Newbie - Advice on new Marantz receivers...or...

[ericsdeadletteroffice]

I'm new. So thank you for any thoughts.

I've had the same receiver for probably more than a decade and figure it's due. My current (old) receiver is a Sony STR-DE595. Since then I have purchased a Pro-Ject turntable and Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2's and a B&W ASW608 subwoofer. I would like to bring my receiver game up to my speakers and turntable level.

My system is primarily for music listening. I set out to find a receiver that has a tuner, phono input, inputs for a CD player, and a subwoofer out. I really like the Bluetooth and Airplay ability. I've never had that, so it's a very welcome upgrade.

I'm 46 and a bit old school. I grew up with Sony, Marantz, Pioneer and whatnot. Classics. So many of the new brands are foreign to me. I started out looking at Pioneer Elite series stuff, Denon, Onkyo, Yamaha, Sony. Out of those the Pioneer's seem the most familiar to me so I started to get my mind set on something like the SX-N30, but ended up picking up a VSX-LX102. I have it home and hooked it up and in the end I feel a bit overwhelmed by it. The overall size is pretty massive, but it's simply filled with so many options that I feel like I've bought a Swiss Army Knife and I'm using it to trim my finger nails. The sound seems fine. So after a few days I went back and started looking at the more paired down offerings again and found myself again feeling like I should have bought the Pioneer SX-N30, and also ran across something similar in the Onkyo TX-8270. Both check the boxes and seem fine HOWEVER I can't a/b them. Both of them are at a store that has them set up, but into different speakers.

I called my boss who's a bit of a audio cork sniffer in his own right and he told me to stop screwing around with these kinds of receivers and to get a Marantz. So I headed over to Best Buy/Magnolia where I could hear a bunch of receivers A/B'ed correctly, as they have the system that can hop between them while the same CD plays. We set them so the volumes were as close to our ears and started hoping around. I was really surprised how different they all sounded. Maybe I'm naive, but I didn't expect to hear so much variance. I am in the music business and I kind of slapped myself with the logic of, "well would you expect every guitar amps to sound the same"? Of course the answer is, of course not. I just never put that thought into receivers. Anyways, in doing that I found the Denons dark and kind of flat. The Pioneers kind of bright, although I don't mind that. Rotel had the punchiest low mids, and very clear. And the Marantz's seemed the most balanced to me overall. They did not have Onkyo wired into that system.

So having the chance to do a proper a/b session, I found my boss was probably right and I should take a look at the Marantz offerings.

I'm home now and pouring over their site and having some trouble connecting the dots. It seems their offerings under "Hi-Fi Components" don't have built in tuners. Very few have subwoofer outs. And very few, maybe only one has a phono input (PM8005). But that option does not have a sub out. The HD-AMP1 has a sub out, but no phono, and also not tuner from what I can tell.

Am I missing something on these?

If I'm right, then it appears if I want to look at Marantz and want a tuner than I have to look at the A/V Receiver offerings? Of the A/V offerings, only the 9.2 models have phono, and that is so much more receiver than I need. So of the ones under that, the SR5011, NR1608, NR1607, NR1508 and NR1506, is there really anything to these that stands out? I kind of like the slim line ones, the NR series. But I can't tell what's different from one to the other.

Also, if I settle for not having a built in phono, then is like a Pro-Ject Phono Box as good or better than than what comes in many of these receivers I've described?

Thank you for any thought's or anything I'm missing. Eric

 

[PENG]

You can't really do receivers AB in a Bestbuy store in meaningful ways even if they are connected to the same speakers unless you are absolutely sure they are all set to factory default, volume matched and in pure direct mode. Their reps may say things to try and convince you that each brand has their own sound, easier to sell that way obviously. Guitar amps may be different because of their special purpose. They probably are designed to sound different, whereas a regular amplifier is designed to just amplifier the input signals and if the users wants to play with the sound they can use the manual tone controls and other manual EQ features.

Have you look into some online choices, such as Outlaw?

https://www.outlawaudio.com/products/rr2160.html

the 2160 is the current model but you can still get the 2150 for less money.

https://www.outlawaudio.com/mofcart/bstock.html

Other than those, you best bet is probably an AVR such as the:

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrx4200w/denon-avr-x4200w-7.2-ch-x-125-watts-networking-a/v-receiver/1.html or the Marantz SR6010

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/marsr6010/marantz-sr6010-7.2-ch-x-110-watts-networking-a/v-receiver/1.html

The Denon is half a notch above, more comparable to the Marantz SR7010 as they have the same DAC. The advantage of an AVR is that they typically come with room equalization features that can work very well with blending the subwoofer with your speakers.

 

[Pogre]

Audio cork sniffer... Ha ha!

I have a Marantz receiver and I love it. They still make some of the best receivers out there. The other usual suspects are Denon, Yamaha and to a lesser extent, Pioneer.

 

[lovinthehd]

FWIW Denon & Marantz have been under same ownership (D+M Group) since 2002, and ownership of both brands has just recently changed to that of Sound United. Onkyo/Integra now owns Pioneer Electronics division, too. Old school doesn't mean much....

Sniffing corks? Is that like being an audiophool?

 

[Pogre]

FWIW Denon & Marantz have been under same ownership (D+M Group) since 2002, and ownership of both brands has just recently changed to that of Sound United. Onkyo/Integra now owns Pioneer Electronics division, too. Old school doesn't mean much....

Sniffing corks? Is that like being an audiophool?

I think so. I was picturing a wine snob sniffing a cork. Similar to a golden ear detecting inaudible differences.

 

[Bucknekked]

I think so. I was picturing a wine snob sniffing a cork. Similar to a golden ear detecting inaudible differences.

I think this is the OP's first post. But, if he keeps up with literary gems like "Audio cork sniffer", I'm going to like the guy no matter what. That shows imagination and a slight disdain for experts. I like both ideas.

to the OP : do whatever @PENG advises. I did an upgrade exercise with this group earlier this year and his advice is rock solid. All the AH folks seem to have good opinions on the matter. I had to choose a voice and Peng's is pretty solid on anything to do with amps/avrs and such. I took Pengs advice on my upgrade and I'm very happy with my new AVR

 

[ericsdeadletteroffice]

You can't really do receivers AB in a Bestbuy store in meaningful ways even if they are connected to the same speakers unless you are absolutely sure they are all set to factory default, volume matched and in pure direct mode. Their reps may say things to try and convince you that each brand has their own sound, easier to sell that way obviously. Guitar amps may be different because of their special purpose. They probably are designed to sound different, whereas a regular amplifier is designed to just amplifier the input signals and if the users wants to play with the sound they can use the manual tone controls and other manual EQ features.

Have you look into some online choices, such as Outlaw?

https://www.outlawaudio.com/products/rr2160.html

the 2160 is the current model but you can still get the 2150 for less money.

https://www.outlawaudio.com/mofcart/bstock.html

Other than those, you best bet is probably an AVR such as the:

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrx4200w/denon-avr-x4200w-7.2-ch-x-125-watts-networking-a/v-receiver/1.html or the Marantz SR6010

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/marsr6010/marantz-sr6010-7.2-ch-x-110-watts-networking-a/v-receiver/1.html

The Denon is half a notch above, more comparable to the Marantz SR7010 as they have the same DAC. The advantage of an AVR is that they typically come with room equalization features that can work very well with blending the subwoofer with your speakers.

Thank you. I am looking at the Marantz AV line, I see they basically group them 5.2, 7.2 and 9.2. Since my primary use is for music listening, is there audio component quality upgrades that pertain to me that I should consider? My instinct tells me to just go for the 5.2 level as if I do at some point connect my TV, 5.2 would be just fine for me. I'm not a big TV watcher. And as far as I can tell, they are all 50 watts per channel for stereo listening.

Also, are the Pro-Ject Phono Box or Phono Box S the way to go for my turntable amp?

 

[2channel lover]

If this was truly an audio space and TV was never going to be invited I was give the Outlaw 2160 more consideration. But, "primarily" means there might be some video work for this unit so I'm concurring with the AVR choice.

As you go up the price ladder, of course you get more features, channels, power...Once you have reached the feature package that suits you, I think you're ready to pull the trigger.

 

[-Jim-]

Hi Eric,

Welcome to the Forum. Most here are pro Denon /Marantz with a little Yamaha on the side for AVRs. Onkyo had a pile of issues a few years back, and most here shy away from them (with good reason). That sort of colors Pioneer; now that Onkyo bought their Home Audio Division a year or two back.

I tend to look at these OEMS like auto manufacturers. Ford has a lot of brands from Lincoln down to Fiesta. And GM does the same with Cadillac down to Sonic. Just like GM & Ford do, there's a lot of similarities in the AVRs each OEM makes. I really should say design as they all contract out manufacturing from time to time in various countries, and source internal components globally as well. For example you won't find anything Marantz inside one of the boxes labeled Marantz. Denon / Marantz share a lot of design and internal components. I expect Onkyo /Pioneer will soon do so as well (if they already haven't done so. I've never taken one of theirs apart.)

What I'm getting at is these aren't the same companies as years ago. They've been bought and sold a few times; manufacturing is no longer where you (or your Boss) remember it, and what they sell as Marantz, or Denon, etc., is really good marketing of what used to be top drawer audio companies.

Before Superscope bought Marantz (from Saul Marantz in 1964) the marketplace didn't know much about Marantz. It was Superscope who built up the Brand, and made Marantz a premier audio company. That version of Marantz reached it's peak in the mid 70s, with a solid reputation that made the Brand. (I bought my 2325 Receiver in this period. It got stolen in the early 80s. I loved that Box.) But the peak was reached, and before the turn of the 80s decade, in 1987 Dynascan Corporation (today's Cobra Electronics Corp) bought the Marantz Home Audio Division. By 1990, Cobra had sold the Marantz brand to Philips Electronics. In 2001, Marantz Japan acquired the brand from Philips, and owned all overseas sales subsidiaries. The Marantz Pro business was sold to Marantz Japan, Inc. (by Superscope) in 2002, and later was combined with the Denon Pro business to form D&M Professional located in Itasca, IL. In 2017 Sound United LLC acquired D+M Holding.

I bet that was far more than you wanted to know...

What this means is consumers need to be more and more diligent, and not succumb to good marketing by major companies with lots of advertising dollars to throw around convincing folks their stuff is of good quality without any real proof. Every time an OEM changes design, or shifts critical component supply, or manufacturing plant location, there is a greater chance of loss of Quality Control. And it happens quite regularly.

I personally have a couple of Denon AVRs, and a Sony AVR. I just retired my old (non HDMI) Sony AVR to the Cabin after years of good service. IMHO a Marantz is an upscaled Denon with more marketing. It has a different look, which has nothing to do with how it sounds. But, like Speakers, a lot of folks buy them for looks.

If you are in the USA, as suggested above Accessories for less is a good place for deals with warranties.

Sorry for the soapbox. I hope some of it was at least interesting, if not helpful.

 

[ericsdeadletteroffice]

Hey guys, thank you for the input. I took the plunge and picked up a Marantz SR6011. I spent more time a/b'ing today, boiled down to Marantz and Denon. I thought that the Denon was a little more colored in the mids, and the Marantz's were overall very clear, similar to the 2 Rotel 2 channels they had in stock. Eventually I eliminated the Rotels for a couple reasons.

It was a tough call between the Marantz and the Denon. The Denon sounded cool with modern pop and hip-hop type stuff. But I primarily listen to classic rock, blues, and modern alternative folk to alternative country. For those more organic tones I thought the Marantz's had a leg up to my ear. I didn't really intend to spend more than like $800 range offerings, but the SR6011 shined. I had them blind a/b'ing me and I could pick it out every time. So it spoke to me. The guy used a DB meter to make sure each receiver was set dead same volume. We checked each one to make sure they were flat.

I also picked up a Marantz CD6006. I saw them online, but they are special order. No stores had them in stock. So I couldn't even see one in person. I asked how long it would take to get one and he said, you know what, I had a guy order that and another CD player, both special order. When they both came in he came in, tried them both and only took the other home. Said the guy took the bath on the special order fee and lost 15% on the "return" of the one. But I guess it was worth it to him as he had the money to burn, and they don't stock, or even have on display much for CD players. So I got it open box, but what appears brand new for $100 off. Was just a coincidence I guess.

I'm home now and about to rip into everything and hook it up. I'll post a pic tomorrow. By then chances are I'll probably have questions about it.

My set up is now:
Marantz SR6011
Marantz CD6006
Pro-Ject Carbon Debut
Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2's
Bowers & Wilkins ASW608

I feel pretty proud, but nerdy about it, and I'm sure some of my friends will have a chuckle at it. Other's will be jealous. Now I have to figure out how to keep my 3 year old's greasy little hands away from it.

Thanks again guys!

 

[PENG]

Hey guys, thank you for the input. I took the plunge and picked up a Marantz SR6011. I spent more time a/b'ing today, boiled down to Marantz and Denon. I thought that the Denon was a little more colored in the mids, and the Marantz's were overall very clear, similar to the 2 Rotel 2 channels they had in stock. Eventually I eliminated the Rotels for a couple reasons.

It was a tough call between the Marantz and the Denon. The Denon sounded cool with modern pop and hip-hop type stuff. But I primarily listen to classic rock, blues, and modern alternative folk to alternative country. For those more organic tones I thought the Marantz's had a leg up to my ear. I didn't really intend to spend more than like $800 range offerings, but the SR6011 shined. I had them blind a/b'ing me and I could pick it out every time. So it spoke to me. The guy used a DB meter to make sure each receiver was set dead same volume. We checked each one to make sure they were flat.

I also picked up a Marantz CD6006. I saw them online, but they are special order. No stores had them in stock. So I couldn't even see one in person. I asked how long it would take to get one and he said, you know what, I had a guy order that and another CD player, both special order. When they both came in he came in, tried them both and only took the other home. Said the guy took the bath on the special order fee and lost 15% on the "return" of the one. But I guess it was worth it to him as he had the money to burn, and they don't stock, or even have on display much for CD players. So I got it open box, but what appears brand new for $100 off. Was just a coincidence I guess.

I'm home now and about to rip into everything and hook it up. I'll post a pic tomorrow. By then chances are I'll probably have questions about it.

My set up is now:
Marantz SR6011
Marantz CD6006
Pro-Ject Carbon Debut
Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2's
Bowers & Wilkins ASW608

I feel pretty proud, but nerdy about it, and I'm sure some of my friends will have a chuckle at it. Other's will be jealous. Now I have to figure out how to keep my 3 year old's greasy little hands away from it.

Thanks again guys!

Good choice, for a mid range AVR, the SR6011 and the AVR-X3300WA are hard to beat if $800 is your limit. Now you don't need the phono box and can have fun playing with the Audyssey app If you have questions about that, just ask Pogre who is our expert, for now...

 

[ericsdeadletteroffice]

Ok, hooked it all up. Of course I have a question but I'll start a thread specific to the question.

 

[panteragstk]

Good choice on receiver. I've got my eye on one of those as well.

 

[KEW]

I've got my eye on one of those as well.

Not sure why, but the "Mr. Burns" voice really came through when I read this with your avatar in view! I guess it just fits the picture with him greedily touching his fingers together!

 

[panteragstk]

Not sure why, but the "Mr. Burns" voice really came through when I read this with your avatar in view! I guess it just fits the picture with him greedily touching his fingers together!

Excellent...