Marantz SR7002

[hipfan]

I just bought this reciever this weekend and I am extremely impressed with it. I have it paired with PSB Imagine B for my front L & R and an Imagine C for my centre (still need to upgrade my surround and sub, but that must wait) which sound excellent, but I just wanted to say I am blown away by the SR7002. I know that it's been replaced, and I can't compare it with the new model, but if you are looking to get a new reciever and are on a budge these can be had for a very reasonable price.

When I was searching for a new receiver, my budge was up to $1000, but new models I was looking at (Denon, Yamaha), just couldn't compete with the connectivity of the Marantz at this pricepoint. The 7002 is pretty heavy too, much heavier than my H/K AVR 225 that it replaced. And I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the universal remote that came with it. I didn't realize that it came with one and was starting to look at buying one but I'm glad I didn't waste the money because this remote is great! The audessy EQ is a nice feature too; I may tweak the eq a bit but it sure is a nice starting point. All in all I would give the Marantz two big thumbs up and easily recommend to anyone who is looking for a good receiver without breaking the budget.

 

[swspiers]

I'm looking at buying a new receiver to temporarily replace my Parasound separates. I really LOVE the new Denon, Onkyo and Marantz flagships models this year, but the feature sets go way beyond my actual near-term needs.

The 7002 is on my narrowing list of receivers- all the features I want and a cheap enough price that I can justify buying a new pre/pro down the road when I can have a more permanent system

 

[KEW]

I am blown away by the SR7002. I know that it's been replaced, and I can't compare it with the new model, but if you are looking to get a new reciever and are on a budge these can be had for a very reasonable price.

Unless you need the updated AV features, don't fret over not buying the latest and greatest.
While I have no knowledge of the specifics of these models, it would be very surprising if they changed anything that effects the sound quality. Sound reproduction technology (pre-amp & amp section design) is pretty mature.

 

[markw]

Don't worry too much about the "newest, latest and greatest".

The way these manufacturers operate, it'll be obsolete in six months when they release the next "newest, latest and greatest" anyway.

As long as it can do what you bought it for, you'll get your moneys worth out of it.

My seven year-old Denon 2802 still does the job.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah, the latest, greatest, more expensive units will try to give you more convinience and gimmick features, not increased performance.

 

[GranteedEV]

being old doesn't mean much.


The few things like Dolby True HD or DTS Master etc that I may miss... well they're decoded by my PS3 anyways!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

being old doesn't mean much.


The few things like Dolby True HD or DTS Master etc that I may miss... well they're decoded by my PS3 anyways!

Wait, you are going from a newer pre-pro with TrueHD/DTS-HD to an older pre-pro without TrueHD/DTS-HD?

 

[swspiers]

Yeah, the latest, greatest, more expensive units will try to give you more convinience and gimmick features, not increased performance.

Actually, I'm finding some features I care about actually diminishing in newer models. DSD decoding from HDMI is a big one for me, but I have to shell out a lot to get that. 3 years ago it was common.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Actually, I'm finding some features I care about actually diminishing in newer models. DSD decoding from HDMI is a big one for me, but I have to shell out a lot to get that. 3 years ago it was common.

You mean how a $200 Oppo player can do DSD SACD via HDMI, but a $2,000 Denon DBP-4010UD cannot do DSD SACD via HDMI?

On the $2K Denon, you have to use the Denon Link to get DSD.

 

[swspiers]

You mean how a $200 Oppo player can do DSD SACD via HDMI, but a $2,000 Denon DBP-4010UD cannot do DSD SACD via HDMI?

On the $2K Denon, you have to use the Denon Link to get DSD.

Yeah....that!

I'm seeing some intriguing models from 2008/2009 from Marantz And Onkyo that have me thinking...

I was given a Pioneer Elite TX-27TX when I got my Ohm F's, and it's on its last legs. It sometimes doesn't want to do anything after I turn it on. It's time to find a replacement, as close the price of the Pioneer as possible

 

[swspiers]

I got the SR7002 thru Amazon for $599 plus overnight shipping at $3.99 (gotta love Prime).

I honestly didn't expect anything earth shattering, and for the first 2 days it seemed pretty transparent compared to the Parasound and Pioneer gear.

Until last night when the wife and I were watching West Wing (an essential for me in auditioning/evaluating gear with the opening music and well- recorded environmental noise). She commented pretty quickly that she could hear the dialogue a lot better. I thought it was just a subjective, psychological effect on part, being new gear and all. But she was right- it was crystal clear compared to the Pioneer VSX-27X I had been given. My shady and unreliable memory of the Parasound also wants to tell me that dialogue was sometimes 'iffy'.

I've now run my Ohm Micro Walsh Talls on a Harmon Kardon AVR 20, Parasound AVC-1800 pre-amp/HCA-2205A amp, aforementioned Pioneer and now the Marantz. Right now, they're sounding pretty darn good with a stereo image that is the best I've heard from them to date.

I'm pretty sure it's the crossover @ 60 Hz with my (way over-performing) Speaker Company ASW-8 subwoofer that is having the most effect. But everything I've heard with the 7002 so far has exceeded expectation. I'm even getting a nice bit of chest-thump from the midbass I never really had until now.

Nice receiver. I think I'll keep it. Then replace it with the 7005 when the 7007 comes out in a few years

 

[lietuvis91]

I heard so many good things about this receiver, I had to pulll the trigger on one from amazon last night. THe estimated shipping day is the 29th however, so they will make me wait....

I just CANT wait!!!

 

[lietuvis91]

...and the pirce on amazon just went up to $899 for the sr7002, I wonder if the stock is running low?! It does say only 2 left!

I feel lucky for getting one at $599

 

[swspiers]

...and the pirce on amazon just went up to $899 for the sr7002, I wonder if the stock is running low?! It does say only 2 left!

I feel lucky for getting one at $599

Hey! Today's New Receiver Day, isn't it? I love New Reciver Day!

Be sure to let us know your first impressions...

 

[lietuvis91]

haha ---> "New Receiver day" That's funny!

It's actually tomorrow, but maybe it'll show up early... who knows! I really can't wait, i'll let you know.

 

[lietuvis91]

so I got the receiver yesterday, got to set it up in 2 ch mode with my polk m70s. Spent about 4 hours playing with it.

First impressions:
very solid build, a bit plain looking, but this is an older model.
2 remotes? One looks like u could drive a space ship with it! I haven't figured this out yet.
Regularly wired, in 2 ch mode sounded strong. I was impressed with the way it pushed those big towers. I will do an A to B comparison to the onkyo 608 later when I have time.

and then... I bi-wired the m70s. All I have to say is: I don't care who you are or what your backround is. If you say bi-wiring doesn't do anything, you're on crack! It made a very noticible difference to those speakers. The bass became so clean/crisp/punchy... it literaly seemed like I now had a sub in the room. The highs were much clearer as well. I was super impressed with the overall difference. I have NO reason to get an external amp to run these in 2ch mode off this receiver, sounds amazing as is!

I will probably hook this thing up to my HT setup later, just to see how it would sound vs the onkyo, just need time!

 

[GranteedEV]

Regularly wired, in 2 ch mode sounded strong. I was impressed with the way it pushed those big towers. I will do an A to B comparison to the onkyo 608 later when I have time.

and then... I bi-wired the m70s. All I have to say is: I don't care who you are or what your backround is. If you say bi-wiring doesn't do anything, you're on crack! It made a very noticible difference to those speakers. The bass became so clean/crisp/punchy... it literaly seemed like I now had a sub in the room. The highs were much clearer as well. I was super impressed with the overall difference. I have NO reason to get an external amp to run these in 2ch mode off this receiver, sounds amazing as is!

are you using like 24 awg wire or something? lol.

 

[lietuvis91]

12g monoprice junk....

well, this is a very small room, about 12x14, so maybe it's just more noticable in a smaller space like that, since i can hear all the detail much better. I don't know... but it's definitely a noticeable difference.

One thing I realized though, is my onkyo does not advertise their amp on the receiver as discrete channel amp and the marantz does. So maybe bi-wiring does not get the same results on all receivers.

 

[GranteedEV]

Sure you're not confusing bi-amping with bi-wiring?

 

[Seth=L]

Sure you're not confusing bi-amping with bi-wiring?

I'm pretty sure he is confusing them.

In any case. I'm willing to bet his Onkyo had discrete output devices for each channel as well. In the case of the Marantz, unless it has a severe limitation in its output devices the results should be electically near the same, and acoustically indistinguishable. I'd venture to say that telling everyone that disagrees with him is on crack is a very unreasonable assessment.