Marantz PM245 (1997)

The Marantz PM245 is a compact stereo integrated amplifier released in 1997 at a Japanese retail price of ¥29,800. Documentation on this model is thin. The most complete record comes from Audio Database, which describes it as a "pre-main amplifier with simple operation design and thin and compact design."

What sets the PM245 apart from typical budget integrated amps of the era is a microphone jack with an auto-fader function that automatically ducks the music level when the mic picks up input — a feature aimed at karaoke use. The top and bottom plates are netted to prevent foreign matter from entering the chassis. It's rated at 30W + 30W into 8 ohms at 1 kHz, with 0.05% THD at 1 kHz, a CD frequency response of 10 Hz–50 kHz (+0/–3dB), and a line S/N ratio of 85dB (A-network, input short).

Inputs are four line-level systems plus one tape loop, with a single speaker output. There is no phono stage. Power consumption is 65W. The unit measures 439mm wide × 87mm high × 230mm deep and weighs just 4.2kg. Market data is thin too: a single current resale listing from Sri Lanka (asking Rs 40,000, described as mint condition, 220V, made in Japan) and a 2019 Yahoo Auctions sale at ¥1,400. A "PM 245f" variant appears in Vietnamese-language YouTube video titles, but the relationship between the two models is not documented.