- Manufacturer & Model
- Marantz Cinema Series AMP 10 and AV 10
- MSRP
- $7,000 each
- Highlights
- AV 10 Highlights
15.4 channels of processing with coverage of Atmos, DTS:X, Auro-3D, and IMAX Enhanced, Audyssey MultEQ XT32 and Dirac Live room correction, HEOS streaming, aggressive styling, seven 8K HDMI 2.1 inputs.
AMP 10 Highlights
16 channels of output, 200 watts per channel (8 ohms), bridgeable to 400 watts, Discrete HDAM amplification, integrator-friendly remote monitoring, stylish physical features.
- Summary
- During a recent trip to Masimo Consumer's HQ in Carlsbad, California, AV NIRVANA experienced Marantz's new AV 10 and AMP 10 separates in a unique educational and demo fashion. Both pieces of equipment represent the very best Marantz has to offer, being hand-built in the company's Shirakawa manufacturing plant in Japan. With extensive feature sets that rival those found on the industry's most elite equipment, the AV 10 and AMP 10 deliver a true reference-grade home theater experience.
Overview
We’re several years into Marantz’s rebirth, which aims to push the brand up market with upper-echelon offerings. The Model 30, a sleek Integrated Amplifier, was the first to showcase Marantz’s new high-end flair, sporting an industrial design that marries the company’s rich history with a modern punch. Now, Marantz’s newly launched AMP 10 and AV 10 join the party as statement pieces commanding a hefty price while promising access to elite performance capabilities. Both are manufactured in the company’s Shirakawa (Japan) manufacturing plant, a facility that’s heralded for its disciplined, artisan-grade craftsmanship.
Priced at $7,000 each ($14K for the pair), the AV10 Pre/Pro and AMP10 Amplifier sit atop the pyramid at Marantz, surpassing the AV8805A processor and MM8077 amp as the company’s premier offerings. They are, literally, in a category unto their own, so it’s best not to look at them as replacements for the AV8805A and MM8077. In fact, Marantz says those high-level second-tier products will remain in existence for the foreseeable future.
The AMP 10 is an absolute beast of raw power, sporting 200 Watts per channel with 16 channels of output. Marantz guarantees owners can achieve 70% of that power with seven channels driven, adding that a bridge mode ups output to 400 Watts per channel (8 ohms) if needed.
The front of the unit carries the same design attributes debuted by the Model 30, flexing a modernized iconic styling befitting Marantz’s rich heritage. And the rear is equal to the task, possessing high-quality materials and an intimidating array of connection points. Marantz even includes a magnetic finger wrench that aids in tightening/loosening speaker terminals; it conveniently sticks to the back of the amp when not in use.
The AMP 10 certainly straddles enthusiast/integrator territory. Beyond its performance and large-system capabilities, it can be linked to the AV 10 for remote monitoring of status information and operating temperature. That’s a feature that integrators are sure to love.
Matching the AMP 10’s physical aesthetics, the AV 10 stands as the brains behind the muscle. Delivering 15.4 channels of processing with support for Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced, and Auro-3D, the AV 10 can command a serious home theater experience. Much like several other top models manufactured by Marantz, it carries Audyssey Mult-EQ XT32 out of the box with an option for Dirac Live room correction. At this time, Marantz is still mum about future plans concerning Dirac’s Bass Control and Active Room Treatment technologies. Neither is officially off the table – so don't panic – and decision makers are carefully evaluating which, if either, will eventually make its way to the company’s offerings (which includes the AV 10). We'll provide more on that front as details become available.
Marantz doesn't have plans to shelve Audyssey as a core room correction technology. For those enthusiasts that want more control and fine-tuning capabilities, the Audyssey app can be purchased for a nominal fee. And once Dirac officially becomes available, owners can opt to pay $259 for the basic version and $358 for the full. Of course, Dirac users will need to buy their own microphone which adds another $100 (minimum) to the price of entry.
Beyond room correction, the AV 10 gives owners multiple ways of tuning the sound. On the LFE front, owners can deploy up to four independent subwoofers in a traditional multi-sub arrangement. Those same subs can be run in a directional bass mode that shifts output to subwoofer zones within a room, thus creating more of a sense of directionality. Owners can also select between slow and sharp high-frequency roll-offs, which can impart a warmer or more forward sound.
Performance Impressions
I recently spent several days at Masimo Consumer’s Headquarters in Carlsbad, California, listening to Definitive Technology’s all-new Dymension Series of loudspeakers paired with a variety of Marantz gear, including the AV 10 and AMP 10. During one session in the facility's largest theater demo space, the duo orchestrated a dominating experience. The room featured a JVC NX-9 projector, a 165” Stewart MicroPerf X2 THX Ultra screen, and a 9.4.6 array of Dymension towers and Atmos channels, along with four Definitive subs.
We were treated to a dazzling array of demo clips, including scenes from Open Range, A Star is Born, Only the Brave, and A Quiet Place. We also experience Angel Has Fallen and a clip from Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, both with directional bass engaged.
The AV 10 and AMP 10 performed flawlessly, delivering everything you’d expect from an elite-level home theater system. Directionality and imaging existed in spades, and the pair never hiccuped or showed difficulty interfacing with any of the room’s gear. Dynamics were also on full display, with tiny details bubbling to the surface as the room’s system raged with controlled fury.
We were also shown the AV 10’s new GUI, which features 4K graphics and a highly-intuitive menu system. It goes without mentioning, that the AV 10 can also be set-up using a browser interface.
At the end of my time at Masimo Consumer, I had a chance to sit down with Gary Dayton, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Marantz. We discussed some of the key components and technologies responsible for Marantz’s signature sound in the AV 10. Check out the video, below, to learn more about this high-level piece of equipment and to see up-close shots of key components used in both models.
Summary
Marantz has a sure-shot winning pair on its hands with the AV 10 and AMP 10. From the triple-layered base plates found in the duo's chassis to the elegant design of the AMP 10's proprietary HDAM amp modules, both models represent extremely high levels of care and craftsmanship. Having had a chance to see and touch individual components and meet key players responsible for bringing the gear to market, I left Masimo Consumer's Carlsbad pad thoroughly impressed by the products and demo experiences. If you're on the hunt for top-end gear, but feeling gunshy on spending Trinnov-like money, these Marantz separates should be all over your radar. Highly recommended!
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