Marantz has been on a product launch kick currently. The Marantz NR1501 is certainly among the list of least expensive items in their stable. Actually, apart from a few Blu- ray players and an integrated amp, it is the cheapest thing they sell. But “cheap” from Marantz doesn’t associate into reduced criteria. The NR1501 has 4 HDMI 1. 3 inputs and 1 output with analogue upconversion to HDMI. The unit showcases 50 watts into seven channels which is more than enough to drive the kinds of speakers that are likely to be paired with this sort of receiver. Component video inputs are aplenty(3 in/1 out) as are digital audio(3- 2 optical, 1 coaxial) and analogue audio(5) . While other lean form receivers may offer you just a few inputs assuming that you won’t need them(and to cut their costs) , Marantz is offering a full- fledged receiver.
When Marantz says that their receiver is slim, they are not joking. At just over 4 “tall and 13″ deep, it’ll fit practically anywhere. Along with the depth is really important here. It’d be convenient to make a receiver slim without(adversely) affecting the depth. The depth is where many people encountered issues as they normally forget to include the distance the connector and cables add when a receiver is actually in use.
There are many convenience boasts with the NR1501. You’ve got Marantz’ proprietary room calibration system which will identify your speakers and set levels and distances. While we expect the subwoofer distance to be off(it might not) , mostly levels and distance of the other speakers is quite near with these systems. This is a real help for the uninitiated that don’t have the skills, equipment, or desire to do this sort of basic setup manually. There’s a mini- jack(3. 5mm) on the front of the NR1501 for iPod/MP3 player playback. It isn’t as sophisticated as a USB port but it will get the job done. As you would anticipate, the whole set of current HD audio sources are supported including Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD.
The back panel is well laid out taking into account the amount of connections they had to place back there. The Center, Left, Right, and Surround speakers all get 5- way binding posts while the Surround Back speakers are relegated to the dreaded spring type.
If you are not satisfied, why not look into a hardy, understated look of a typical Denon. It has a vibration- resistant construction, built to help the effect of outside interference on sound quality. The Denon AVR1910 also includes shorter signal paths than previous models, and Denon goes to great lengths to emphasize the new high- current power supply, claimed to advertise a much cleaner sound. The Denon AVR1910 covers every critical highlight bases, with HD audio decoding, four HDMI inputs, multichannel inputs, and automated speaker set- up. And, while analogue video upconversion and upscaling are highlights found in the majority of amps available, the Denon also possesses HDMI- to- HDMI upscaling. This model uses Audyssey MultEQ to assist arrange your speakers, which allows the readings to be taken from up to six different seating positions. We found, however, that the Denon AVR1910 performed best with the Audyssey system turned off. We’d suggest you perform a manual set- up, or allow Audyssey to measure your speaker distances and levels and then turn the EQ off once the set- up procedure is complete. We’d also suggest allowing the amp’s Direct Audio mode for quality sound quality.
Comparing the highlights of competing AV receivers is already a difficult chore, but many manufacturers, such as Denon and Yamaha, invite more complexity by offering two lines of close to the same AV receivers: a custom- install- friendly line plus a more- consumer- based line. For better or worse, Onkyo has followed suit with the Onkyo HT-RC160, which is the consumer- friendly analogue to the TX- SR607. As much as we dislike the confusion created by the duplicated models, the HT- RC160 is a good deal. The differences between TX- SR607 and HT- RC160 are simple: no front panel HDMI input, no onboard Sirius support, and slightly less power. Otherwise, they are virtually similar and also the HT- RC160 is selling for about$ 100 less online. The Onkyo HT- RC160 isn’t the most popular midrange receiver, but taking value into account, it’s the next best choice.
