Great little no-frills receiver with excellent sound
I tend to be a little OCD (ok, maybe more than a little) when it comes to researching and purchasing gear, particularly audio/video stuff, so for any kindred spirits out there agonizing over what receiver to buy, hopefully this will be somewhat helpful...
A. WHAT I NEEDED: A simple, no-frills way to run a high-quality 2.1 speaker system with my TV setup, with possible upgrade to full surround later. Baseline requirements:
1. Excellent sound quality (I'm a self-professed audiophile), meaning: clear, accurate surround/LF decoding and mix-down to 2.1; quality amplification with adequate power for medium volume levels in a large room; and clear, precise reproduction of dialog and soundtracks even at low volume levels (we live in an apartment and do a lot of late-night viewing)
2. Compact and lightweight - had to fit in a 16" deep cabinet on a glass shelf that holds 25 lbs max (with a FIOS DVR too).
3. Low power/runs cool - cabinet is enclosed, and...
Very nice basic 5.1 receiver
Marantz is notorious for making very good quality products. I purchased this along with a new projector and 3D blu-ray player to replace an aging Denon. The Denon had the benefit of 7.2, but since for the foreseeable future I'll be using 5.1, that was a worthwhile compromise.
Having 6 HDMI and 3D passthrough was really the primary reason for the upgrade, as the Denon only had 2 HDMI and no 3D passthrough. I have 5 devices, so I was constantly plugging/unplugging.
Like another reviewer I really don't care about all the internet features. I've got an XBOX, a Tivo, a blu-ray player and a computer hooked up that can all do the internet stuff.
I also noticed that there are no component inputs. Not a huge deal to me, as most of my stuff is HDMI. Fortunately it does still have some standard RCA inputs for my VCR (yes, I still have a VCR!).
On to more important things: sound. I actually did notice a difference between the aging Denon and this. It...
Outstanding Compact AVR
I recently set-up a nice stereo system in a bedroom. It's not a large room and the system is not designed for ear-splitting volume levels. I chose this unit based primarily on it's compact size and Marantz's reputation. I have not been dissapointed.
This AVR is compact. The styling is simple and attractive. The materials and contsruction all seem to be high quality. The compact size makes this unit ideal for a smaller room setting (bedroom, office, den, etc).
It is very easy to set up. It offers the option of automatic set up via Audyssey or completely manual set up. Either way, the on-screen menus are logically arranged and the instructions are easy to follow.
In keeping with it's compact nature and simple interface, this is not a highly featured AVR. It supports only 5.1 channels (no 7.1 available, no Zone 2 speakers). It does not offer network connectivity. It is relatively low powered (50 W per channel), although I have not found this to...
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