Marantz AV 10 - Initial Impressions (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

Having to pay $200 for PEQ capability always annoyed me. At least, as I recall, that's basically what it was. Honestly, the price for full-blown Dirac (yet to come) is also extremely annoying. Isn't it supposed to be around $500? On a $7K preamp? C'mon!

 

[John Dirk]

Having to pay $200 for PEQ capability always annoyed me. At least, as I recall, that's basically what it was. Honestly, the price for full-blown Dirac (yet to come) is also extremely annoying. Isn't it supposed to be around $500? On a $7K preamp? C'mon!

I considered all of this before pulling the trigger on the AV10. In the end it boiled down as follows for me.

1) Trinnov (Arcam, Lyngdorf) - More than I was willing to pay.
2) JBL Synthesis SDP 58 - Too buggy and unreliable according to reviews.
3) Emotiva RMC 1/1L - See above.
4) Anthem AVM70/90 - Rudimentary UI. ARC Genesis issues, even though I bet they've already been worked out by now.
5) Monoprice HTP-1 - Unavailable except on secondary markets; also unproven.

Once these were all ruled out the decision became clear. Either wait it out [not really an option because the AV7702mkii was starting to have issues] or stick with the devil I know.

I do believe the AV10 will be a benchmark product and represents a new era for Marantz but I wasn't happy with the way they implemented Audyssey and Dirac when, really, only the latter was needed. The AV10 is also overkill for me but, as an end-game processor I think it's the best overall option out there for under 10K.

 

[JohnRice]

I considered all of this before pulling the trigger on the AV10. In the end it boiled down as follows for me.

1) Trinnov (Arcam, Lyngdorf) - More than I was willing to pay.
2) JBL Synthesis SDP 58 - Too buggy and unreliable according to reviews.
3) Emotiva RMC 1/1L - See above.
4) Anthem AVM70/90 - Rudimentary UI. ARC Genesis issues, even though I bet they've already been worked out by now.
5) Monoprice HTP-1 - Unavailable except on secondary markets; also unproven.

Once these were all ruled out the decision became clear. Either wait it out [not really an option because the AV7702mkii was starting to have issues] or stick with the devil I know.

I do believe the AV10 will be a benchmark product and represents a new era for Marantz but I wasn't happy with the way they implemented Audyssey and Dirac when, really, only the latter was needed. The AV10 is also overkill for me but, as an end-game processor I think it's the best overall option out there for under 10K.

Well, you know I'm quite likely to go with an AV10 as well, after going through a similar thought process. I want to see what your feedback on it is. I'm hoping to have a surround preamp with the audio quality that will allow me to eliminate my "hybrid" music/surround system, and just have a surround preamp without the dedicated stereo one in the mix. For this kind of money, it has to be an excellent, long term solution.

 

[John Dirk]

The AV10 feels like a familiar friend. It slid right in where my AV7702MKii [hereafter "7702"] had been for so long without much fuss at all. Here are a few general observations [in no particular order] after having owned it for a few days. Please feel free to ask any specific questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them.

• My tablet-based remote required only minor programming changes and I've now tucked the original remote for the AV10 in the drawer with all the others.
• The HDMI handshake seems to be a bit slower than the 7702. The OSD appears immediately but not the full menu. It takes a good 5 seconds. This could be a function of the AV10 and my JVC NZ8 not playing as well together. JVC is known for slower handshakes. Again, it's not a problem for me, just an observation.
• Initially I couldn't get the unit to decode Atmos. Spending some time with the manual I noticed it said to press the "Pure Direct" button for Atmos decoding. I pressed it and sure enough, now Atmos is decoding fine. Seems odd as I never had to do this with the 7702 as far as I can recall. Once I pressed Pure Direct I could then toggle modes without affecting Atmos playback.
• I have not been able to get consistent 8K up-conversion out of the AV10 to date. My HTPC's graphics card [Nvidia GeForce 1030] should support it and it did work with the Anthem AVM70, so it would not seem to be a cabling issue. When I reboot the HTPC it initially shows 8K resolution on the POST screen but defaults to 4K [3840*2160] once Windows 10 takes over. I'm certain this is an issue either with my setup or my understanding of what I should be seeing but, again, just an observation.
• Sound wise the AV10 has the same basic feel as the 7702. There's nothing wrong with it but it has been characterized as "warm" in some reviews.
• For now anyway, I will likely just purchase the $20.00 Audyssey IOS app as I don't think Dirac on the AV10 is mature enough just yet. If/when DLBC becomes available and stable I may reconsider. having the option was what I wanted to hedge my bets going forward, but now that I have the AV10, there's no particular rush.

Lastly, I noticed this in the menus. There's "Filter 1" and "Filter 2." The first setting is the default and recommended for "The Marantz sound." The second setting made the unit sound noticeably brighter and said it was intended for bench test measurements. I dunno...

More to follow and, as stated above, feel free to post any specific questions and I'll do my best.

 

[JohnRice]

Have you run any sweeps to double check the bass extension goes into the infrasonic? A lot of units these days, including the Anthems, don't state response below 20Hz, but I noticed the AV10 does.

 

[John Dirk]

Have you run any sweeps to double check the bass extension goes into the infrasonic? A lot of units these days, including the Anthems, don't state response below 20Hz, but I noticed the AV10 does.

Great point. Not yet but I'll try to get around to it this weekend.

 

[John Dirk]

A couple of updates...

• I finally figured out why I wasn't able to get 8K up-conversion out of the AV10. Turns out HDR was enabled in Windows at some point on my HTPC. I assume the extra bandwidth this required limited the processors ability to up convert? Disabling it has fixed the issue.
• I use a power-off macro to shut down the AV10 and my projector. Like many projectors, mine requires pressing the power off button twice, which is programmed into the macro and has always worked without issue. I found this wouldn't work all of a sudden and couldn't figure out why. Reviewing the changes I'd made since it stopped working I remembered switching from the Monitor 2 to the Monitor 1 HDMI output. For whatever reason, the Monitor 1 output causes the projector to not receive the 2nd power off command and the projector remains on. The AV10 powers down and goes into pass-through mode. Switching back to the Monitor 2 output resolves the issue. I never had a problem using either Monitor output with the AV7702 MKii, so I'm assuming this is somehow related to the AV10's implementation of eARC, which is only supported on the Monitor 1 output.

Haven't been able to get to any REW sweeps yet but I will soon.

 

[John Dirk]

@JohnRice - Low end sweep looks good.

 

[JohnRice]

@JohnRice - Low end sweep looks good.

View attachment 195204

Totally usable down to 10Hz. I expect the roll off below that has nothing to do with the electronics.

 

[John Dirk]

I meant to post this along with the sweep but forgot.

Gene does a great job of bench testing the AV10.

 

[JohnRice]

So, John, It's been 4 months. How goes it?

 

[John Dirk]

So, John, It's been 4 months. How goes it?

Overall, I love the AV10 and am convinced I made the right long-term choice for my situation. It's not perfect and could take a page or two from Anthem's AVM70/90, but the UI of those devices [along with lots of buggy, unrefined behavior] made them non-starters for me.

The AV10 sounds more or less the same as my AV7702MKII, on the warm side. Of course, that's easily correctable and there's even an oddly named menu option called DAC Filter that can do so automatically if you want the change to be globally applied. It can be driven to much higher levels [I believe due to a higher input voltage but don't quote me] than any product I've previously owned which allows it to play at reference levels without being pushed too hard.

When I made my decision my main goals were to be protected [for awhile anyway] from obsolescence and have a path to better room correction if and when I was ready. I also wanted the best product I could reasonably afford or was willing to pay for anyway. With both Audyssey MultQ EX and Dirac available with the AV10, I feel pretty good about where I now stand.

Meanwhile, Gene over at Audioholics has been teasing a major new feature update for Denon and Marantz. His video should drop Thursday the 14th. I'm thinking it will include a DLBC announcement.

 

[John Dirk]

As expected. Decision time.

 

[JohnRice]

How much does the full version cost?

 

[John Dirk]

How much does the full version cost?

Not sure yet. Too busy watching football.

 

[JohnRice]

Not sure yet. Too busy watching football.

That sounds vaguely familiar. Is it some type of sporting event?

 

[John Dirk]

How much does the full version cost?

Pricey. I'll have to think it over and research which [if any] of the options fits my needs.

Marantz AV 10 – Dirac

Dirac Live for Marantz AV 10 Get your license

www.dirac.com

 

[JohnRice]

Pricey. I'll have to think it over and research which [if any] of the options fits my needs.

Marantz AV 10 – Dirac

Dirac Live for Marantz AV 10 Get your license

www.dirac.com

$800 for the full-feature option?

 

[John Dirk]

The below two articles have convinced me Dirac is not right for me, at least not yet and especially at the current asking price for the full suite. Other than bass response at times, I am not overly dissatisfied with the audio quality in my system, given good source material. What I most want is the ability to limit the frequency range correction is applied to. I may go the Audyssey MultEQ Editor route for starters. If it fails to impress, I'm only out $20.00. Dirac seems like it may have too many bugs and require a lot of time or expert assistance to get the most out of. As @DaveF said in another thread, "I don't need another hobby." I am still glad I bought a processor that gives me the option, should I chose to go that route at a later time., but I'll be holding off for now.

Dirac Live v2 & v3

The BEST ways to add Dirac Live to your HiFi System

The BEST ways to add Dirac Live to your HiFi System Article Houston we have a problem I want to start by asking you a question, what part of your HiFi system was not designed for audio playback, please think about it? That is not a trick question because of course your speakers

www.pursuitperfectsystem.com

 

[DaveF]

I’m still waiting for Marantz to launch a Pre/Pro Separates line equivalent to the new Cinema Receiver series.