Wayne Ernst

Discuss: S&V review of Marantz 5400

Last evening, I picked up the January 2004 edition of Sound and Vision magazine. I read through the review of the new 5400 receiver from Marantz. To my surprise, when I looked at the "In the Lab" section for the power output, I thought I was reading a review for a receiver by Harman Kardon.

Rated power by mfg. - 90 watts to 6 channels.

Actual output in the lab - 103 watts when 5 channels were driven.

I wonder if the whole new line of receivers from Marantz (x400) all feature "revised" power outputs when all channels are driven? I seem to recall the chart from the earlier verions of Marantz receivers where they were putting out anemic power compared to the advertised power.

Anyway, now it appears Marantz might be back in the game of reporting "actual" power like Harman Kardon (and a few others.) Bravo!!

\"My reality check ... just bounced\"

Shane Martin

Or I wonder if the one they tested previously was defective.

Either way Go Marantz!

Bob_M

How did it fair on the Noise? Thanks Bob

Wayne Ernst

Bob, the noise levels were as follows:

Dolby Digital Performance:
Distortion @ 1 watt (THD+N, 1 kHz)
- 8 ohms - 0.03%
- 4 ohms - 0.04%
Noise level (A-wtd): -73.9 dB
Excess Noise (with sine tone): 16-bit (EN16): +2 dB



Multichannel Performance - Analog Input
Distortion (THD+N, 1 kHz, 8 Ohms): 0.03%
Noise Level (A-wtd): -80.3 dB

\"My reality check ... just bounced\"

John Garcia

None of my Marantz receivers or amps (a total of 5 in the last 3 years) have ever had a lack of power or disappointed in the sound department

"The trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain't so." - Mark Twain

HT: Marantz SR-8300, MA500 monoblocks x 2, 5X GR Research A/V-2s, Adire Audio Tempest sub, Denon 2900, Oppo 980H, Toshiba HD-A2, RC2000MkII remote, Panamax 5100, Panamax Max2 sub, Slim PS2, PS3 60G + 320G USB

Bedroom: Marantz PM-7200 Integrated, GR Research A/V-1s, Sony 222ES SACD, RC3200 remote, Panamax M8EX

Audio: Audioquest * Video: Bluejeans

My DVDs My HT

Lewis Besze

Yes I saw this too, good job Marantz.
There are very few receivers that measures their rated output,let alone surpass.

Wayne Ernst

I should also point out that when the Marantz SR7200 was tested, it only produced 27 watts to 6 channels -- even though it was rated @ 105W x 6.

Source: Power Outputs

I remembered seeing those numbers before for the SR7200, so needless to say, this recent review on the 5400 caught me by surprise when it came to the "in the lab" section.

\"My reality check ... just bounced\"

Lewis Besze

Yeah, I posted those results here a couple years ago.
It stirred a lot of anger from Marantz users/fans even a dealer.Someone even cracked a joke that my "wife ran away with someone named Marantz" claiming that I had some sort of axe to grind.
Nonesense! I'm glad this lower end model did well.

Shiu

Wayne, I would be careful with the numbers reported in that "source" that people keep referring to. I know they were simply reporting numbers tested by S&V, but errors could have been made when the information was transferred.
I find it hard to believe the SR7200 could only produce 27X6.

Lewis Besze

That's what S&V has reported in their magazine.It was never claimed as typo by them later,so it stands.