Marantz NR1602 AV amp

[cs2011]

Are there any plans for WHF to test the new Marantz NR1602 AV amp ?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Plans, yes – a review sample was requested. AFAIK we're still waiting for it.

 

[Anonymous]

I am also intrested in reading a whathifi review of the NR1602. Not holding my breath following numerous requests for a review of it's predecessor though. With a lack of credible review, not sure if this is a right bag of nails or one of the best kept AV receiver secrets.

 

[Mr. Iceman]

Certainly not a bag of nails! Perhaps not quite one of the best AV receiver secrets either, but my 1601 does a formidable job in ever so slim a package... Sadly it lacks the 1602's network capability so you should definitely wait for a review as 1602 looks like a much better proposal on paper.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd have thought there was increasing demand for decent slim-line av receivers like these - the vast majority of AV amps aren't very living room friendly in my view - never managed to convince my other half that we need a massive black box sat under the telly

Shame Marantz aren't a bit more forthcoming with review samples - reviews seem pretty thin on the ground - surely missing a great marketing opportunity here

Iceman - Could I ask what speakers you use with your 1601 ? How would you describe the sound character of the amp? thanks

 

[Mr. Iceman]

For AV duties, I use the original KEF 1005, for stereo single-wired B&W 685. For a while, I used Wharfedale 9.1s for stereo but 685s are better suited for it.

The sound is unmistakably Marantz - balanced and detailed with solid depth and smooth mids. Treble can, at times, sound slightly dislocated - in that I must say I prefer 9.1's tweeter, but this is a characteristic of the speakers, rather than the 1601. It is nothing too detrimental, just a minor flaw in otherwise well-balanced 685s. For the money, nothing comes close to 9.1 imho.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks Iceman - I have B&W 685 front's myself + M1 rears - sounds like this could be a good combination with the Marantz

 

[f1only]

Talking of slimline AV Amps it would be nice to have seen an online review of the Pioneer VSX-S300

 

[Anonymous]

Talking of slimline AV Amps it would be nice to have seen an online review of the Pioneer VSX-S300

Now there's a thought. How about a Pioneer VSX-S500 <> Marantz NR1602 slimline showdown.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, i am the newbies over here, and i come from malaysia. I really hope to see the latest review regarding the NR1602, since this model is my latest favorite model, i like it slim design.

 

[wilro15]

I have recently purchased a Marantz NR1602 from Richer Sounds for £400. I was upgrading from an Onkyo TX-SR606 due to the Onkyo not being able to handle HDMI correctly - only 1 of my 4 HDMI ports were working - but thats another story.

I am very happy with the Marantz. It has vey good sound quality for both movies and music. The seperation of sounds is spot on and it works really well with my KEF KHT 2005.3 speakers. No HDMI problems and sounds loads better than the Onkyo. I listen to a lot of music and am very happy with the sound.

If you're considering buying the NR1602 but are worried about it "only" having 50W per channel then don't. For an average size room its not a problem, even with 50W it can make the floor shake!

The unit is smaller than most other receivers but I don't feel short changed. It works well for me that it is small and has less power - it means it fits into my TV cabinet and won't overheat. Plus it uses less electricity if you're green-minded.

I auditioned the Pioneer VSX 921 alongside this at Richer Sounds - the Pioneer sounded woolly, less clear and distinctly unimpressive compared with the Marantz. Was also considering the Denon AVR 1912 but Richer Sounds didn't have one to audition. I didn't look at the Onkyo (never again) nor the Yamaha or Sony equivalents due to the lack of Airplay...

AirPlay is awesome, DLNA is great and I love having internet radio right at my finger tips. I'm not bothered by the lack of upscaling as my Blu-ray can do it for DVDs and the TV can do it otherwise. The Audyssey setup works really well and does a good job of setting the sound field from a variety of seating positions.

I heartily recommend the Marantz! :cheers: