What HiFi Team PLEASE HELP - Marantz AV8003 PrePower Vs Denon AVC-A1HD ????

[admin_exported]

I just upgraded to Marantz AV8003 Preamp from Denon AVC-A10SE &
POA-T10. I have retained the Denon POA-T10 to use with the AV8003 for
the rear speakers. I have 2 NAD 216 THX Stereo Power amps powering the
fronts, centre & extended rear speaker (2 Speakers attached in
parallel to a single output of NAD 216)

Speakers:

Fronts - B&W 683, Centre - B&W HTM-61, Rears - B&W 685, Ex-Rear - Mission 77DS

Other Equipment:

Pioneer
PDP436 Plasma TV, Denon DVD-1940, Sony PS-3, Self Assembled HTPC (Intel
3.0Ghz Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB Ram, Creative Audigy 7.1 Sound Card
& N-Vidia 8300GS Graphic Card, running Windows Media Centre), Chord
& QED Cables.

PROBLEM:

Just not Satisfied with the
sound in Stereo. I dont feel any improvement in sound after the upgrade
in terms of music. Multichannel Movies Sound is far superior than
before but Stereo dissappoints. Infact I preferred the smoother AVC-A10
sound.

Also a friend has the same speakers and DVD Player
connected to a Denon AVR 4308. He has bi-amped the fronts and has no
Ex-Rears and I feel the his system sound better for Music. Just cant
understand how that can be possible. Several reviews of the AV8003 on
the net compare it the the Denon AVC-A1HD, and here I feel that the
4308 beats it in Stereo Performance....Movies are at par. My system
sounds boxed in and not as open or spacious, specially in the mid
range. There is a strange boomines in the upper midbass. Detail
retreval is at par but there is a lot less resolution and coherence in
my sound and overall musicality is just not satisfactory.

Are
my power amps a problem OR the problem lies with the Marantz AV8003 Or
the Marantz does not match with my Power Amps and would sound better
with the MM8003 Power Amp.

I mostly listen to music thru my PC.....could that be a problem......I have thought of the following solutions:

- Change my sound card to M-Audio Revolution 7.1 OR get Cambridge Audio DAC Magic

- Change my power amps and get Marantz MM8003

- Switch to Rotel RSP-1570 & RMB-1575

- Switch to Yamaha DSP Z-7

- Switch to Denon AVC-A1HD

- Get my room acoustics checked.

I
spend more time on my Hi-Fi than any thing else in my free time and I
am really stuck here and dont know what direction to take. KINDLY HELP
I would really appreciate a comment from the What HiFi Expert Team.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey mate,

I am not too sure what the best solution would be for your issue. However, I do have a Marantz AV8003 partnered with a NAD Masters Series M25 Power 7-channel Power Amplifier, and am happy with it.

I have a Cyrus CD 8 SE CD Player plugged via The Chord Company Anthem 2 RCA analogue interconnects to my Marantz AV8003.

Previously, I had an Integra DTR7.8 A/V Receiver serving Pre-Amp duties, and the Marantz AV8003 has improved stereo play-back considerably, and multi-channel surround sound has improved dramatically.

I personally have reservations about the Marantz MM8003 8-channel Power Amplifier, hence, I did not go for it, but went instead for the mighty NAD M25.

For comparison, the 7-channel NAD M25 weighs about 2 1/2 times as much as the 8-channel Marantz MM8003. The M25 has 7 discrete power amplifiers; basically 7 mono-bloc amplifiers in the one chassis. It is a great Power Amplifier, the M25.

 

[Anonymous]

What about investing in a good dedicated CD Player and plug it to the Marantz AV8003 via analogue interconnects?

I would not recommend going back to a one-box solution; I would not personally go back to a one-box solution, after enjoying the benefits of a two-box pre and power combination.

 

[Anonymous]

Look like your sources are your weak point. I'd ditch the DVD player and PS3 and buy a Denon DVD2500BT and later on add that DAC or another specialist DAC because you're week points, from the look of it are in your sources.

But maybe your combination of items don't work well together, I wouldn't know about that. But from what I've experienced, with all the amps and speakers you have, your source should be miles better than it is.

If you want analogue out to your amp then look at the Sony BDP-S5000es which you can get for under £900 now if you hunt around online.

 

[TheHomeCinemaCentre]

The Marantz is very capable and should deliver excellent stereo. I take it you have checked your settings.

I would think the NAD and B&W combo may be a bit feirce and would suggest looking at the speakers as well as the sources.

Did you listen to the Marantz before you bought it? Did you like what it did in the demonstration?

Nick

 

[Gerrardasnails]

TheHomeCinemaCentre:
The Marantz is very capable and should deliver excellent stereo. I take it you have checked your settings.

I would think the NAD and B&W combo may be a bit feirce and would suggest looking at the speakers as well as the sources.

Did you listen to the Marantz before you bought it? Did you like what it did in the demonstration?

Nick

I would say if you are going straight from pc to amp, that is your problem. I would get a DacMagic or similar and use lossless files. Forget the soundcard upgrade.

 

[Anonymous]

I am leaning towards getting a new power amp and changing my source as advised. What would you guys suggest amongst the following:

Power Amp:

Marantz MM8003.........NAD T975...............Rotel RMB1575

CD / Bluray Player:

Cambridge Audio Azur 840C......this has digital inputs and great upsampling DACs....this way I can also connect my computer via Optical digital interconnect to the CD player and enjoy the benefits of a great DAC for the music played thru the computer......The CD player can be connected by analog cables to the Marantz....what say ????

Or

Denon BD2500..............Pioneer BDP-LX91 OR 71

 

[Anonymous]

Whats your opinion on the DAC Magic connected to my computer and DVD Player.....will it work as well as a stand alone CD player of high quality

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Fightercock:
I am leaning towards getting a new power amp and changing my source as advised. What would you guys suggest amongst the following:

Power Amp:

Marantz MM8003.........NAD T975...............Rotel RMB1575

CD / Bluray Player:

Cambridge Audio Azur 840C......this has digital inputs and great upsampling DACs....this way I can also connect my computer via Optical digital interconnect to the CD player and enjoy the benefits of a great DAC for the music played thru the computer......The CD player can be connected by analog cables to the Marantz....what say ????

Or

Denon BD2500..............Pioneer BDP-LX91 OR 71

The 840c is supposed to be a bit special and if you can use all of it's functions, it's a no brainer - will sound lots better through your pc.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking of upgrading to the Marantz AV8003 from my Onkyo NR905 as I have recently upgraded my amp to a Classe CA3300 and will be using two Primare 30.2 amps for the surround and rear. How good is the video output on the Marantz? Everyone seems to rave about the sound, could anyone confirm if the video upscaling and quality is as good as the Onkyo?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Fightercock:
Whats your opinion on the DAC Magic connected to my computer and DVD Player.....will it work as well as a stand alone CD player of high quality

DacMagic and lossless files from your pc will be a match for most cd players up to £1k. Your dvd player and the DacMagic will be a match for most cd players up to £500 (imo).

 

[Anonymous]

Hey thats great info....thanks.....also please clarify one big niggle in my head..........what happens to DTS & AC3 signals. If I connect the dac magic to the computer via USB and it becomes my primary sound output device, it will give me 2 channel analog output for the music files. It also has a digital output....can this digital output passthrough DTS & AC3 signals ???? I watch a lot of hi-def content with surround sound (MKV files) thru my comp....what happens in this senario???

Also would there be a diff in the PC + DacMagic Vs PC + CA840C CD player (used as DAC)

The upsampling in 840c is to 384khz vs 192khz in the dac magic. Also if I get the 840C, it works as a dac & a fantastic CD player....double whammy!!!! but is it worth the extra cash???

 

[Anonymous]

Very honestly.....if you have a great Bluray player and good sources...you dont need to depend on the Marantz to upscale your picture.....It adequately converts all analog sources to 720p/1080p signals and it just passes thru 720p & 1080p signals....which is great becuase unless the video scaler is a stand alone highend video processor, it will most likely worsen the picture quality by adding artefacts.....

So you dont need to worry about the picture quality....

 

[Anonymous]

Very honestly.....if you have a great Bluray player and good
sources...you dont need to depend on the Marantz to upscale your
picture.....It adequately converts all analog sources to 720p/1080p
signals and it just passes thru 720p & 1080p signals....which is
great becuase unless the video scaler is a stand alone highend video
processor, it will most likely worsen the picture quality by adding
artefacts.....
So you dont need to worry about the picture quality....

 

[Sorreltiger]

What kind of files are you playing from your PC? ÿIt sounds like the higher spec amplification might be playing the low quality source with more fidelity - hence the less pleasing overall sound quality. ÿI'd invest in a good quality CD player, personally, but you must go down the lossless route if you stick with digital files.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Fightercock for the reassurance about the picture quality. I suppose my concern was how well it upscales ordinary TV (and to a lesser extend non Blu Ray DVDs). The Onkyo upscales ordinary TV so that it can be watched on my 90inch 2.3meter screen using my InFocus projector. The upscaling makes it watchable, without the upscaling its rubbish. From what you said it appears that the Marantz will do the same and just pass the higher quality pic straight through.