After having owned really expensive hi fi gear (Electrocompaniet, Audio Note etc.) i recently had to downgrade. After some unsatisfactory efforts with well regarded systems from Nad, Exposure, Rega, Cambridge audio and other respected brands i concluded, well i am not accustomed to the cheap sound. I then thought to give the Marantz budget equipment a try. As i don't need the DAC i bought a pm 6004 instead of pm 6005. CD Player was the current 6005. Speakers are the PSB Alpha B1. A cheap system in deed. Well i can only say, these belong to the best 10 items i have ever owned and listened to. The amplifier and the cd player together give a realistic sound, that much more expensive gear cannot reach. The sound is believable and therefore never boring, because every time one hears what exactly is written on cd and not a self-repeating sound quality. I must say that i have started with this hobby as a school-boy 30 years ago and have already listened to hundreds of hi fi components. But my marantz gear amaze me every day and really don't make me miss my already sold expensive system. Bravo marantz.

little bit over price in US market, elegant outlook, sound is not as warm as vintage marantz receivers, like my 2252b. a good choice for new products over this price range.

I was first introduced to the “Marantz sound” a year ago when I, jokingly, hooked-up my little 2216B receiver to my massive Polk Audio SDA-1B speakers expecting the sound to resemble that of a transistor radio. After all, how could an entry level, 35 year old, 16-wpc-receiver sound anything but? I was not prepared for what I heard. It was the most pleasing, lush and musical sound I have ever heard from any amp/receiver I have ever owned which includes vintage G-series Sansui’s, Pioneer Elite, Adcom and Onkyo Integra. Certainly not the last word in detail, soundstage and accuracy, but it definitely had “it”.

My dilemma was that I really wanted an integrated amp as I do virtually no listening to broadcast FM and I also wanted sturdy binding posts and a remote. With a budget of around $500.00, I had to decide whether to go with a new integrated or a vintage Marantz receiver and have it restored. So, I purchased a used but mint 2265B and a used NAD 326BEE and A/B’ed them to see which was better. While the NAD had a brighter and more detailed top end, the Marantz had an overall more pleasing and musical sound that edged out its competitor.

Still not satisfied, I kept searching and stumbled upon What Hi-Fi’s 2011 Product of the Year, the Marantz PM 6004 integrated amplifier. Would this amp give me the perfect combination of modern convenience and design/components with that signature “Marantz sound”? The answer…YES!

Looks wise, it’s a very unassuming and understated piece of equipment. Just enough class and polish to distinguish itself from the ocean of BPC out there, but with a seemingly high level of fit and finish. And the sound? Perfect (to my ears anyway). The perfect blend of the classic Marantz warm, lush sound coupled with audiophile quality soundstage, detail, micro-dynamics, etc. Coupled to my Rotel RDV-1050 disc player and a variety of vintage speakers (Klipsch, Advent, Polk ) the PM 6004 delivers the goods like nothing I’ve ever heard. If I could design an amp, this would be it.

I wish I had the audio knowledge and pedigree to give an in-depth, detailed and scientific review of this amp but I do not. I am simply a shoestring budget audiophile who has been in love with home audio since the 1970’s and this is the nicest sounding amp I have ever heard. The only downside is that now I’m going to have to upgrade my speakers to fully appreciate what this Marantz can do. It makes a pair of $50.00 Insignias sound like $500.00 monitors, so I can only imagine what an actual pair of $500.00 monitors would sound like. Are there better amps put there? Of course there are and everyone’s taste is different, but to my ears nothing comes close to this amp for the price. I’m a Marantz fan for life!