Marantz SR8012 - Really disappointed with sound quality

K

keenly

Enthusiast
@PENG
Thank you for your input. This wasn't about arguing a point, rather trying to help OP understand what differences could exist between his 7010 and the 8012.
I'm hoping @Itsmerandy is patient and works through the 8012!
Marantz changed its sound to emphasize the highs more. That is the issue, and a literal stated fact.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Marantz changed its sound to emphasize the highs more. That is the issue, and a literal stated fact.
What is your evidence? I doubt it is literal stated fact. I can't imagine any electronics manufacturer deliberately skewing the frequency response curve. Having said that there can be factors that you might not glean from a review. One of these is source impedance. I suppose it is just possible that your new receiver has a higher source impedance, and may be following the impedance curve of your speakers. Bench test are done into a power resistor, which in not the same as speaker loads, which are all over the map. But I would bet that your receiver would test the same on the bench as all other similar devices. I suggest you experiment with external amplification.

Below is the FR measured by Audioholics, so the FR is not tweaked.



Lastly how many channels are you driving hard. These days there are too many amps in one case from one power supply. That receiver is an 86 watt per channel device seven channels driven. So if you are using high volumes, then external amplification is recommended.
 
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everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
Marantz changed its sound to emphasize the highs more. That is the issue, and a literal stated fact.
I'm not seeing that in these frequency responses, If anything some of there models drop sharply at 20khz during the same model year as the op.
Marantz SR7015 Home Theater AVR Amplifiers CD Frequency Response Measurements.png
Marantz SR8015 Frequency Response Measurements Analog Amplifier AVR.png
 
K

keenly

Enthusiast
What is your evidence? I doubt it is literal stated fact. I can't imagine any electronics manufacturer deliberately skewing the frequency response curve. Having said that there can be factors that you might not glean from a review. One of these is source impedance. I suppose it is just possible that your new receiver has a higher source impedance, and may be following the impedance curve of your speakers. Bench test are done into a power resistor, which in not the same as speaker loads, which are all over the map. But I would bet that your receiver would test the same on the bench as all other similar devices. I suggest you experiment with external amplification.
They LITERALLY stated this themselves.
Sorry, this was done awhile ago after the 7005, which sounded amazing. Marantz announced for the sr7010 they had changed the tuning of the DAC's and HDAM modules for more pronounced highs.

They lost their signature warm sound then.
 
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Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
Marantz changed its sound to emphasize the highs more. That is the issue, and a literal stated fact.
In addition to the other replies you’ve gotten: You can have different DSP settings than used in the older AVR.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
They LITERALLY stated this themselves.
Sorry, this was done awhile ago after the 7005, which sounded amazing. Marantz announced for the sr7010 they had changed the tuning of the DAC's and HDAM modules for more pronounced highs.

They lost their signature warm sound then.
That's just marketing, which probably creates placebo effect. If you look at the actual measurements and many other opinions, the sound is actually NEUTRAL - unless you use EQ or DSP.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
I'm not seeing that in these frequency responses, If anything some of there models drop sharply at 20khz during the same model year as the op.
View attachment 59542View attachment 59543
I think source resistance should be a standard part of amp measurements. Amps do not drive resistors in daily use, they drive inductive and reactive loads.

I don't have a lot of experience with receivers as they don't meet my needs. However when I installed a receiver in our former lake home for the new owners, I could not push it hard. It sounded very gritty indeed on the Dies Irae of the Verdi Requiem. So it did not take me long to find the limits of a mid price receiver at any rate.
It also got plenty warm in a hurry, despite excellent ventilation around it.
However, I don't agree the FR of the OPs receiver has been skewed.
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
I think source resistance should be a standard part of amp measurements. Amps do not drive resistors in daily use, they drive inductive and reactive loads.

I don't have a lot of experience with receivers as they don't meet my needs. However when I installed a receiver in our former lake home for the new owners, I could not push it hard. It sounded very gritty indeed on the Dies Irae of the Verdi Requiem. So it did not take me long to find the limits of a mid price receiver at any rate.
It also got plenty warm in a hurry, despite excellent ventilation around it.
However, I don't agree the FR of the OPs receiver has been skewed.
I wasn't implying that it was skewed just that it has been measured as I described with sharp roll off at 20khz with a couple of their models and via a couple of inputs.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Marantz changed its sound to emphasize the highs more. That is the issue, and a literal stated fact.
ALL AVRs and amplifiers are designed for wide frequency response with as little deviation from fat as possible. There's no emphasized highs in Marantz AVRs.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
They LITERALLY stated this themselves.
Sorry, this was done awhile ago after the 7005, which sounded amazing. Marantz announced for the sr7010 they had changed the tuning of the DAC's and HDAM modules for more pronounced highs.

They lost their signature warm sound then.
I think you have got tired of those speakers. I did hear those speakers of yours when they first came out. A dealer who had been persuaded by a rep to take them on asked me to come and see what I thought of them, as he was thinking he should not have brought them in. I gave them a good listen, and I remember them giving a particularly nasty rendition of the finale of the Sibelius second symphony, where they just murdered that glorious brass finish.
The dealer quickly moved them to the back room discounted. I do remember seeing an FR, at the time which was not at all pretty, but I can't find it now. But I have those speakers pegged as being well the wrong side of pleasant.
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
What is your evidence? I doubt it is literal stated fact. I can't imagine any electronics manufacturer deliberately skewing the frequency response curve. Having said that there can be factors that you might not glean from a review. One of these is source impedance. I suppose it is just possible that your new receiver has a higher source impedance, and may be following the impedance curve of your speakers. Bench test are done into a power resistor, which in not the same as speaker loads, which are all over the map. But I would bet that your receiver would test the same on the bench as all other similar devices. I suggest you experiment with external amplification.

Below is the FR measured by Audioholics, so the FR is not tweaked.



Lastly how many channels are you driving hard. These days there are too many amps in one case from one power supply. That receiver is an 86 watt per channel device seven channels driven. So if you are using high volumes, then external amplification is recommended.
It's actually more like 100wpc x 7CH driven. I believe I had the SR8012 plugged into a non dedicated outlet when I tested by accident. I retested the 8015 and got higher power for that reason. But good points.
 
Kingnoob

Kingnoob

Audioholic Samurai
In addition to the other replies you’ve gotten: You can have different DSP settings than used in the older AVR.
Yeah why is it some older avr can’t be updated I could never get mine to work because it had no Wi-Fi . Bought the adapter and it still don’t work, :(
So mirantZ actually sounds brighter now or is this just skepticism?
I’ve yet to hear that brand I’ve got an old onkyo .
 
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