Marantz SR8015 Review (Home Theater AVR)

[Matias]

They definitely should consider using Infineon chip amps for cramming dozens of channels in their AVRs while keeping a high audio quality and reasonable price. Example: 4x IRS2093MTRPBF (4 channel chip amp) = 16 channels.

https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/power/class-d-audio-amplifier-ic/

 

[peng]

While I tested the unit in pre-amp and pure mode, neither was necessary. It seems that Marantz has solved the problem of amplifier clipping and dragging the DAC performance down at the source (likely an independent power supply).

I know you always suspect it has to do with the power supplies but logically speaking if it is then it should have dragged down SINAD whether you disconnect the front left and right channel, because the power supplies would still be "On" and transmit the dirt.

So I would suspect the effects might have been via the feedback loop and if so Marantz might have solved it by simply cutting off or reduce the feedback signal between the power amp output the preamp input when it senses no output current. It obviously could have been done by different schemes, I just don't think it is related to the power supply configurations. Agree, disagree?

 

[Helicopter]

Thanks Amir. I am glad to see such improvement from Marantz. The 1973 22XX Marantz receiver aesthetic is one of my favorites. i do like all the copper and gold plating, etc. I don't think it is too gaudy, but it lets you know this isn't a $499 piece, when much of this AV stuff looks pretty similar.

As for the composite video, how else am I gonna connect this:

Much of my low-budget 80s and 90s horror collection is unavailable on modern formats.

 

[Koeitje]

Nah. Makes it undercut the market. They run scared of upsetting the forklift upgrade lock-in the current structure enforces. The entire market desperately wants this box without the amps at a price competitive point. But they will never do it. They will always price the pre-pro version at much the same as the integrated version and try and convince you that the feeble balanced output daughter board is worth the same as the entire power amp.
I remain suspicious that there is an element of cartel behaviour involved here.

That's what I meant, the manufacturer determines it should be more expensive. In terms of production costs it clearly isn't.

 

[Jukebox]

@amirm: Don't think this model exist yet

 

[PeteL]

They definitely should consider using Infineon chip amps for cramming dozens of channels in their AVRs while keeping a high audio quality and reasonable price. Example: 4x IRS2093MTRPBF (4 channel chip amp) = 16 channels.

https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/power/class-d-audio-amplifier-ic/

Interresting, do you know any product that uses these? Any measurments to be found?

 

[peng]

So now not only the preamp/DAC pretty much measured the same (analog side anyway) between the two flagships, the power output @4 Ohm vs THD+N look strikingly similar too, literally to a fault !! (the weird channel 2 behavior) Just look at the THD+N up sharp jump at about 100W for channel 2, though the Denon did do a little better.

I am curious if the A110 might have solved this anomaly.

 

[Matias]

Interresting, do you know any product that uses these? Any measurments to be found?

For this particular part I have not found THD+N graphs. But for MA12070 it is quite good, although this one has lower power and less channels.

Marantz would have to do their homework and contact the company, ask the sales team which model would be better suited for their AVRs, buy an evaluation board and verify for themselves before committing to buy thousands/millions of chips.

MA12070 below: 1 kHz 5W is about 0.004% THD+N (SINAD 88) which is middle of the green area of ASR rankings, although not powerful enough about 60W. But this example shows a very controlled distortion near the knee, and treble 6 kHz not rising earlier than 1 kHz, like old tech class D does.

 

[Whoareyou]

Do any of the measurements provide window into multichannel inputs performance?

 

[GWolfman]

Glad to see they're listening! At least I hope it's that and not an accident where the past problems might return.

 

[DubbyMcDubs]

Thanks Amir. I am glad to see such improvement from Marantz. The 1973 22XX Marantz receiver aesthetic is one of my favorites. i do like all the copper and gold plating, etc. I don't think it is too gaudy, but it lets you know this isn't a $499 piece, when much of this AV stuff looks pretty similar.

As for the composite video, how else am I gonna connect this:
View attachment 134312
Much of my low-budget 80s and 90s horror collection is unavailable on modern formats.

https://www.retrotink.com/

 

[Spocko]

Oh one note I forgot to include: after my stress test of the amplifier at different sweep frequencies, the unit seemed to lock up. None of the controls would work including the ones on the unit itself. I had to power cycle it to get it back to working condition.

Overload protection mechanism?

 

[Spocko]

Nah. Makes it undercut the market. They run scared of upsetting the forklift upgrade lock-in the current structure enforces. The entire market desperately wants this box without the amps at a price competitive point. But they will never do it. They will always price the pre-pro version at much the same as the integrated version and try and convince you that the feeble balanced output daughter board is worth the same as the entire power amp.
I remain suspicious that there is an element of cartel behaviour involved here.

Onkyo needs to step up and fight this cartel - release a Dirac pre/pro for under $1,000 (like they are planning to do with their AVR). Being a value brand, it's their raison d'être!

 

[TabCam]

@amirm Would it be possible to make two lists, one for HDMI/AVR stereo only devices and one for "true" surround devices? AVR in my book is always multi-channel as I can use optical out for stereo easily enough and with far better quality than almost all multichannel AVR's.

 

[SEKLEM]

Compared the The Truth Pre Amp inside picture to the Marantz SR8015 inside picture: https://www.stereoshop.co.il/items/3278036-Marantz-SR8015

Sorry, the picture of the inside does not fit into this sire limits, so it was rejected. Help would be appreciated.

Quite a meager amount of heatsink surface area for an 11 channel amplifier. The fact that the fans don't come on when the receiver is hot enough to cook an egg is boggling. There's more heatsink surface area in the Yamaha RX-V659 (older 7 channel mid range AVR) and even a Niles SI-275 (a little 75 watt per channel stereo amplifier). This isn't an impressive showing for a $3500 AVR.

 

[dtaylo1066]

Apollo 13 instrument panel looked far less complicated than the backside of this thing!

 

[Spocko]

Quite a meager amount of heatsink surface area for an 11 channel amplifier. The fact that the fans don't come on when the receiver is hot enough to cook an egg is boggling. There's more heatsink surface area in the Yamaha RX-V659 (older 7 channel mid range AVR) and even a Niles SI-275 (a little 75 watt per channel stereo amplifier). This isn't an impressive showing for a $3500 AVR.

Although $3,500 does sound expensive, we can also explore the alternatives:
The least expensive 11-channel AVR is the Denon x6700h for $2,600 but is never in stock so let's just assume it doesn't exist.
For separates, we have the $1,600 for IOTAVX cinema processor but no room calibration plus $1,100 IOTAVX 7-channel amplifier plus a cheap 4 channel amp for overhead speakers and and you're just over $3,000 but without Dirac or Audyssey I wouldn't get it - they could add Dirac for an extra $300 to the price of the unit or give the consumer the option of upgrading.

So it appears that Sound United has done a great job of market research to price accordingly. The good news is that the Onkyo TX-RZ50 9 channel AVR with Dirac is launching this month for $1,100 so maybe they'll be the first to sell an 11-channel amp for under $2,000 with Dirac? Or sister company Pioneer can sell an Elite 11-channel AVR with Dirac for $2,000.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Is that a usb wire in there? Not seen that in a amp before. Looks like it's just flapping in breeze

I’ve seen this in many amps. It simply connects the front panel USB port to the main board in the rear. I agree it is a little strange to use a standard USB cable plugging into standard USB ports, but that seems to be the practice.

 

[Billy Budapest]

It is either for that or HDMI. It is a very common hack to get HDMI or USB to the front panel. Without any kind of interlocking, it could disconnect itself.

What Amir said!

 

[stevenswall]

They had to leave the RCA jacks to make sure they didn't have room for the XLR connectors.