Marantz Receivers
Marantz is one company that has received almost cult status as far as receivers are concerned. To date, the humble stereo or A/V receiver has not been able to inspire the passion that motor bikes do, but Marantz is one brand that may still be called the Harley Davidson of receivers. The vintage Marantz 4300 and 440 Quadraphonic receivers still inspire awe among audiophiles while anything connected to the classic Marantz 2325 Receiver never fails to get attention. Vintage Marantz stereo receivers command quite a price among receiver enthusiasts and audiophiles. The best part is that the company has managed to keep the quality of its products consistent over the years and even the new Marantz receivers deliver great value for their prices.
Like most other companies Marantz also makes receivers that cater to both the mid priced as well as the premium segment. The Marantz SR8001 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver which is THX Select2 Certified and features a solid 125 W per channel of output is a great buy for you if you are planning to shell out more than $1500 for your receiver. The Marantz SR8001A/V receiver also features Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES, Circle Surround 6.1, and HDCD decoding .Its Dolby Prologic IIx processing can expand any two-channel audio source into a full 7.1 channel sound field. You also have the option of component video up-conversion from standard composite and S-video.
On the other hand, the mid priced Marantz SR5500 is great value for money at around $650.The Marantz SR5500's A/V receiver’s "current feedback" amplifiers produces 90WPC of output and its onboard 32-bit processor decodes all Dolby and DTS surround-sound signals and SRS Circle Surround II format.
It also features Dolby Headphone processing .Audio connections include three stereo inputs, a set of 7.1-channel SACD/DVD-Audio inputs, 7.1-channel preamp outputs, four digital inputs (two optical, two coaxial digital), and two digital outputs (one optical and one coaxial). One feature that is absent is onboard A/B speaker switching. Other low priced Marantz A/V receivers that are worth a look are the SR4500 and the SR5001.
You can easily find reviews for all Marantz receivers on line. Going for a well researched purchase should prove beneficial in the long run. You can also find good deals on Marantz receivers on a number of on line audio and home theater stores. So do not forget to check out the reviews before purchasing your Marantz stereo or A/V receiver.
