AV Receivers - Marantz
An AV Receiver sits at the heart of your home cinema set-up and connects your 5.1 or 7.1 channel speaker system, screen, Blu Ray Player, DVD Player, Freeview or Satbox etc, controlling the audio and video settings. We sell a cherry picked range of models that offer the best home cinema experience. Call us for a package deal with speakers and cables!
Surround Sound Speaker Systems enable you to enjoy the intense and immersive sound and atmosphere of the cinema in the comfort of your living room. A typical hi-fi amplifier is only suitable for use with a pair (or maybe two) of speakers. Home Cinema Surround Sound Systems typically feature five or more speakers, and so require a special amplifier able to simultaneously power and provide signal to multiple channels. These are known as AV Receivers.
Marantz is a leading hi-fi separates and home cinema audio brand and was founded by Saul Marantz over 70 years ago. Their current range includes both fantastic value budget and high end hi-fi separates as well as home cinema amps and receivers.
Their first product was designed and built by Saul Marantz in New York in 1953. During the 1980s and 1990s - while owned by Philips, Marantz released some very well reviewed CD players including later in the 1990s the iconic CD63 range.
During the 1990s, Marantz also moved into higher end hi-fi separates. Several models were also developed with Ken Ishiwata - who later became the long standing brand ambassador, and some 'KI Signature' models were released that had been tweaked and improved, as well as the legendary PM-KI Ruby. Its true to say much of their experience in this period has carried through into the aspirational models available today.
In 2001 Marantz Japan acquired the brand, which later merged with Denon into D&M Holdings which was bought by Sound United, itself now part of Masimo. Marantz has always managed to cater to both the great value and high end parts of the market, allowing new hi-fi enthusiasts to own the brand, with somewhere for these same customers - and owners of other brand hi-fi separates, to upgrade to in future.
Marantz also introduced SACD players into their range and in 2002 they introduced the SC-7S1 pre amplifier and MA-9S1 power amplifier, with the now familiar M1 design with a porthole and blue star. More recently at the top end of the range, Marantz released the PM10 amplifier and SA10 SACD player, a new standard for their high end range.
Marantz has remained true to CD and as many still enjoy playing CDs, most of the current amplifiers feature a matching purist CD player model - although of course most amps also feature support for streaming and/or onboard phono stages for turntable use if you prefer vinyl.
Standing at the centre of your Audio Visual and home entertainment system, an AV Receiver offers a wide range of inputs, allowing you to have all of your devices connected at any one time. Just like an integrated amplifier, an AV Receiver features a pre amp and power amp in one unit meaning you simply need to connect your speakers and a source (TV, CD player, Blu Ray player, DVD player etc.). It is possible to switch between your sources without having to unplug anything, and experience full surround sound for all your media.
Many modern AV Receivers include modern features and connectivity options, such as networking capabilities, Bluetooth and wireless. AirPlay technology is featured on many models, and allows you to play music from a device or smartphone wirelessly directly to your AV Receiver. Similarly, Bluetooth enables a secure and high quality wireless connection from any Bluetooth-enabled device. Many models feature networking, letting you connect your receiver to your home network and enjoy streaming services such as Spotify and Napster.
Modern AV Receivers feature a range of impressive features and components, making them a much more viable proposition for hi-fi use and standard stereo playback. Some models feature a high quality internal DAC, allowing for the connection of digital sources for greater audio quality and fidelity. Some models also include a set up microphone, enabling you to optimise your speaker positioning and ensure that you create a fully immersive surround sound experience.
All AV Receivers will allow you to use at least five speakers and a subwoofer, known as 5.1 surround sound. This configuration consists of two speakers at the rear, two at the front and one in the middle as well as a dedicated subwoofer to provide bass and depth to your favourite movies. Many customers choose to create an even more immersive system by adding speakers or even an additional subwoofer in configurations such as 7.1, 7.2, 9.1 or 9.2. If you wish to use a non-standard speaker configuration such as this, many AV Receivers offer this feature, but it is important to check that yours does if you wish to add additional speakers.
