Marantz SR-5000

The Marantz SR-5000 is an AM/FM stereo receiver rated at 25 watts per channel into 8 ohms. That puts it at the budget end of the Marantz lineup. Stereophile reviewed it and called it "a capable, pleasant-sounding budget receiver." The treble was clean and transparent and the midrange well-defined, but the bass came off as "a bit soft and veiled," and it lacked the body, weight, and subtle dynamics of costlier receivers. It also appeared in Audio, October 1999, p.106, where it was listed among receivers with surround processing in the amplifier section. Owners report much the same today. Some find it surprisingly capable driving efficient speakers like Klipsch KG4s, while others describe the sound as warm and forgiving rather than detailed.

Technically, the SR-5000 is a bit more interesting than its power rating suggests. The manual notes a FET in the FM front-end, a twin-loop PLL tuning system, and a single-chip IC for the FM IF stage along with a newer stereo demodulator IC. That is sensible, modern-for-its-day engineering of the kind Marantz was known for. The tuning range is standard (AM 530-1600 kHz, FM 88-108 MHz), and rated THD is 0.3%. No production years or original price have surfaced in the documentation available.

On the used market, clean working units commonly sell in the $75 - $150 range, though a fully functional example with its wooden cabinet can go higher. Two issues come up again and again. The selector switch often needs a thorough cleaning, and the power supply capacitors have needed replacement on two out of three units one repair source has worked on. With a soldering iron it's a straightforward fix. Without one, factor in a bench fee.