Marantz Model 920 (circa 1977–1980)
The Marantz Model 920 is a large floor-standing speaker from the late 1970s, and one of the more distinctive-looking designs Marantz made during the Superscope era. It was sold between roughly 1977 and 1980. The original Japanese retail price was ¥120,000. It sat in the middle of the Model 9xx family, which also included the 900, 930, and 940.
Edmond A. May designed the speaker. He had previously designed speakers for Western Electric. The 920 is a 3-way, 3-driver floor-standing system, and it carries over the floor-type design principles Marantz first set down with the larger Model 940. It uses a 12-inch woofer with a holey cone for transient response, a 5-inch midrange, and a 1.5-inch dome tweeter. The crossover points are 750 Hz and 2500 Hz. Impedance is rated at 8 ohms, sensitivity at 90 dB/W/m, and maximum input at 125W (some later listings cite 200W power handling). Frequency response is specified as 33 Hz to 20 kHz ±3 dB.
What makes the 920 visually striking is its unusual cabinet construction. It came with a unique bridge structure designed to sit on the floor while accounting for the effect of acoustic regeneration. The front baffle has ports that were cut and sealed — typically filled with urethane foam — allowing the owner to fine-tune low-frequency playback to suit the listening room. The cabinet itself received a hand-polished oil finish, giving it a furniture-grade appearance. Driver complement: 12″ woofer, 5″ squawker, 1.5″ dome tweeter. External dimensions are 381 mm wide × 972 mm high × 305 mm deep.
Documentation on the 920 is thin. No production years beyond the 1977-1980 window, no weight figure, and no original US retail price have been confirmed. What reception exists comes from secondary-market listings. Sellers describe it as “visually stunning with a HUGE soundstage,” and at least one restored pair was noted as having new surrounds and refinished cabinets. Foam surround deterioration is the known failure point. Refoam kits for the 920 are available, and they also fit the 930 and 940. A brochure image dated 1978 confirms the model was in the lineup at that time.
One sold listing from January 2017 shows a pair going for $52 — an outlier price that almost certainly reflects condition or pickup logistics rather than typical market value. The 920 remains a collector’s curiosity: rare, visually bold, and representative of Marantz’s brief but ambitious foray into high-end speaker design under Superscope ownership.
- Type: 3-way, 3-driver floor-standing speaker
- Drivers: 12″ woofer, 5″ midrange, 1.5″ dome tweeter
- Crossover: 750 Hz / 2500 Hz
- Impedance: 8 Ω
- Sensitivity: 90 dB/W/m
- Frequency response: 33 Hz – 20 kHz ±3 dB
- Max input: 125W
- Dimensions: 381 × 972 × 305 mm (W×H×D)
- Original price: ¥120,000
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