I remember my first flagship A/V receiver like it was yesterday. Before the home theatre phenomenon bloomed in the '90s, i was using a variety of processors, including Lexicon, Fosgate, etc. new ones are selling for approximately $2200 now. His shop is an auth dealer for both brands (he has at least a dozen McIntosh models on display in the various showrooms). JavaScript is disabled. I'm not sure about being harsh, but unrefined and grainy sound about right..IMO of course. If you read my sig, you'll see I'm a Mc diehard. Reference Systems - that to which all others are compared. I think there might be a 7706 that is upcoming and yet unannounced. There is an analogue video output which feeds a 7" display but it does not show the menu of the AV. Yes Mcintosh is still made in Birmingham. 523 because of the HEOS function. The AV8805A is a good value when compared to other processors and is why I'm considering a purchase of one later this year. #2. Also looking for suggestion for my Atmos speakers I want to get 4 of them for the Tops/Heights. The best advice is to get your ears on it for ahwile in your own rig. IBM. That is rarely possible w/o buying it, but if he is a friend perhaps he'll oblige. I really enjoy McIntosh. Perhaps some really high end units have it. company number 03997482, registered in England and Wales. I have no reason to doubt his information but I am admittedly uninformed about such things. But if not, also check out the Yamaha CX-A5100/A5200 pre-pro. I would have predicted outstanding rather than routine measurements. Explore our extensive Home Theater Design Guides, Inspiration Gallery, and videos of real Audio Advice installs. Joined Feb 14, 2020 Messages 43. Twice I've passed up good deals on MC-275's because my speakers wouldn't be a great match. McIntosh MX123 DAC AK 4490EQ: S/N -123dB THD+N -112dB / PCM 768KHz Processor: S/N 96dB / THD 0.005% / PCM 192KHz H hwest Active Member Joined Sep 30, 2021 Messages 104 Likes 21 Oct 23, 2021 #5 RB23 said: Over the last few years, the way the family and I use various A/V components in our entertainment room has changed significantly. #1. . The quality of sound from my 8805 is good enough that I use it as a stereo preamp as well as an SSP. I would greatly appreciate the opinions of others on this forum. Quick View. To my ears they are, to others, not so much so and I can accept any opinion on the gear. Other features include dual antennas for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, an AM/FM tuner input, a single pair of XLR balanced inputs, and a second USB input. Learn about the McIntosh MX123 8K Update and how it compares with the McIntosh MX170 and MX100. beyond that I would take that 2105 in a heartbeat and trade my Adcom gfa555 ,maybe. Their newer gear has a nice sound to it though, smooth and refined. Streaming options on the MX123 have been upgraded from the previous model. The Meridan eventually grew long in the tooth, replaced by McIntosh and then eventually to a box shop mid-range Marantz, which at least for HT purposes (I don't use it for music), sounds better, is easier to program, has a basic form of room correction and is a fraction of the price of the earlier 'state of the art' pre-pros. It utilizes a sophisticated, advanced algorithm designed to produce the highest-quality, sharpest 4K HDR images. @caphill Do you think it is worth getting that expensive amp to drive my less expensive or entry level B&W 683s S2? JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. AUDIO VIDEO PROCESSING, SETUP & ENVIRONMENT, Official REW (Room EQ Wizard) Support Forum, Auto-EQ Platforms / Immersive Audio Codecs, Listening Room / Home Theater Build Projects, Home Theater / Audio and Video - Misc Topics, UHD / Blu-ray / CD Players / Streaming Devices, Max Number of Processing (Preamp) Channels, Lossless formats: FLAC HD 192/24 / WAV 192/24 / ALAC 192/24, Spotify Connect* / Tidal* / Deezer* / others *, Compatible with Remote APP for Smart Phones, HDMI: Dolby Vision / HDR 10+ / Dynamic HDR / HLG, Zone Audio Source: HDMI / Opt, Coax / Network, USB / Analog, IP Control / RS232 Control / Web Control / App Control, Front Inputs: Audio / Composite / Digital (Opt) / HDMI / USB, USB Audio / Made for iPod / Works with iPhone, Available Colors: Gold / Silver / Black / Silver-Gold. The central piece of hardware driving my system then was a Marantz AV8802A surround processor, a model that offered 11.2 channels of processing and an optional Auro-3D upgrade. I will follow up with a progress report when I get the complete setup up and running. Your quote is from 2003 when McIntosh was owned from D&M. Full stop. Perhaps my standards are lower now- I gave up laser disc, DVD, Blu, etc. MX123 A/V Processor. I dos enjoy your reviews, perhaps you can do an article on Subwoofer turning for DIY people! It is on kind loan from a member and costs USD $4,499. I have the Mac MC452 paired with a Marantz 8805. xu; be; Mcintosh mx123 vs marantz av8805. 1 Home Entertainment Tech Resource. Although it's possible that the McIntosh MX122 and Marantz 8802 share the same HDMI and digital processing chipsets, I would expect the two to differ in other ways. Does this mean that you have added this to your System? Now Available: Tech Talk Podcast with Scott Wilkinson, Episode 19, https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/home-theater-processors/MX123, https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/-/media/Files/mcintoshlabs/DocumentMaster/us/MX123-om-01.ashx, https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/-/mediocumentMaster/us/MX123-brochure-35110000.ashx, Home Theatre Heaven in Spain - V2.0 - Build thread. Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Now Available: Tech Talk Podcast with Scott Wilkinson, Episode 19 Click here for details. I hadn't heard the MX123 was based on the AV8805. McIntosh is shipping 3 new products; the MX180 a 16CH Atmos/DTS:X Auro 3D AV processor with 8K video support and the MA8950 and MA9500 stereo integrated amps which key audiophile features to drool over! "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. Marantz has also stated that it will offer an upgrade to HDMI 2.1, a new HDMI version that supports up to 10K resolution video and high frame rates, in the future (cost is yet to be determined). @auxinput I still haven't gotten it yet, it will be few days until it comes to my house. If that's the case, I too would be interested in a direct comparison. TuneIn is also included for further music streaming options including McIntosh Music. A firmware update will upgrade the AV8805 to IMAX Enhanced status, a certification process meant to bring the IMAX movie theater experience into the home. There are other countless options out there. Sony A95L QD-OLED, X95L MINI LED And Full BRAVIA Range For 2023 (In-Depth Interview). Other HDMI 2.1 8K AV Receiver and AV Processor videos:Yamaha 2021 8K Aventage AV Receivershttps://youtu.be/nAsynM7acWcPioneer Elite 2021 8K AV Receivershttps://youtu.be/y9yLpH4p5yQOnkyo 2021 8K AV Receivers vs. Pioneerhttps://youtu.be/u170d7yYCu4Denon 2021 8K AV Receivershttps://youtu.be/OoqjYeetUWsMarantz 2021 8K AV Receivers Processors vs Denonhttps://youtu.be/kOSV4YfbBmELyngdorf 2021 8K AV Processors https://youtu.be/sOfJtEAVADI It offers multiroom audio, Siri voice control, and enhanced playback. For surrounds you can get the B&W 805 D3 unless if you're using those in-wall surround speakers right now. This is an area where I do think the technology has brought the price down. The Audysey Platinum software makes tuning a room a breeze. JavaScript is disabled. The measurement results were not a pretty picture. AV40 16-Channel AV Surround Processor. To let you know what Im going through, I bought the MX123 processor and the MC257 amplifier and two MI128 8 channel digital amplifiers and one MPC1500 power controller. Reactions: thrillcat. S/N: 105 dB (IHFA weighted, Direct mode), Distortion: 0.005 % (20 Hz 20 kHz) (Direct mode), Total harmonic distortion 0.008 % (1 kHz, at 0 dB). For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. You are using an out of date browser. Featuring support for up to 13.2 channels of immersive sound, the AV8805 includes Dolby Atmos, Dolby Surround, DTS:X, DTS Neural:X, DTS Virtual:X, IMAX Enhanced, Auro-3D, and the complete Audyssey Platinum suite. Binghamton, NY - December 18, 2019 - McIntosh, the global leader in prestigious home entertainment and ultimate-quality audio for 70 years, is happy to announce that, now with Simple Device Discovery Protocol (SDDP) implemented, the MX123 A/V Processor has received Connects with Control4 Certification from Control4, the smart home brand for SnapAV. It is significantly more open and better sounding than my twenty year old Theta Casanova. The Rotel amp will do just fine for your 683 S2. or would it make more sense at that point to buy something around that price like JBL SDP-55, AudioControl Maestro X7, Anthem AVM 90, or McIntosh MX123 once they get HDMI 2.1 support? They all also have 18Gbps of bandwidth to support High Dynamic Range (HDR) formats Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG; 4K Ultra HD at 50/60Hz; 4:4:4 color spacing; Rec. I'm looking at purchasing one but still on the fence. Especial with TIDAL . Regular Price: Save: $951.00 (19%) . I have optimized the picture from the article preview: Thanks for the review. AT A GLANCE I will be upgrading my sub and will get 2 of them and think that i will go with REL or JL. Created out of a dream and brought to reality with imagination and expertise engineering, the McIntosh Reference home theater system brings the ultimate theater experience into your home. For a pre pro - there are probably better choices at that price point. sorry should have included this in my other post. and just stream movies. eARC offers improved bandwidth so the MX123 can receive higher resolution audio from your TV to produce the best possible sound quality. inconsistent results of Audissey: each time I ran Audissey it seems to come to different results, and it was necessary to listen and decide whether I like it or not. Music drops out for 5 seconds and then comes back on. Marantzs new flagship surround processor makes the most of the Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D formats while providing a notable sound quality improvement over its predecessor. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. As of September 2021, the MX123 supports 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz resolutions and refresh rates. If you check out the last comment page on the audiosciencereview article of the AV8805 there is a company that makes over 304 changes Crazy? This website uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb. Btw - i tried searching the various forums for this but got nowhere so apologies if this is common knowledge. qr; jd; bi; ej; hv; vg. a great looking amp for sure.Saying all that a Marantz 2275 w/some 901s hanging from the ceiling was another way to go. I have been using the 8802A for about 18 months with Bryston amps . I agree the MX123 is very 8805. I would agree, It is a beautiful piece as all McIntosh are, I like how they kept Dolby PL2 X-Z also, Enjoy it sir,you will love it, What amps you going to use ? its sound was better than what I used then (an analogue DIY preamplifier and a Behringer Ultracurve DEQ2494 used as DAC). All perfectly OK but also perfectly uninspiring sounding to me. It is a very nice sounding piece. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you.". what does, 0.0005% THD and 105 dB SINO for digital sources, 0.0005% THD and 104 dB SINO for unprocessed analog sources, 0.002% THD and 101 dB SINO for processed analog sources (room EQ or tone control active). 2023 McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. It must be doubling of the bit depth in the Audessey calibration? IMAX and DTS will also partner with award-winning Hollywood sound mixers to use a special variant of the DTS:X codec technology included in the MX123 to deliver an IMAX signature sound experience in your home theater. Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) functionality is included on 1 of the HDMI outputs. Yes, what you currently have are more than good enough for your B&W 683 S2. Remember though - a McIntosh insides in their pre/pro is very much like the Marantz 8805. The price difference was over $3K. . I am using my phone to play through Bluetooth. Reference Systems - that to which all others are compared. How Does Lighting Control Impact the Design of a Home? You must log in or register to reply here. Monoprice HTP-1 => LCR: JBL708P + [Rythmik FM8 x2] + Rythmik F12, Surrounds: JBL Stage A130, Along with overhead sound, Dolby Atmos (and. I tried Bluetooth and audio engine B1 and everything still acted the same. I have fellow stereophile in my area that wants to sell me a McIntosh MC-2105 in good condition. It is on kind loan from a member and costs USD $4,499. The AV8805s video support includes pass-through of 4K/60-Hz full-rate signals with 4:4:4 color resolution, BT.2020 color space, HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma). You are using an out of date browser. The Marantz AV8805A includes 8 HDMI inputs and 3 outputs for . I'm very partial to the McIntosh, but that's partly due to their reputation for build quality and my gut feeling that the premium price is justified by the construction. Same parent company. The latter separates them from AVRs (Audio/Video Receivers). I continue to wonder what all the fuss is about. If you want to go with Mac I suggest you look at the MX160 as this will be a step up sonically than the AV8805 or the MX122. Other options at a higher cost would be the Classe' SSP series. I know that much of this hobby is very subjective but there is definately a difference in sound of many of these older amplifiers and other equipment. As for the preamp I went with Marantz AV8805 blind without hearing it just because I grew up with Marantz gear (wish I still had it) knowing that Marantz sound is up to what I like, plus again I am saving big over the MX122. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Created out of a dream and brought to reality with imagination and expertise engineering, the McIntosh Reference home theater system brings the ultimate theater experience into your home. Ended up bringing back the mx100 and ordering an mx123 + c2700 . Although the cost is 1.5x the 8805, the MX122 still looked to be a good choice (brand reputation, features, future compatibility) and I asked my retailer for his opinion. McIntosh 2021 8K AV Processors vs Marantz and Lyngdorf. Comparing the Marantz AV7706 vs the AV8805, you'll immediately notice a few differences starting with the number of channels and price. Their newer amps are light years better than the vintage stuff though. Any updates on the 123? There's a new processor from McIntosh (mx123), which has nearly identical specs to the flagship Marantz (8805) that is already available. McIntosh is fantastic stuff. I got it for 999 (some 50% rebate). The MX weighs about 32 pounds to just over 30for the AV8805. I have had the 8805 in my video room for over a month now. I only have one zone .. your saying that basically playing music of any source will constantly result it the music sporadically dripping out ? But here are my first impressions. The MX123 can be paired with a variety of home theater amplifiers such as our MC303, MC255, MC257, MC8207, MI128 or MI254 amplifiers and any of our floor standing, in-wall or in-ceiling speakers to create an enviable and enjoyable cinema experience in the comfort of your home. The Marantz crowd I just do not think they had the coin or they also would went w/ a MAC2100undressed or the 2105 fully outfitted w/ the walnut case. The prices on HT gear do seem to have come down as performance has increased. Location. I will put together a full review sometime this week. Best thing to do is carry out an A/B comparison of the two at your dealers to see if you can hear a difference (my guess: probably not much in it). #1. Features and Setup Ceneo. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Is Marantz AV8805 good enough pre amp for McIntosh MC8207, The world's largest high-end audio community. You'll be among the first to know about product launches, exclusive online deals, and the hottest audio trends. Any more feedback, pics, reviews of the 123? Also see how the MX170 compares with. However, the Marantz & the Mac MX122 are very good for HT but arent good enough for 2ch music playbacks IMO. I don't have a store to go to to listen to the AV8805 and this is gonna be a blind buy for me this time. The problem with Mc digital based products is that much of their parts are outsourced and they don't have a clue up firmware and software delivery or updating. Headphone Heaven: CanJam NYC 2023 Preview, Def Tech Celebrates Bipolar/Power Tower Heritage with New Speaker Series, Peacock Drops Free Tier Making New Users Pay, Fluance Ai81 Active Tower Stereo Speaker System Review, Sony XW5000ES 4K HDR Laser Projector Review, Arylic S50+ Pro Preamp and A50+ Amp Review, Sail On Sailor 1972 Deluxe Edition Box Set, Elac Unleashes 7 High-Performance Subwoofers, Rock Hall Extends Beatles Exhibition, Announces 2023 Nominees, LG Expands Free Channels, Adds Fox Sports, Sonus faber Looks to Spring with 1st Outdoor Speaker, MartinLogan Remakes Motion Series Speakers, Samsung Gets Ready to Ship 77 QD-OLED TV, KEF Showcases Flagship Tech in New R Series Speakers, Sony Previews Lower-Cost Modular MicroLED Displays. Adcom's have that tendancy. All rights reserved. Wonder how a Yamaha would stack up? Trinnov Audio Altitude16 Surround Sound Processor Review, Rotel RSP-1576MKII Surround Sound Processor Review, Monoprice Monolith HTP-1 Surround Sound Processor Review, NAD M17 V2 Surround Preamp/Processor Review, Onkyo PR-RZ5100 Surround Processor Review, AudioControl Maestro M9 Surround Processor Review, Yamaha CX-A5000 Surround Processor and MX-A5000 Amplifier, Test Report: Outlaw Audio Model 975 Preamp/Processor, Review: Emotiva UMC-200 preamp/processor and UPA-700 7-channel amp, Survey: Content Discovery Is the Key Drawback in the Age of Streaming, Klipsch Launches High-Performance Subwoofer Line to Match Flagship Reference Speakers, HBO Max, Disney, and Paramount Shift Strategies to Keep Streaming Alive, LG Announces Pricing and Availability for 2023 OLED Lineup, Sony Claims Two Wins in 2023 Headphone Shootout. If you stick with their amps or analog based preamps you are fine as that is what the company was built on. The MX123 A/V Processor marries a long tradition of uncompromising McIntosh sound quality with the latest home theater technologies to bring you an unsurpassed luxury home entertainment experience. The ATI AT525NC is a $3300 amp. amps-preamps 139397-120446 Is Marantz AV8805 good enough pre amp for McIntosh MC8207 In the market for a new preamp to hook up to my MC8207 and was wondering if the Marantz AV8805 is worth the investment. If you are set on Marantz or Audyssey, that's fine. Why Now Is A Great Time To Start Planning Your Home Theater, Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series 3 Home Theater Speaker Review, Belt Drive Turntables vs Direct Drive Turntables, In-Ear vs. On-Ear vs. Over-Ear Headphones, Focal Bathys Over Ear Wireless Headphones, How to Select the Right Motorized Shades for your home, Lighting Control & Design: Pathway Lighting. If you are not familiar with this category of device, AV Processors are the heart of high-end home theaters. Then it would drop out every 20 seconds. Each discrete audio channel has its own 32-bit premium Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) to produce the best audio quality. Remember the Faroujda components that cost well over 10k US for upscaling? Designed by Aumcore. Learn about the McIntosh MX123 8K Update and how it compares with the McIntosh MX170 and MX100. The McIntosh is twice the price, but I'm wondering why the price discrepancy is so high in comparison. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. HDMI 2.1 chips in AVRs and AV processors - transition to 40/48 Gbps, issues with video and graphics features. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not". Marantzs AV8805 is about is about the same size as its AV8802A predecessor. Front panel buttons or a comprehensive remote control allow for easy system operation. This will likely increase the video quality as well, because the video was a little grainy in my opinion. For your stereo listening you can get a high end very good stereo integrated amp. NA6006 or NR1609 (NAP or Av Rx), opinions please! It is compatible with all the leading home theater surround sound and object-based 3D audio formats including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D. I have owned preamps from Classe Audio, and Audible illusions, Denon AVRs, Yamaha Receivers and preamps.This is the first Marantz I have ever heard or owned, and I am very much liking it so far. I am currently using Marantz gear on 3 of my 2 channel systems and Adcom on my SRS's. "If everything is under control you are just not driving fast enough", Theater 1, Denon AVR X8500H Upgraded A , 77 inch LG C9,Oled, RBH SV6500R Towers SV616 R & Surrounds,. It is compatible with all the leading home theater surround sound and object-based 3D audio formats including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D. And you will need to get a matching center channel speaker for them, which is the B&W HTML1 D3 center speaker. AVR with Front L/R Pre-Out and Digital Audio Out? Yes McIntosh is still made in Binghamton. Sorry cause first I didn't know what your speakers were. You need a display to run audissey. I'm not sure that I've heard those particular models but I have heard some reasonably pricey SS McIntosh equipment amps/pres/CDPs and I'm still scratching my head as to 'why' so many have so much praise for this stuff!! Marantz is considered high quality but its owned by the same company that makes Denon, which is also great and both cater to more high end tastes. Once I get it and install it I will let you know my thoughts and I think that I will like it because I am coming from a very old almost 20 year old receiver which is Onkyo that was paired with some shitty Polk speakers. With rear surround speakers now added to the mix, a home theater could actually match the arrays found in cinemas. Im looking forward to other owners chiming in. I am setting up my HT as a 7.2 system w a JBL S7165 as power and am looking at which AV pre to buy. McIntosh. I have no idea the science behind it, but the Marantz always just sounds better, fuller and richer. If they were good enough for the Dead as a road worthy amp about 50 2300s then maybe their home products were just as good only looked better and was down a little on the wattage.I think their quality control , their family lineage and proven both by specs and demos sealed the deal for them. This is a review and detailed measurements of the Marantz AV8805 flagship Audio and Video Processor. Thanks in advance! For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I've always loved the Marantz sonic signature. Feb 27, 2019. I wanted to have a preamp that had all the latest technology built inot it and be of a good brand with a good reputation(also I grew up having Marantz) so little nostalgia there. The MX123 features upgraded digital audio processing capabilities that result in 2 more discrete audio channels, bringing the MX123 to 13.2 discrete audio channels compared to 11.2 in the previous model. They use much of the same parts. It played fine for four hours, then started the same problem. The AV8805s rear panel is completely packed with connectionsnot surprising given how many channels this beast supports. It's the first audio device that I've installed in 20 years that she actually likes and doesn't complain about the complexity. Be very careful w/ the glass and bubbling w/ the Macs. . With no published measurements by Marantz, nor that of any reviewer, companies are getting away releasing products that leave good bit of performance on the table. The Marantz AV8805A is a direct upgrade of the AV8805, making it the obvious better choice for those who want the ultimate audio and visual performance in their home theater (>>> Check on Bhpotovideo).That said, if you don't need 8K upscaling and don't mind using overhead speakers to achieve a 3D soundscape, the Marantz AV8805 brings a similarly . qh. It looks like the MX170 is based upon the Marantz 8805 since the video specs line up almost exactly. Theres also a moving magnet phono input for connecting a turntable. McIntosh launched two new AV Processors in 2020, the MX321 and MX100 which fill gaps in their por. A forum community dedicated to home theater owners and enthusiasts. Not a fanboy by any means, I just prefer the sound of the total package. I do have fond memories of the pairing of a Mac 2105-C-28 pre/amp a Dual 1229 and a pair of ESS Heil AMT10s. Ok .. so.got this thing unpacked and setup last Friday and was able to watch a couple of my favorite movies. Hmmmmm, thought I might chime in on this thread. I have historically been a Marantz fan as i really enjoy the what many people refer to as that "Marantz sound". JavaScript is disabled. https://www.patreon.com/audiosciencereview, https://audiosciencereview.com/forueview-and-measurements.2164/page-3#post-59054, https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/dolby-atmos-movies/2/, https://www.audioholics.com/av-preamp-processor-reviews/marantz-av8805-13.2ch-processor, https://www.us.marantz.com/DocumentMaster/US/AV8805U_ENG_PDF_UG_v00A.pdf, Marantz SA-11s2 Review (SACD Player; Seiko NPC SM5866AS Monaural DAC). Been working my ass of this week .. will have more time to play with it this weekend. Don't know what it was, it just sounds really nice. Sounds phenomenal, been testing with 2ch and have to say they work well together. The Marantz AV8805 is the manufacturer's latest flagship AV pre-amp and 13-channel processor. McIntosh however, is way more expensive and caters to people who are willing to pay extreme amounts of money for av gear. DACs, Streamers, Servers, Players, Audio Interface, System: Equitech 1.5RQ Balanced Power - Tascam CD200 - Oppo 93 - Auvio HD Radio Tuner- MiniDSP OpenDRC-DI DSP, 2x4HD - AcourateDRC - UMIK-1 - ECM8000 - REW - Behringer DEQ2496 - Behringer UMC202HD and Focusrite 4Pre USB - Benchmark DAC2 HGC - Krell KCT pre and FPB 350mcx monoblocks - Sennheiser HD650 - MartinLogan reQuest 15" x 48" electrostatic hybrid with 12" sealed woofer 180Hz cross - Dayton Audio Sub-1500 x 4 - JBL LSR 308 for economy operation - Pioneer SX780 and Infinity P-363 in Mother's (RIP) room - Martin Logan SL3 and Krell KSL and KAV-250 in bedroom - Ibanez 5 string Bass and Univox Stratocaster - Trombone - Clarinet. Can't go cheap on the pre-pro now. In other words, you can run all video sources through the processor without fear of them being downgraded. It integrates well with my rotel/ Focal setup. I am Cretan. With updated connectivity for Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, and future support for Spotify Connect and Roon Ready, the AVM 70 can easily connect you to the latest streaming content. Really good stereo integrated amp such as the Gryphon Diablo analog integrated amp (expensive) but you will need a very good front end source components to go with that. Apr 4, 2018. :-). Then it dropped out one of the 8 channel amplifiers and shut it down. I'm not too familiar with vintage Marantz, never owned a piece. There's AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, IMAX Enhanced and DSD128 and ALAC 192kHz support in addition to Audyssey MultEQ XT32 calibration too. Best thing to do is carry out an A/B comparison of the two at your dealers to see if you can hear a difference (my guess: probably not much in it). By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and use of cookies. I heard that Mac used and maybe still uses Marantz's designs into their own premaps and was told that Mac is the last place to buy a preamp from and that they do not update their gear on time.