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Marantz Cinema 30

It’s over my head really. I just like having the external amplifiers. Not sure if I am gaining anything or not. Looks nice and sounds good to me so that’s all I care about in the end. I don’t understand all the jargon really but appreciate the help. My kids use my system more than I do for watching movies so my opinion doesn’t matter much as long as the system and projector turn on for them.
 
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It’s over my head really. I just like having the external amplifiers. Not sure if I am gaining anything or not. Looks nice and sounds good to me so that’s all I care about in the end. I don’t understand all the jargon really but appreciate the help.

With those 2 amps you have, you can at least have peace of mind.
 
As always, right on the mark. The speakers will regularly be the weakest link for higher SPL listeners.

But can’t say that I am not enjoying my Rotels even in the high SPL mode. 80 SINAD is not great but overall the amps are solid and my pretty good speakers will distort more in that scenario.

Does it mean that AVR/AVP with 80 SINAD will do in that chain?
 
Ya for the money I really like the Rotel amplifiers I have. Might not have the best numbers on paper but seem to be well built and sound great to me anyway. I have a local Rotel dealer so that’s why I went with them as there aren’t many options nearby.
 
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I have to agree, but I also understand that Anthem, being a much smaller AVR/AVP manufacturer, they have to be extra careful in choosing where to cut and thereby minimize costs, in order to compete on price, with the big dogs like D+M, Yamaha and Sony without sacrificing the best possible audio specs in areas that are perceived by many, to be sound quality related. For example, if that's reason for them to be able to use better DAC and ADC ICs than Denon/Marantz's, I would take it.;)
They don’t look at the reviews from Amir on the Marantz AV10!
 
I wonder if audioholics is going to come out with a full review on the C30 soon or if there is going to be a review on this site? I guess I should have sent my C30 in for testing. Will be interesting to see how it does on the tests.
Yes looking forward to Amir or Gene to put it on the bench!
 
Probably purely academic, but then even Amir blessed some Rotel amps in 80dB SINAD range as recommended :D. If your speakers could do 80 SINAD, then that would be really awesome, but they probably don't at full spec'd range and at full spec'd SPL. They might though at your listening levels and setup so it might be more relevant.

Also, I always wondered if there is any benefit in having those separate amps with oversized power supplies and capacitors as opposed to just running a competent AVR with kind of basic inside? SINAD aside for this comparison as it would have to do more with "dynamics" of the amp if there is such a thing at all?
I never could tell a difference when using an external amp. I think for people who have larger theatres or speakers thst need power.
 
Yes looking forward to Amir or Gene to put it on the bench!

Me too, but I have to wonder if it matters at all to many who trust mostly subjective measurements anyway. For instance, take a read of many of the posts on the AVM90, to them theirs sound much better than others that might have measured as good or better. Still, I look forward to seeing a full review on the Cinema 30, or even its less good looking/or as well built cousin X6800H.
 
At this stage I do not need expert reviews, although it is always nice to read them. One I have bought it and I am enjoying the C30 as I’ve ever been, this enjoyment will not change
 
Last year it was the Onkyo RZ50 and the year before that was the Deon AVR-X1700. No consistent pattern..

So I searched for their criteria and found the following:

What makes an EISA award-winning product?Every year, the EISA Awards celebrate those new products that offer a combination of the most advanced technology, the most desirable features, the most functional ergonomics and – of course – the best performance for the money. In essence, EISA highlights the products most likely to be appreciated by consumers seeking versatility, style and performance.

That seems super vague and subjective, though in this case I would have picked the Cinema 30 too based on available information on the product and its competitors.
 
To cinema 30 owners can the Marantz use Audyssey to calibrate all 4subwoofers as one!
ARC Genesis is unable to perform this function and only calibrate each sub one at a time!
 
Last year it was the Onkyo RZ50 and the year before that was the Deon AVR-X1700. No consistent pattern..

So I searched for their criteria and found the following:



That seems super vague and subjective, though in this case I would have picked the Cinema 30 too based on available information on the product and its competitors.
I would question the merits of this EISA award since the X1700 isn't what I would have considered advanced technology or having desirable features (where are the pre-outs?!!!). The 6800 falls under this criteria but now the judging is suspect like some Olympic scores!
 
I would question the merits of this EISA award since the X1700 isn't what I would have considered advanced technology or having desirable features (where are the pre-outs?!!!). The 6800 falls under this criteria but now the judging is suspect like some Olympic scores!
I actually questioned the whole thing, if you'd caught my drift, that's why I never thought such awards mean much at all, but they might be useful for people who don't frequent manufacturers websites, technically oriented forum and review sites who do more in depth reviews.
 
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I used FedEx to ship mine. Arrived in excellent condition. There are some good deals on them in the USA. Audiogon has a couple, the recertified ones at Marantz. Nothing in Canada for deals that I know of.
For Canadians, $4100 for the C30 is a much better choice imo than the Canadian made (assembled in China) MRX-1140. My only concern would be warranty repair, as I assume you would have to send it across the border for warranty repairs.
 
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