Marantz SR8015 AV receiver 11.2 Channel with HEOS Music Streaming

After the success of the Marantz SR8012 , a flagship of the 15th generation of integrated audiovisual electronics signed by Marantz, the Marantz SR8015 AV receiver is without doubt the best product of its kind currently available on the world market. It is not lacking in merits, of course, the first being a sound quality that splendidly enhances a host of functionalities that range from compatibility with 8K resolution video signals and the corresponding HDMI 2.1 connectivity to a processing electronics that allows handle no less than 13.2 channels of audio , while having enough power to deal with the impressive 3D audio encoding DTS: X Pro .

All this without neglecting spectacular connectivity , highly sophisticated technologies to take the gaming experience to a new dimension and, as befits a product with network connectivity, streaming functionality that combines extreme speed in access and management with the unmistakable musicality. Marantz. The result is an imposing product in every way that, despite being offered for a price that is not within the reach of all pockets, exhibits a sensational quality / price ratio within its category, as its benefits far exceed those of of many separate A / V pre-processor / processor and multi-channel power amp combinations. A superb machine sand no matter where you look.

Marantz SR8015 AV receiver key features

• Performance, power and connectivity to suit your audio preferences: Delivering a masterful 205W per channel so you experience your entertainment in remarkable detail.
• 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz** pass-through support for every entertainment need: With the latest technology in HDMI support, enjoy 8K quality video from your 8K source devices or with 8K upscaling from Full HD or 4K sources.
• Featuring the most advanced three-dimensional audio formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization Technology, DTS:X and DTS Virtual: X, IMAX Enhanced and Auro-3D processing are all supported to allow you to listen to all of your favourite audio styles.
• DTS:X® Pro support: DTS:X Pro is capable of processing up to 13 channels, wowing listeners with the most cutting edge DTS technology (available in a future firmware update).
• Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) HDMI support: Through the main HDMI output, connect your TV with eARC HDMI support to allow uncompressed and object-based audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X directly from a smart TV app to your AV amplifier.
• The greatest technology for home cinema: Support for the latest HDR formats including HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision, 4:4:4 colour resolution and BT.2020, as well as Dynamic HDR provides exceptional picture quality for brightness, clarity and contrast.
• Advanced gaming specifications: With 4K/120Hz** pass-through, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Quick Frame Transport (QFT), experience gaming thrills with amazing imaging and reduced lag.
• High-resolution streaming for audiophile approved sound: Play back ALAC, FLAC and WAV lossless files up to 24-bit/192-kHz as well as DSD 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz tracks, and enjoy your music exactly as the artist intended.
• Exclusive components elevate the Marantz sonic signature: Marantz proprietary HDAM circuit boards, Current Feedback circuitry, AKM AK4458 32-bit D/A converters, and Hybrid PLL Clock Jitter Reducer produce more detailed, dynamic sound.
• Almost unlimited music sources: Stream from music services like Spotify Free and Premium, Amazon Music HD, Tidal and more, or stream directly from smart devices via AirPlay 2 or Bluetooth
• Features HEOS Built-in and the free HEOS App: Your key to digital music streaming, multi-room audio and voice control throughout your entire home.
• Supports all your favorite voice assistants:

DTS: X Pro… true that “less is more”, although not in multichannel audio

We have said on countless occasions that well-understood minimalism is a “plus” in both audio and video components. But this “less is more” how well it fits with traditional stereophonic Hi-Fi should be nuanced when we jump into the universe of multichannel sound and Home Cinema , because since technology allows having a movie theater at home in the literal sense of the term, the multiplication of the number of loudspeakers enters fully into the equation. “Smart” multiplication, of course, and therefore in line with audio coding standards defined by content creators and applied in the most advanced commercial rooms, a philosophy whose maximum expression can be found in the new formats of surround sound based on objects, multidimensional or 3D, to which a powerful variant of the DTS has just been incorporated: X that goes by the name of DTS: X Pro .

With the capacity to support up to 32 speakers , the DTS: X Pro takes audio immersion to another level, thanks to DTS Neural: X technology (a spatial remapping scheme) combined with an advanced object renderer that provides Crystal clear sound with astonishing precision whether playing movies, music or video games. An important feature of the DTS: X Pro is that it was conceived with flexibility in mind, thus allowing it to work with a wide variety of configurations.for Home Theater regardless of the restrictions that the design of the same may impose. It is also compatible with other speaker configurations for 3D sound , making it one of the most flexible technologies around when it comes to playing multiple audio formats. On the other hand, as DTS is the exclusive audio technology partner for the IMAX Enhanced system , DTS: X Pro encoding ensures an audiovisual experience with unprecedented levels of realism .

The perfect machine for want it all with guarantees

A magnificent embodiment of the “whole greater than the sum of the parts” that distinguishes any truly well-designed and executed package , the SR8015 is a spectacular electronics with connectivity to networks via HEOS Built-in. It is equipped with separate power amplification circuitry for each of its 11 channels, allowing it to deliver 140 continuous watts per channel over 8 ohms with two channels driven, more than enough to authoritatively power a very wide range of power setups. acoustic boxes.

As befits a very high level electronics signed by a brand so linked to sonic excellence such as Marantz, the SR8015’s audio section includes a generous endowment of active and passive components selected for their sonic virtues (case of the D / A converter with 32-bit technology AK4458 from the Japanese AKM used in each channel), to which are added other exclusive ones from the Japanese firm, in the case of the iconic Hyperdynamic Amplifier Modules (HDAM). Add to that the presence of such effective refinements as Hybrid PLL jitter reduction technology , the result is a product with an audiophile soul that the vast majority of its competitors lack.

8K video section and cutting-edge technology for the enjoyment of video games

As corresponds to a state-of-the-art audiovisual electronics, the SR8015 incorporates a video circuitry compatible with 8K video signals, for which it includes HDMI 2.3 connectivity and what this entails in such critical parameters as image resolution, motion (frame rate) and color depth (12 bit). Likewise, it goes without saying that compatibility with the HDR ecosystem is at the highest level, HDR10 +, Dolby Vision and Dynamic HDR versions included.

Another novelty of the SR8015 that impresses is the palette of technological tricks designed to optimize the “gaming” experience that includes, from the spectacular routing of 4K signals of 120 frames per second to functions such as the Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), the Mode of Automatic Low Latency ( ALLM) and Rapid Frame Transport (QFT), both designed to guarantee perfect fluidity even for the most aggressive movements.

State-of-the-art 3D audio compatibility, DTS: X Pro included

As far as multi-channel and multi-dimensional surround sound is concerned , the SR8015 is, as befits a state-of-the-art audiovisual reference electronics, fabulously endowed, as certified by its IMAX Enhanced approval , compatibility with Auro-3D multi – dimensional surround sound decoding – Amen with the already “classic” Dolby Atmos and DTS: X- and the presence of the advanced algorithm of “generation” of 3D audio from standard multi-channel recordings Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization Technology.

On the other hand, the 13.2-channel processing capacity of the Marantz allows it to be prepared to reproduce 3D audio recordings encoded in the new DTS: X Pro after loading a firmware upgrade whose availability will be duly announced.

HEOS Built-in – the gateway to the Internet and multi-room audio without cables

When it comes to streaming audio in high resolution, it is guaranteed by the consolidated HEOS Built-in technology , which combines great robustness with exceptional flexibility of use thanks to the power of its dedicated app, allowing the SR8015 to become the de facto control center of a high-flight multi-room audio system made up of compatible components.

Finally, the Marantz should also highlight the always attractive possibility of voice control and the presence of another technology whose status as a “classic” of the brand does not prevent it from continuing to offer more than remarkable features: the Audyssey automatic calibration system It incorporates MultEQ XT32 , whose precision guarantees a fast and precise integration of each equipment in the room that houses it thanks to the combined power of Audysse algorithms and the SR8015 DSP “chips” .

A dazzling machine with genuinely “Hi-Fi” musicality

We tested the SR8015 in the company of a Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray Disc player and 7.2.4 speaker system, with the seven traditional surround sound channels reproduced by a set of speakers from the Sonus Faber Lumina range.

Listening to the SR8015 does not leave you indifferent from the first moment as a consequence of the sense of balance with which the Marantz treats even the most “aggressive” soundtracks with 3D content, a quality that has as a direct result the practically total absence of listening fatigue , absolutely welcome in a device designed to be used for long hours. In the field of video, the technological power of the Marantz SR8015 AV receiver is evident when viewing HDR content, which with the “plus” provided by the sophisticated dynamic enhancement technology of the Sony VPL-VW590ES exhibits an almost three-dimensional realism . Excellent, for its sound quality and the robustness of the connection, streaming audio with and without cables, and fabulous configuration and use versatility courtesy of the tandem of the MultEQ XT32 calibration system and the HEOS App.

Marantz SR8015 AV receiver – Conclusion

Marantz keeps a close eye on the level of supplying the very latest features. The amplified channels can be used flexibly, the number of supported formats is phenomenal, all conceivable connections are available. Audio remains Marantz and is therefore top notch. Highlights are the excellent speaker calibration system, the simplicity of the installation and the audio quality. If you are looking for a new surround amplifier that can handle the very latest gadgets, the SR8015 is the right choice.

Positives of Marantz SR8015 AV receiver