Marantz PM-16
(october 1995 - 1998)

Affordable sibling of the PM-15, the PM-16 uses the same basic structure and technical elements, only on an affordable scale.

Basis of all Marantz amplifiers since then, the PM-16 is centered around multiple current feedback loops and 40MHz fT LAPT emitter power transistors. Three CCNE circuits are present for cleaner power supply.

Given the results of both PM-15 and PM-16, a sort of "super Class AB", Marantz deemed unnecessary to pursue pure Class-A designs. As the schematic in the "more" pop-up below shows, the PM-16 is simply structured: high-speed op-amp 1-stage amp, 3-stage Darlington amp and single push-pull output stage (per channel). Output transistors are the same as in the PM-15 (Sanken's 2SC2922 / 2SA1216), all four encased in a copper-plated aluminium shield, of course.

The chassis is built like that of the PM-15 (massive aluminium front, sides and top) even if the base isn't of copper-plated aluminium diecast nor as thick but still diecast zinc. The power transfomer is a hefty 450VA toroidal.

Unlike the PM-15, the 4-gang volume potentiometer allows IR remote control for volume level and muting. It is thus of a somewhat lesser quality but functions as efficiently: acting on input gain and output level at the same time for better low-level linearity and even less noise. The two op-amps on the volume board are HDAMs and that board is placed right behind the pot itself to avoid long, resonating, shafts. Relays at the back switch sources for maintained shortest signal paths. The phono stage finds low-noise MOS-FETs along one HDAM module per channel.

All in all: how to let most of the quality of a cost-no-object monster like the PM-15 filter down to an affordable PM-16, adding along a remote control for lazy-cosy laziness :)

The images for this post come from a dedicated french catalog, probably a reprint from a UK catalog.