The Marantz Model 40n Integrated Amplifier: Not Your Father’s 2270
It’s probably a sign of the times that “vintage Marantz” is one of the most searched topics on this website and on a lot of Hi-Fi Forums. Vintage Marantz equipment has definitely become more expensive over the years; perhaps not as expensive as vintage McIntosh but there are a lot of audiophiles willing to spend money on some of the classic pieces from the 1960s and 1970s.
Marantz is definitely a company in transition; something that I discovered at a private listening event in New York City’s Hudson Yards — high above the city in a penthouse overlooking the Hudson River and Weehawken.
The $2,499 Marantz Model 40n Integrated Amplifier is not your father’s Model 2270 and for a new generation of listeners focused on wireless streaming, home theater, and vinyl playback, it represents a rebirth of the brand that Saul Marantz launched in 1953 in New York.
Throw in the steady hand and resources of Sound United, and Marantz is in very good shape moving forward.
You can tell when management and public relations people are confident about the “experience” they are selling and I felt that throughout my time with them.
Marantz has a younger, but no less experienced group of people at the helm right now that understands that the market and consumer have changed.
If the pandemic taught us any lessons, it is clear that people are willing to spend on a high-end experience that works with both music and movies and one that can be controlled from your smartphone or tablet.
So nu? How was it?
The source material was a mixture of movie scenes, music from the various streaming services, and a nice selection of vinyl that sounded absolutely fabulous on a Marantz turntable. I’m not a huge Diana Krall fan, but the weight and tonality of the piano was spot on and filled the really large main living space rather easily.
Both systems were very simple; Marantz Model 40N with a pair of Bowers & Wilkins stand-mounted loudspeakers (placed on a stunning credenza) and 702 S2 floor standing loudspeakers in a much larger living room with the aforementioned Marantz turntable. A media player handled the video portion of the demo.
The setting for the event also spoke volumes about how they plan on selling it; performance and lifestyle are not mutually exclusive concepts and the type of consumer willing to spend a considerable amount of money on the Marantz Model 40n and a pair of Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers definitely wants both.
The dining room set-up intrigued me more for the simple reason that I listen this way almost every day of my life.
Yes — I review components in my dining room, aside from just my den, bedroom, office, and home theater room.
It’s actually a very liberating way to listen while I eat or work on articles during the day. We don’t play music when the kids are home and eating dinner with us because it only distracts us from those important conversations but it’s not unusual to find me at 11 p.m. listening to records with the lights turned down and my eyes focused on my laptop screen
I suspect I’m not alone in that regard at all.
The new Marantz Model 40n shares a very similar aesthetic to the Model 30 Integrated Amplifier and I’m definitely a fan of the industrial design. The Marantz Black and Silver Gold finishes were both on display and I could easily envision both in plenty of high rent apartments in NYC and beyond.
The price doesn’t faze me having listened to two different systems with loudspeakers that were far more expensive than the amplifiers; the 70 watts per channel, Class A/B integrated amplifier had zero issues driving either loudspeaker and I slightly surprised by the depth and width of the soundstage watching clips from Jurassic World.
The main system was a 2.0 setup and the impact (volume levels were lower to not disturb people in the building) without a subwoofer was still quite strong. I moved around the room and found the sound to be quite immersive even while watching off-axis.
The Model 40n isn’t driving a pair of large Maggies but it’s the right kind of integrated amplifier for a lot of rooms and speakers below $3,000.
Streaming Together or Separate – Whole Home Audio
The Model 40n has been designed to work as the primary hub for one or multiple rooms. With HEOS® built-in technology, your entire family can enjoy their favorite music in any room for a wireless, whole-home experience. Play the same song in every room to create a festive mood or select different songs for each connected room by adding HEOS-capable speakers throughout the home.
Featuring advanced Wi-Fi technology, the Model 40n facilitates wireless streaming via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth that is stable even in congested urban settings. For an intuitive user experience, the Marantz Model 40n comes with a remote control, and conveniently works with Siri, Alexa, Google and Josh.ai voice command systems as well as the Control4 smart home ecosystem.
Listening to music is effortless thanks to built-in access to music streaming from Spotify Connect, Apple Music via Airplay, Pandora, Tidal, and many more services.
The Model 40n also provides access to high resolution personal file libraries, up to PCM 192 kHz/24-bit as well as DSD up to 5.6 MHz. Wireless connectivity options include Apple Airplay, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi with HEOS®.
There is support for HDMI ARC (not eARC) and the built-in MM phono preamp was one of the my favorite parts of the amplifier; one should expect a $2,500 Integrated Amplifier to have a good phono stage and the Model 40n delivered in a big way.
An Ortofon 2M Black, Grado Sonata3, or Sumiko Wellfleet would work really well with the Model 40n.
Having just reviewed the Marantz CD60 CD Player, I already know how this scenario is likely to play out in the coming months in my living room; plans are underway for a system consisting of the Model 40n, CD60, Bluesound NODE, Pro-Ject Debut Pro with the Sumiko Wellfleet, and a pair of either Focal Chora 826 or PSB Synchrony B600s.
Marantz is focused on the right things with this unit; performance, connectivity, and a really striking piece of industrial design that makes a lot of sense at its asking price.
Key Features
- Just Add Speakers: Everything else for The Most Musical Sound is built-in
- Built for Streaming: Use with Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, AirPlay, Bluetooth and more—powered by HEOS®
- Sound Master Tuned: Expertly crafted and tuned for The Most Musical Sound
- Power: 70 watts per channel @ 8 ohms (100-watts @ 4 ohm)
- Voice Control: Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Siri
- Luxurious Industrial Design: Adds class to any environment
- HDAM Circuit: Unique technology preserves every detail in your favorite sounds
- Marantz Musical Phono EQ: Built-in MM phono stage makes adding a turntable easy
- Whole-Home Hi-Fi: Connect with HEOS Built-in speakers for a whole-home system that allows you to to sync or separate streams in each room
Specifications
- Power Output Circuit: HDAM-SA3
- Power Transformer: Double Shielded Toroidal
- Damping Factor: 100
- Volume: Electric
- Subwoofer Pre-out Low Pass Filter: Selectable 40 Hz / 60 Hz / 80 Hz / 100 Hz / 120 Hz
- Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.02% (20Hz – 20kHz, 8Ω)
- Inputs: 1 coaxial, 1 toslink
- S/N Ratio:
- PHONO (MM): 87dB
- CD: 106dB
- Product Dimensions: (W x H x D in inches) 17.4″ x 5.1″ x 17″
- Weight in lbs: 36 lbs 13 Oz
Price & Availability
The Marantz Model 40n Network Integrated Amplifier will be available in two finishes: Black and Silver for $2,499 at marantz.com, Amazon, and Crutchfield and is available at authorized Marantz retailers.