Marantz SR7015 8K AVR Review

[Ale Dors]

Did you experiment with Audyssey on the Denon?

Yes. I wanted to be wrong because I bought the receiver. I paid for the Audyssey app. Later, I even paid for someone come to my home to calibrate it for me. I never managed to make it match my taste. The Marantz worked for me from the start. Again, it is just my personal opinion.

 

[bigguyca]

I created an account in this forum to respectfully leave my personal opinion because it may, or not, help others:
- I don’t understood all the posted analyses and comments here but they surely sounded really impressive;
- I was inclined to buy a Marantz avr before I did read all these audio/processing technical reviews but I ended buying a Denon X3700H afterwards;
- I had several receivers in my life but I never experienced something so vanilla, so transparent, so nothing;
- I won’t even try to express my frustration in words, impossible. I will just state that I put all my money in something that I wouldn’t accept for free;
- Finally, I decided to proceed with my original plan: I bought a Marantz SR7015 and all the distortion mentioned in this forum sounds like heaven to “my” ears.

Bottom line: always judge what is good or bad for “you” and there is no technical test in the world capable to replace an in loco demo.

Cheers,
Alex

Well that was pleasant, nice of him to stop by don't you think?

 

[Ale Dors]

Well that was pleasant, nice nice of him to stop by don't you think?

It is the minimum that I can do to alert other laymen like me to do not make decisions because people like you, looks like, who think that own the absolute true. I won’t be surprised if my post is deleted, it would show how biased people can be. It took minutes to be attacked for have expressed my honest opinion. My how point it is that sometimes audio science may conflict with subjective perceptions.

 

[peng]

It is the minimum that I can do to alert other laymen like me to do not make decisions because people like you, looks like, who think that own the absolute true. I won’t be surprised if my post is deleted, it would show how biased people can be. It took minutes to be attacked for have expressed my honest opinion.

I haven't see any "attack" posts yet, maybe they got deleted? You are entitled to your opinion, nothing wrong with that, and I doubt anyone would attack you for simply expressing your opinion.

 

[Ale Dors]

I haven't see any "attack" posts yet, maybe they got deleted? You are entitled to your opinion, nothing wrong with that, and I doubt anyone would attack you for simply expressing your opinion.

Peng, thank you. My how point it is that sometimes audio science may conflict with subjective perceptions.

 

[Ale Dors]

I haven't see any "attack" posts yet, maybe they got deleted? You are entitled to your opinion, nothing wrong with that, and I doubt anyone would attack you for simply expressing your opinion.

Just “maybe”.

I asked to my son to hear both receivers without being able to really see what was being used. He said that he couldn’t listen any differences.

 

[elvisizer]

It took minutes to be attacked for have expressed my honest opinion.

seems like we got ourselves a sea lion here today . . . .

 

[sarumbear]

For my personal taste, yes.

If you want “tasty” sound you don‘t want High Fidelity. Good luck, but this forum can only bring misery for you.

 

[Ale Dors]

If you want “tasty” sound you don‘t want High Fidelity. Good luck, but this forum can only bring misery for you.

 

[gvl]

Peng, thank you. My how point it is that sometimes audio science may conflict with subjective perceptions.

There are methods that prove that subjective perceptions and differences are in many cases imaginary. You need to conduct a controlled experiment to know for sure. There are days when I think my system sounds superb, then other days not so much without any changes. Add expectation/confirmation biases when trying different units sighted and you’re almost guaranteed to arrive at a worthless subjective conclusion.

 

[killdozzer]

I never heard my Sonus Faber speakers so unimpressive.

I know you won't like what I have to say, but I mean no harm. If you pair Denon and Sonus Faber and you don't like the sound, try swapping the speakers and not the Denon. It might be that Denon merely underlined what was always there in your speakers. Amps don't exactly play (nor do the receivers if they're done well), but speakers play and if your speakers mind being combined with an accurate and well performing piece of gear, the usual suspect is always the speaker.

 

[MacCali]

If you, and others who use the AVR's internal amps without any external power amps, then why worry about the pre out measurements anyway, you won't be using them anyway. Just ignore that test!

For those who do use pre outs, all we are saying is, try to get one that would measure well up to at least 2 V, so you will have a larger selection of power amps to choose from, that's just logic, not value judgment at all.

Yea, I am still trying to get a grip on all of this. I did ask this question previously, and I actually ended up purchasing an external amp which I was going to use for stereo listening. However, I have kind of gone past that and found better amps which I use for stereo. Now I want to integrate this amp into my home theater which consists of a 7013. I just want to be clear, this is my first home theater, I am not a fan boy of any company nor could I tell the difference since I have absolutely no experience.

However, I did want a 11 channel system option and a price that's around a 1000. So this is why I got my unit, it was only 1100 virtually brand new and an impossible feat considering this was a little over year ago with AVR shortages already starting.

Would presume that the 7013 has the same issue, and the external amp I want to use is a Denon 8200. Now it says that it has input sensitivity of 1v, but I have no clue what the gain is on the amp and I cant find it in the manual or anything. Speakers are 6 ohm and I believe 87db sensitivity.

Any of that useful to answer my question if I should be concerned?

 

[MacCali]

Just “maybe”.

I asked to my son to hear both receivers without being able to really see what was being used. He said that he couldn’t listen any differences.

I feel you Ale, this is my first home theater AVR, the previous generation 7013; I had absolutely no need for 8k video content and I have saved myself 1100 dollars. I am very new to audio and just started when corona happened and was unable to really afford anything being out of work.

But I do want to say I see nothing wrong with the AVR when it comes to movies, it's great and if there is better out there that's good news too. I like you am very happy.

However, when it comes to music I purchased a 600 dollar integrated amplifier and it completely destroys the 7013 which retails for 2200 dollars. So at this point I realize it cant be that amazing, and for certain a 600 dollars integrated amplifier is not amazing. But they both serve there purpose in different ways and do what they're supposed to.

Just really depends what source you use to play your movies, if you use a really high end 4k movie player with quality sound you will be losing out on performance during the presentation. Will you be able to notice this difference without switching between units, of course not. But definitely there is one, and it really depends what you are going for..

But I would like to add, if I did pay 2200 dollars and I got this performance even for music I would probably be upset. Because a simple budget integrated amplifier clearly out performs it and at 2200 this should not be the case if 600 dollars can produce quality sound. Also certain that the 600 dollar integrated amplifier does not have perfect measurements in any regard, just a tiny bit better with a few other different components which marantz should have incorporated into there 2200 unit.

Do you understand what I mean, I am not here to argue or debate with you, just giving you a very precise understanding of my experience and results of someone who has absolutely no experience and I am at that time very much in my infancy when it comes to audio.

Your opinion is respected here, no one is here to fight you. We are just here to learn, I want to see these measurements and then hear them to further corroborate whatever is being said is true. So far it's been pretty accurate, but the difference is marginal incrementally and if you want that that's all up to you.

To be very clear I own something that was measured on here that had a SINAD of 36.. Very poorly built, but still to my ears was not horrible beyond belief. So when it comes strictly to subjective NOTHING SOUNDS BAD.

 

[LTig]

[..] But I do want to say I see nothing wrong with the AVR when it comes to movies, it's great and if there is better out there that's good news too. I like you am very happy.

However, when it comes to music I purchased a 600 dollar integrated amplifier and it completely destroys the 7013 which retails for 2200 dollars. [..]

Are you sure you comparing appels with appels? For a valid comparison you need to disable all DSP functionality in the AVR (tone controls, room EQ, you name it) because I'm sure your integrated stereo amp has neither. Then of course also do the comparison blind and level matched to 0.1 dB or less.

 

[peng]

Yea, I am still trying to get a grip on all of this. I did ask this question previously, and I actually ended up purchasing an external amp which I was going to use for stereo listening. However, I have kind of gone past that and found better amps which I use for stereo. Now I want to integrate this amp into my home theater which consists of a 7013. I just want to be clear, this is my first home theater, I am not a fan boy of any company nor could I tell the difference since I have absolutely no experience.

However, I did want a 11 channel system option and a price that's around a 1000. So this is why I got my unit, it was only 1100 virtually brand new and an impossible feat considering this was a little over year ago with AVR shortages already starting.

Would presume that the 7013 has the same issue, and the external amp I want to use is a Denon 8200. Now it says that it has input sensitivity of 1v, but I have no clue what the gain is on the amp and I cant find it in the manual or anything. Speakers are 6 ohm and I believe 87db sensitivity.

Any of that useful to answer my question if I should be concerned?

I cannot find the gain spec for the POA 8200 (assuming that's the one you want to use) but its input sensitivity is 1.1 V according to the service manual.

Using, 1.1 V input sensitivity and 120 W into 8 ohm, the calculated gain is 29 dB and that is about the same as the 7013's internal amp.
The POA 8200's power output is comparable to that of the 7013 under two channel driven conditions. So if the 7013 has no issue driving the speakers you have now, the POA 8200 can do it equally well or better and will obviously take some load off the AVR.

 

[RichB]

Are you sure you comparing appels with appels? For a valid comparison you need to disable all DSP functionality in the AVR (tone controls, room EQ, you name it) because I'm sure your integrated stereo amp has neither. Then of course also do the comparison blind and level matched to 0.1 dB or less.

For at home evaluation, I don't think DBT is required, though I agree with the others.
I have done SBTs and passed then when comparing a single Salon2 single and bi-amped and, I and two others passed that test (were able to select the bi-amp v single amp).

There are other cases, with quick switching, where I know when or when I will not pass a blind and skip it.
That is clearly not a proof, but ultimately, we are evaluating for personal preference, that that is enough for me, though I examine all published reviews (with and without measurements) for gear with interest.

Human nature dictates the need to find a difference and the need to find no difference both represent a bias. I always want more and better measurements but do not discount observation out of hand.

- Rich

 

[LTig]

For at home evaluation, I don't think DBT is required, though I agree with the others.
I have done SBTs and passed then when comparing a single Salon2 single and bi-amped and, I and two others passed that test (were able to select the bi-amp v single amp).

There are other cases, with quick switching, where I know when or when I will not pass a blind and skip it.
That is clearly not a proof, but ultimately, we are evaluating for personal preference, that that is enough for me, though I examine all published reviews (with and without measurements) for gear of interest.

Human nature dictates the need to find a difference and the need to find no difference are both represent a bias. I always want more and better measurements but do not discount observation out of hand.

- Rich

My main point is to make sure that FR is equal for both amps (hence disable all DSP).

Regarding the need for blind tests I don't agree that this is not required for home evaluations - at least not when the results leads to a buying/keeping decision (money involved). I do not dispute the OPs personal listening experience. I just want to make sure that it's based on audio only.

 

[MacCali]

Are you sure you comparing appels with appels? For a valid comparison you need to disable all DSP functionality in the AVR (tone controls, room EQ, you name it) because I'm sure your integrated stereo amp has neither. Then of course also do the comparison blind and level matched to 0.1 dB or less.

No clue, really never tinkered with it. To be honest, again this is from a lack of experience. I have no foundation to base anything off of, I have had friends who had home theaters. But no way to recollect how that sounded, and that was not in recent times.

Back to the honesty I haven’t even done the speaker calibration. Just boosted the db of the rear speakers manually. It sounds good to me, I am sure it will be better if I did the whole thing. However, as suggested by a few people on reviews it’s good to get the audyssey app and I think they referred to it as setting a curtain or basically only changing or calibration of only 3 or 400hz and below leaving the rest alone.

Will get to it some day, currently just using my stereo almost 98% of the time.

But I am guessing your point is going to be that it would sound equally as good as my integrated even if the measurements on the integrated are better if those settings were off?

 

[MacCali]

I cannot find the gain spec for the POA 8200 (assuming that's the one you want to use) but its input sensitivity is 1.1 V according to the service manual.

Using, 1.1 V input sensitivity and 120 W into 8 ohm, the calculated gain is 29 dB and that is about the same as the 7013's internal amp.
The POA 8200's power output is comparable to that of the 7013 under two channel driven conditions. So if the 7013 has no issue driving the speakers you have now, the POA 8200 can do it equally well or better and will obviously take some load off the AVR.

Yes, it is to just take the load off of the amp and the 8200 is just sitting idle might as well right

 

[LTig]

But I am guessing your point is going to be that it would sound equally as good as my integrated even if the measurements on the integrated are better if those settings were off?

My point was to make sure that both amplifiers do only amplify the sound and not manipulate it in any way. Otherwise the one which manipulates the sound may sound better or worse in a direct comparison - due to the manipulation and not due to better or worse measurements.