Marantz has been in the high-end audio for over 70 years and has announced the latest additions to its home theater components: the AV 20 AV Preamplifier and AMP 20 Power Amplifier. The two new models build on the home theater pedigree of the AV 10 and AMP 10 pairing, plus the CINEMA 30 AVR. Here’s what the press release had to say.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Marantz AV Announcement
The new AV 20 and AMP 20 further expand this portfolio, creating a family of premium products that seamlessly complement each other, and which can be combined in various system configurations if required. Of course, all aspects of their performance have been carefully honed by the Marantz Sound Master to ensure the best possible sound quality with all source components and in all audio modes. Both products are proudly designed and manufactured at Marantz’s premium factory, the Shirakawa Audio Works, in Japan.
Design And Quality
AV 20 and AMP 20 incorporate the latest generation of Marantz’s iconic porthole display combined with the brand’s elegant industrial design language. Both are built to the highest standards, with multi-layer chassis that feature an extensive use of copper. The elegant fascia plates on both models feature selectable side illumination, with a fold-down front panel on the AV 20 to conceal all less-used functions, creating a clean aesthetic not typically associated with AV components. Even the aluminum remote control has been carefully considered and features backlighting to ensure an effortless user experience in darkened rooms.
Processing and Features
The new Marantz AV 20 deploys the latest and most powerful Analog Devices SHARC dual-core DSP chipset coupled to state-of-the-art 32-bit two-channel DACs with dedicated jitter reduction.
The result is a powerful digital platform able to precisely decode and accurately process all forms of incoming audio, from high-resolution stereo to the latest forms of immersive audio, including Dolby Atmos™, IMAX Enhanced™, DTS:X Pro™ and AURO-3D™.
To ensure the best possible results with a broad range of speakers in any listening environment, AV 20 combines that powerful processing capability with Audyssey MultEQ XT32 advanced room optimization, based on automatic calibration of speaker sizes, speaker distances, level adjustment and more, all enabled by an included microphone.
AV 20 also features optionally available Dirac Live Room Correction plus Dirac Live Bass Control, allowing for fully optimized low-frequency integration for up to four independent subwoofers, giving perfectly coherent bass response in even the most challenging room environments.
In a first for Marantz, AV 20 will also offer the latest and most powerful of Dirac’s extensive room-optimization technologies: Dirac Live Active Room Treatment (ART), designed to give the most cohesive and tonally consistent listening experience of any available room optimization technology. The Dirac Live ART upgrade will be supported via a future firmware update.
Flexibility
AV 20 can scale to meet an extensive range of system configurations now and in the future. Each of its seven HDMI inputs can support up to 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz video, while its brand-new high-resolution user interface makes setup and customization seamless.
Multiple analog and digital inputs, coupled to an extensive range of custom-installation-optimized features, means AV 20 can be adapted to suit every possible customer use case from intimate media rooms through to dedicated and substantial home theaters. The discrete HDAM SA-3 preamplifier stage feeds up to 13.4 channels via RCA or XLR outputs, ensuring ample flexibility over system configurations.
Naturally, AV 20 also supports the latest HEOS® whole-home multi-room platform, giving effortless access to streaming service content, all seamlessly integrated into one unified user experience. Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, AirPlay 2™ and Bluetooth all complement HEOS to simplify access to the broadest possible range of streaming services, mobile devices and use cases.
Clean, Low-Distortion Power
AMP 20, meanwhile, is both prodigiously powerful and versatile enough to meet multiple different system configurations. Designed to the same aesthetic and performance standards as the acclaimed AMP 10, the AMP 20 is configured as a cool-running 12-channel power amplifier with 200 watts per channel (8 ohms, 1kHz, THD 0.05% with two channels driven), which is sufficient to drive multiple different speaker configurations and speaker layouts with ease.
It also provides the option of reconfiguring pairs of 200W amp channels into bridged-tied-load (BTL) outputs, with up to a maximum of six channels of 400W available if the chosen speaker system requires it. Alternatively, users can opt to bi-amp up to six speakers. Naturally, both XLR and RCA inputs are included.
Of course, AMP 20 can also be combined into systems alongside other Marantz components; for example, as a powerful amplifier upgrade for CINEMA 30 owners, or as a complement to AV 10 AV Preamplifiers where fewer channels of power are required. In the same way, AV 20 buyers can opt to buy the 16-channel AMP 10 Power Amplifier instead of the AMP 20 if they require more than the 12 channels of power offered by AMP 20 in their home theater system.
Commenting on the launch, Giles Pocock, Vice-President Brand Marketing, said: “The new AV 20 and AMP 20 are the next stage in Marantz’s continuing evolution in the high-performance audio category. They represent all that is best about the brand’s premium design, engineering excellence and attention to detail, and they also usefully expand the breadth and versatility of our offering in home theater”.
Availability
Enjoy the theatrical excellence of the new Marantz AV 20 and AMP 20, available from May 20th at Marantz.com and from selected retailers. Pricing is set at $6,000.
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