The new Marantz PM5003 integrated amplifier may be exactly what you need. Perfect in a starter system for a music lover or for “secondary systems” in summer homes, dens, or dorms, this gem delivers the sonic excellence Marantz is known for in an stylish, easy-to-use package. Attractively priced as a first stereo integrated amp for many. With the kind of Marantz performance you'd expect that may well make it the last amp for some.
Integrated amplifiers are the best choice for anyone looking for superb performance without the complexity or cost of a comparable receiver or preamplifier/power amplifier combination. Their minimalist design means that the engineering team concentrates on the essentials that directly contribute to better sound in addition to making it a breeze to operate. So, depending on your point of view, you either get a lot more than you paid for or spent a lot less than you thought you would. That sounds like a “win-win” situation don't you agree? And the Marantz PM5003 will sound even better to you.
The Marantz PM5003 stereo integrated amplifier features something called "Current Feedback" design. That’s engineering-speak for a circuit with better ability to accurately track quickly changing, wide bandwidth musical signals than more conventional voltage feedback topologies. The amplifiers themselves are custom-designed entirely with discrete components so you don’t suffer any of the built-in limitations of off-the-shelf integrated circuits.
That means that whatever input you select, whether it’s one of the five line level circuits or the phono stage, you’ll enjoy superb sound quality. And these inputs feed a buffer circuit that minimizes any interaction between the source and the PM5003. For the audiophile eared folks, there’s a Source Direct switch so you can bypass tone and balance controls for the shortest signal path from input to output.
Want to record your favorite sources? Just connect the recording device of your choice to the Record Out jacks and begin!
Connecting speakers is simple, too. The new transparent terminals are easy to use and let you see if there are any problems with your wiring.
The Marantz PM 5003 even comes with a variety of connections that make for easy system integration in a custom-installed whole-house arrangement. You can select any of the three built-in remote control command sets so you can individually use up to three PM5003s in a single system. A separate IR flasher input and detachable AC cord allow easy placement in a cabinet or rack, too.
Of course, the PM5003 comes with a hand held remote controller so you can adjust your amplifier from the comfort of your favorite armchair.
From the composite aluminum/glass-reinforced resin front panel to the new speaker terminals, this integrated amplifier fulfills the needs of any music lover whose room isn’t quite as big as the sports stadium down the road. And it’s a Marantz – your assurance of the best quality and sound around.
Marantz PM5003 Performance Features
Sophisticated new aluminum/reinforced resin front panel
Current feedback amplifier circuit
Discrete-component amplifier
Input buffer circuit for High S/N & Ch. Separation
Power output (40 Hz – 20 kHz simultaneous drive of both channels)
............................................................40 W x 2 (8Ω load)
............................................................55 W x 2 (4Ω load)
Total harmonic distortion (40 Hz – 20 kHz simultaneous drive of both channels, 8Ω load) ..................0.01%
*Specifications subject to change without prior notice.
Average Customer Rating
Marantz History
Saul Marantz founded the company that bore his name in the early 1950s to build high fidelity components. Working with such audio engineers as Sidney Smith and Richard Sequerra, Marantz constructed a series of vacuum-tube components that became yardsticks for the hi-fi industry. With the advent of transistor technology in the early 1960s, Marantz and his associates developed the landmark Model 18 receiver, the first example of a receiver combined with a preamplifier, power amplifier and tuner in one box. In 1964, he sold the company to Superscope, but remained with Marantz as president until 1968.
To continue the story, it is necessary to back track a bit, as it relates to Marantz' acquisition by Superscope. The Standard Radio Corporation was established in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan in 1953 manufacturing portable radios. In 1959 the company started manufacturing tape recorders. A new factory was built in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan in 1959 and this became the company's headquarters. In 1962 the company started manufacturing phonographs. With the acquisition of Marantz by Superscope in 1964, manufacturing of Marantz components gradually shifted to Japan, but design engineering remained in America for the time being.
In 1971, Standard Radio Corporation received third-party capitalization from Superscope of the U.S.A. In March of 1975, SRC changed its name to Marantz Japan, Inc. Superscope of the U.S.A. sold its shares of Marantz Japan to Philips of the Netherlands in 1980. Marantz manufactured its first Compact Disc player starting in 1982. Much if the Philips European design engineering made its way into the Marantz line of products, and the Marantz compact disc was one of the first proofs of this. Numerous improvements were made to the Sagamihara factory in the late 1980s. The magnificent PM-94 and PM-84 were manufactured at this time. These were a distinct break with the Philips-influenced integrated amplifiers of the mid-1980s, and a successful attempt at recapturing the legendary design and engineering that Marantz had become famous for.
In the late 1990s, Marantz reissued the legendary Model 7, 8 and 9 tube components and these were eagerly scooped up by audiophile collectors. These components were, in fact, engineered and manufactured by hand by the Valve Amplification Company of Durham, North Carolina. ( VAC is now located in Florida).
Then, in May of 2001, Marantz Japan, Inc. acquired the Marantz brand and its business in Europe and the USA from Philips. The company established Marantz divisions in the Netherlands, Germany, France and England. Marantz America, Inc. was organized in Los Angeles; the American division of Marantz had been headquartered in California for years. However, the offices were later moved to Itasca, Illinois. In 2002, Marantz merged with Denon and established a joint holding company, D & M Holdings, Inc. The Marantz and Denon product lines will remain separate and distinct.
