For DTB300

[Reverb2009]

It's interesting you mentioning about how your dealer didn't even know about the Marantz piece until you told him about it. Back when I got my Denon AVP my dealer also had not heard of it. So I was the very first to get an AVP from his store. Yes the Marantz is definitely a bargain for $2600. I think it's going to be an amazing piece.

Pretty cool how they learned so much from you. The Marantz pre/pro, Audiogon. Them offering you a job really goes to show just how impressed they were with your AV knowledge. That is just so wild, go in looking to buy a new pre/pro, and not only end up getting one heck of a deal on a screen but a job offer as well.

Again congrats bud!


Seth

How do you like the Denon AVP? Is the sound better then your Sunfire was?

I'm looking forward to the Marantz, I just hope it can meet or at best exceed that level of performance of my Anthem. One user review I read was a Lexicon MC-12 owner the upgraded to the Marantz and was just as happy with it's performance agents the Lexicon. They did say the build quality wasn't as nice as the MC-12 and the Marantz OSD/menus were very out dated by to days standards but over all they were still very happy with the AV8003.

 

[Reverb2009]

Joe,

I hope you get your Marantz AV-8003 soon. I am really close to ordering one for myself, but I want to hear what people think about the sound of it.

Let us know your impressions of it once you receive it.

Chuck

Not sure when I am getting my unit, I hope within a week or two. After I have played with it for at least a week I will post a mini review.

:music:

 

[STV]

How do you like the Denon AVP? Is the sound better then your Sunfire was?

I'm looking forward to the Marantz, I just hope it can meet or at best exceed that level of performance of my Anthem. One user review I read was a Lexicon MC-12 owner the upgraded to the Marantz and was just as happy with it's performance agents the Lexicon. They did say the build quality wasn't as nice as the MC-12 and the Marantz OSD/menus were very out dated by to days standards but over all they were still very happy with the AV8003.

I'm loving my AVP! It exceeded my expectations on pretty much every level. And what's cool is that "everything" works! The HDMI connections work right everytime, and I have not had a single handshake issue so far. TrueHD and DTS-HD MA are amazing! And the on board HQV Realta does an excellent job upconverting and processing. This preamp is over built to the max!

Music streaming through the AVP has me so spoiled. I never thought that streamed music would ever replace me listening to CD's, but with the exceptional sound quality that I'm getting with WAV and FLAC that is exactly what's happened. Now all I do is select whatever playlist I want and voila! hours of non stop audio bliss.

As for how the AVP compares to the Sunfire TGIII. Well sonically, they are both very comparable in most ways, as they both offer excellent sound quality on 2 channel and movie soundtracks. But whereas the Sunfire leaned a tad toward the warm side of things, the Denon is right in the middle, not adding any signature of its own. It's very neutral, so from what I've heard I find it to be more accurate than the Sunfire. Both the Sunfire and the Denon offer a wide and deep soundstage. But I have found the mid-range to have even more presence on the AVP, with fine details heard in songs that I had never heard when I was using the Sunfire. I also found the sound steering for two channel to be better on the AVP. I decided to hang on to my Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature amp, as I have found it to be a really good match with the Denon AVP.

The Sunfire was/is an amazing pre/pro that offered simplicity, easy setup, excellent sound quality, and cool looks. And its auto sensing feature is something I kinda miss. But the Sunfire cannot even touch the Denon's flexibility, connectivity, audio decoding, and video processing capabilities. It's leaps and bounds more advanced. With the Denon's myriad features and functions, comes a great deal of complexity, and getting everything setup and adjusted takes a while. But after all is said and done, the Denon definitely delivers the goods. And the more I use it the more everything is becoming second nature.

Here's hoping that the Marantz AV8003 meets your expectations. It looks to be a winner with everything that it can do. And knowing that some Lexicon MC12 owners have gone with the Marantz and are happy says a lot.

Looking forward to your review.



Seth

 

[Reverb2009]

I'm loving my AVP! It exceeded my expectations on pretty much every level. And what's cool is that "everything" works! The HDMI connections work right everytime, and I have not had a single handshake issue so far. TrueHD and DTS-HD MA are amazing! And the on board HQV Realta does an excellent job upconverting and processing. This preamp is over built to the max!

Music streaming through the AVP has me so spoiled. I never thought that streamed music would ever replace me listening to CD's, but with the exceptional sound quality that I'm getting with WAV and FLAC that is exactly what's happened. Now all I do is select whatever playlist I want and voila! hours of non stop audio bliss.

As for how the AVP compares to the Sunfire TGIII. Well sonically, they are both very comparable in most ways, as they both offer excellent sound quality on 2 channel and movie soundtracks. But whereas the Sunfire leaned a tad toward the warm side of things, the Denon is right in the middle, not adding any signature of its own. It's very neutral, so from what I've heard I find it to be more accurate than the Sunfire. Both the Sunfire and the Denon offer a wide and deep soundstage. But I have found the mid-range to have even more presence on the AVP, with fine details heard in songs that I had never heard when I was using the Sunfire. I also found the sound steering for two channel to be better on the AVP. I decided to hang on to my Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature amp, as I have found it to be a really good match with the Denon AVP.

The Sunfire was/is an amazing pre/pro that offered simplicity, easy setup, excellent sound quality, and cool looks. And its auto sensing feature is something I kinda miss. But the Sunfire cannot even touch the Denon's flexibility, connectivity, audio decoding, and video processing capabilities. It's leaps and bounds more advanced. With the Denon's myriad features and functions, comes a great deal of complexity, and getting everything setup and adjusted takes a while. But after all is said and done, the Denon definitely delivers the goods. And the more I use it the more everything is becoming second nature.

Here's hoping that the Marantz AV8003 meets your expectations. It looks to be a winner with everything that it can do. And knowing that some Lexicon MC12 owners have gone with the Marantz and are happy says a lot.

Looking forward to your review.



Seth

As long as your using components with HDMI 1.3, you shouldn't have any handshaking problems. The previous HDMI problems people were having were more or less due to manufacturers cutting corners on the HDMI spec. Some company's weren't adhering to the spec so some components were having handshaking issues. For HDMI 1.3 it is now required that every manufacturer adhere to the HDMI 1.3 spec so any component with the HDMI 1.3 spec and up shouldn't have a problem.

Glad to here you like your Denon, it sounds like they really hit a home run with the AVP. I asked about the Sunfire because I too had a Sunfire Theater Grand 5. It was a good preamp-amp till I got my Anthem which pretty much beat the snot out of it . I wish the Marantz was using the HQV chip it is an awesome scaling chip. The 8003 is using an Anchor Bay chip, the same company that owns DVDO so I have high hopes it can compete with the Denon scaling wise. Sense Denon owns Marants I am crossing my fingers the 8003 is very close to the Denon for allot less. Early reports are the Marants audio wise is better then the Integra so let the games begin. :rocker:

 

[STV]

As long as your using components with HDMI 1.3, you shouldn't have any handshaking problems. The previous HDMI problems people were having were more or less due to manufacturers cutting corners on the HDMI spec. Some company's weren't adhering to the spec so some components were having handshaking issues. For HDMI 1.3 it is now required that every manufacturer adhere to the HDMI 1.3 spec so any component with the HDMI 1.3 spec and up shouldn't have a problem.

Glad to here you like your Denon, it sounds like they really hit a home run with the AVP. I asked about the Sunfire because I too had a Sunfire Theater Grand 5. It was a good preamp-amp till I got my Anthem which pretty much beat the snot out of it . I wish the Marantz was using the HQV chip it is an awesome scaling chip. The 8003 is using an Anchor Bay chip, the same company that owns DVDO so I have high hopes it can compete with the Denon scaling wise. Sense Denon owns Marants I am crossing my fingers the 8003 is very close to the Denon for allot less. Early reports are the Marants audio wise is better then the Integra so let the games begin. :rocker:

You're right, now with HDMI 1.3, the handshake issues that have been around before are really not an issue anymore.

Yeah Denon really has a winner with this new preamp. I loved my Sunfire TGIII and I loved the way it sounds, but it was really getting outdated. I am super happy with my AVP, it sounds excellent, and offers everything that I've ever wanted and then some.

Once you get your Marantz, I'll be curious as to how their scaler works. As you said it is from the same company that makes the DVDO, so it should be first rate. Look forward to your impressions.


Seth