Best vintage Marantz receivers?

I have to go with the Marantz 2270 too. I purchased one in 1972 and sold it to my Uncle in 1974. He is still using it and it looks fantastic. About 10 years ago I told him he should take it to this tuner specialist in the NYC area and get the inside cleaned. I am still amazed at how sweet it sounds especially with the EPI 201 speakers I sold him too.

Model 18. Sonic superior to all the others. Last component and only receiver built by Marantz before it was sold to Superscope, distributor of Sony tapedecks. Less power than the 19 but more open and rounded sound. A classic!

When I was a post-doc at Stanford, I spent a month's stipend on a Model 18 that one of the grad students was able to buy at a discount because he also worked for a recording studio. I still have it, sitting on a shelf in our media room. It may have had only 40 watts per channel, but it drove any speakers I used with it to insane levels, including a pair of the notoriously inefficient AR3as. It's not used now, but it has great sentimental value to me; I wish I had a place to use it -- I still have the old AR3as in a closet as well. I highly recommend the 18.

db

My 2270 just became my main system with Polk Monitor 10As. Both are near mint and all I can say is I do not miss my separates. The music is just there. Plenty of power and detail for all music. Also collectable and gorgeous looks.

I used to own many of the 2230, 2245, 2275, and the 2330. I wish I still had the 2330. Hard to find, expensive, but worth it. I'd start with a 2270, then go up from there. My basement system has a 2252 powering it.