Marantz's new receivers including one with DVI switching!

[Shane Martin]

Here is what we know and I'll go into details on the 8500 which is the one that I'm looking at.


MSRP: $1599 - Street price is around $1100
Component upconversion
DVI Switching (2 in and 1 out)
THX Select
Pro Logic IIX
Auto ROOM EQ and setup, Mic included
Dolby Headphone
7 Digital ins
4 component ins and 1 out.
Time Base Corrector
Due: Decemberish
All Copper Chassis

Here is a word on their amp section:

Key to the enhanced audio capabilities of all Marantz receivers is the company’s newly-developed all Discrete Current Feedback (SA-ready) amplifier design that enables the receivers to deliver a bare minimum of 70 percent of all two-channel power rating when driving five channels simultaneously -- a far more robust “real world” specification than most competitive receivers can deliver.

Interesting!
The DVI and 4 component ins is a knockout. The rest is gravy..

[TTA89]

I am anxiously awaiting the 8500 release. DVI switching is sweet, can't wiat to run my DVD and cable box at the same time on DVI.

Video "upconversion" is nice too

[Gordon Moore]

Dolby headphone is my most coveted feature, as with small kids I get the "turn it down" speech at night from the Mrs.

HK and Marantz are the only new afforable receivers licensing this (that I've seen) and Yamaha has a good but proprietary version called Silent Cinema.

The 8500 will be out of my price range (probably) but the SR7500 might be a contender depending on what it streets up here.

The HK's are usually stupid priced up here...even if it is sold at BestBuy/FutureShop

Thanks for the info Shane...

November will be fun for me....lots to listen to, lots to return

Could care less about DVI switching personally, as I have nothing that will take advantage of it nor will I for a long long time....but it's nice that it will be there.

[number17]

I have a Marantz but I have never tried the dolby headphone feature ... does it work very well? Maybe I should give it a try next time. Any regular headphone will be able to provide that effect?

I find that the "Night" feature on Marantz (and a number of other receivers) is pretty useful. It doesn't take A LOT away from the audio effect in the room, but it is a lot less audible from other rooms in the same house.

As for DVI switching ... it's more of a future proof feature IMO. That said, if it can upconvert all the video inputs to HD via the DVI output then it isn't a bad idea.

[TTA89]

It doesnt upconvert to HD. All it does it take the signal from one input and play it back out over another without changing it. So you plug in S-video and some RCA inputs and you can "upconvert" them to come out of the Component output.

Basically it saves inputs on the TV and less wire running but doesnt do anything to the picture. It has a confusing term that doesnt do what it says. I don't think it will upconvert to DVI though, just component but thats alright I guess.

I'm just happy I can plug in my cable box and DVD player to the Reciever and have that do the switching. With only 1 DVI input on the TV its a PITA!!!

Please Please let the street price be around a G.

[Gordon Moore]

I have a Marantz but I have never tried the dolby headphone feature ... does it work very well? Maybe I should give it a try next time. Any regular headphone will be able to provide that effect?

Of the virtual surround headphone algorithms out there, Dolby Headphone is the gold standard.

It will work on any set of headphones. The only DVD I know that showcased the technology is Perl Harbour where the DVD included the dolby headphone track....it's a pretty interesting effect for those who are on headphones often and better than nothing if your only choice in the evening is to watch in headphone mode.

PowerDVD includes the technology for something like $30. but to get Dolby Headphone in a stand alone unit usually means you have to puchase a bundlled headphone set for something like $300 or more.

[number17]

I guess you're lucky to have that problem in a way ... the cable provider (Rogers) has disabled the DVI port on the SA 3250HD cable box so I go with the component outputs of the cable box. The only DVI output I have (for now anyways) is the DVD player ... so I don't have that 'problem'. BTW do you notice any improvement in picture quality between component out and DVI out from the cable box?

Yeah I understand that's what they mean by 'upconvert'. The nice thing about 'upconvert' is you don't have to switch the input on your TV. You simply switch the source from your receiver. I am not expecting an 'enhancement' in the picture quality when I mention 'upconvert'.

And it sounds like you still have to switch between component and DVI input on your TV with the new Marantz receiver, because it only "upconverts" on the component outs ... that said, it's still better than no video switching on my receiver right now (Marantz SR-5300). Everytime I change the source I have to switch on the TV as well as on the receiver.



#17

[TTA89]

I guess I kinda just want a new reciever. I mean the video switching on the TV doesnt matter. I have a Harmony Remote that rocks, once setup it does all the switching for you and its one button to do whatever function you program.

:T

[myki]

Also, the 7500 and 8500 will now be using torroidal (doughnut) transformers rather than EI ones.

As for the 4500, I'm happy that it has the following features:
- Lip Sync correction
- DTS ES, DTS 96/24, ProLogic IIx, Circle Surround 2
- Adjustable crossover 80-120Hz
- CS494003 DSP chip

[number17]

How bad is the lip sync problem on previous models? I have a 5300 and it doesn't have any lip sync problem ... granted, I don't have video switching on my receiver.

As for adjustable crossover ... it's a welcome feature but man, 80-120Hz still isn't good enough. 60-120Hz is more like it. HK receivers let you set different crossover frequencies for EACH speaker, and for each different setting / DSP mode.

BTW, DTS ES, DTS 96/24 and CS II aren't really 'new' features.



#17

[mattburk]

The 8500 also has a usb input that is WM9 compatable

[Shane Martin]

As for adjustable crossover ... it's a welcome feature but man, 80-120Hz still isn't good enough. 60-120Hz is more like it. HK receivers let you set different crossover frequencies for EACH speaker, and for each different setting / DSP mode.

I have a Sony ES capable of every speaker with a different setting and frankly I find it to be NOT worth a flip. To me it just makes sense to just use one setting and while I'd prefer 60, 80 is a standard and fine by me. I had speakers that could play bass down to the 25 range rather strong. I just didn't find I needed that. Most people who are buying this $1500 receiver won't have speakers that can do that. The 80hz crossover will be FINE.

How bad is the lip sync problem on previous models? I have a 5300 and it doesn't have any lip sync problem ... granted, I don't have video switching on my receiver.

I believe it has to do with correcting an existing lip sync issue that the receiver is not causing.

Right now, the Marantz is at the top of the list. I have to wait until after CES so maybe something hits at CES to shake this up... or maybe not

[myki]

Correction... The 4500 does not have Lip Sync correction. After a few days, I exchanged it for the 5500.

I'm very happy with this 5500. The Lip Sync correction is needed if you have a digital display (DLP, LCD, Plasma) since with these displays, their video processing can't keep up with the speed of audio processing of the receivers. The video is delayed by around 40ms with my Samsung DLP. Some people are less sensitive to this than others.

Additional things the 5500 has that the 4500 did not:
- RS-232 port (automation?)
- 90W rather than 80W for all 7 channels
- Multi-Room feature
- Front panel audio/video slot
- AVR settings can be locked to avoid accidental changing
- On-Screen Display
- Video upconversion (Composite or S-Video converted to component video)
- Dolby Headphone processing rather than SRS Tru-Headphone processing