Marantz MODEL 30 is a wonderful example of a modern amplifier creating an unfettered, timeless sound. “MODEL 30 is the equivalent of choosing a mechanical Swiss timepiece over an Apple watch,” says Sietsema, who for the last 20 years has helped to shape the market for premium and luxury audio brands. “After all, sound is in its essence an analogue phenomenon.”
“So much has changed since Saul [Marantz] started the business, but through all that time - almost seven decades - Marantz has been at the forefront of pushing sound forward, using both time honored and cutting edge techniques. So for me, it’s important to create relevant products that last, and connect to our core purpose. MODEL 30 is a perfect example - a contemporary amplifier, intended to last for decades.”
In 2017, Marantz paused to take stock of how best to express its huge heritage and sonic philosophy, and also how to speak to a modern customer – those who care deeply about quality, authenticity and craft. A three-year intensive design and engineering project ensued, and MODEL 30 was the result; an integrated stereo amplifier that builds on the brand’s rich history and fuses it with modern architecture and thinking. “We launched MODEL 30 as the new, premium flagship design,” says Emmanuel Millot, Category Director at Marantz. “We wanted to create a new place in the range without replacing an existing product. Rather, the MODEL 30 was a statement of a new strategy. Looking at listening behavior and the revival of the vinyl market, we developed a brand-new, dedicated and shielded phono stage with impedance adjustment for MC input, as we noticed that the newer generation of turntable cartridges have a higher impedance than the older generation. All of this was done to optimize sound quality.”