Until the MRX 1140 gets tested and in the hands of users to see how solid the software is, I would go for the 8015 (it has been bench tested by Gene). Otherwise, I would opt for the X8500 which shows excellence performance, is extremely solid, and flexible.
Definitely, some people say brand/model A sounds better than brand/model B while others would say the opposite. Who do you believe, I would say no one, not even me because I know I am also Placebo prone, perhaps to a lesser extent.
So I prefer to go by specs, measurements and price/performance ratio, and would not go by ears at all unless I can truly hear a difference in a properly set up test without knowing which one I am listening to, otherwise I don't care if someone claim they heard a difference, especially those who claimed night and day difference between units that measured well enough for them to not have that kind of audible difference.
I have owned several Marantz products, so after seeing the stellar results in Gene's review (measurements), I think it is a winner, aside from the X8500H on the D side. It is the one to beat, and I doubt the MRX1140 would come close, but we have to wait and see.
