WHAT HiFi TEAM - PLEASE Review the MARANTZ AV8003 & MM8003

[admin_exported]

I am actually quite surprised that in your news section you featured the Marantz combo more that a year back....but there has been no review thereafter.....

The new Pre Power market has 3 new contenders around the same price bracket.....

Marantz AV8003 & MM8003

Rotel RSP 1570 & RMB 1575

Onkyo PR-SC 886 AV Pre Amp

How about a group test ?????

But please do a detailed review of the Marantz combo

PLEASE !!! PLEASE !!!!

 

[Anonymous]

They kind of did, back in the Bluray special Ultimate Guide. Was featured briefly in the 'Best of the rest'.

I agree, a more in depth look would have been good.

Fellow forum member Dantan has the AV8003 and seems to love it - I'm sure if he sees this he'll be along with his views...

Steve.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Fightercock:
I am actually quite surprised that in your news section you featured the Marantz combo more that a year back....but there has been no review thereafter.....

The new Pre Power market has 3 new contenders around the same price bracket.....

Marantz AV8003 & MM8003

Rotel RSP 1570 & RMB 1575

Onkyo PR-SC 886 AV Pre Amp

How about a group test ?????

But please do a detailed review of the Marantz combo

PLEASE !!! PLEASE !!!!

Can you not audition them yourself? It's your ears, after all, and What HiFi can't help you there.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Just as soon as we get a sample for an extended period - and we have been asking - we'll publish a review.

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew - So just to clarify, what was the review in the Ultimate Guide (Bluray) based on then, an UN-extended period one would presume ?? Just a small point, but shouldn't this be indicated with reviews......?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes, a brief time hands-on time spent with the combination, AFAIK. A full, in-depth review will follow.

 

[Anonymous]

A full review - excellent news as I have the AV/MM 8003 as I couldn't wait for the Rotel 1500 series pro/multi channel D-class combo. The Pioneer Susano may eclipse both? but its NZD3k dearer than the NZD7,500 Rotel / Marantz pricing.

Also seems the Marantz blue ray BD 7003 (yet to be tested by What Hi Fi) is usurped by the Sony BDP-S550 and DMP-BD55? If you are looking for profile 2.0 - but do they beat the Marantz for audio and video which is what we're really after first and foremost.

cheersÿ

 

[Anonymous]

In the Blu-ray issue, What Hi Fi gave 4 stars to the Marantz combination. It appears as though the final star was not given, due to its slight lack of specifications and inability to add post-processing to HD audio (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio). However, all-in-all, it was a positive review.

I have the AV8003 partnered with a NAD Masters Series M25 7-channel Power Amplifier, and am extremely happy with the AV8003. I have read several reviews, and based on the reviews, this separates combination is, in their opinion, superior to the one-box Denon AVC-A1HD (which I am not surprised, because separates are ideal).

 

[Anonymous]

Looks like I'll need to raid the newsagent as can't find the What Hi Fi Marantz BD7003 review on-line yet. BD Live v2.0 and SD card seem to be the missing 'specifications'? And post-processing can be done using HDMI in the AV8003, so no real disadvantage there? I will try and get a video/audio demo at the local importer vs a Panasonic DMP-BD35 or 55.

Another thought, using your Pioneer LX71 bluray player do you post-process in the player or the AV8003; have you found one method better than the other for this combo?

Your AV8003 and NAD M25 sounds a nice audio combination (from magazine review comment on both). I too came to the same Denon conclusion regards audio fidelity being bested by Marantz (and the NAD pre/pro - only 5.1 analogue tho').

 

[Anonymous]

Hey mate,

I set my Pioneer BDP-LX71 Blu-ray Disc Player to natively bit-stream the HD audio codecs to my Marantz AV8003 Surround Processor, allowing my Marantz to decode them. Unfortunately (not that I am bothered by this, though), the Marantz does not allow EQ to be applied to HD audio codecs.

I am certainly very impressed with the Marantz's sonic abilities. However, I am keen to check out the new NAD M15HD Surround Processor, when it is released in the next few months here in Australia.

 

[Anonymous]

To be honest, I have not really tried allowing my Pioneer BDP-LX71 Blu-ray Disc Player to decode the HD audio codecs and send via HDMI as Linear PCM. I did try it for a couple of days when I first purchased the Pioneer, but decided that bit-streaming is the 'correct' way for me.

The Pioneer is no slouch, I believe in its decoding of HD audio codecs. However, at this stage, it still cannot internally decode DTS-HD Master Audio, which Pioneer has assured everyone it will release a firmware update some time this month or next month.

To be honest, though, I am thinking about purchasing a Denon DVD2500BT Blu-ray Transport, partly because I just feel like upgrading, but also because it is supposedly a better unit than the Pioneer (it has to, for 50% more cost), and it is a Transport-only, which is something I like. I am only using a Blu-ray Player for Blu-ray Disc play-back, as well as the occasional SD DVD play-back. I have my Cyrus CD 8 SE CD Player for CD play-back. Plus, the Pioneer is so slow to load up (even with the latest version 1.21 firmware update on my unit) and has frozen a couple of times, which has annoyed me. Otherwise, sound and picture quality are a huge step-up from my quick-loading Panasonic DMP-BD30.