Marantz AV10 AV Processor Review

[TimoJ]

You’re right, the volume can be changed with a remote or keyboard.
What I meant was that it’s inconvenient to use the mouse just to switch house curves for different loudness levels.
The support team told me there’s no plan for ART to work outside of AVRs, but for the rooms where I want to use it soon, I’m planning to add another Denon.
For the others, I’ll just wait and hope it becomes available in maybe five years or so.

But with a PC you have lots of options to implement loudness, no need to use target curves for that.
And you can change target curves with a remote, it just needs some scripting or macro, for example with AutoHotKey.
I use Flirc to control my PC with a remote control, works great.

 

[Everett T]

But with a PC you have lots of options to implement loudness, no need to use target curves for that.
And you can change target curves with a remote, it just needs some scripting or macro, for example with AutoHotKey.
I use Flirc to control my PC with a remote control, works great.

Wait, are you saying there isn't a simple solution.compared to a button or switch for loudness control ? Hopefully we can put this to bed as there are options, some people just may not like the process.

 

[kawauso]

But with a PC you have lots of options to implement loudness, no need to use target curves for that.
And you can change target curves with a remote, it just needs some scripting or macro, for example with AutoHotKey.
I use Flirc to control my PC with a remote control, works great.

I hadn’t thought about using a remote before, but yeah — there are plenty of options.
You could set up keyboard shortcuts or macros, use an audio interface with some built-in loudness feature, or even switch between multiple house curves triggered by playback volume.
Still, it does sound like a bit of a hassle to manage all that manually.

 

[MKR]

You could use a remote to change PC's volume.
ART will be supported on PC, but who knows when they will release it. But it already works.

We getting close to ART on HTP-1? I keep hearing it is coming, but crickets

 

[peng]

When are you getting the 3800H - we can't wait for your joining the AVR ART community.

Will have to see what happens on Black Friday, if not, boxing day, in Canada.

 

[kawauso]

But with a PC you have lots of options to implement loudness, no need to use target curves for that.
And you can change target curves with a remote, it just needs some scripting or macro, for example with AutoHotKey.
I use Flirc to control my PC with a remote control, works great.

If I wanted to do it in a simple way, would using AutoHotKey’s FileCopy command to overwrite the Equalizer APO config file work for switching curves?

 

[TimoJ]

If I wanted to do it in a simple way, would using AutoHotKey’s FileCopy command to overwrite the Equalizer APO config file work for switching curves?

Yes, I actually have used it with one program, i.e. copied a different EQ curve before the program started and back to default when the program was stopped.

 

[Newman]

Workaround on D&M is that you have 6 presets so you go with curves/tilts from low to high. There are also 5 presets on AV10 that make this one puch of a button.

I can only see 2 presets on the AV10, where does one access 5 (or 6)?

 

[Dovydas]

I can only see 2 presets on the AV10, where does one access 5 (or 6)?

Each preset has 3 slots, at least on AVC-A10H.

 

[Newman]

Each preset has 3 slots, at least on AVC-A10H.

OK I will try to find it in the menu, because all I see is "Preset 1" and "Preset 2" as places to save to.

 

[squared80]

Could someone kindly explain why the AV10 is $7k and a single ended AVR with as many channels from the same brand or semi-equivalent like Denon is about half the cost. Yes, they don't have balanced pre-outs, but they have the added cost of amplification. So what's the added cost in terms of parts for the AV10? And final terrible question, let's say the AV10 is going into a multi-channel Buckeye Purifi Class D amp. Will there be a discernable difference from said AVRs at 70db?

Marketing. Yep, that's it. Marketing. Enjoy!

 

[Oddball]

Marketing. Yep, that's it. Marketing. Enjoy!

A1H is not half cost compared to AV10. They are similarly priced in most markets. Channel tax kicks in at 11 channels going to 13 and gets steeper once you reach 15 which is the max for D&M.

It is true that AV10 won't get you much more performance than A1H, but it is different use case for different audience. Some people like to play around with amps and there is nothing wrong with that. It had more significance in the past when running large bed channels full range and with LFE distribution. Now with Dirac ART it seems that amps are not that important any more so AVR starts to make more sense.

In my case, I have amps to spare, and AV 10 runs cool as a winter breeze. There was no use case where I could see more value in amped A1H.

 

[Sal1950]

Wait, are you saying there isn't a simple solution.compared to a button or switch for loudness control ?

No, their saying they don't want anyone's solution but prefer to create their own, which is fine but not what I was looking for.

Audy's DEQ was a ruffly acceptable system except IMHO and many others with the way they insisted on messing with channel balance on multich systems.
This argument has been going on for years.

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/deq-without-surround-boost-coming-in-the-next-multeq-x-release.3256002/page-4

I don't understand what the big issue is to implement one of the equal loudness curves into a base DRC system like Audyssey or Dirac?
In their stepups they all do a home reference loudness measurement at 75db?

 

[Oddball]

Well it's obviously not that simple and DEQ was never good, at most tolerable for many. I never really liked it as could not really figure out what the hell it was doing.

The cleanest approach to loudness, as well as different levels of bass is to have different presets and choose from what you have to address the listening level and the soundtrack. So I am with Dirac on this one. The spoiled ones will say that 6 presets for ART are insufficient - but then that is all you have so you either do or keep complaining on forums forever.

Rationalizing one's behaviour around hard set targets is smart. Ranting about it is acceptable and human, but will only get your so far.

 

[Sal1950]

Rationalizing one's behaviour around hard set targets is smart. Ranting about it is acceptable and human, but will only get your so far.

There's also voting with your wallet, and so far Dirac ain't gettin into mine.

 

[Oddball]

There's also voting with your wallet, and so far Dirac ain't gettin into mine.

You should try it though. Thought Audy was great. It was for the time and my system. But nothing lasts forever...

ART is going to rock your world Sal. Wallet is always an issue but then few good things in life come cheap.

 

[Sal1950]

ART is going to rock your world Sal. Wallet is always an issue but then few good things in life come cheap.

I've read a LOT about it, so far the only thing it rocks for me IS my wallet.
I think many have bought into the huge marketing hype.
If it doesn't offers features I want, it's valueless to me.
Oddball, I respect your opinion but you been beating the ART drum here for months.
It may be good but they didn't reinvent the DRC wheel, only the price of entry.

Well it's obviously not that simple and DEQ was never good, at most tolerable for many.

If the folks at Dirac are so smart, why can't they offer a modern program needed to counter the proven weaknesses of human hearing at varying loudness levels. Various offerings have been around for 7 decades?

Thank you for trying to get us some response (hopefully an useful one), but I would caution that what many users (obviously not everyone), such as me, would not want just a bunch of selectable fixed loudness contouring (even for multiple fixed levels) based on something like those Muson curve @dlaloum posted earlier, but something that works dynamically like Audyssey's.

Exactly, who want's bunch of separate curves you'd have to chose with each volume change, that's just nuts !
Audy DEQ has it problems but it WORKS.
The Marantz 2270 I bought in 1974 had a loudness button that worked. LOL
On or Off, your choice.

I received the below response, not sure what type query they consider it but I'll forward the question to the other links suggested.

"info
Fri, Nov 7, 4:15 PM (2 days ago)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR REQUEST

Thank you for reaching out to Dirac Research AB.

If this is a support question regarding licenses, billing, Dirac Live or the Dirac Processor software, please visit the Dirac Help Center: http://helpdesk.dirac.com

If you have a more general request or inquiry, we will respond to you as soon as possible, thank you for your patience and your interest in Dirac.

Support requests sent to this address will be ignored.
Are you interested in a career at Dirac? Please visit https://www.dirac.com/about-us/work-at-dirac/
The information in this email (including any attachments) may contain confidential and/or proprietary material. Any review, retransmission or use of this information by persons or entities other than the intended, authorized recipient is prohibited. If you received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete the material. For information regarding how Dirac handles personal data, please visit https://www.dirac.com/privacy-policy. "

 

[TimoJ]

In their stepups they all do a home reference loudness measurement at 75db?

Dirac doesn't know/care about reference levels and it won't calibrate your system output to reference level. All it needs is enough signal-to-noise ratio for the measurements and it calibrates the system for equal channel levels.

 

[Oddball]

@Sal1950 There is much true in the rant above, but not all. You either try it or you don't.

If you don't then I guess you are not really entitled to critizese as you have no idea what to compare to. If too expensive, well it is what it is.

 

[kawauso]

I've read a LOT about it, so far the only thing it rocks for me IS my wallet.
I think many have bought into the huge marketing hype.
If it doesn't offers features I want, it's valueless to me.
Oddball, I respect your opinion but you been beating the ART drum here for months.
It may be good but they didn't reinvent the DRC wheel, only the price of entry.


If the folks at Dirac are so smart, why can't they offer a modern program needed to counter the proven weaknesses of human hearing at varying loudness levels. Various offerings have been around for 7 decades?


Exactly, who want's bunch of separate curves you'd have to chose with each volume change, that's just nuts !
Audy DEQ has it problems but it WORKS.
The Marantz 2270 I bought in 1974 had a loudness button that worked. LOL
On or Off, your choice.

I received the below response, not sure what type query they consider it but I'll forward the question to the other links suggested.

"info
Fri, Nov 7, 4:15 PM (2 days ago)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR REQUEST

Thank you for reaching out to Dirac Research AB.

If this is a support question regarding licenses, billing, Dirac Live or the Dirac Processor software, please visit the Dirac Help Center: http://helpdesk.dirac.com

If you have a more general request or inquiry, we will respond to you as soon as possible, thank you for your patience and your interest in Dirac.

Support requests sent to this address will be ignored.
Are you interested in a career at Dirac? Please visit https://www.dirac.com/about-us/work-at-dirac/
The information in this email (including any attachments) may contain confidential and/or proprietary material. Any review, retransmission or use of this information by persons or entities other than the intended, authorized recipient is prohibited. If you received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete the material. For information regarding how Dirac handles personal data, please visit https://www.dirac.com/privacy-policy. "

You mentioned that people are being misled by marketing, but in the case of Dirac ART, its effects—such as consistent frequency response across multiple seats, reduced distortion, and optimized decay times—have been objectively observed and measured. These improvements are not limited to the main listening position, but are evident throughout the room.

Of course, it may not be essential for everyone.
However, dismissing the entire system as "worthless" just because it lacks a loudness compensation feature is, frankly, a misguided and unreasonable criticism.
Loudness correction is a convenience feature, whereas Dirac ART represents a fundamentally different innovation in spatial control.