This little Marantz 2215 receiver was an entry level model from Marantz in the early 1970’s. It was produced from 1971 up to 1973 at their California facility. It retailed for about $250.00 at the time. The 2215 has the classic Marantz look with a brushed metal face plate, blue dial light, gyro touch tuner and symmetrical control layout.

WC-22

The Marantz 2215 is rated at a very modest 15 watts per channel and came standard with a metal case covered with a simulated wood grain vinyl. The WC-22 wood case was also an option.

The front panel controls include bass and treble level controls, balance and volume controls, function selection (AM, FM, phono and aux) and button switches for FM muting, loudness, tape monitor, high and low filters, stereo/mono, and speaker selection (main and remote). There is also a lighted meter for AM and FM tuning and a red indicator light for stereo. On the left of the front panel is a headphone jack.

The 2215 measures 17-21/64 x 5-25/64 x 14 inches and weighs just under 25 pounds. Keep in mind that the 2215 is not the same as the 2215B. They are essentially completely different receivers other than their similar 15 watt per channel output. The 2215 was the earlier model and some believe its build quality was superior to that of the 2215B.

The back panel has inputs for phono, aux, and 1 tape (both play and record) as well as 2 AC outlets. There are outputs for two sets of speakers.

The Marantz 2215 is a nice, simple receiver that would fit perfectly in a small room, garage or den. They sell for about $200 to $400 depending upon condition which makes them a great value for someone looking for good basic performance from a vintage receiver.

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The Marantz 2216 was one of Marantz’s lowest powered units at 16 watts per channel. It’s sometimes referred to as a “baby” Marantz. It was produced from 1977 until about 1980 and retailed for roughly $240. It has the classic Marantz silver face styling and the centered Balance control slider.

Features of the Marantz 2216 include:

Two tape in/outputs

Phono input

Aux input

FM muting

High filter on/off

Loudness on/off

Input selector

Separate bass and treble controls

Tuning meter

The build quality of the 2216 is excellent. The tuner section boasts a Phase Locked Loop FM Stereo Demodulator, ceramic filters in the IF amplifier section, a three gang tuning capacitor and FET RF amplifiers. The 2216 also has the gyro touch tuning wheel that Marantz is famous for.

There is also a 2216B unit which is different in appearance with a Balance control knob instead of a slider and Speaker selector buttons instead of a knob.

Of course all Marantz receivers are popular these days and even the lower end models like the 2216 are no exception. For those wanting an introduction to two channel analog audio the 2216 is a great choice. It will also pair up nicely with most vintage speakers such as the KLH 17 or AR 2ax speakers. A nice Marantz 2216 can be found for around $250 to $300.

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