Marantz AV 10 15.4CH AV Processor Bench Test Results!

[multisport4me]

Damn I never saw this video and Masimo said my test results were accurate. I will rerun with a BW limited source instead of 192khz to see if it improves the measurements.

It's a really good overall video as well. I love that they put these videos out like this and they really do a great job diving into the inards of the system and some of their design choices. They have them for AVR-A1H and other Cinema series too if I recall.

 

[PENG]

Damn I never saw this video and Masimo said my test results were accurate. I will rerun with a BW limited source instead of 192khz to see if it improves the measurements.

They likely used 96 kHz, that won't make much different unless select the slow roll off filters (default?), in that case you may get closer to 100 dB but I doubt it would improve to 106 dB. They had volume set to 82, input is the same as yours, 0 dBFS for sure.

Again, please do the FFT using 3.5 kHz or somewhere around there, if you don't mind and obviously if possible at all... No one else has done it, but Audioholics can be the first.

 

[gene]

They likely used 96 kHz, that won't make much different unless select the slow roll off filters (default?), in that case you may get closer to 100 dB but I doubt it would improve to 106 dB. They had volume set to 82, input is the same as yours, 0 dBFS for sure.

Again, please do the FFT using 3.5 kHz or somewhere around there, if you don't mind and obviously if possible at all... No one else has done it, but Audioholics can be the first.

yea SINAD was unchanged when I changed to Fs = 48kHz. I will reach out to my contacts at Masimo to better understand their test conditions. We are in the weeds when dealing with such low distortion so it's difficult to repeat these results sometimes.

 

[multisport4me]

They likely used 96 kHz, that won't make much different unless select the slow roll off filters (default?), in that case you may get closer to 100 dB but I doubt it would improve to 106 dB. They had volume set to 82, input is the same as yours, 0 dBFS for sure.

Again, please do the FFT using 3.5 kHz or somewhere around there, if you don't mind and obviously if possible at all... No one else has done it, but Audioholics can be the first.

You raise a good point that I may have missed. Gene, was this with the DAC filter setting ON or OFF? I'm curious which setting you used....and sorry if I missed it. Personally, I have it turned off on my AV10.

 

[TLS Guy]

According to Marantz Support website, there will be a rackmount kit option under development, but who knows if it is accurate


Marantz Response
· a month ago

Hi Russ,
The release date for the rack mount kit for the AV10 has yet to be determined. We're hoping very soon.
Sub-woofer 1 is the primary subwoofer connection, and its differing panel color is to help indicate that it should be utilized before the other Subwoofer preouts. A similar theme can be observed for Monitor Outs and the Main Five Speaker Channels.

Thanks for the info. I will watch with interest. Although my rig sounds really good with the 7705, so whether the results would be worth the expense is actually debatable.

 

[gene]

I just looked at Masimo measurements. They used analog input as source. I will go back and test SINAD through complete Analog path in hopes to replicate.

 

[PENG]

I just looked at Masimo measurements. They used analog input as source. I will go back and test SINAD through complete Analog path in hopes to replicate.

Really appreciate you showing your true color, that is, being a real engineer who just have to know the reasons for everthing, aka osd haha

 

[multisport4me]

As a lowly non-engineer here, I'm still curious to know how the new DAC filter on/off impacts measurements. Everybody hated the slow rolloff DAC filter so now they give us a way to turn it off so it would be good to know what, if any, impact there is. I've opted to turn it off to be a more typical fast linear roll off...not sure what this will mean measurement wise though.

 

[gene]

Really appreciate you showing your true color, that is, being a real engineer who just have to know the reasons for everthing, aka osd haha

That sh1t would make me lose sleep if I can't replicate and confirm.

 

[PENG]

As a lowly non-engineer here, I'm still curious to know how the new DAC filter on/off impacts measurements. Everybody hated the slow rolloff DAC filter so now they give us a way to turn it off so it would be good to know what, if any, impact there is. I've opted to turn it off to be a more typical fast linear roll off...not sure what this will mean measurement wise though.

If I understood right, it is not a on/off thing, but Marantz now allows you the choice of using the Denon's chice of the fast roll off filters, or the Marantz's choice of one of those slow roll off filters. The slow roll off filters, being slow, will result in having the harmonics in the ultra sonic band. The fast roll off will behave more like a brickwall, removing frequencies above around 22 kHz if the sampling rate is 44 kHz, along with the high order harmonics.

You can see the response of each type of the filters in the dac datasheet. I can post more info tomorrow when I am at the desktop PC tomorrow.

I don't have the AV 10, when you say "turn off", what exactly does it mean? I guess it means selecting the fast roll off filter, but I don't want to guess.

Maybe I should read the manual, but it will be tomorrow.

 

[multisport4me]

If I understood right, it is not a on/off thing, but Marantz now allows you the choice of using the Denon's chice of the fast roll off filters, or the Marantz's choice of one of those slow roll off filters. The slow roll off filters, being slow, will result in having the harmonics in the ultra sonic band. The fast roll off will behave more like a brickwall, removing frequencies above around 22 kHz if the sampling rate is 44 kHz, along with the high order harmonics.

You can see the response of each type of the filters in the dac datasheet. I can post more info tomorrow when I am at the desktop PC tomorrow.

I don't have the AV 10, when you say "turn off", what exactly does it mean? I guess it means selecting the fast roll off filter, but I don't want to guess.

Maybe I should read the manual, but it will be tomorrow.

I'm using filter 2. Which I guess is the Denon way as you said.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Damn I never saw this video and Masimo said my test results were accurate. I will rerun with a BW limited source instead of 192khz to see if it improves the measurements.

From Masimo Video.

AV10: SINAD 106dB

AMP10: SINAD 95dB

 

[multisport4me]

Thanks for posting that. I was going to say that I think Gene has watched the video now but in glancing at the SU measurements I noticed that the SINAD was 106dB with HDMI in....just as I think Gene tested. Hard to believe using DAC filter 2 would make up the other 10dB, but to fair, the feature is literally described as being useful for "benchtests."

Either way, I'm sure Gene will figure it out. This thing is super clean, loaded with features not see anywhere at its price point and its gorgeous in my room. It is so cool to be seeing some very nice AV gear coming out again after the AV-zombie-apocalypse (COVID).

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Thanks for posting that. I was going to say that I think Gene has watched the video now but in glancing at the SU measurements I noticed that the SINAD was 106dB with HDMI in....just as I think Gene tested. Hard to believe using DAC filter 2 would make up the other 10dB, but to fair, the feature is literally described as being useful for "benchtests."

Either way, I'm sure Gene will figure it out. This thing is super clean, loaded with features not see anywhere at its price point and its gorgeous in my room. It is so cool to be seeing some very nice AV gear coming out again after the AV-zombie-apocalypse (COVID).

Yeah. As clean and inaudible as 96dB SINAD is, 106dB seems like a “huge” difference in measurement. So I am sure Gene and Masimo will get to the bottom of this.

 

[gene]

I was able to replicate their 116dB SNR via HDMI input (0dBFs) and Master Vol adjusted to 82.5 (4Vrms output) with 22.5kHz BW limit.

I tested the full analog input to output path and ran a 1kHz Vsweep and wasn't able to exceed 97dB SINAD even when BW limiting the measurement. Oddly in the Masimo video, they talk about the AV 10 max output drive of 9Vrms when I was able to get 12 Vrms. If you read their notes, they used analog unbalanced input and analog balanced output which is odd. Doing so with a master vol of 82.5 means you will have to drive the unbalanced input to clipping to get full output and explains why they couldn't get 12Vrms out.

Even when I switched to that, I couldn't get their 106dB SINAD but the output did limit to 9Vrms like they stated. The measurement below is XLR input to XLR output.

 

[PENG]

Thanks for posting that. I was going to say that I think Gene has watched the video now but in glancing at the SU measurements I noticed that the SINAD was 106dB with HDMI in....just as I think Gene tested. Hard to believe using DAC filter 2 would make up the other 10dB, but to fair, the feature is literally described as being useful for "benchtests."

Either way, I'm sure Gene will figure it out. This thing is super clean, loaded with features not see anywhere at its price point and its gorgeous in my room. It is so cool to be seeing some very nice AV gear coming out again after the AV-zombie-apocalypse (COVID).

Filter 2 will get better test results mainly in terms of flat FR to 20 kHz and a touch higher SINAD, may be 1 to 2 dB, not 10 for sure.

 

[Nondemo01]

It's not surprising that the Marantz AV 10 15.4CH 8K AV Processor produced excellent bench test results. This $7K processor has bass management features no other competitor has in this price class such as LFE Bass Routing and Bass Re-distribution. We thoroughly test these features to show you how they work. We also thoroughly explain the measurement results and how they can relate to real world experiences for this product.

View attachment 61648View attachment 61649

With plenty of clean output drive and the ability to run 4 independent subs with so much flexibility of how you configure your bass, the AV 10 is a class leader. Could it be too uncomfortably close in performance to the uber expensive Storm Audio and Trinnov alternatives?

Read: Marantz AV 10 15.4CH 8K Processor Bench Test Results

Awesome test bench review Gene! Thanks again! You are now my one-stop-shop for everything my credit card doesn't need.... Now, how can I help you get rid of that Storm processor?!?!? I wouldn't want to see you suffer any longer with it when you can just keep the AV 10.....

 

[gene]

Awesome test bench review Gene! Thanks again! You are now my one-stop-shop for everything my credit card doesn't need.... Now, how can I help you get rid of that Storm processor?!?!? I wouldn't want to see you suffer any longer with it when you can just keep the AV 10.....

Nice try. The AV 10 goes in my family room system. Storm stays in the theater.

 

[gene]

Thanks for posting that. I was going to say that I think Gene has watched the video now but in glancing at the SU measurements I noticed that the SINAD was 106dB with HDMI in....just as I think Gene tested. Hard to believe using DAC filter 2 would make up the other 10dB, but to fair, the feature is literally described as being useful for "benchtests."

Either way, I'm sure Gene will figure it out. This thing is super clean, loaded with features not see anywhere at its price point and its gorgeous in my room. It is so cool to be seeing some very nice AV gear coming out again after the AV-zombie-apocalypse (COVID).

The .0005% THD or 106dB SINAD measurement in the Masimo video happens at 22:08 and they labeled it as Analog Unbal In and Analog Bal out. At their Vol setting of 82.5, you'd have to drive the input to > 6Vrms to get the output to reach max level. This is why their max unclipped output was 9Vrms instead of 12Vrms like i measured.

All tests were done with the Filter 2 setting which Marantz claims is the better setting for measurements while Filter 1 is the better setting to enjoy music.

 

[gene]

From Masimo Video.

AV10: SINAD 106dB

AMP10: SINAD 95dB

It will hit rated power with 1 or up to 7CH driven as per my bench tests. It's a very interesting amp. Does great ACD but has no headroom above rated power. I will be discussing this in my test report.