Marantz Owners/Lovers Speak up? I just auditioned one and I'm on the fence (1 Viewer)

[Kevin. W]

Been living with a Marantz AV560U Pre/pro hooked to my Rotel RMB-1066 amp. Makes wonderful sounds through my Paradigm Mini Monitors/CC-350/PS1000.

Kevin

 

[Steve_Corrick]

I picked up the SR-7300 from www.acousticsounddesign.com for 699.99 last month. Nice operation and great sound for both music (circle surround) and HT (DD-EX/DTS-ES/PLII-music-movie) Very fast auto surround mode detection, excellent video switching between input sources - composite (Cable.TV-VCR), S-vid (Sat-DVD2), component (DVD1-DVD2)
I can use the supplied remote for 99% of operation of my system. Remtote once properly programed has learned and operates all of my components daily or primary functions, Toshiba 50" TV - SONY VCR - SONY DSS - Marantz 300x DVD - SONY-DVD/SACD - SONY 200x CD - Pioneer receiver (rear center L/R surround amp) I am also using a Marantz MM-9000 5x150w external amp via the pre-outs (auto on via 12v trigger) Will be replacing the Pioneer receiver with 2 Outlaw M-200 200w mono-block amps soon.

 

[MWestyn]

Nigel_H,

There's nothing inherently wrong with the remote (other than it is the size of a metal-detecting wand)...there's just a few features that would have been nice. For example backlighting would have been nice, especially on the lcd (which could have been larger and easier to read). I will say that it learns very easily and it now controls all of my ht...just wish you could probram the "channel" buttons. Oh well.

 

[Greg_Ritchie]

DarrenW:
I got quoted the $675 at Great Metropolitan Sound at Yonge and Eglinton, it's close to where I work. It was $700 but I used the price at American Sound to negotiate down to $675. I ended up getting another Receiver anyway, I picked up a Yamaha 630 at Kromer Radio on Saturday. I was on the fence about the Marantz amps but the Yamaha filled more of my needs (I have 3 480P/1080i sources so I'm using the switching on the receiver) also the front optical is useful for my minidisc player or playstation. I'm sure I would have been happy with the Marantz but right now I'm very happy with the Yamaha
Thanks,
Greg

 

[nigel_h]

Am I paranoid? I read the warning on the Marantz web site that the only web merchant they authorize is HiFi.com. Their price was $899 for the SR7300. I wanted to make sure any manufacturer warranty was gonna be good so I bought from them. HiFi.com honored a $120 Christmas discount so I got it for $779 - I obviously paid more than some of you folks for the SR7300. Is there any true advantage going with HiFi.com or am I just an idiot?

 

[ChrisWiggles]

The advantage is the warranty. You can get some good deals with unauthorized dealers, but it's essentially as-is. If it blows up, you're screwed. Although, I wouldn't expect a marantz to just "blow up." ALthough i'm sute its happened to someone somewhere, and if I've just shelled out a couple hundred bucks or more, i want a warranty.

 

[Wayne Ernst]

Am I paranoid? I read the warning on the Marantz web site that the only web merchant they authorize is HiFi.com. Their price was $899 for the SR7300. I wanted to make sure any manufacturer warranty was gonna be good so I bought from them. HiFi.com honored a $120 Christmas discount so I got it for $779 - I obviously paid more than some of you folks for the SR7300. Is there any true advantage going with HiFi.com or am I just an idiot?

It sounds like you made a good move - and got a pretty good price, too.

 

[Pete Jennings]

Nigel, piece of mind is got to be worth a little extra $$. I had a Pioneer Elite receiver a few years back that I bought from Uncle's Stereo. It died of a problem that was common for the series about two weeks out of the Uncle's supported two year warranty. Uncle's would not fix it. I found out later that Pioneer was repairing that particular problem out of warranty free if you had purchased it from a authorized dealer.:frowning: I paid $750 for that doggone receiver. :frowning: Lesson learned.
My rule now? If it is over a $200 item, I buy *only* from authorized dealers, and use my Mastercard to double the warranty. Find a reputable local dealer that carries equipment lines that you like, and establish a good relationship with them. They will go the extra mile for you to keep you coming back. When you payout the extra $$ at purchase time, just smile and realize that you are helping a local retailer stay in business, and getting a ready source of valuable advice that you can trust.
I did buy a Velodyne sub online from One-Call a few months back. They are factory authorized, and their support is first rate. No more Uncle's for me.
My $.02 , I hope it helps some other HT nut out there!
Pete

 

[John Garcia]

I buy Marantz from Hifi.com because their stores are local for me I get the price and no shipping... I'd also have too say, you did the right thing.

 

[nigel_h]

Thanks for the comments above. This is the first time I've shelled out this much dough for audio equipment. In a way, I guess I am lucky so few merchants carry Marantz equip - it made the whole shopping process a easier.

I'm also glad I didn't buy that HK 8000 from OneCall.

 

[DanS]

Hello all:

I'm new to the HTF, and, after two months of research, listening and reading these threads, have just ordered an SR7300, due to arrive in the next day or so. Hopefully one of you Marantz owners can help me with a couple of basic connection questions I can't seem to figure out by reading the pdf manual I downloaded from the Marantz website.

How can you tape a digital cable program while watching a DVD? Everything I understood in the manual indicated that when the video input (selection) was changed while taping, the vcr would record that new input. I know I'm missing something.

It's clear that you can listen to a cd while recording from a video input, but can you watch a second video program while taping ?

I could solve the problem by bypassing the whole video section of the receiver, and play back the taped program through the tv's rca outs, as I do now with my old Adcom 560, but I am told that will not give me any surround effects. And pretty much defeat one of the reasons for getting new ht gear.

I have a dvd/cd player, a vcr, a cable box, and am pre-outing my mains through two Aragon 2004's. Not complicated, I hope.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

DanS

 

[Yee-Ming]

DanS:
doesn't that all depend on how the VCR is hooked up? if you run all the sources (DVD, cable box) into the receiver, run the receiver's video output to the VCR and then to the TV, then yes, changing the selection at the receiver would affect what's being taped.

I think what you might want to do is to split your cable output into two, one goes straight into the receiver, the other into the VCR which is then separately run into the receiver as well. this way your VCR can record whatever is coming from the cable output, regardless of what the receiver is selected to and outputting to the TV directly.

 

[ChrisDixon]

What I do is this:
I connect all of my inputs to my receiver, and output form the receiver to the VCRs rear inputs (channel L1). I also run my basic cable connection and a second set of sattelite outputs directly to the VCRs front inputs (channel F1). That way, if I want to tape whatever is coming into my receiver, I tape channel L1. If I want to tape what is on the sattelite (regardless of what I am watching), I tape channel F1. To tape from basic cable, I just tune into the channel that I want to tape on the VCR (also regardless of what I am watching on the receiver). The other advantage of the front connection is that I don't have to leave my receiver on over-night to tape a show from my sattelite.
For what it's worth, I also split the basic cable into a second VCR input, so if I wanted to, I could watch one show and tape two other shows. I don't really watch enough TV shows to need this, but it's just good to know that I can.
Chris

 

[DanS]

Thanks guys
I'll try these options out.