Just at the end of my lunch hour I got on c/l. Saw an ad for a Pioneer receiver. Looked and saw a 50 series and emailed right away asking for info as the ad was already 10 mins. old. While waiting I did some research and figured at the most it was an SX-950. Email confirmed that so the price was okay but not great. As I was thinking about it got another email stating that a buyer that was thought to have flaked showed up and bought it. But, "There was a better receiver with more power in the garage that needed to be dusted off . A Marantz Stereophonic 2523," and $10 more than what the 950 sold. 2523 ? Hmmm, could it be? I asked for a pic and waited. Three came back and the jpegs were titled "2325!" Opened the first and sure enough there was a 2325 plugged in and running ! Asked if I could pick it up right away instead of after 6:00pm (more on that). Decided to phone. Line was busy. Darn ! Kept trying to call and then emailed saying line is busy and left my number. Got a call. He has a dial-up service. Made arrangements and left. Decided to go down the boulevards instead of the freeways about 10 miles closer but .... The heat here has been killer and no a/c. Due to some roadwork took longer than I expected. Got to the address and was told no one by that name lived there . Thought I misunderstood and drove back a block same number but was "Place" instead of "Street." Wrong again. WTF Homeowner loaned me a phone but the line was busy.

Well, decided to leave my car parked and walk around. So, there I was in the middle of Compton (those in the know will know what that signifies) looking for an address that may not exist. Walked through a couple alleys and went back to the original address. Saw that there were some additional mailboxes with 1/2 and 1/4. Apparently a triplex. Went down an alley to the rear and saw a much larger unit. Heard music playing and started banging on the door. Had to wait for a pause between songs before I was heard. Success . He had phone in hand and told me he was just getting ready to call because he couldn't remember if he told me 1/2. Told him I was parked a street over. Went inside and there it was. He had some cheesy speakers hooked up to one side of both channels and a sub to the other because, "they couldn't handle the power if hooked up normally!" Sounded great though some pots are scratchy. Some nicks across the top edge. Gave him the money and said I had to get my car while he unhooked everything. When I got back he put it in my car asking if I knew how heavy these things were . Nice guy. We talked a bit. He's been out here from Alabama for only two years so I don't know why he has these. The guy that got the SX-950 was to have come in the morning so when I was told six he was just making sure he'd be around after some chores. He also had an SX-450 and some same size Technics. Now for the real odd part . In his ad he did say he had other pieces so I don't know why the other buyer didn't ask. Oh forgot, the Pioneer was listed at $60 so I go the Marantz for .....! Sometimes s##t happens. Yeah, I know over my normal budget but I just sold a Bose sub-amp and am still $30 in the black. On the way home my turn signal/light switch fell off so I farted with it some when I got home so I am enclosing the first pic he took and sent me. More later. Through the grill, looks clean inside.


it was late I was hot so I decided to stop at the thrift and get some air. Found a Velodyne CHT-8 sub. Really didn't need another speaker but it was less than $4.50 out the door. That's another forum.

So many great deals... I just gonna give you a blanket Congrats for all your present and future scores.

Great find and also a great story (yeah, I know Compton!)

velodyne out the door for $4.50!?!?! Man, I'm shopping at the wrong thrift stores! We get good deals up here around Seattle to, mostly on c/l, but nothing like the next-to-nothing type of deals you seem to keep finding! Congrats Hakka!

thats pretty clean looking. another nice score Jerome.

Congratulation's on a nice score!

Thanks guys. Actually, that's my second 2325 and sort of the most I've spent on any one piece save for my Fortes. Bought a 2325 a couple years ago for $10. Turned out to need some repair. A member from another site did it. Cost rose to over $150. Had he not started on it I would have left it for later. Took it apart and bought all new bulbs for it. Misplaced the bulbs. Haven't returned to it yet. That was two years ago. I think I have a problem.

Thank GOD I'm not alone!!!

"Hi, my name is Jon and I'm an audioholic..."

(room) "Hi Jon!!!"

You do realise we are standing with a room full of enablers.

i certainly hope so!

Took some time today to do an inspection. Discovered some oddities. There is a scratch above the first "A" in Marantz that goes to the edge. Looks like its been there awhile but when I look at the pics he sent I don't see it. Then it appears that something splashed on the front leaving some white spots. It scrapes off the face but the metal parts look like they will need a little more rubbing. I really don'r remember banging it when I took it out of the car but now I'm not sure if I took a really close look at the seller's house (think I need to start remembering my glasses). I'll have to look and see if there was something in the car that may have fell on it. Even so, for the price I know it's a good buy. Though on the way over there I was pondering if I really was making the right decision as it was way beyond my "regular" budget and my most expensive single unit purchase but it helped that I sold the Bose.

The final oddity is that though I found all the case screws are rather "rusty," when I unscrewed the top and opened it up it confirmed what little I saw through the vents, it was one of the cleanest units I've bought. Gave her a quick bath as best I could without a major teardown. Hooked up some Minimus 7's and hit the power. Played the FM and once I hooked up the antenna properly "Stereo" light came on as did all the other lights. Sounds great though there is a slight pop in he left channel when I turn on the tone knob but all the other pots are balance are smooth and scratchless . Left her playing up and she only got better. Will have to hook up some various sources when I find the time. Maybe I'll look for another faceplate.

Despite two straight days of some major bbqin' I decided to take the time to do a swap. Took out my Sony ES integrated (damn fine) and slipped in the newly acquired 2325. Have the Design Acoustics PS8A, Phillips cdpr and Realistic Lab 1600 still in play then added my Kyocera DA-910. Finally getting a little playing time in. Big wow factor but different than the Sony. Took some advice and burned some cds at 4X. They now play now flawlessly on the Kyocera. Seems to be little more "colour" to the 2325. More warmth less snap. Neither better nor worse just different. Though both have a full rich bass the 2325's warmth comes through while the ES' highs are clear and crisp. Moved on to some vinyl. Lucked out at the GW last week and picked up some pristine lps (got there just before a shark who I recognised). Found only eight I liked but jeeze they are in fantastic shape. Skynard's double album, Queen, a sealed Supertramp "Famous Last Words," Inna Gadda Da Vida" and a half speed mastered Billy Squier "Don't Say No"! for 99¢ each. I am very impressed with the Lab 1600. Unbelievably precise operation. No rumble, no feedback no nothing but crystal clear sound. Put on "Queen, Greatest Hits" and it didn't miss a beat. No clicks no pops. Then put on the Billy Squier. Holy spit Batman! The sound is awesome. Same volume as Queen but the room, literally, fills with music. Not a note at either end of the spectrum is missed. Full rich sound and lush (saying a lot as it's some hard rockin'). I now see the value in the half masters and these are some of the best pieces of vinyl I've come across. I have yet to get to the Supertramp MFSL I was given. Though the 2325 sounds fantastic, still going to find another place for the Sony. Lovin' the PS-8As.

Sweet! A little dusty but no corrosion. I find receivers all the time with rust spots on the chassis. Unlike the cadmium plated 9090DB, Marantz have no protection.

I've owned two 2325's and found them to be nice sounding but marginally less sweet that the 2275 and 2250B. The same family warmth is there but the 2325's power makes the bass more prominent. To me, the 2325 sounded more like a 9090DB than a proper Marantz.

I had never heard about a half speed recorded vinyl, until I lucked across a couple, and yes you are correct, they sound fantastic. I got steely dan's "AJA" and that one is mind blowing.

elroy

Well it's good to know with my marginal audio knowledge I'm at least in the same zip code with my impressions and opinions. I felt the bass was heavy compared to the Sony ES. The Marantz units I have for comparison are the 27, 2230, 1060, 2238B, 4240 and 1200 amp. Not any real playing time with any of them except the 2230. Can't exactly recall the sound but impressed me as mellowed.

Elroy, an "AJA" master! Given the sound quality of the standard recording it must be nothing less than awe inspiring. I just happened to put on "AJA" later last night too.