Marantz Av8003

mantis

Anyone check out Marantz's new preamp?

I'm considering trying to get one in to run it or go find someone who carries it. I think I have a dealer near me I can go check it out.

Anyone own one, heard on go, check one out , anything????

Dan

engtaz

I am disappointed that it only has 4 HDMI and I only see 1 sub pre out and I love Marantz.

engtaz

mantis

engtaz wrote: »

I am disappointed that it only has 4 HDMI and I only see 1 sub pre out and I love Marantz.

engtaz

This is a short coming of most higher end preamps. Look at the Integra and Rotel offerings. Look at Anthem and NAD. All have 4 or less. Only B&K has 6 inputs for preamps right now thats under 6 grand.
I think 4 should be fine. You can always buy a HDMI switcher thats Ir controlable or rs232 and run as many as you want with full support and processing. I prefer 6 HDMI inputs on my preamp as I have already 4 HDMI sources and plan on at least 1 more already so If I get the Marantz, I will have to get a Switch from Key Digital. 4 in and one out. Then I will have 7.
I want so badly to just sit with it and run it. Test it and see/hear if it can be a preamp for 2 channel and home theater, be as good or better then my current Rotel for sound quality. This is a requirement as I don't want to do backwards.
Rotels new preamp is quirky so far and I'm not really into quirky. B&K is a let down and Anthem is out of date.NAD is not for me, I can't afford Krell , Integra is not for me, I don't know where else to turn.

Dan

bigred7078

I ordered the Marantz SR6003. Although its a receiver and not a processor im excited to hear how it performs. The 8003 looks like a beast. Its been rated pretty high by some companies. Marantz is known for its warm audio quality especially for music. I would bet it makes a fantastic processor. Spec wise it looks pretty sweet, the only thing really missing is more HDMI inputs. I see no reason why you would be disappointed. Does the 8003 at least overlay the GUI on screen/ incorporate on screen volume? Unfortunately all the lower models lack this.

I'm personally waiting for the Emotiva XMC-1 which is supposed to be a beast. But it will be awhile before release.

Hm looks like your kind of running out of affordable choices if you dont want any of the models you listed lol. So ya better hope the marantz can get it up for ya

ESavinon

I have one and absolutely love it.

bigred7078

ESAVINON wrote: »

I have one and absolutely love it.

does it have on screen overlay? ya know where the menu is shown transparently on top of the picture without blanking out the screen? Does it also have on screen volume? Thanks.

Also what other equipment do you use? Does it still give the warmth to music like Marantz is known for? Sorry for all the questions

ESavinon

It does not have screen overlay but it does have on screen volume.
It has the wonderful marantz sound.
It is being used in my bedroom rig which consist of:

Marantz av8003.
Emotiva mps2
Denon dvd-2930 ci
Sony ps3.
panasonic Dmr-ez47v
Polk Audio SRT with 4 ls/fx for 7.3
Signet 15 inch subwoofer.

bigred7078

ESAVINON wrote: »

It does not have screen overlay but it does have on screen volume.
It has the wonderful marantz sound.
It is being used in my bedroom rig which consist of:

Marantz av8003.
Emotiva mps2
Denon dvd-2930 ci
Sony ps3.
panasonic Dmr-ez47v
Polk Audio SRT with 4 ls/fx for 7.3
Signet 15 inch subwoofer.

hm wierd they didnt do some sort of overlay, but oh well its not like its a big deal.

And great setup! ya gotta love the MPS-2!

ESavinon

bigred7078 wrote: »

hm wierd they didnt do some sort of overlay, but oh well its not like its a big deal.

And great setup! ya gotta love the MPS-2!

You get screen overlay only when changing source or volume.
Emotiva ROCKS!

bigred7078

^ P.S.- if thats your bedroom setup...what the heck is in the main room???

ESavinon

Parasound halo C1 pre/pro with parasound zhd hdmi switcher.
Parasound halo A51 and A21 amps,
Parasound halo T1 fm tuner.
Sony ps3.
Denon dvd-3930 ci
Cambridge audio azur 840c
Polk audio SRT 7.4 with 4 fx 1000 and 2 RT-3000 subwoofers.

janmike

Dan, did you ever do anything with the 8003?

mantis

janmike wrote: »

Dan, did you ever do anything with the 8003?

No I found 2 many short comings with it so I backed out. I'm going a completely new direction with my theater system. I have made a system match I can live with until things become standard.

Dan

janmike

I would be interested in hearing the short comings you identified. Thanks Dan.

engtaz

Me to.

ESavinon

Me too.

mantis

janmike wrote: »

I would be interested in hearing the short comings you identified. Thanks Dan.

Ok where do I start...

1) only 4 HDMI inputs which share video inputs. This means that the HDMI inputs are connected to a video input. You assign the DVD to lets say HDMI 2 and then Cable to TV/SAT, you end up with a total of 4 inputs for video, this is completely beat. I want to run other sources VIA component and maybe S video for a external Ipod dock. I will have to share inputs which sucks if the HDMI device is on and take Priority over the inputs... Sucks ****.

2) Calibration, if you run DD HD or DTS MA, you lose Calibration, the Processor is not good enough to have both Calibration on and Process audio, this is completely Eff'd up. I never heard of such a **** way to build a preamp especially from Marantz. I expect so much more.

If Pioneer ELite built a preamp from the SC-07 or 09, it would not have any of these short coming. On the Elite, you have all your HDMI inputs separate from all other inputs. So this means if you have a Sc07 , you can use 4 HDMI sources , then wire in anything else you want and not have to share the lets say DVD input. You can have a Blu Ray player on HDMI 2 and a DVD player on DVD. It's really flexible.

3) no Ipod control or audio processing. This is not a deal breaker but it starts to add up once other things about the preamp are not up to your expectations , I could live without, get a DLO Deluxe dock and be cool. But no, you have to Share inputs if you wanna use a Dock , this sucks **** bad.

I do however like a lot of things about it that attracted me to the preamp. I wanted Balanced in and outs, home run here, I wanted a THX ULTRA 2 preamp, done deal, Auto calibration??? You bet but now with flaws.

I can go on and on but I'll stop there as this very thing killed me on looking for a new preamp. It started with B&K just totally dropping the ball with the **** Ref70. I take that back it's not **** , it's **** for me. It's a fantastci sounding preamp and I would use it over my Rotel any day of the week as it's a better sounding unit and has 6 HDMI which I love but no THX , NO Auto calibration and to top if all off no INTERNAL DECODING FOR THE NEW AUDIO FORMATS. **** Angry???? Hell yeah,
Ok Rotel makes a new preamp in the rsp1069 and totally kills it like B&K. They realize it's a flop and for the first time in there history they come right out with a brand new preamp. Ok I'm intrested as I loved my Rotel preamp for years. It's an amazing sounding music first preamp. I can't say anything bad about it there. Nothing. It's totally impressive. So I check it out, get some feed back and o look no Auto calibration... ok if everything else is cool, I can live without and I can tune the system manually and treat the room accordingly. No problem but it would have been nice. It has 3 zones which ok I could redirect my house system and take advantage of that and share all my theater gear with the house.... I'm in. No ipod control, not a deal breaker but I can live with out. Ok no THX, sure they dropped that years ago but it's nice and has useful features. THX found out how to replay movies in a home but everyone else has learned how to do it so It's not needed, just wanted. So I can live without all that. The price is smokin as I would own it right now IF the damn thing worked right. I mean dropping 3 seconds off cd playback Digital is unexceptable. What if I wanted to use the internal DAC's if they where better then my CD players? maybe they are maybe not but with this restriction, I'm forced into analog. No decoding for DSD over HDMI. Thats beat. I'm not cool with it.
O and did I mention the video processor is having Issues with poor video quality even over HDMI which should be pass through if one wanted it to be.
So with all this, eff it. I don't want it.
NAD, complete failure to me. yeah they have a new HD series coming out and maybe I should wait and check it out, but I'm not willing to have a ulgy as hell preamp live in my rack. No sir I don't like pail grey and mealy's furniture Prop look. Damn ugle. NAD does however sound very good. I do like there performance but no Balanced like the Rotel so It's just another thing I can't have.
Enter Anthem D2v2. Ok this preamp has just about everything I could ever want in a preamp except the price. it's pretty damn expensive at 7500.00. But it has one of the very best Auto calibration systems I have ever used. It's called ARC. It works great and much better then all others. MCACC is close but I think the ARC is alittle better. Balanced in/out, THX , 8 count them boys 8 HDMI inputs, it's a dream preamp that I'm not willing to buy as technology now changes so fast you will be left behind in a year or 2. If I could save up the cash or find another way to pay for it and justify it to myself and my wife, I would own it right now. it's very very good.
Integra is purely a theater preamp with no musical abilities for me. I would not to that to my Dyn's as they deserve a musical preamp. Some my think it is but I think it is not. Analog performance is terrible. it's loaded up with fantastic features and probably the best bang for your buck by far but it's not for me. If I was building a theater only system , then I would consider it and I would have to find speakers that work good with it, my Dyn's and my new speakers do not. So it's out.

So my pain of trying to find the right preamp for my current system took me down a different road. I'm getting out of the seperate systems for now until they become solid and I can pick what I like not what I have to give up.

Dan

janmike

Thanks Dan, greatly appreciated.

comfortablycurt

Excellent post Dan.:)

I've been shopping around for pre-pro's lately, and you just gave me a bunch of good info on several that I'd been looking at.

I've been considering the Marantz AV-8003 and the OnkyoPro PRSC-886p(which is the same as the Integra DHC 9.9 as far as I can tell). I'm not going to be ready to buy one for another year and a half or so, but you just answered a lot of my questions. Thanks.:)

I have a couple questions that I was hoping you could clarify for me...

1) only 4 HDMI inputs which share video inputs. This means that the HDMI inputs are connected to a video input. You assign the DVD to lets say HDMI 2 and then Cable to TV/SAT, you end up with a total of 4 inputs for video, this is completely beat. I want to run other sources VIA component and maybe S video for a external Ipod dock. I will have to share inputs which sucks if the HDMI device is on and take Priority over the inputs... Sucks ****.

Are you saying that you can't use all 4 of the HDMI inputs at the same time? I may have read into that wrong, but that's how it sounded. Or did you mean that if you're using HDMI, you can't use the corresponding composite inputs? Can you use them, but have to manually switch between them?

2) Calibration, if you run DD HD or DTS MA, you lose Calibration, the Processor is not good enough to have both Calibration on and Process audio, this is completely Eff'd up. I never heard of such a **** way to build a preamp especially from Marantz. I expect so much more.

What do you mean by "losing calibration"? Are you saying that when you're using DD, HD or MA that you can't use the Audyssey calibrations? Am I reading into that wrong?

Sorry for the newb questions...lol...Just trying to research a potential future purchase as much as I can.:)

mantis

comfortablycurt wrote: »

Excellent post Dan.:)

I've been shopping around for pre-pro's lately, and you just gave me a bunch of good info on several that I'd been looking at.

I've been considering the Marantz AV-8003 and the OnkyoPro PRSC-886p(which is the same as the Integra DHC 9.9 as far as I can tell). I'm not going to be ready to buy one for another year and a half or so, but you just answered a lot of my questions. Thanks.:)

I have a couple questions that I was hoping you could clarify for me...



Are you saying that you can't use all 4 of the HDMI inputs at the same time? I may have read into that wrong, but that's how it sounded. Or did you mean that if you're using HDMI, you can't use the corresponding composite inputs? Can you use them, but have to manually switch between them?



What do you mean by "losing calibration"? Are you saying that when you're using DD, HD or MA that you can't use the Audyssey calibrations? Am I reading into that wrong?

Sorry for the newb questions...lol...Just trying to research a potential future purchase as much as I can.:)

Ok there are a total of 4 video inputs. So if you use HDMI 2 for DVD , you just used up the DVD input assignment. So you now have 3 video inputs left. If you use Component 1 for cable, you now have 2 video inputs left, follow me?? The Pioneer Elite sc07 can use all 4 of it's HDMI inputs AS inputs and you still have all the other video inputs. You don't have to Assign the HDMI inputs to anything. It's a really nice feature.

The Audyssey turns off when Processing HD audio. This is a weak processor according to what I have read.

All my info is not first hand. No one around me has one that I could pick up and test run myself. For the first time I had to rely on the Internet to get all of my Info. I'm not really cool with that but thats how it is now. No one want s to keep one in stock I would have to special order it from someone, that really pissed me off. I called a Marantz dealer and he read me the riot act on how business sucks and there are hardly no Audiophiles like my self left in the world. he is pissed how things are now and I triggered all that when I asked to test the marantz.

Sad

Dan

comfortablycurt

mantis wrote: »

Ok there are a total of 4 video inputs. So if you use HDMI 2 for DVD , you just used up the DVD input assignment. So you now have 3 video inputs left. If you use Component 1 for cable, you now have 2 video inputs left, follow me?? The Pioneer Elite sc07 can use all 4 of it's HDMI inputs AS inputs and you still have all the other video inputs. You don't have to Assign the HDMI inputs to anything. It's a really nice feature.

The Audyssey turns off when Processing HD audio. This is a weak processor according to what I have read.

All my info is not first hand. No one around me has one that I could pick up and test run myself. For the first time I had to rely on the Internet to get all of my Info. I'm not really cool with that but thats how it is now. No one want s to keep one in stock I would have to special order it from someone, that really pissed me off. I called a Marantz dealer and he read me the riot act on how business sucks and there are hardly no Audiophiles like my self left in the world. he is pissed how things are now and I triggered all that when I asked to test the marantz.

Sad

Dan

Ah, I get what you're saying about the video inputs now. That is a really stupid design. Why would they even make it like that? For something as expensive as that pre-pro is, I would expect to be able to use all of the video inputs. Seems like a pretty big design flaw on their part. I could probably live with that though personally, because I don't see myself ever needing to hook up more than 4 video sources to it. DVD/Blu-ray, VCR and cable would be the only video sources I'd have hooked up to it. Possibly an Xbox 360 sometime in the future, but that'd make it an even 4.

So Audyssey shuts off when you're running an HD soundtrack? That's a ridiculously huge design flaw, and would definitely be a problem for me...What's the point of having Audyssey if you can't even use it with HD audio? What if the HD or MA soundtrack is decoded in the BR player? Will Audyssey work then? If you manually calibrate it, will the settings stay in place with HD soundtracks?

It sounds like they need to do a bit of re-designing on that processor. Those are some pretty damn big flaws, especially considering how expensive it is.

So, what would you recommend for a pre-pro then? My price range isn't going to allow any of the uber-expensive ones unfortunately.

I've looked at the OnkyoPro pre-pro, which to the best of my knowledge is the same as the Integra pre-pro. I've heard mixed reviews on those ones. I've looked at the Rotel pre-pro's, but generally haven't heard a whole lot of praise for them really.

bigred7078

comfortablycurt wrote: »

So Audyssey shuts off when you're running an HD soundtrack? That's a ridiculously huge design flaw, and would definitely be a problem for me...What's the point of having Audyssey if you can't even use it with HD audio? What if the HD or MA soundtrack is decoded in the BR player? Will Audyssey work then? If you manually calibrate it, will the settings stay in place with HD soundtracks?

.

No this is not a huge design flaw. Actually alot of receivers and processors do this, but more and more are now fixing this and allowing for room correction. And no its not as big of a deal as you think. It sounds more stupid than the effect on the sound actually is.

mantis

bigred7078 wrote: »

No this is not a huge design flaw. Actually alot of receivers and processors do this, but more and more are now fixing this and allowing for room correction. And no its not as big of a deal as you think. It sounds more stupid than the effect on the sound actually is.

Why would you design something then need to fix it later? I hate this concept now a days. It sucks big time. I would own the Marantz av8003 right now if this was not the case. Audyssey is a room correction tool to help your system play as flat as possible. Room treatments would be better or both would be Ideal.
I have heard auto calibration systems make a system sound worse to me and some much better in a not so good room.But if it's offered and it turns itself off due to lack of more powerful processor, then in my opinion this is a huge design flaw.
The bottom line for me is it lacks inputs as well. I would like a few more as I plan on running more then 4 video sources. Maybe my needs are to big but it's how my system is turning out.
I would have loved to buy just this preamp, when I found it, I thought this is the one. It has just about everything I want.

O well, life moves on

Dan

bigred7078

mantis wrote: »

Why would you design something then need to fix it later? I hate this concept now a days. It sucks big time. I would own the Marantz av8003 right now if this was not the case. Audyssey is a room correction tool to help your system play as flat as possible. Room treatments would be better or both would be Ideal.
I have heard auto calibration systems make a system sound worse to me and some much better in a not so good room.But if it's offered and it turns itself off due to lack of more powerful processor, then in my opinion this is a huge design flaw.
The bottom line for me is it lacks inputs as well. I would like a few more as I plan on running more then 4 video sources. Maybe my needs are to big but it's how my system is turning out.
I would have loved to buy just this preamp, when I found it, I thought this is the one. It has just about everything I want.

O well, life moves on

Dan

Oh i agree with ya. It is rather stupid, but again the end result sounds worse when you say it out loud than the effect actually has on the sound itself. But thats something that most companies are fixing within the newest generation of receivers/processors.

timlitton

It seems Marantz has confirmed audessy shuts down during HD sountracks. According to a recent Secrets of Home Theater and Hi Fi review of the 6003:

"I do have a significant issue revolving around high bit-rate playback that I feel I must share. The Marantz cannot apply Audyssey processing to lossless audio sources. I did question Marantz about this, and here is their response: “Less is more. In all Marantz products, the underlying philosophy is that the less processing the better, which means the better the sound. This is even more relevant when you get into the higher resolution formats.” While I do believe that minimal manipulation of the source is a good thing, the advantages of Audyssey seem to far outweigh the cons unless you have an acoustically perfect room. Being that many of the SR6003’s competitors have this capability, I feel that this is a very big oversight on Marantz’s part."

I've read the Onkyo receivers turn off room equalization during HD audio playback as well.

And you're right 100% right, Mantis, it seems pretty illogical to me.

bigred7078

timlitton wrote: »

It seems Marantz has confirmed audessy shuts down during HD sountracks. According to a recent Secrets of Home Theater and Hi Fi review of the 6003:

"I do have a significant issue revolving around high bit-rate playback that I feel I must share. The Marantz cannot apply Audyssey processing to lossless audio sources. I did question Marantz about this, and here is their response: “Less is more. In all Marantz products, the underlying philosophy is that the less processing the better, which means the better the sound. This is even more relevant when you get into the higher resolution formats.” While I do believe that minimal manipulation of the source is a good thing, the advantages of Audyssey seem to far outweigh the cons unless you have an acoustically perfect room. Being that many of the SR6003’s competitors have this capability, I feel that this is a very big oversight on Marantz’s part."

I've read the Onkyo receivers turn off room equalization during HD audio playback as well.

And you're right 100% right, Mantis, it seems pretty illogical to me.

thats correct, onkyo and i believe integra models, do not apply audyssey.

again this is a known issues several manufacturers are dealing with. It was an intentional design flaw on their part due to not having enough procressing capabilities. It was just another reason for them to cut costs.

But look on the bright side, if you do not even prefer audyssey its a non-issue

bigred7078

but i should also add there is a "work around" for this...

If your Blu-Ray player can internally decode the new formats and you set it to output the audio via PCM these units will apply audyssey to that. Just not the bitstream signal.

So if your a PS3 owner like myself, then rejoice haha

cnh

bigred7078 wrote: »

but i should also add there is a "work around" for this...

If your Blu-Ray player can internally decode the new formats and you set it to output the audio via PCM these units will apply audyssey to that. Just not the bitstream signal.

So if your a PS3 owner like myself, then rejoice haha

Thanks bigred,

That's so obvious but I never thought about it. I suppose it doesn't matter as I run a PS3 as well and get my sound decoded through that.

But it's good to know that the system is still in place when receiving HD from the PS3.

cnh

WilliamM2

bigred7078 wrote: »

thats correct, onkyo and i believe integra models, do not apply audyssey.

Actually, my old PR-SC885 had no trouble applying Audyssey to HD codecs. It has to do with processing power. The Onkyo 885 and Integra 9.8 have have three DSP's, the Marantz only has two. Not enough power to do both.

mantis

What Audyssey is suppose to do is help correct problems in your room. It's a EQ system thats measures in room response of your speakers and correct them. Simple terms here.

So why the hell would you want that turned off??? What are you going to correct with Audyssey if it's turned off when you watch movies??? Stupid is as stupid does. I'm sick of it. I'm really sick and tired of companies telling me what they can't do and not telling me what they can do. if you have a correction system, it should be on all the time. No reason in the world to cut costs here. No purest approach justifies this from marantz. Thats snow ****. Eff em.

Any product on the market as far as I'm concerned if it's not complete, I don't care what it does good, eff it. Eff all these Blu ray players that are not complete, Eff all the preamps , Eff all the HDMI problems, Eff DVI. I hate things right now.

Dan

Marty913

Wow Dan, you need to take one of those little 81mg aspirin jobbies. I agree with you 100%, just don't wanna see you blow a gasket over a processor.

You would think with Intel (and similar) processing power doubling every year for about $50 a chip would get you an adequate audio processor in a $2000 piece of equipment. On the bright side, the Marantz isn't running Vista, is it???