Marantz MA9-S2

I still love my Marantz MA9-S2 monoblock amps, but I have gotten old and I’ve given up on adding a 3rd/center channel to my hi-fi. Instead, I am keeping a pair and selling my third amp. One might use it for any channel, including a sub-woofer, as it delivers full power to 3 Hz, 600W into 4 Ohms and 300W into 8 Ohms. This amp was specifically designed to handle reactive speakers and it is very powerful and stable into any load, yet it’s as delicate as an SET when that’s called for. I’ve tried my amps on my friend’s giant Sound Lab A-1 electrostatic speaker s, and we got great, clean sound meter verified at 110 dB at 15’ from the speakers, with plenty of reserve available from the amps.  I have written a lot about these amps on the Good Sound Club website, General Audio, and there are a number of glowing professional reviews online. They remain the best amps I have heard for real world conditions and live volume, and they can play big, serious music, if you like. In terms of build quality, I have never seen better parts or construction.  This amp is built like lab equipment, only it’s more attractive. Although these amps rolled out at $18, 000.00 per pair, I’m sure Marantz lost money on this model after all the R&D and premium parts, using them as “loss leaders” to show-off their technical and sonic capabilities, like a race car, if you will. Because I never integrated a 3rd channel, the amp I am selling has seen little use since I bought it. I’ve only used it for testing a few possibilities for center channel speakers. I bought this amp from a well-known Hollywood feature film sound producer who kept its mate for his own center channel and added big, $$$$$ Burmesters for his right and left channels. This amp is in essentially perfect condition, indistinguishable from new, and it comes with the factory double box and literature. The amp is heavy, about 83 lbs., and 94 lbs. in its box, and buyer pays freight at cost, or I will help load it if you pick it up at my place, in the San Diego area. $3,250.00, plus PayPal.