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Marantz HD-AMP1 DAC and Integrated Amplifier

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i have red some reviews here and on Audio site and i must say that my cheap Nad measure exelent in compare of much much more expensive amps and it costed me about 500 euros (on 11.11 it was on Amazon for 300 euros), just look at it (i know that is not an super fi grade but look at something like Rotel, Marantz and other gold signed reference amps). Sinad = 92, dynamics = 113 dB, 10 to 100 kHz -0.5 dB and it gives 120 W with 8 ohms
 

PierreV

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I own one too.
Not really surprised by how it measures.
IMG_20190120_135208 (Medium).jpg
 

VintageFlanker

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What a shame... They are under the same umbrella as Denon aren't they?
I know the Denon D7200 is literally just a Fostex headphone with some other tuning, even though they are claiming something different...
They are. Denon and Marantz are the same group (D&M) but have different ways to design their products. Each one wants to preserve their "house sound".
I beg to differ a bit about D7200 (which I owned and didn't like, BTW). Ancient Denon Headphones line were rebranded and tweaked Fostex but not the new one. Everything in news D7200, D5200 etc is from Denon (Still Fostex-inspired) , from the build to the Driver.
 

Dogen

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Sad to see Marantz settle for mediocre performance. Their visual design is very appealing to me, but they’re just not delivering the goods, especially at the price.
 

wadec22

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same thoughts as everyone else..... thought about buying one multiple times, simply because it has such gorgeous aesthetics. bummer.... :(
 

D700

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Respect the harmonic profile, an integrated with H2 at -75 dB is OK, good or very good with music like jazz, acoustics, small classical/baroque groups. The same styles where many prefer tubes amplification. Few acoustic instruments and voices without Autotune (vade retro satana).

But with others music styles, like electronic, orchestral, commercial... better ALL harmonics < 90 dB.

H3 at -75 dB, the same H2 level is a bad thing.

And H5 at -82 dB and higher than H4 is a bad thing too.

The harmonics must always be monotonically decreasing, are below or not below 90 dB.
This is why I asked about the filters: Off, 1,2. From what I’ve read, they’re meant to mimic tube response, so wondering if perhaps the tests were done with 1 or 2 on rather than completely off. Not sure of the menu, so not sure if it was obvious to Amirm
 

maty

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Off topic

This is why I asked about the filters: Off, 1,2. From what I’ve read, they’re meant to mimic tube response, so wondering if perhaps the tests were done with 1 or 2 on rather than completely off. Not sure of the menu, so not sure if it was obvious to Amirm

Tubes amp. SET topology are the most apreciated. H2 predominance. Problem: low wattage -> they need speakers with very high sensitivity.

If there are not odd harmonics, better.

There are very few Push Pull topology with this harmonic profile. One is: QUAD II Classic Integrated

24956-max_quad2_classic_integrated_01.jpg


[Polish] https://audio.com.pl/testy/stereo/wzmacniacze-stereo/906-quad-ii-classic-integrated

to English: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=&sl=pl&tl=en&u=https://audio.com.pl/testy/stereo/wzmacniacze-stereo/906-quad-ii-classic-integrated

24969-max_quad2_classic_integrated_lab02.jpg


24970-max_quad2_classic_integrated_lab03.jpg


The amplifier with tube grace exposes the second harmonic (-67 dB), the third is at -76 dB, and the fourth and fifth at the border of -90 dB. Distortions lower than 0.1% (Fig. 3.) appear from the initial values of the output power, and the graph is flat in a wide range up to a sudden (as for the tube construction) overload.

24968-max_quad2_classic_integrated_lab01.jpg


The low noise level is a big advantage of this construction, the result of -91 dB is one of the best that can be found in tube amplifiers, which is why we get 103 dB dynamics, despite the low power. The Quad does a great job with low frequency processing, frequency response (Fig.1.) Shows a negligible drop at 10 Hz, while above 10 kHz we have a more pronounced weakness, -3 dB lies at about 40 kHz.


Others measurements: https://www.stereophile.com/content/quad-ii-classic-integrated-amplifier-measurements

Although it should not be used with loudspeakers whose impedances drop below 4 ohms, the Quad II Classic Integrated's measured performance reveals it to be both a well-engineered amplifier and a very modern tube amplifier, in that it doesn't suffer from the measured ills that plague other tube amplifiers. But I wouldn't have expected anything less from Tim de Paravicini!—John Atkinson


Note: the preamp section must be a very good SET, with a clean PP power section, hence the harmonic profile, I think.
 
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amirm

amirm

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This is why I asked about the filters: Off, 1,2. From what I’ve read, they’re meant to mimic tube response, so wondering if perhaps the tests were done with 1 or 2 on rather than completely off.
To be clear, amplifier tests were done with the analog input. Since the DAC output goes into power amp, the amp will be the limiting factor.

But yes, I did not check the settings.
 

D700

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To be clear, amplifier tests were done with the analog input. Since the DAC output goes into power amp, the amp will be the limiting factor.

But yes, I did not check the settings.
I suspect this unit converts the analog input to digital for signal processing and then DAC to AMP, not sure how that would impact your testing. Anyway to test with just a digital input? Wonder if its cleaner. I’ll only be using the digital inputs.

Here’s the manual, see settings page 50. I’d think you’d want source direct on, Filter 1 on (there’s no off, only 1 or 2). Wondering if it was set to filter 2. There’s also L,M,H gain setting to accommodate different ohm headphones..
 

D700

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Here’s the 2 pertinent settings I mentioned.
 

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D700

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Also recommends:
I want to enjoy analog output audio at higher quality
-Press the DIMMER button to turn the display off. (v p. 29)
 

NTomokawa

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Also recommends:
I want to enjoy analog output audio at higher quality
-Press the DIMMER button to turn the display off. (v p. 29)
This reminds me of Yamaha's "Pure Direct" function. Personally, I highly doubt that a properly designed piece of equipment can be audibly influenced by a display. If so, then, well, it is not a properly designed piece of equipment. But these measurements already tell us that...
 

Matias

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Would be interesting to measure their flagship PM10 integrated amplifier, based on nCore NC500. If someone could borrow to Amir, that is.
 

restorer-john

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...The history cannot forget the Marantz 1060...

The 1060 is a lovely little amplifier. Capacitor coupled. Conservatively specified and arguably one of the prettiest vintage designs due to its perfect symmetrical front panel layout.

It does have a somewhat 'tailored' response and that is why it has a reputation for 'sweetness' and 'warmth' along with average damping at low frequencies being quite suited IMO to the speakers of the 70s.

This gives you an idea of the flatness or lack thereof of the 1060. This is the FR plot at 1W@8ohms for a fully restored kept in box unit, I did a few years ago (2016). It was one my father has owned since new and spent around 40 years in its box. It needed considerable work due to leaked capacitors and got a complete rebuild. I remember singing into microphones plugged into this actual 1060 in 1973 or '74 and him recording us on an open reel deck.

(flat, low and high filters) 1W@ 8 ohms

1W flat filters.jpeg


FR 20W@8ohm and 30W@8ohm:

20W 40W.jpeg


Power output is exactly as was tested by major magazines back in the day when it received 'rave' reviews (38W/Ch). The 1060 may have been quite good at the time, but it was quickly eclipsed. It was rated at 30 watts per channel. This one achieved somewhat more.

1548019260117.png

Note, this was a simple onset of clipping test after preconditioning for 1 hour @1/3 power (10W) @ 8ohms. Notice the case temperature at 49 degrees Celscius (120F).
 
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graz_lag

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The 1060 is a lovely little amplifier ...

Thank you John for the super-nice follow up, amazing, indeed !
I'm gonna want to cry in seeing how badly this 70s-80s top brand had been falling down over the years ...
The nice wooden-made side panels are probably the best things this HD-AMP1 has to offer from today's Marantz R&D ... :facepalm:
 
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