Marantz SR8400 Reciever

baboon

I picked up a brand new Marantz SR8400 a/v reciever for $451 + 39.99 shipping on uBid. However I can't find any reviews on it. Does anyone know if this reciever is good and does it compare to my current Onkyo TX-SR702? Thanks!

http://us.marantz.com/shop/_templates/Proddetail.asp?model=79&cat=15

audiobliss

*jaw drops and hits the floor*

What an awesome price on an awesome receiver!!

Here are some reviews:



http://www.audioreview.com/Receivers/Marantz/PRD_321421_1593crx.aspx



This is from http://www.dba-pr.com/clients/marantz/releases/CES2004%20SR8400.htm

SR8400: Same Outstanding Performance and Features of Marantz's Flagship SR9300
Marantz' new SR8400 was engineered to deliver extraordinary sound quality and installation flexibility, utilizing many of the same leading-edge technologies and features that have set the company's flagship SR9300 apart from all competitors in the high-end home theater marketplace. Like the SR9300 it features gold-plated connectors and custom components, with a heavy-duty mechanical construction featuring an all-copper chassis and double bottom plate. A Massive Toroidal Transformer provides and astoundingly clean 110watts x 7 power output for authoritative, effortless reproduction of movie soundtracks and music. In addition, the newly developed all Discrete Current Feedback (SA-ready) amplifier design enables the receiver to deliver a minimum of 70 percent of its two-channel power rating when driving five channels simultaneously-a far more robust "real world" specification than competitive models.

The SR8400 is engineered for superlative sound quality, featuring 192 kHz/24-bit D/A converters on all 7 channels along with the latest Cirrus Logic CS49400 32-bit DSP processor, for maximum resolution, dynamic range and channel separation, and comprehensive bass management facilities with variable Crossover Points (source direct and pure direct).

Like SR9300 and the recently introduced SR7400, the new Marantz SR8400 provides all of the digital and analog audio and video inputs, outputs and switching facilities for the most demanding home theater setup, including seven digital inputs (six assignable). The two HDTV-compatible component video inputs are dual wide-bandwidth that operate with time base correction (TBC), enabling total compatibility with all types of fixed-pixel display devices such as plasma monitors and DLP projectors. Many competitive receivers do not include this feature, and component video signals cannot be routed through such receivers and displayed on a fixed pixel device. The receiver also upconverts all composite and S-Video signals to component video output, greatly simplifying the set up and required cables in home theater systems using a display device with component video inputs. In addition, the SR8400 includes an RS-232C serial port connection which facilitates integrated system control and enables future performance upgrades. DC Triggers and Direct IR Flasher Input add to its utility in custom applications, and a built-in HDCD® decoder provides the superior sonic benefits of HDCD playback from CD players and DVD players without HDCD capability.

The new SR8400 is compatible with every popular 7.1-, 6.1- and 5.1-channel surround sound format, including Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES, DTS 24/96, Circle Surround 6.1 (CS2). The receiver also features Dolby Pro Logic IIx surround sound processing recently introduced by Dolby Laboratories. Dolby Pro Logic IIx provides a natural and immersing, full-range 7.1-channel listening experience from stereo and 5.1 encoded sources and made possible with proprietary matrix processing algorithms that deliver an authentic and expansive 7.1-channel sonic environment from any two or 5.1 channel source. Stereo sources can be processed to either 6.1 or 7.1, while any 5.1-channel program source can be processed to deliver 7.1-channel sound. Dolby Pro Logic IIx is also fully compatible with Dolby Surround Pro Logic technology, and can optimally decode Dolby Surround-encoded videocassettes and television programs with enhanced depth and spatiality. Additionally, the SR8400 includes TruSurround Headphone technology from SRS Labs to deliver a realistic surround sound listening environment while listening through stereo headphones.

A wealth of additional performance and convenience features are included in the SR8400, such as 8-channel direct inputs to accommodate DVD-Audio and SACD players, a precision FM/AM tuner with 30-station preset tuning, multi-room operation, Source Direct and Pure Direct functions for maximum sonic purity during audio-only listening, a multi-language on screen menu display and much more. The receiver is bundled with Marantz's new RC1400 Programmable Learning Remote Control, a slim, versatile remote that provides total control of a complete home entertainment system.

The Marantz SR8400 Home Theater Receiver will be available in March at a suggested retail price of $1,599; the SR7400 is currently available at a suggested retail price of $999.


http://sphl.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/buy_cl.pl?miscrcvr&1118588253
This is where one is going for $725. I think you got quite a deal! I sure would love to have it!

baboon

I just got lucky I guess. Just look around uBiD and maybe you'll find something. I cant wait to get it home and hopefully its as good as the reviews.

marker

Congrats baboon! I snagged one as well for under $600 shipping and all!

These are also new and not refurbished models.

Mine is now vieing for the #1 AVR spot in my house over a NAD T753.

audiobliss

...wow......I feel left out......lol

caseymou

I saw those a day or so before the auction was ending and forgot about them. I noticed the new ones offered at ubid have a minimum bid of something like $750.

Airplay355

Marantz makes nice receivers. I'm sure you will love it, my sr7200 works great for movies.

baboon

Only thing I'm worried about is that it doesnt have the auto setup feature like my current Onkyo 702. Like how it automatically sets up the speaker size and distance and freq etc. i dont know how to do it manunally.

caseymou

sounds like the for sale section of the forum may be featuring a nad and onkyo soon...:)

aaharvel

good god man that's one nice receiver you picked up.


i love marantz. always have.
THem and H/K have always been at the top of my list.


lucky guy.

baboon

whats nad like. i hear they make good amplifiers. do you think the marantz will kill my polk monitor 60s, 40s, and psw12 sub?

aaharvel

absolutely NOT.

if anything the marantz's warm analog-sound qualities will tame any inconsistencies that your monitor speakers may have. That's why I love my H/K. It tames any of the imperfections that my RTI's have. Unlike a Pioneer, Yamaha, Onkyo or (Oiy) Sony model.

NAD is good. i wouldn't necessarily say it's better than a flagship marantz receiver- but you're really comparing apples to oranges there.

marker

Originally posted by caseymou
sounds like the for sale section of the forum may be featuring a nad and onkyo soon...:)

Not an NAD, but maybe a Denon 3802. I originally started this thread about it, but it hasn't been getting much in the way of replies:

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=28281

I didn't really need this new Marantz, but at this price, it was a too good to let get by, especially since I can now sell the 3802 and recoup at least some of the cost of the new Marantz.

I'm thinking the Marantz SR8400 may be better than the NAD T753 because it has a toroidal transformer and I don't think the T753 does that everybody is talking about in the other thread I startd about what's on ubid:

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=28282

I'll still probably keep the NAD with the NHTs though since they seem to be such a magical combination (most NHT owners use NAD receivers or amps) and put the new Marantz in the bedroom system with the old Polk RTi set up.