Marantz SR-8012 versus newer SR-6014

[snakeeyes]

Your question might be better/more appropriate here? https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/avr-x3600h-a-viable-low-cost-alternative-to-the-more-expensive-avps-denon-and-avcs-yamaha.117881/#post-1384540

Re-posted in the other thread. Thanks!

 

[M Code]

Me neither, we just have different opinions, among some facts.

However, if you have some spare time, please read the linked article I posted a few time before. If you don't have time, may be the last paragraph would do.

SoundStage! Max dB - The High-End Mythology of the Toroidal Power Transformer (07/1998)

In U, my final year options were power and control, and I worked in the high power stuff for some time so I am quite familiar with transformer designs and their characteristics.

Anyway, it is interesting to see that this thing, below, actually measured better than the AV8805 (that has a toroid) in SINAD (i.e. THD+N) and about equal it in all other categories. It beats the AV8805 and 7705 in FR too but that's only because Marantz chose to use the slow roll off filter setting causing drop off from about 17 kHz to 20 kHz.

Denon AVR-X3600H AV Receiver Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Denon AVR-X3600H 9.2 channel AVR. It was purchased new by a kind member who drop shipped it to me. It costs US $1,099. From outside the AVR-X3600H seems like any other AVR: But the controls feel a lot better than some other AVRs. The...

www.audiosciencereview.com

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Nice article by Doug Blackburn...
Note that we have known Doug from the late 70s when he was a Manufacturer's Representative for Jack Carter Associates in Hollywood, as I bought a Tandberg 10XD reel-to- reel through him on accommodation. Doug also worked for other CE publications including car audio, so our paths crossed many frequent times @ CES and press events.

The pro/cons of toroidal vs. EL has been discussed multiple times in various forums and media. The hype for toroidal was simply trying to push out another marketing feature, to try and gain a marketing advantage. 1 project we were working on many years back was slim-height, rack-mounted pro-audio amplifier rated @ 300W x 2 to built in the USA that required a very high VA. The brand was located in SoCal and we had a problem finding a domestic source for a compact EL power transformer, and we did find a USA source from the aero-space field and they showed me some exceptional high-efficiency EL designs in a small, square, compact form-factor package. Problem was its $ cost, so the brand finally went with another lower cost source using a traditional EL transformer and let the package grow taller in height. Pro-audio products like consumer audio products typically have tight product cost budgets, so the lower cost components end up winning out.

Just my $0.02...

 

[PENG]

Nice article by Doug Blackburn...
Note that we have known Jack from the late 70s when he was a Manufacturer's Representative for Jack Carter Associates in Hollywood, as I bought a Tandberg 10XD reel-to- reel through him on accommodation. Doug also worked for other CE publications including car audio, so our paths crossed many frequent times @ CES and press events.

The pro/cons of toroidal vs. EL has been discussed multiple times in various forums and media. The hype for toroidal was simply trying to push out another marketing feature, to try and gain a marketing advantage. 1 project we were working on many years back was slim-height, rack-mounted pro-audio amplifier rated @ 300W x 2 to built in the USA that required a very high VA. The brand was located in SoCal and we had a problem finding a domestic source for a compact EL power transformer, and we did find a USA source from the aero-space field and they showed me some exceptional high-efficiency EL designs in a small, square, compact form-factor package. Problem was its $ cost, so the brand finally went with another lower cost source using a traditional EL transformer and let the package grow taller in height. Pro-audio products like consumer audio products typically have tight product cost budgets, so the lower cost components end up winning out.

Just my $0.02...

Thanks for the background info. As always, you are our defacto resident insider.

As a diyer, it is easier to buy a good quality audio grade toroid, but probably not an E-I, at least I am not aware of a good source. Sony had pulled a fast one at one time when they stuffed the DA4 ES and lower models with Bando's. Otherwise they used their custom made ones that had the ES label on them. Those Bando tx were of decent quality (hum was quite audible though) but Denon, Marantz and Yamaha's were supposedly custom designed/wound to their specs and the are practically hum free, almost silent.

Those who use the generic ones (probably like Hammond's) looked ugly at best, iirc, the lower NAD AVRs have some ugly looking ones, no visible copper wraps to help reduced leakage flux for example.