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Review and Measurements of Marantz AV8805 AV Processor

vkvedam

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Did you even try to compare audition of 5.1 track, remastered by James Guthrie, with 2.0 channel track on Dark Side of the Moon SACD?
Few years ago I did get fascinated by the idea of surround sound for music but when I listened to the music it ended up being the room full of music because of the usual mixing practice and it's OK for casual listening (To me) as compared to critical listening as a proper stereo.

And like I said the immersive 5.1 or 7.1 or Atmos (which I shall be doing soon) is good for a film, it puts in you right in the heart of it. For music I want to be sitting opposite to the performers in their respective positions, like a concert.
 

ProFan

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when I listened to the music it ended up being the room full of music
Good point! It seems this is a matter of brain multitasking while listening or watching (kind of imagination), my wife also feels like “the room is full of music” (may be too full for her). The same with 3D movies for her, while I enjoy both.
We all are different, and I believe there is nothing wrong to be different.
 

vkvedam

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True, nothing wrong with being different. Movie sound effects do have their reasons to be multi-channel to be precise about events happening around, music is different unless you are sitting on the stage in the middle, may be I should try all 5 speakers in front with the 5.1 :p
 

Kal Rubinson

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Thanks for the review Amir. Such a shame to see these appalling results. Considering the fact that Classé comes under the same umbrella group it's shocking to see such poor efforts.
True but not relevant. The Classe processors were designed prior to the company joining Sound United.
 

ProFan

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A lot of multichannel records don’t have surround effects in side and back channels, just reflections information to create an atmosphere of a concert hall. Are they “more realistic” in your opinion?
It is like If you don’t like the art of impressionists (I believe again due to a difference in imagination), you just enjoy realism or whatever else kind of art you enjoy.
How about this music record on Blue Ray: Karl Zimmerman “Live in Prague”? I personally can not even imagine it in stereo ...
 

Kal Rubinson

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A lot of multichannel records don’t have surround effects in side and back channels, just reflections information to create an atmosphere of a concert hall. Are they “more realistic” in your opinion?
Those reflections were created at the performance and not by the recording process.
It is like If you don’t like the art of impressionists (I believe again due to a difference in imagination), you just enjoy realism or whatever else kind of art you enjoy.
No. It is more like, if you don't like the depiction in the painting, just pass it through Photoshop until you find something pleasing.
How about this music record on Blue Ray: Karl Zimmerman “Live in Prague”? I personally can not even imagine it in stereo ...
Hans Zimmer, I suspect, but you might enjoy your spelling more.:facepalm:
 

vkvedam

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A lot of multichannel records don’t have surround effects in side and back channels, just reflections information to create an atmosphere of a concert hall. Are they “more realistic” in your opinion?
It is like If you don’t like the art of impressionists (I believe again due to a difference in imagination), you just enjoy realism or whatever else kind of art you enjoy.
How about this music record on Blue Ray: Karl Zimmerman “Live in Prague”? I personally can not even imagine it in stereo ...
I second Kal's comments on this :)
As for the spacial info, I would like to quote the 'Hotel California' live version, you get every bit of sense in the stereo version. I don't require a 5.1 version to feel more immersive, just my two cents though. May be I am a bit old school when it comes to music.
 

ProFan

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Those reflections were created at the performance and not by the recording process.
100% agree.
No. It is more like, if you don't like the depiction in the painting, just pass it through Photoshop until you find something pleasing.
100% disagree. If a master like James Guthrie makes a remastering using his knowledge and skills (and imagination), it can not be called “photoshop”. It is a different piece of art.
Hans Zimmer, I suspect, but you might enjoy your spelling more
Thanks for the correction, my memory is not as good as it was, especially on names :(
 
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ProFan

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As for the spacial info, I would like to quote the 'Hotel California' live version, you get every bit of sense in the stereo version. I don't require a 5.1 version to feel more immersive, just my two cents though. May be I am a bit old school when it comes to music.
Interesting, I don’t enjoy the live version as much as I enjoy it on the DVD-A in multichannel version. It is a true masterpiece, the whole disk.
Stereo version on the original CD (1976) is way worse.
But again, we all are different.
 
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Kal Rubinson

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100% disagree. If a master like James Guthrie makes a remastering using his knowledge and skills (and imagination), it can not be called “photoshop”. It is a different piece of art.
I looked up who he is. However, the issue is not a remastering but a rejiggering or remixing to change the entire perspective.
 

LTig

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Your suggestion is wrong, I believe.
8805 is a completely different “animal” comparing to 7703, it uses more advanced “velvet sound” premium 2-channel AK4490 DAC chips, for example, comparing to AK4458 8-channel OSR-doubler DAC chips, used in 7703.
Although the difference in measurements is not that significant, they sound different.

These specs are identical for 7701, 7702, 7703, 7704, 7705 and also 8802 and 8805:
  • Analog:
    • Input sensitivity: 200 mV
    • Frequency response: 10 Hz – 100 kHz — +1, –3 dB (Direct mode)
    • S/N: 105 dB (IHF–A weighted, Direct mode)
    • Distortion: 0.005 % (20 Hz – 20 kHz) (Direct mode)
    • Rated output:
      • Unbalanced RCA pre-output: 1.2 V
      • Balanced XLR pre-output: 2.4 V
  • D/A output:
    • Rated output — 2 V (at 0 dB playback)
    • Total harmonic distortion — 0.008 % (1 kHz, at 0 dB)
    • S/N ratio — 102 dB
    • Dynamic range — 100 dB
I think that the quality of all the premium hardware in the 880x is swamped by the surrounding electronics.
 

ProFan

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I think that the quality of all the premium hardware in the 880x is swamped by the surrounding electronics.
These specs are just standard, i.e. “no worse than”. In reality they are better - we can see it on the link with measurements of 8802, posted above.
I believe the “velvet sound” technology is related to domination of second “warm” harmonic and lack of higher harmonics in the spectrum of AK4490 DAC up to a certain level (analyzing the measurements of 8802) in this case, though I could be wrong. Level of THD+N in a basic specification doesn’t provide the spectrum levels of harmonics, and it is a huge difference.
I can see a difference in schematic diagrams in service manuals comparing 8805 and 7703.
 
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Kal Rubinson

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No problem, lets call them “remixes”
Fine. Exactly what I disdain. (N.B.: I have no real interest in pop/rock music. My aesthetic choices are based on classical music.)
 

ProFan

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Fine. Exactly what I disdain. (N.B.: I have no real interest in pop/rock music. My aesthetic choices are based on classical music.)
Ok, thanks for the info. Now I understand your point of view better. For classical music surround sound could be less important indeed.
However, I would like to ask you about your experience with relatively new approach to classical music recording, like 2l.no records in Auro-3D format, for example.
 
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Kal Rubinson

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Ok, thanks for the info. Now I understand your point of view better. For classical music surround sound could be less important indeed.
However, I would like to ask you about your experience with relatively new approach to classical music recording, like 2l.no records in Auro-3D format, for example.
I think some of them are magnificent. I am currently setup for them with a 5.2.4 system in my house and, indeed, I will miss them when I take it down.
 

ProFan

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I think some of them are magnificent. I am currently setup for them with a 5.2.4 system in my house and, indeed, I will miss them when I take it down.
Did you try to compare the surround version and stereo version of them?
Also, if it is not a secret, what kind of AV processor (or AV receiver) do you use for your 5.2.4 setup?
 
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Kal Rubinson

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Did you try to compare the surround version and stereo version of them?
Yup.
Also, if it is not a secret, what kind of AV processor (or AV receiver) do you use for your 5.2.4 setup?
Trinnov Altitude32, on loan for review.
 
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