Marantz 5G (circa 1972)
The Marantz 5G is a two-way bass reflex bookshelf speaker from the early 1970s. It appears to have been sold in Japan around 1972 for ¥29,900 per unit. Documentation is thin, and the model's exact place in Marantz's speaker lineup is not clearly recorded. What the record does show is a carefully engineered compact speaker.
The bass driver is a 20 cm cone built for bass reflex loading. It has a 4-layer voice coil and a lowest resonance frequency of 26 Hz, which extends the low end. The woofer edge is butyl rubber, a durable choice for the era. The tweeter is a 4.5 cm cone unit of an unusual edgeless type. There is no paper or cloth surround. The cone paper is connected directly to the frame with a thin film of elastic agent, a design intended to avoid mechanical noise. Rated input is 15W, impedance is 8Ω, and the playback frequency band is 35 Hz to 20,000 Hz ±5 dB. Output sound pressure level is 86 dB/W/m. Distortion is specified at 0.7% or less, measured as an average of 2nd and 3rd harmonic distortion at 94 dB SPL across 50, 500, 5k, and 12.5 kHz. External dimensions are 298 mm wide, 570 mm high, and 236 mm deep. Weight is 10.6 kg.
The naming is muddy on the secondary market. Listings refer to both "Marantz 5G" and "Marantz Imperial 5G," and it is unclear whether these are the same product or related variants. A crossover and tweeter control unit for the Imperial 5G has been offered for sale. A diyAudio thread exists from an owner seeking the crossover component values, which suggests restorers are interested in these parts. One Dutch listing noted the foam surrounds were absent but obtainable at a music store, and that the pair included its two legs/stands.
- Type: 2-way, 2-speaker, bass reflex, bookshelf
- Woofer: 20 cm cone, 4-layer voice coil, butyl rubber edge
- Tweeter: 4.5 cm cone, edgeless type
- Impedance: 8Ω
- Rated input: 15W
- Frequency band: 35 Hz – 20,000 Hz ±5 dB
- Output SPL: 86 dB/W/m
- Dimensions: 298 × 570 × 236 mm (W×H×D)
- Weight: 10.6 kg
- Original price: ¥29,900 (1 unit, circa 1972)
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