The 1060 is a lovely little amplifier. Capacitor coupled. Conservatively specified and arguably one of the prettiest vintage designs due to its perfect symmetrical front panel layout.
It does have a somewhat 'tailored' response and that is why it has a reputation for 'sweetness' and 'warmth' along with average damping at low frequencies being quite suited IMO to the speakers of the 70s.
This gives you an idea of the flatness or lack thereof of the 1060. This is the FR plot at 1W@8ohms for a fully restored kept in box unit, I did a few years ago (2016). It was one my father has owned since new and spent around 40 years in its box. It needed considerable work due to leaked capacitors and got a complete rebuild. I remember singing into microphones plugged into this actual 1060 in 1973 or '74 and him recording us on an open reel deck.
(flat, low and high filters)
View attachment 20598
FR 20W@8ohm and 30W@8ohm:
View attachment 20599
Power output is exactly as was tested by major magazines back in the day when it received 'rave' reviews (38W/Ch). The 1060 may have been quite good at the time, but it was quickly eclipsed. It was rated at 30 watts per channel. This one achieved somewhat more.
View attachment 20600
Note, this was a simple onset of clipping test after preconditioning for 1 hour @1/3 power (10W) @ 8ohms. Notice the case temperature at 49 degrees Celscius (120F).
I did not see a sign of this in the frequency response measurement.I suspect this unit converts the analog input to digital for signal processing and then DAC to AMP, not sure how that would impact your testing.
From what I read, the feature is called MMDF or Marantz Musical Digital Filtering, applies to both analog and PCM inputs. Only way I think that would work is if the analog is converted to digital first but I’m not an electrical engineer. I know there are other units out there with the ESS Sabre’s that do this.I did not see a sign of this in the frequency response measurement.
Somehow an add for this thing appeared on Facebook. I wonder...
The history cannot forget the Marantz 1060, whilst at the same time it can simply forget / ignore the Marantz HD-AMP1 ...
... This piece was from the Superscope era, if I'm not mistaken. At some point Marantz manufacturing migrated to Japan. Now, real Japanese gear is too expensive for the average cat (re: Accuphase/Lux).
Be afraid, be very afraid!!!
Yes, 95 ohm output impedance!
I doubt very much there is a difference. There is likely a resistor in-line with the headphone output and would be independent of what is upstream in the chain.In which mode Low/Mid/High or is it independent? (I am not a headphone guy, don't think I ever used a pair on it)
To be clear, amplifier tests were done with the analog input. Since the DAC output goes into power amp, the amp will be the limiting factor.
But yes, I did not check the settings.
Ah Amirm, how can we rely on your findings then?
Respectfully...you're telling a forum member to run away based on the headphone output, yet you didn't do a cursory check to see what settings, if any, were enabled that might impact your results? Specifcally: Source direct, filter setting, headphone gain L, M, H. All 3 of these would impact the output. That isn't good testing methodology; establishing a baseline is testing 101.
If you still have the unit, could you retest or at least confirm back to all of us what each setting was at time of the test?
I have packed the unit to send it back. I make judgement calls at times to shortcut measurements/effort when it is very obvious where the product stands. I have a boatload of other gear to measure and I give priority to that. Now, if the owner asks for more, I can do more but this unit was sent to me last year and I like to send it back and move on. You are welcome to discount my assessment and hang your hat on what you state.
Well the website name is "audiosciencereview" not "audioopinionsandreviews" so I'd hoped to see basic scientific method in play, rather than subjective assessments. I can go watch well crafted John Darko videos if I want that.This HD-AMP1 is simply broken by design, you have to accept that looking forward ...
This HD-AMP1 is simply broken by design, you have to accept that looking forward ...