Marantz 2238B Stereo Receiver – 42 WPC, Level 1 Serviced, Japan

Marantz 2238B — The Extended Tuner Face, Level 1 Serviced

Marantz 2238B Vintage Stereo Receiver – 42 Watts Per Channel, Level 1 Serviced, Made in Japan, Good Condition

One of the most visually striking receivers of Marantz’s golden era, and a genuinely capable one — direct-coupled, 42 watts per channel, built in Japan, and freshly serviced on our own bench.

The 2238B occupies a particular place in the 22xx family. Its extended tuner face, white dial and blue illumination make it one of the most dramatic-looking receivers Marantz ever built, and the performance backs the appearance up. The direct-coupled amplifier gives wide power bandwidth and firm low-frequency control, and 42 watts a side is enough for most real rooms and most real speakers. The FM front end uses a dual-gate MOSFET design with phase-locked-loop stereo demodulation, so tuner performance is low in distortion with strong separation — casual FM listening on one of these is a pleasure rather than a compromise.

Many enthusiasts consider the 2238B the sweet spot of the 22xx line: enough power to be useful, the full build quality of the era, and a visual character that has kept it desirable for nearly fifty years.

The tone section is among the most versatile in the series. Separate bass, mid and treble rotary controls on Baxandall circuitry, a tone defeat switch for a direct path, high and low filters, and a loudness contour offer precise and flexible sound shaping for any preference. Pre-out and main-in jacks at 1.5V let the 2238B work as a standalone preamplifier or power amplifier, which is real system flexibility rather than a specification-sheet feature. There are dual tape monitor loops with record and playback distinction, an MM phono input with precision RIAA equalisation, an auxiliary input, and two sets of speaker outputs with front-panel A/B switching.

This example has undergone our Level 1 service and testing, which should ensure many more years of reliable performance ahead. It has been thoroughly cleaned inside and out, all pots and switches cleaned and deoxidised for silent, smooth operation, lamps replaced to restore full dial and indicator illumination, and bias and DC offset checked and adjusted to specification. It performs exactly as it should and sounds wonderful.

A word on the condition grade. We have graded this one Good, and we grade strictly — there is no significant wear here, and a good many sellers would list this same receiver as Very Good without hesitation. What you will find is the light, honest marking of a component approaching fifty years of careful use. It presents very well.

Made in Japan, Level 1 serviced, and carrying the extended-face styling that makes the 2238B an instant centrepiece.

Marantz 2238B Specifications

• Type: Stereo AM/FM receiver, solid-state, direct-coupled
• Power Output: 42 watts per channel into 8 ohms, both channels driven
• Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.1% at rated output
• Damping Factor: 40
• Frequency Response: 10Hz – 40kHz
• Input Sensitivity: 1.8mV (MM phono), 180mV (line)
• Signal to Noise Ratio: 50dB (MM phono), 50dB (line)
• Output: 180mV (line), 1.5V (pre-out)
• Inputs: MM phono (RIAA equalised), Aux, Tape 1 and 2, FM/AM antenna
• Outputs: Pre-out/main-in (1.5V), Speaker A and B, front-panel headphone
• Tone Controls: Rotary bass, mid and treble (Baxandall), tone defeat, high and low filters, loudness contour
• Features: FM muting, Gyro-Touch flywheel tuning, extended tuner face with white dial, dual tape loops with record/playback distinction
• FM Front End: Dual-gate MOSFET with PLL stereo demodulation
• Semiconductors: 3 IC, 46 transistors, 34 diodes, 1 FET
• Years of Manufacture: 1977–1980
• Country of Manufacture: Japan
• Finish: Silver faceplate
• Dimensions: (Width x Height x Depth) 440 x 137 x 365 mm (17.32 x 5.39 x 14.37 inches)
• Weight: 12.5 kg (27.6 lbs)

Completing the System

At 27.6 lb the 2238B is a comfortable match for the IsoAcoustics zaZen II platform, rated to 40 lb — decoupling a receiver from the shelf it shares with a turntable is one of the cheapest real improvements available. We are an authorized IsoAcoustics dealer and happy to advise on fit. For speaker cable, our Custom Speaker Cable Builder makes exactly the length and gauge your run needs, terminated in Radique gold-plated banana plugs — and with A/B speaker switching on the front panel, this receiver can drive two pairs.

⚠️ Important Information for International Buyers

This unit is configured for North American 110/120V power. Buyers outside North America will require a step-down transformer and appropriate plug adapter.

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Backed by Radique Audio’s Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and our Perpetual Trade-Back Program. When you’re ready to move on, we’ll take it back. That’s the Radique difference.

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