Marantz AV 20 13.4CH Pre/Pro & AMP 20 12CH Amplifier Official Thread

[Madhuski]

Many along the way.

When I moved from Trinnov to AV10, I had an Alcons setup.

I later sold the Alcons and put in a KEF blade and reference meta setup - still had the av10 at that point. I then sold the KEF's and put in a B&W 700 signature setup. At that point I sold the AV10/amp10 and went A10h

I scratched the (for me) high end itch and decided to downsize to something that cost wise made sense for what I use it for

 

[ryanosaur]

Hi there, how are you finding the AV20 since the initial Audyssey setup?

Have you found easily discernable sound quality improvements over your previous processor?

I'm in the market for the AV20 (upgrading from a Denon 4700, which I use as a pre-pro with a separate power amp), so looking to glean as much information as possible on the kind of upgrade I can expect.

The other thing that's in the back of my mind is that Marantz said the AV10 uses higher quality capacitors and therefore is still the go to for those after the best sound quality above all else. I'm running a 5.2.2 system for now (with eventual upgrade to 5.4.2), so I would prefer to go for the AV20 due to my channel count, but wondering if there are actual real world sound quality differences between the AV20 and AV10. (My power amp is the Emotiva XPA Gen 3)

Simply to answer your questions...

The AV20 has been solid. Initial Audyssey setup and curve editing worked per usual App experience and overall quality of my experience on the AV20, post room correction, has been very good.

I cannot and will not make claims of night and day differences between my older SR6012 purchased new in Summer of 2018 when it was on closeout for the newer models. However, the processing power in the AV20 is significantly improved over what was in a mid-tier AVR designed and manufactured 8 years ago.

What I am willing to say is that the Movie and Gaming experience has been more impactful. Audyssey on this machine measured differently than it ever did on my 6012. Is it the XLRs or the machine itself? No other equipment was changed.

As to Music only, I have had precious little time to sit and enjoy anything in an active listening session. What I have listened to is solid. Nothing notably off in any way. Keep in mind I refuse to make claims about being able to hear the possible drop in noise floor or improved SINAD/Distortion numbers. But what I have listened to in a more passive manner has been great.

Lastly, I am not one to assign magical properties to capacitors. I know some love to discuss Caps and their "qualities," but I am more firmly in the camp of Caps and other wiring not really affecting SQ.

With that in mind, I don't think we have seen any 3rd party bench test of the AV20 yet, however Masimo/SU/D&M know that somebody will likely put this on an AP and run it through its paces, so my money is on this thing testing as advertised. Or at least close enough. If that is the case, it should test higher than the AV10. *shrugs We'll see.

Is the AV10 worth the new higher price? Possibly for those who can afford it and want the true flagship model.

If you don't need the 2 extra channels, I don't think the AV20 will disappoint.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I will not make claims of night and day differences…

Now how are you gonna get 300 replies like TLS Guy with that kind of response?

 

[Trebdp83]

Yeah, what the f#%k am I supposed to do with that s#%t?

 

[franknorris12]

Simply to answer your questions...

The AV20 has been solid. Initial Audyssey setup and curve editing worked per usual App experience and overall quality of my experience on the AV20, post room correction, has been very good.

I cannot and will not make claims of night and day differences between my older SR6012 purchased new in Summer of 2018 when it was on closeout for the newer models. However, the processing power in the AV20 is significantly improved over what was in a mid-tier AVR designed and manufactured 8 years ago.

What I am willing to say is that the Movie and Gaming experience has been more impactful. Audyssey on this machine measured differently than it ever did on my 6012. Is it the XLRs or the machine itself? No other equipment was changed.

As to Music only, I have had precious little time to sit and enjoy anything in an active listening session. What I have listened to is solid. Nothing notably off in any way. Keep in mind I refuse to make claims about being able to hear the possible drop in noise floor or improved SINAD/Distortion numbers. But what I have listened to in a more passive manner has been great.

Lastly, I am not one to assign magical properties to capacitors. I know some love to discuss Caps and their "qualities," but I am more firmly in the camp of Caps and other wiring not really affecting SQ.

With that in mind, I don't think we have seen any 3rd party bench test of the AV20 yet, however Masimo/SU/D&M know that somebody will likely put this on an AP and run it through its paces, so my money is on this thing testing as advertised. Or at least close enough. If that is the case, it should test higher than the AV10. *shrugs We'll see.

Is the AV10 worth the new higher price? Possibly for those who can afford it and want the true flagship model.

If you don't need the 2 extra channels, I don't think the AV20 will disappoint.

Many thanks for taking the time to provide your feedback thus far, much appreciated

 

[ryanosaur]

Yeah, what the f#%k am I supposed to do with that s#%t?

#halo-smiley, b!tch


In some simple way, I want to think that the Marantz AV 10 and 20 might exist because @gene leaned on the right folk at SU/D&M. That, and they know somebody is gonna bench it and reveal if the AV20 isn’t what it is supposed to be.

Considering the AV10 already benched so impressively well, all the AV20 has to do is match it. I don’t need the extra +3 SINAD score to make me happy. Hell, just going into Setup through the remote is so much of an improvement that it’s easily worth 1k of the retail price.

Anyway, iirc, Anthem may have been first to market with this pattern of the 15.4 processor, and while I haven’t used one, all I can say is that I think Marantz got this right.

Put that in your bong and do a few rips!

 

[TLS Guy]

#halo-smiley, b!tch


In some simple way, I want to think that the Marantz AV 10 and 20 might exist because @gene leaned on the right folk at SU/D&M. That, and they know somebody is gonna bench it and reveal if the AV20 isn’t what it is supposed to be.

Considering the AV10 already benched so impressively well, all the AV20 has to do is match it. I don’t need the extra +3 SINAD score to make me happy. Hell, just going into Setup through the remote is so much of an improvement that it’s easily worth 1k of the retail price.

Anyway, iirc, Anthem may have been first to market with this pattern of the 15.4 processor, and while I haven’t used one, all I can say is that I think Marantz got this right.

Put that in your bong and do a few rips!

It is highly unlikely that the AV 20 will test or sound worse in anyway than the AV 10. I would expect there to be a lot of commonality. I got the A 10 because it was available and has been out long enough to have a track record of reliability. I assume, but don't know, that there is a lot of commonality between the AV 10 and AV 20. So I expect you will get the same stellar performance I am getting from the AV 10.

I think the better 2 channel performance is likely related to the much improved SNR and this is important.

I think the biggest difference from previous AVPs is the implementation of Dolby Atmos and the Dolby surround upmixer. With the 7705 and 7706, Atmos streams were an improvement but nothing like the improvement in processing of the AV 10. The AV 10 can give a very lifelike representation of the venue where the program was recorded, whereas with the others there was only a hint, but a fairly solid hint. Now from the BPO Atmos streams you really feel acoustic of the philharmonie in Berlin, and feel you are in the audience. Why this is so improved is beyond my pay grade to explain, but it is definitely identifiable.