Marantz 7702 help please

mikeyb128

Received this last week, have been fiddling for the past week. I want some Marantz owners to chime in, why do I have to crank the volume so high to get any decent output out of this thing? Obviously blu-rays are better, but I'm talking -15 to get decent volume, I understand some
Content is different, but I never experience this with my pioneer receiver, my Apple TV is so quiet, this never happened with the pioneer. This Marantz on -10 is as loud an my pioneer on -20. It seemed pretty even across the board too. The Marantz is just disappointing unless I want to be listening at reference levels. I have dynamic eq set to on, and the dynamic volume I think just kind of sucks. Faulty unit maybe? I've re-checked levels with a db meter and is only a decibel off at most. What else can I try? Thought this thing was supposed to be the cats pjs. So far it seems like a downgrade. I want to like this thing what am I over looking?

falconcry72

I'm not sure what the problem is... you don't like the volume number to be set higher? I think I'm missing something...

jeremymarcinko

I don't think there is anything wrong with it. The output voltage on the marantz may be lower relative to the db indicator, than the pioneer. My yamaha needs to be up a little higher than my previous onkyo. They should theoretically be the same but they are only calibrated at reference level -0db or 85db so they are probably at the same level at reference. The voltage output of the two are unlikely to be uniform across the range however.

98Badger

You are correct about dynamic volume. It sucks. Just leave it off. If you are concerned about having to turn the volume way up, you can go into the input setup and bump up the level on the ones you use. I have both the 8801 and 7702. I prefer the 8801 despite all the hype about the 7702. It is still a solid pre/pro, but doesn't blow away the 8801 like many claim. It also needs some time to settle in.

footwedge

I have the same issue with my pioneer sc 27. Volume limits are -80db to-10db. I can max out at -10db and it is not loud at all regardless of the source. Never have been able to do this before. ??????

mikeyb128

falconcry72 wrote: »

I'm not sure what the problem is... you don't like the volume number to be set higher? I think I'm missing something...

watching Apple TV has to be at -5 to hear anything properly. Apple TV on the elite sounded surprisingly awesome (Apple TV newest generation with 1080 and Dolby). Poor dialogue in movies, needs to be at -15 to understand what the heck anyone is saying, but if an action scene comes along the whole system comes alive and sounds super loud. The center channel seems really, really low. Raising the centre channel has not helped unless I turn it up 10 decibels. Just seems weird to me. Did a Google search seems poor dialogue is a common Marantz thing. Might try audyssey with different mic locations.

afterburnt

Switching from a cs20 to a csia6 made a huge difference in the dialog level with my yamaha

mikeyb128

afterburnt wrote: »

Switching from a cs20 to a csia6 made a huge difference in the dialog level with my yamaha

I have an lsim 706. Wasn't a problem with the elite.

Emlyn

footwedge wrote: »

I have the same issue with my pioneer sc 27. Volume limits are -80db to-10db. I can max out at -10db and it is not loud at all regardless of the source. Never have been able to do this before. ??????

The SC-27 has a max volume setting of +12dB. Chances are if yours won't go above -10dB, it's because the Volume Limit Setup is limiting the maximum volume to -10dB. It can be set to -20dB, -10dB, 0dB, or OFF through the setup menus. It should be set to OFF to get the maximum volume range accessible. On my SC-57, volume levels are loud enough at -10dB but it will go louder.

The Marantz 7702 has a max volume setting of +18dB when using the readout in the dB display option, but the unit can also be set to display volume level values differently in a range of 0 to 98.

As Jeremy mentioned above, nothing to be concerned about. Just turn it up. There is headroom available above +0dB, but there isn't anything above 98 in the default volume display. I suspect if you switched the display to 0 to 98 you'd be happy around 80.

Mikey081057

There is a place to increase the volume level across the source. I am away from home now, but if you hit the Option button i think it is there

footwedge

Emlyn wrote: »

footwedge wrote: »

I have the same issue with my pioneer sc 27. Volume limits are -80db to-10db. I can max out at -10db and it is not loud at all regardless of the source. Never have been able to do this before. ??????

The SC-27 has a max volume setting of +12dB. Chances are if yours won't go above -10dB, it's because the Volume Limit Setup is limiting the maximum volume to -10dB. It can be set to -20dB, -10dB, 0dB, or OFF through the setup menus. It should be set to OFF to get the maximum volume range accessible. On my SC-57, volume levels are loud enough at -10dB but it will go louder.

The Marantz 7702 has a max volume setting of +18dB when using the readout in the dB display option, but the unit can also be set to display volume level values differently in a range of 0 to 98.

As Jeremy mentioned above, nothing to be concerned about. Just turn it up. There is headroom available above +0dB, but there isn't anything above 98 in the default volume display. I suspect if you switched the display to 0 to 98 you'd be happy around 80.

Emlyn, thanks for the information.

I did not have time to go into much detail earlier, but this condition seemed to begin after I had my digital main board replaced due to a lighting strike. Prior to the strike a -15db was as loud as I wanted to push it and now -10db is not near enough.

Could something else be at fault?

mikeyb128

Ok I have gave it a few days. Seems that using the "direct" or "pure direct" button has offered a major increase in sound. I'm guessing this bypasses audessy. Everything sounds amazing in pure direct mode. Very clean sound. Some sacds sound very, very, good. Also noticed a lot more activity in the surrounds vs the pioneer. I have come to the conclusion I don't like audyssey very much. Makes my subs sound funny. My antimode eq did a way better job than xt32. Shouldn't have sold it!!! But I have a great room treatment, so things are sounding great a refernece. Super clean sound. The lsim's have come alive! Maybe couple with the MIT magnums breaking in.

Mikey081057

Mikey what amplification are you using?

mikeyb128

Also wanted to say the loudness from -5 to zero has proved to be huge with pure direct engaged.

mikeyb128

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Mikey what amplification are you using?

A sunfire tga 7401. What are you using? I noticed We have similar set ups.

Mikey081057

TGA 7401 and a Parasound A21 on the mains ... Mikey's think alike

mikeyb128

Lol too funny. I have to pick your brain a bit regarding the Marantz, since you are familiar. How do you like audyssey? Love what it does with music, but seems to dumb down blurays a bit. I'm using an oppo bdp 93.

Mikey081057

So I have been doing a lot of experimenting... the 7702 is a nice upgrade over the 7701... I plugged the A21 in to the mains and definitely like the improvement on the 705's for music. However at the moment I really like the way the Peachtree 125SE mates with my LSi 9's for 2 channel in that room. I think at low to moderate listening volumes tha combo really performs. The 705's with A21 can definitely rock the house. Right now I am setup to 7.1.2 with the 7702 and still getting dialed in. I wanna do some more room treatments and overhead speakers in a 7.4.1 config. I might then use 2 parasound A23's in that config and mess with what sounds best. I have a lot of options right now and like everyone here love to tinker.

I like this Audessy better than than the 7701 version and use an Oppo BDP 103D which IMO was only a slight upgrade over the BDP 93 which I sold when I moved.

Cheers!!!

mikeyb128

I've had my 93 for about four years now. Locally a 95 is available for a decent price. I'm going to maybe give that a try. But also interested in the 103D. There has been a lot of tinkering. Especially with mic placement. I've gone as far as moving couch cushions out of the way and even stacking them against the wall for reflection points I haven't covered yet. Thanks for the info! I'm definitely liking the Marantz after some tinkering. Friends have commented on the improved sound as well.

mikeyb128

Honestly DSkip, I was too quick to judge. thinking back, when I first got the pioneer, I did a couple
Months of tinkering before I got everything dialed in. After a few days I'm super happy, and more features and added flexibility is a nice bonus.

jeremymarcinko

Awesome.

Thorton

Mickey,

Read up on the AVS forum on setting up and running Audessey. Also, read up on the sub woofer tweak. Proper set-up makes a huge difference. Once you have the proper way to calibrate and make adjustments, I believe you'll be satisfied. Sub Eq out performs Antimode both physically (my ears) and instrumentally (REW). Listening to a flat or slightly sloped musical response takes time to get adjusted too. Most people are used to bloated or overemphasized music based on speaker placement and room characteristics.

mikeyb128

Thorton wrote: »

Mickey,

Read up on the AVS forum on setting up and running Audessey. Also, read up on the sub woofer tweak. Proper set-up makes a huge difference. Once you have the proper way to calibrate and make adjustments, I believe you'll be satisfied. Sub Eq out performs Antimode both physically (my ears) and instrumentally (REW). Listening to a flat or slightly sloped musical response takes time to get adjusted too. Most people are used to bloated or overemphasized music based on speaker placement and room characteristics.

I have read up a bit on avs about it. It is a long read though! I've done some calibrations tonight, thankfully my lady is patient enough with me, even though she thinks I'm obsessed. I have things sounding great with audessy. This room is the easiest I have dealt with. I've had some nightmare rooms! Things are settling in nice!