Marantz 4025 (1980–1983)

The Marantz 4025 is a solid-state stereo receiver from the early 1980s, offered in both silver and black faceplate finishes. It was sold in Europe — the one detailed period review that survives is German — and appears to have been positioned as a straightforward, well-built mid-power receiver. Production dates are disputed, with sources placing it anywhere from 1979 to 1983; the most commonly cited span is 1980–1983. The original price was around $450, or 521,00 DM in Germany.

Electrically, the 4025 is a direct-coupled OCL design — no coupling capacitors in the signal path — with a symmetrical power supply built around a large custom transformer and twin 10,000 µF filter capacitors. A German test report from the period praised the engineering, noting the workmanship was very good and the controls were clearly laid out and well-labeled. The same review described the sound as neutral and balanced, and measured 50 watts continuous per channel into 8 ohms with both channels driven — figures consistent with the published ratings. The front panel is heavy-duty aluminum, and the receiver offers connections for two pairs of speakers, though the reviewer noted they cannot both be driven at full power simultaneously. A pre-out/main-in loop and two tape monitor circuits are present.

The tuner section was a point of strength. The German review described it as sensitive and low-noise, with a four-gang tuning capacitor and ceramic filters in the FM IF section. FM signal-to-noise is rated at 65 dB, and usable sensitivity at 1.6 µV. The amplifier section measured impressively: THD below 0.05%, a damping factor above 45, and phono signal-to-noise of 75 dB. The phono stage accepts 2.5 mV inputs into 50 kΩ. The 4025 also includes loudness, a subsonic filter, and mono/stereo switching.

One ambiguity in the German test source deserves mention: it lists “4 x 25 W an 4 Lautsprechern” — four speakers at 25 watts each — which likely describes operation into two pairs of speakers simultaneously, but the phrasing is unclear and no other source corroborates a quad mode. I’ve left it flagged rather than asserted. Likewise, weight is given as 9.5 kg by most sources but 8.5 kg in the German review; dimensions (440 × 144 × 339 mm) are consistent everywhere.

Beyond that single German review, documentation on the 4025 is thin. No collector market pricing, common failure modes, or service notes have surfaced in the available record. What the review makes clear is that this was a competently built, honest receiver — HI-Fi-Stereo (September 1978, p.91) covered Marantz’s receiver lineup in the period, and the 4025 fits that era’s pattern of clean, no-gimmick engineering.

Known Specifications

Power output: 50W per channel into 8Ω (Hi-Fi Engine, hifi-wiki.com) or 2x 60W (hifi-wikia.com)
Power into 4Ω: up to 80W per channel
THD: ≤0.05%
Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz
Phono input: 2.5 mV / 50 kΩ; S/N 75 dB
FM sensitivity: 1.6 µV (hifi-wikia.com) or 2.0µV (Hi-Fi Engine); FM S/N: 65 dB
Damping factor: >45
Dimensions: 440 × 144 × 339 mm (W×H×D)
Weight: 9.5 kg (one source cites 8.5 kg)
Power consumption: 330W max