Marantz SR4002 Surround Receiver

[admin]

With features such as seven channels of all discrete amplifier stages,
HDMI V1.3 Switching with V1.1 Repeating, (7.1) LPCM via HDMI, and a ridiculously low MSRP of only 549.99, The Marantz SR-4002 surround receiver just might be the best buy of the year.

Discuss "Marantz SR4002 Surround Receiver" here. Read the article.

 

[B3Nut]

That's an impressive package for the money. It's nice to see preouts showing up on more receivers at this price level. I do find it interesting that Marantz's sister company Denon makes you go far up the line to get that feature...last year's 2307 had them, this year's 2308 does not. The 2808 does, but that's getting into the expensive units.

Is Gene going to torture one of these on the bench?

 

[Davidt1]

Nice, but doesn't Pioneer have a new receiver for the same list price with TrueHd sound or something like that?

 

[Seth=L]

Nice, but doesn't Pioneer have a new receiver for the same list price with TrueHd sound or something like that?

Not that I am aware of.

IMO, the true budget killer in the $500 area is the Harman Kardon AVR-247. That 30 pound receiver has HDMI 1.2 with simplay, preouts, auto calibration, a Faroudja 720p scaler, and it can upconvert all video inputs to HDMI. It does a couple things other receivers in that price bracket simply will not.

 

[corey]

Nice, but doesn't Pioneer have a new receiver for the same list price with TrueHd sound or something like that?

From the CES coverage: "The Pioneer VSX-1018TXH-K will begin shipping in June 2008 for a suggested price of $599."

You can read the press release here.

 

[Seth=L]

From the CES coverage: "The Pioneer VSX-1018TXH-K will begin shipping in June 2008 for a suggested price of $599."

You can read the press release here.

Oh cool, I am glad to hear they are putting something out now. The VSX-918TXH sounds like a budget killer.

 

[jeffsg4mac]

Lets face it there is a lot of competition starting to emerge in this price range. However, there are also companies I trust and some I don't. Marantz is clearly one I trust.

 

[EJ1]

I love mine!

 

[dogking]

Marantz or Denon or other. Discreet Amp stages?

Not quite clear on what "seven channels of all discrete amplifier stages" means compared to some thing like Denon's 2308 with 8 (7.1) channels. Could someone that understands clarify in layman's terms? Thanks.

For that matter, any general thoughts on this Marantz v the Denon2308? I was just about to buy.

 

[Seth=L]

Not quite clear on what "seven channels of all discrete amplifier stages" means compared to some thing like Denon's 2308 with 8 (7.1) channels. Could someone that understands clarify in layman's terms? Thanks.

For that matter, any general thoughts on this Marantz v the Denon2308? I was just about to buy.

It's marketing, I would ignore it.

 

[gene]

Not quite clear on what "seven channels of all discrete amplifier stages" means compared to some thing like Denon's 2308 with 8 (7.1) channels. Could someone that understands clarify in layman's terms? Thanks.

For that matter, any general thoughts on this Marantz v the Denon2308? I was just about to buy.

it means they use discrete power transistors and not power op amps in the output stages. Most reputable manufacturers in this price class use discretes so you are fine.

The 2308CI is a really great receiver as you can see in my review:
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/receivers/avr-2308ci

but it's also $300 more than the Marantz SR4002. So given the choice between these two units, I would definately pick the Denon especially since it has Audyssey. Too bad the AH Store doesn't carry Denon.....yet

 

[dogking]

appreciate the help

awesome forum, too, must be a lot of work.

 

[Seth=L]

awesome forum, too, must be a lot of work.

The Denon has discrete output stages as well. The only current receivers that come to mind that don't have discrete output stages would be the Pioneer VSX-917 and below, and the TX-SR300 series from Onkyo. The bottom of the barrel Yamahas, such as the HTR-6030 might not have discrete output stages either. Every Denon and Marantz has discrete output stages.

 

[patnshan]

Not that I am aware of.

IMO, the true budget killer in the $500 area is the Harman Kardon AVR-247. That 30 pound receiver has HDMI 1.2 with simplay, preouts, auto calibration, a Faroudja 720p scaler, and it can upconvert all video inputs to HDMI. It does a couple things other receivers in that price bracket simply will not.

Yeah, but you can't turn off the video processing which is something you may want to do depending on your application. I prefer a receiver that doesn't touch the video it receives, and just puts it out the other side. There is a huge thread on AVS about the 247 and always on video processing.

Pat

 

[patnshan]

Oh cool, I am glad to hear they are putting something out now. The VSX-918TXH sounds like a budget killer.

As long as the geniuses finally allow HDMI audio. They have been behind the times on that one for awhile.

Pat

 

[Davidt1]

The Marantz doesn't come in silver and doesn't have that truehd sound thing. The Pioneer is not available yet. That leaves me with just the Onkyo 705 or 805. I am looking buy the 705 for $500 or less, or the 805 for $600 or less -- in silver, of course. If you see a good deal on these, please post.

 

[Seth=L]

As long as the geniuses finally allow HDMI audio. They have been behind the times on that one for awhile.

Pat

They said it does, as does the VSX-1018.

 

[trivee]

explain somthing Gene or whoever if you can

what does it mean to have 1.3 switching but 1.1 repeating? i dont understand that at all?

 

[Seth=L]

what does it mean to have 1.3 switching but 1.1 repeating? i dont understand that at all?

It means it can take an HDMI 1.3 source and pass it to a HDMI 1.3 display. If the receiver was just HDMI 1.1, the HDMI output from the receiver would be HDMI 1.1 regardless of the source. Deep color, for example could not be supported if the receiver didn't pass HDMI 1.3. The PS3 is similar in this respect. HDMI 1.3 features work for video on the PS3, but it's only HDMI 1.2 or maybe it's HDMI 1.1 for the audio (which is what the repeating gets used for on receivers). Since the Marantz only has HDMI 1.1 repeating it means it cannot decode Dolby Digital Plus and TrueHD as well as DTS-HD, but it can decode multichannel PCM.

 

[tchalljr]

Seems the Marantz 4002 is missing "lip sync". Should I be concerned about it?