Marantz 2238B (1978–1980)

Name: Marantz 2238B
Brand: Marantz

Two needles, one dial, and a sound that owners keep coming back to. The middle child of Marantz's late-'70s receiver line earns its keep. Contemporary receiver surveys of the period, such as those in HiFi-Stereo (1979, p.32), catalogued mid-tier receivers of this type alongside tuner specifications like FM sensitivity, alternate-channel selectivity, and capture ratio, placing the 2238B's class squarely in that measured, spec-driven market.

Overview

The 2238B is a stereophonic receiver built between 1978 and 1980. It comes from the stretch of Marantz production when the company still put real engineering into the chassis and let the front panel do the talking. It is not the flagship of the line. Marantz positioned it as a mid-tier piece, and its original $399.95 price reflects that, but it is far from entry-level. Owners report it delivers the "Marantz sound" with conviction: warm, rich, and coherent, particularly through the midrange where voices and instruments live.

The power figure is where the record gets slippery. The 2238B is most commonly listed at 38 watts per channel into 8 ohms. Several sources cite 42 watts per channel into the same load, and at least one lists 20 watts, which doesn't square with the rest. The 38-watt rating appears most consistently across documentation, so work from it unless a unit's own manual says otherwise. This is not a brute-force amplifier. It wasn't the most powerful unit on the shelf when it was new, and it isn't now. It does have enough current to drive a wide range of vintage and modern speakers, especially the efficient floorstanders that were standard in the late '70s. Owners consistently report it holds together at volume rather than straining.

The 2238B covers the analog basics without overreaching. There's a dedicated moving-magnet phono input with RIAA equalization, rated at 2.0 mV sensitivity per the original documentation, with a phono signal-to-noise ratio of 75 dB. The line-level inputs are rated at 150 mV with a 90 dB S/N ratio. It does not have a moving-coil phono stage. That omission separates it from the higher-end Marantz models of the period, and anyone running a low-output MC cartridge will need a step-up transformer or a separate head amp. For most turntables and cartridges this receiver is likely to meet, the MM stage is more than sufficient, and vinyl playback through it is often described as musical rather than clinical.

Owners talk about build quality a lot. At 28.6 pounds it isn't a featherweight, and the mass shows in the way the knobs turn and the meters respond. It was designed to be used daily, and the controls were built with that in mind. As with any receiver of this age, they're also the first thing to need attention after four decades of use. The optional walnut veneer cabinet, catalogued as the WC-122, is the period-correct way to house one. Aftermarket LED lighting kits are available in several colors for anyone who wants to change the dial illumination without hunting down original incandescent fuse lamps.

Key Features

Dual Stacked Tuning Meters

Flanking the frequency dial are two vertically stacked analog meters, a signature Marantz arrangement. The upper meter reads signal strength, useful for antenna placement and for judging how hard the tuner is working to hold a station. The lower meter is a center-tuning indicator, peaking when the receiver is locked precisely onto an FM broadcast. Collectors note that when both needles move together, the sound locks into a clarity that feels almost tactile. The tuning range covers FM and MW, with FM spanning 88 to 108 MHz and AM covering 535 to 1605 kHz according to available documentation. Tuner sensitivity is listed at 1.9 µV IHF with selectivity better than 70 dB and stereo separation exceeding 45 dB at 1 kHz. Those are credible figures for a mid-tier receiver of the period, though they come from a single source and should be treated as approximate.

Loudness Contour with High Filter

The loudness contour switch applies a bass and treble boost at low listening levels, compensating for the ear's reduced sensitivity at the frequency extremes when volume is turned down. On the 2238B it uses a gentle curve that avoids the boomy overcompensation found on cheaper units. The high filter rolls off high frequencies to cut tape hiss and surface noise. Together they give practical tone shaping without external processors. Owners report that engaging both during late-night listening delivers a surprisingly full sound without disturbing the neighbors.

Moving-Magnet Phono Stage with RIAA Equalization

The dedicated MM phono input is one of the 2238B's stronger points. It amplifies and equalizes the low-output signal from a moving-magnet cartridge, restoring the flat frequency response the recording engineer intended. Sensitivity is rated at 2.0 mV per the original documentation, though one manual source lists 2.2 mV. That is a minor discrepancy that likely reflects measurement conditions rather than a real design difference. The 75 dB phono signal-to-noise ratio is respectable for the class, and the stage handles most vintage and modern MM cartridges without fuss. There is no MC input, so moving-coil users are on their own.

Bass, Mid, Treble, Balance, and Volume Potentiometers

The front panel carries individual potentiometers for bass, mid, treble, balance, and volume. It's a conventional layout, but well executed. The balance control is often omitted on budget models. The mid control is useful for dialing out nasally vocals or adding presence to acoustic instruments, and many receivers of the era simply didn't offer one. The trade-off is maintenance. These potentiometers are known to accumulate grime over decades, and cleaning or replacement is a common task on any 2238B that's seen real use. Vintage audio forums consistently note that the controls are among the first components to show wear, so budget for a cleaning when buying an unrestored example.

Walnut Veneer Cabinet (WC-122) and LED Lighting

The optional walnut veneer cabinet for this model is the WC-122, the period-correct way to finish a 2238B that would otherwise sit bare in a rack. Original cabinets in good condition are harder to find than the receivers themselves, so a unit that comes with one is worth a premium. Aftermarket LED lighting kits are available for the dial illumination, with the option of incandescent or LED fuse lamps in different colors. Purists tend to prefer the warm original incandescent glow, but LED kits run cooler and last far longer.

Historical Context

Production ran from 1978 to 1980 according to the primary documentation. Some sources extend the start back to 1977 and one lists 1977-79, so the exact end year is not firmly settled. The 2238B sits in the late-'70s window when receivers were still built around analog tuners, discrete amplifier stages, and physical controls, before digital tuning and microprocessor-driven front panels became standard. It belongs to a family of Marantz models that includes the 2226B, 2252B, 2265B, and 2285B. The series shares design language and, in all likelihood, circuit philosophy, though the documentation here doesn't spell out the relationships between them.

Within that lineup, the 2238B was positioned as a mid-tier receiver: not the flagship, but well above entry level. Its $399.95 original price puts it in the part of the market where most buyers actually shopped. Its lack of a moving-coil phono stage is the clearest marker of where Marantz drew the line between this model and its more expensive siblings. It could drive the efficient floorstanders that dominated the era without strain.

Collectibility & Value

The 2238B trades in the $300 to $500 range for units in good, fully functional condition according to Classic Audio, though the wider market is messier. Recent eBay completed sales have ranged from $168 to $1,290 with a median of $633 across 44 sales in the past twelve months, and active listings have asked as much as $1,475 for clean examples. Serviced units, with recapped power supplies, cleaned controls, and fresh dial lighting, consistently command the higher end of that range. A well-restored example with the original walnut cabinet is the most desirable configuration. Listings on cassettevintagee.com have run from $74.95 to $1,499.99. The black version is reportedly harder to find than the more common silver, and collectors have noted that condition-perfect examples don't turn up easily.

Common problems to watch for are well documented. Dim or dead tuning meters are usually a burnt-out bulb rather than a failed meter movement — an easy fix. Failing electrolytic capacitors are the bigger concern, and can manifest as hum or channel dropouts; a full recap is the standard remedy and the reason serviced units fetch more. Oxidized switches and potentiometers cause noise and intermittent connections, and cleaning them is routine maintenance on any unrestored receiver of this age. A service manual exists and circulates widely in repair communities, with both a Sams Photofact and the factory manual available, which makes restoration practical for anyone with basic electronics skills. For buyers new to vintage receivers, the 2238B's combination of solid build, warm sound, and readily available documentation makes it a sensible entry point — provided the price reflects the work it needs.

Market Value

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MARANTZ 2238B                                                   Nov 2026 │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ High      $1,650                                  Latest            $986 │
│ Median    $633                                    Trend                — │
│ Low       $60                                     Volume           ~8/mo │
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│ $2,000 ┤                                                                 │
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│ $1,164 ┤ .    .        .                         .     .          ..     │
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│        │ ...         .                .   . .    .  .         ..     .  .│
│    $50 ┤              .  . ..                           .         .   .  │
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│    vol │▂▅█▂▂ ▅  ▂ ▂ ▂▂▂ ▂ ▅▂     ▂   ▂   ▅ ▅    ▅  ▂▂ ▅▂▂  ▂ ▂▅ ▂▅▂ ▂▂ ▅│
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│         2026-02                      2026-05                      2026-08│
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