Marantz Cinema 50 - Noise from -7db / 75 Scale

[XLG]

Hi

I just got a Marantz Cinema 50, feels like a nice unit.
I’m a bit concerned though, I’m hearing noise from -7db (75 on scale mode). It doesn’t feel right to start hearing noise at this level from a « premium » product. Totaly audible at max level.
I thought such a unit would be dead silent / transparent… It’s obviously not and I’m concerned because I will push it.

I use it to drive KLH’s Model 5 speakers in stereo for now. I will complete my setup soon but perhaps not with this AVR…

Anyone has the same experience with this unit ?
Is this normal ? Should I check something or contact Marantz ?

Thank you,
Xavier

 

[peng]

Hi

I just got a Marantz Cinema 50, feels like a nice unit. I’m a bit concerned though, I’m hearing noise from -7db (75 scale mode). It doesn’t feel right to start hearing noise at this level from a « premium » product. Totaly audible at max level.
I thought such a unit would be dead silent / transparent… It’s obviously not and I’m concerned because I will push it.

I use it to drive KLH’s Model 5 speakers in stereo for now. I will complete my setup soon but perhaps not with this AVR…

Anyone has the same experience with this unit ?
Is this normal ? Should I check something or contact Marantz ?

Thank you,
Xavier

If you are in the US or Canada, and the noise bothers you, you can try an AVR-X4800H for about the same money. Based on ASR measurements, you will most likely find the Denon quiet enough at volume -7 or even 0.

The slightly stronger power supply should drive your KLH speaker a little better too, but I would still recommend a quiet USB fan to help coolthe unit.

 

[Doodski]

These are nice all-in-one cooling units for receivers.

Equipment Cooling - ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS - Component Fan Systems - AC Infinity

acinfinity.com

 

[fieldcar]

I’m hearing noise from -7db (75 on scale mode)

Electrical or fan noise? Hiss/buzzing? Can you make a video?

 

[XLG]

Electrical or fan noise? Hiss/buzzing? Can you make a video?

Sounds like a « hiss » in the speaker.
The noise isn’t coming from the AVR.

 

[fieldcar]

Sounds like a « hiss » in the speaker.
The noise isn’t coming from the AVR.

Is the source analog (RCA's), digital (HDMI/SPDIF), or both?

 

[XLG]

Is the source analog (RCA's), digital (HDMI/SPDIF), or both?

Same noise on any source, HDMI, Spotify Connect, …

 

[fieldcar]

Same noise on any source, HDMI, Spotify Connect, …

I don't doubt you, but are you completely sure it's not the content? I've heard some surprisingly noisy tracks with a pretty high noise floor. Soundtracks and classical commonly have this issue.

So you hear it with nothing playing too?

 

[XLG]

I don't doubt you, but are you completely sure it's not the content? I've heard some surprisingly noisy tracks with a pretty high noise floor. Soundtracks and classical commonly have this issue.

So you hear it with nothing playing too?

Yes, nothing playing. I just turn it on.
Could it be the cables ?
They are only 4 meters long. It’s 4mm section. It’s copper regular cables, they are flat on the floor, not enrolled.
I have other ones, I might try them out and compare with another amplifier I own, a Marantz NR1200. I don’t remember it to have this issue.

 

[fieldcar]

Yes, nothing playing. I just turn it on.
Could it be the cables ?

It's unlikely. Buzzing or humming can happen if you've got your power cable running in parallel with an analog signal cable, but that's the unmistakable buzz-hum, not hiss. Hiss is usually caused by the way Marantz designs the AVR. It's usually determined by the internal DAC's, DSP, and amplification topology, and there really isn't much you can do to fix that.

It’s copper regular cables, they are flat on the floor, not enrolled.

Speaker cables don't pick up any meaningful interference, so that's not it.

I have other ones, I might try them out and compare with another amplifier I own, a Marantz NR1200. I don’t remember it to have this issue.

Worth a shot. Good luck!


Maybe reach out to Marantz, since you're an obvious repeat customer.

 

[XLG]

It's unlikely. Buzzing or humming can happen if you've got your power cable running in parallel with an analog signal cable, but that's the unmistakable buzz-hum, not hiss. Hiss is usually caused by the way Marantz designs the AVR. It's usually determined by the internal DAC's, DSP, and amplification topology, and there really isn't much you can do to fix that.


Speaker cables don't pick up any meaningful interference, so that's not it.


Worth a shot. Good luck!


Maybe reach out to Marantz, since you're an obvious repeat customer.

I’ll keep you posted ! Thanks

 

[peng]

I’ll keep you posted ! Thanks

If you look at the asr test results of the C50's predecessors, it is not surprising that you can hear hiss at volume -7.

I could hear hiss from my Marantz AV8801 at volume -10, though it wasn't audible from 11 feet and I rarely went above -15. I replaced the AV8801 with a Denon AVR-X4400H, and heard no hiss at volume 0 or even +10 unless I had my ears within an inch to the unit.

Is the hiss audible from your mmp? If you can only hear it from just a few feet and when the room is quiet such as with the HVAC off, then imo it is probably normal for the C50.

4 meters interconnect is a little long, but if the cables are well shielded, and are run in a clear path, it shouldn't pick up much noise. Still, it is always better to keep them shorter than 2.5 to 3 meters.

 

[Megaken]

I would try a different power cable, different outlet, different power strip, and different interconnects before giving up on the unit.

 

[DVDdoug]

I would try a different power cable, different outlet, different power strip, and different interconnects before giving up on the unit.

That would normally be power line hum or buzz. You can also get high-pitch "whine" from a switching power supply or from a computer if that noise gets-into the analog electronics.

Hiss usually comes from an analog amplification stage (or from analog tape, or FM radio. ).

 

[Megaken]

That would normally be power line hum or buzz. You can also get high-pitch "whine" from a switching power supply or from a computer if that noise gets-into the analog electronics.

Hiss usually comes from an analog amplification stage (or from analog tape, or FM radio. ).

Ok then disconnect router, modem, tv, fridge, microwave, and everything else and see if the hiss is still there with only the receiver plugged in

 

[Thomas_A]

Performance measured here. Cannot see much difference vs the AVR-4800h

Marantz Cinema 50 AVR Review

My Friends C50 and I don't know the price of this item. You can see what I saw. This is what it looks like. 4ohm, optical in, front LR, 20k 4ohm, optical in, front LR, 22.4k 4ohm, optical in, front LR, 40k 4ohm, rca in, front LR, 20k 4ohm, rca in, front LR, 22.4k 4ohm, rca...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[trl]

[...] I’m hearing noise from -7db (75 on scale mode). It doesn’t feel right to start hearing noise at this level from a « premium » product. Totaly audible at max level.
I thought such a unit would be dead silent / transparent… It’s obviously not and I’m concerned because I will push it. [...]

Hi Xavier,

Please let us know the exact setup, as per below:
- What input source was used when hearing the hiss noise in your speakers (from the tweeter, I suppose)?
- Sound Mode used (Movie/Music/Game/Pure)?
- Sound Mode details used (Stereo/Dolby Surround, DTS Neural/Multi Ch. Stereo)?
- Was the the hiss noise still present with input source disconnected or not?
- What was the background noise in your room (very quiet, quiet enough, daytime background noise)? Usually, during a silent night it's somewhere around 25dBA).

I have the little baby brother, CINEMA 70s and with volume set to -7dB I get the following:
- Any digital input source chosen (excluding HEOS) gives me a tiny background noise hearable from about 10-15cm in front of the tweeter of my 90.5dB/W/1m speakers; nothing changes when I switch between Sound Modes, the sound is barely perceived from about 10-15cm in front of the tweeter.
- However, when switching to CD input STEREO Mode, the noise increased and now I can hear it slightly from about 1m in front of my speakers, while when using the Multi Ch. Stereo Mode it increases a bit more and now, when all the speakers are getting a copy of the stereo channels, the noise can be slightly heard when listening from the middle of the Livingroom (at about 2-2.5m from each of the 7 surrounding speaker). Increasing the volume to 0dB makes this hissing noise quite unpleasant for the listener, although listening to music at 0dB might be happening on rare occasions.

Comparing the CD input noise of the CINEMA 70s with the CD input noise from my stereo amplifier: the 70s noise can be heard from 1m when set to CD input, while the A-S701's noise can be heard from 5-10 cm in front of the tweeters. Good news is that the CINEMA 70s background noise, when set to any digital source, is very low and can only be heard from about 10cm in front of the tweeter when level is set to -7dB (75). Worth mentioning that CD input had no cables and no source connected while performing this test. I think that the internal preamplifier has to do with this hissing noise and not the amplifier itself (at least not its output stage).

The above test was done early in the morning when my room background noise was oscillating between 24dB(A) and 25dB(A), so a very quiet testing environment. Room noise was tested with two apps: SPL Meter and Decibel X on iPhone 14 Pro.

Given that CINEMA 70s is cheaper and the smallest from the CINEMA line I suspect that the noise you are hearing may have something to do with your cabling or with your input source, so looking forward for some more details from your side.