Hello All!

I am new in regard to Marantz equipment. I have the option to acquire a 4230 unit. The case, face plate, knobs, etc seem to be in reasonable shape but I fear that rude things lurk within the case as the power cords has been cut off. From the searches I have done so far, it seems that the quad series are far less desirable than the 2 channel units. I can obtain this unit for no more than $40. Without knowing what else is amiss, is that an acceptable price? What should I consider before making a purchase? How difficult are parts to obtain for this model? Are the sonic's anything to write home about?

The rest of my vintage gear is mostly Pioneer and Sony, with Dalquist DQ-10 speakers, B&W's (several pair), and large Advents.

Thank you in advance for any and all help.

hi Squidboyw, wel I would assume the 4230 is local to you, right? If I were you, I'd be getting with the seller and asking them if you could take cover off and look inside. I would assume that maybe the guy needed a cord for something and he decided to sacrifice the one off the 4230. I don't think it would mean that something's wrong with it because of that. So, ask the guy if you can check under it's hood to see how it looks. As for the 4 channel units being less desirable, I think It's an acquired taste. I myself have seen and heard them and I thought they sounded good, with a very unique twist, a "double-Dip" Stereo, if you will. They do sound cool but lack in the big power department. If you are addicted to big power then I wouldn't advise getting a 4 channel, then again, if you are curious, I think It'd be worth it just to check it out. You have to be very cautious with speaker selection for a 4 channel amp. Big Monster power hungry speakers are a no-no for a 4 channel machine.

I would worry that the cut cord is due to internal serious problem. That is going to run into some bucks. You can pick up a 4230 on epay for around 80 usually. The higher 40 watt 4240 for a little more. Many 4270s show up. They seem to be the most popular quads.I consider them a novelty. I have a 4240 and occaisionally play it for fun. A decoded 4 channel album can be an awesome experience.To get your feet wet on quad , get a working unit to start out in my opinion.

40$ go for it.....

A quad in good shape will sound just as good... Problem is that there is more inside the unit to go wrong....and to clean.

I have two 4400s, that sound great once completely refurb.... But the amount of work is at least twice as much as for a stereo unit and sometimes harder because of the tightly packed spaces....

4230 is most likely closer to 40wpc in stereo. And parts can had via creative swapping if required.

Also, look under neath it ... If it has a 4 channel decoder for the 40$...take it and run home....

jk

Thank you to all who have responded.

My current questions are:

How do I identify the 4 channel decoder? If I pop the cover, what are the items I should be concerned with, other than blackened circuit boards and the like?

Further conversation with the current owner reveal that this unit was retrieved from the side of the road. To my mind, this would add more weight to the concern due to the cord being cut off. On the other hand, the owner seems willing to package a Sherwood 8900 receiver with the 4230 to 'sweeten' the deal.

At this point, I tend to think that I'll let this pass by. I would prefer to have my first Marantz experience be with something a little less iffy. Add to this that I also have 4 other receiver, a power amp, pre-amp, and 3 sets of speakers in my work queue. This decision could change if more items get added to the deal, and / or the price drops.

You can't miss the decoder on the bottom. It's a flat black box thingie that screws in.

Someone told me that techs used to cut the power cords to units that were screwed up.

IMHO, contrary to an opinion expressed in an earlier post on this page, I strongly feel that the cut cord is a clue that the amp has had a catastrophic failure, and is dangerous to plug in. In other words, highly likely that somebody let the smoke out.

Suggest you assume that some gravely bad sh*t has happened to this unit, and a seller (who knows, maybe the guy you are talking to about it) cut the cord so that some unsuspecting buyer wouldn't plug it in and burn his house down.

Haven't you ever seen the phrase in an ebaY sale, "I couldn't test it because the cord was cut off"? It's very rarely by accident.

That's very often the reason, of course, maybe somebody just needed some wire and that amp was the closest thing... Unh-huh...:no:

I have both a 4270 and a 4230. I have re-capped some of the primary boards on the 4270 and it is a respectable unit in my opinion. The 4230 however I think has a poor design in the power transistor area. It uses cheap transistors and a poor mounting design for them, again, just my opinion. As stated from someone else, there is allot more stuffed into the quads and working on them is a royal pain and would definitely cost additional as compared to the 2 channels if taken to a repair shop. I would be careful of any of the quads that I could not hear and check it out in 2 and in 4 channel mode.

Aren't the parts worth $40??

...maybe I'm missing something here...but have you asked the seller why the cord is cut off?

And "couldn't test it because the cord is cut off" is unacceptable...it takes 30 seconds to temporarily attach a cord.

The current owner found it on the side of the road with the cord cut off.

Haha...I don't know. I'd be skeptical if I were you. I'd pass.

I don't know why someone would have the urge to cut a power cord off.

Because there are a lot of copper thieves out there. I see this a lot.

The 4270 is one of my favorite Marantz pieces BTW.

If it was by the road for garbage pickup, that may explain the cut cord. If it has a decent wood case it;s worth the 40.

Offer him half of what he's asking, it's worth more than that for parts.

I appreciate the input I have received so far.

Obtaining this unit for parts only makes sense to me if I already had a unit I needed parts for, or if I knew another AKer who needed those parts. I would be willing to work with anyone who could use this unit as long as they were covering the purchase and shipping costs. Space and resources are too limited in my living space to justify acquiring this on the off-hand chance that I might need something from it someday.

By all means, try to fix it or have it fixed, but if it is a lost cause you won't be out any $$, and the parts could go a long way towards preserving other Marantz receivers.:thmbsp: