Friday, September 7, 2012

Marantz NR1403 & NR1603 AV Receivers Review

Aside from being a of the many esteemed manufacturers of reference-grade hifi components, Marantz is moreover a large player in the home drama market. They make products at satisfactory cost points, for only about every application, with slicing corner features. we reviewed their flagship AV separates, the strong AV7005 and MM7055 preamp processor/multi duct and power amplifier multiple that brought heaps of power, glorious sound, networking, flexibility, and splendid looks to the table. Certainly, this $3000 combo is not for everyone, and for those who can’t agree with these large boys and who don’t need gobs of power, Marantz gladly creates slimline, more modestly labelled receivers.

Marantz only introduced a number of brand new AV receivers and we have two on palm to evaluate: the NR1403 and NR1603 integrated receivers. The NR1403 retails for $399 and the NR1603 for $649. At initial glance, they look probably identical, housed in the typical black Marantz casework, any weighing in at 18 lbs. Both are rated at 50 wpc, and both use the same onboard DAC, the Analog Devices ADSP21487. They moreover are versed with Audyssey MultEQ room correction. But that is flattering ample where the similarities end.

The NR1603 offers 7.1 approximate sound, mutli room orator output, is housed in a aloft high quality chassis, and is networkable -- AirPlay for use with Apple devices, DLNA compliant, and matching with assorted streaming services similar to Pandora and tunes Internet Radio. There is moreover an FM Tuner together with USB and HDMI inputs. The remote manage is to NR1603 is bit more symbol heavy. The NR1403 offers 5.1 approximate sound, has an AM/FM tuner, but it is not networkable. It is not AirPlay compatible, and has a couple of reduction inputs than the NR1603.

Set Up Use:

I set up the NR1603 first, and after that commissioned the NR1403 to see if there were any opening differences on top of the without doubt features existing only on the NR1603. After all the claim HDMI cables were plugged in and orator wires connected, we used the Audyssey MultEQ network to regulate and supply room improvement and EQ management. It is no more than a five-minute process. You can regulate the section manually, by the way, simply by navigating the user-friendly set up menus.

The initial step is to approve your orator set up, which in my box is 5.1. we have floorstanding Paradigm Monitor 9’s as my fronts, a Paradigm Monitor array core channel, a PSB sub, and Paradigm Atoms is to back channel. Then you are asked to location the granted microphone in the principal listening location whilst a array of assessment tones are emitted. A complete of 6 readings from 5 extra positions on top of the principal listening are recommended. The network then determines the listening distances, processes the readings turn matches the speakers, provides EQ, and drum management. There is moreover energetic volume control, which compensates is to varying volume levels of not similar line or heavenly body channels. This may be practical in varying degrees. My sources, by the way, are digital cable, an Oppo Blu-ray player, and sometimes NetFlix.

I have found the programmed Audyssey calibration to be excellent. It rightly distributed listening distances, and to my ears did a excellent work of balancing the sound, and with drum exact management. Once the readings were stored, it was time to obtain down to business. we was obviously considerably dumbfounded at the high quality of the multi duct sound the NR1603 was producing from 5. 1 digital line channel, DVDs, and Blu Ray discs. It was very, really shut to the lawful sound of the AV7005/MM7055 combo. Maybe a bit too shut for comfort, given it is only over a entertain the price. we was notably astounded at how its 50 watts per duct more than filled up my living room. We lay roughly twelve feet from the front and core duct speakers, but we never had to pull the volume on the NR1603 more than half way to accomplish film drama volumes.

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