Marantz AV10 AV Processor Review

[JRR]

Thanks for the reply. The Marantz is at my upper limit pricewise and I want the unit to measure well. Seems like another option is to simply get a sacd/blueray/dvda transport. Ambitions of Atmos is already interfering with the plan of using the ROON ecosystem as my only music platform

 

[Vacceo]

Thanks for the reply. The Marantz is at my upper limit pricewise and I want the unit to measure well. Seems like another option is to simply get a sacd/blueray/dvda transport. Ambitions of Atmos is already interfering with the plan of using the ROON ecosystem as my only music platform

Join the people knocking Marantz for not updating to Roon.

It's not going to change the environment, but it costs you nothing to let them know they're loosing a sale due to that.

 

[ban25]

Join the people knocking Marantz for not updating to Roon.

It's not going to change the environment, but it costs you nothing to let them know they're loosing a sale due to that.

Especially when they have finally started to add it to some of their products, but not their flagship AVP.

 

[dsd4life]

Just get a Zidoo 3000 Pro they have a dedicated HDMI Audio for multichannel DSD and 7.1 FLAC and PCM

 

[Tre2023]

DSD files from my Mac to my receiver using HDMI and third party software gave me a headache. I’ll stick to the few discs I have to play on a disc player that can actually bitstream the signal. It also bitstreams the signal from multichannel DSD files on a USB stick plugged into its USB port.

For lossless, hi-res and Dolby Atmos music, I now use Apple Music exclusively on a Mac mini M1. I’ve left Audirvana, Roon and various other music streaming services behind just to simplify it all for myself. Ripping CDs and getting info correctly is still hit or miss on Apple Music app.

Roon doesn’t exactly bitstream DSD and DoP or PCM conversion were the only DSD output options if I am remembering correctly. Do I need to redownload it to check if anything has changed? No, not gonna’ do it. Don’t need the headache.

 

[ban25]

Roon doesn’t exactly bitstream DSD and DoP or PCM conversion were the only DSD output options if I am remembering correctly. Do I need to redownload it to check if anything has changed? No, not gonna’ do it. Don’t need the headache.

It certainly does, provided your DAC supports it, as seen in my screenshot above and below. I actually have two signal chains that natively bitstream DSD: Integra DRX-8.4 AVR for up to DSD256 and McIntosh C53 /w DA2 module and a Roon Bridge over USB for DSD512. Native / DSD-Direct can be selected under device setup:

 

[Tre2023]

Is Native an option over HDMI? I don’t remember it being so.

 

[Sal1950]

I think I need to unload this thing. Its unnecessarily big and doesn’t do what I want it to do. Any thoughts on the Primare SP25? That is at least roon ready and has usb in.

Please, make me a deal I can't refuse.

 

[ban25]

Is Native an option over HDMI? I don’t remember it being so.

I believe certain source devices licensed for DSD by Sony can bitstream over HDMI, such as Blu-ray players from Sony or Oppo.

EDIT: Re-reading this, I assume you are asking if it's an option available under Roon when using HDMI and to the best of my knowledge, it's not -- though I haven't tried it, but JRR has and has confirmed for us that it can't be done on a ROCK over HDMI.

 

[Sal1950]

Join the people knocking Marantz for not updating to Roon.

It's not going to change the environment, but it costs you nothing to let them know they're loosing a sale due to that.

Although not cheap by any means, I wonder how many folks looking for AVP in the AV10's bracket will
use a pay media server like Roon over huge number of free ones.?
I don't think Marantz is missing many customers?

 

[ban25]

Although not cheap by any means, I wonder how many folks looking for AVP in the AV10's bracket will
use a pay media server like Roon over huge number of free ones.?
I don't think Marantz is missing many customers?

I mean....Onkyo RZ70 is Roon Ready and sells for 1/3rd the price of the AV10... Wiim sells Roon Ready streamers on Amazon for less than $100. How "flagship" is Marantz' best AVP when it gets beat by an $89 Wiim Mini.

 

[Sal1950]

How "flagship" is Marantz' best AVP when it gets beat by an $89 Wiim Mini.

Yea, I don't know. In the AV market, buying decisions are largely made on features.
Who and why the bean counters at D&M make their decisions I have no guess..
I do wonder how many will purchase the Marantz 10 based on it's measured performance without any concern about Roon?
Just Sayin,

 

[ban25]

Yea, I don't know. In the AV market, buying decisions are largely made on features.
Who and why the bean counters at D&M make their decisions I have no guess..
I do wonder how many will purchase the Marantz 10 based on it's measured performance without any concern about Roon?
Just Sayin,

Well, certainly they lost two sales due to this oversight -- JRR today and mine in 2023.

And not for nothing, but they've acknowledged their oversight and now they have 3-4 Roon Ready devices in their lineup, they just don't seem interested in patching in support for older products like the AV10.

 

[chelgrian]

I would stay away from that as it's HDMI 2.0 only, which is about to be 2 generations behind the standard. If you just need 11 channels and want Roon Ready, then the Integra DRX-8.4 or Onkyo RZ70 is the best deal in town. If you don't want to use the internal amps, you can just disconnect them and run in pre-amp mode. Otherwise, try the Arcam AV41? HDMI 2.1, Roon Ready, 16-channels XLR. The only drawback is that the Dirac Live implementation is a bit buggy and most Arcam users seem to be stuck on version 3.4.4, but this doesn't seem like the end of the world TBH. Lastly, you could consider a Storm Audio ISP Core 16. More expensive, but full featured plus support for Dirac ART.

The Primare is intentionally HDMI 2.0b only as you do not need anything better for UHD Blu-ray and it makes it cheaper. There is never likely to be a successor disc format and streaming has gone backwards from what UHD Blu-ray can do.

If you want to drive from a PC or games console then by all means avoid but if you want it for film then it’s perfectly fine.

 

[Vacceo]

Although not cheap by any means, I wonder how many folks looking for AVP in the AV10's bracket will
use a pay media server like Roon over huge number of free ones.?
I don't think Marantz is missing many customers?

Marantz has a number of Roon compatible devices. Not having the flagship among them does not make any sense, but here we are.

 

[Sal1950]

Marantz has a number of Roon compatible devices. Not having the flagship among them does not make any sense, but here we are.

OK, Apologies, I do understand.
OTOH, I just don't get the whole Roon thing.
I'm a decades long Linux guy and don't get the idea of locking up my thousands of high quality 2 and multich album files in someones proprietary paid subscription media player ???
I can use Strawberry and a couple others that will serve my files in bit perfect manner including Atmos theater bypass mode completely free. Though I do send a few bucks to the developer on occasion for his work, only fair IMHO.
YMMV

 

[Vacceo]

OK, Apologies, I do understand.
OTOH, I just don't get the whole Roon thing.
I'm a decades long Linux guy and don't get the idea of locking up my thousands of high quality 2 and multich album files in someones proprietary paid subscription media player ???
I can use Strawberry and a couple others that will serve my files in bit perfect manner including Atmos theater bypass mode completely free. Though I do send a few bucks to the developer on occasion for his work, only fair IMHO.
YMMV

I don't use it either, but being software, it's something they could have implemented.

My holy grail is still a "box less", active multichannel system, but it does not seem any manufacturer is willing to go that route.

 

[chelgrian]

I don't use it either, but being software, it's something they could have implemented.

My holy grail is still a "box less", active multichannel system, but it does not seem any manufacturer is willing to go that route.

When you say boxless I presume you mean everything built in to the speakers themselves?

 

[Vacceo]

When you say boxless I presume you mean everything built in to the speakers themselves?

Exactly. Think of the KEF LS line, Genelecs or any similar system, brought together by RJ45 cables and perhaps a cd or turntable (sources, after all) plugged to a central speaker.

 

[JRR]

OK, Apologies, I do understand.
OTOH, I just don't get the whole Roon thing.
I'm a decades long Linux guy and don't get the idea of locking up my thousands of high quality 2 and multich album files in someones proprietary paid subscription media player ???
I can use Strawberry and a couple others that will serve my files in bit perfect manner including Atmos theater bypass mode completely free. Though I do send a few bucks to the developer on occasion for his work, only fair IMHO.
YMMV

I purchased a lifetime subscription. ROON is a fantastic platform. I can consolidate all my owned music with Qobuz library, play multichannel and stereo, choose which format and mastering, apply lossless room correction and a plethora of other parameters, listen to any radio channel from anywhere, organize my library by genre, format, quality and any combination thereof, control all of the above throughout my home in any room and in my backyard with any smart device and access all of it while on the road through ARC. Now, if it only processed Atmos and Video…