2023 arrival of new Marantz Processor - AV 10

[JonFo]

Good news, the replacement AV processor from Marantz is being unveiled this week, but it looks like it will not ship until Q3 of 2023, but given the new price, maybe some need some time to save up for it.

Folks like me who are still running 2013-era processors like the AV8802A will be rewarded with a massive step up in features and performance. Note: I intend to go to the Trinnov platform, but this would be my fallback to replace the 8802.

Part of a new family of receivers, the Marantz AV 10 brings higher channel counts (15.4) and much more DSP horsepower, enough that they will be offering (optional) Dirac room correction support, in addition to the (included) Audyssey XT32, usable with the MultEQ-X software for Pro-level DRC.

Here are the (leaked) specs:

AV 10
15.4 Channel AV Pre Amplifier

Summary
- The most powerful and customizable system to create your ultimate Home Theater
- Latest A/V formats for pristine picture quality and the best immersive sound experience

• Powerful, immersive 3D soundscape
• Made with the installer in mind for ease of installation and management for the High End / Luxury consumer

Specs / New Feature Enhancements
- 15.4 channel processing with advanced bass management.
- 4 independent subwoofer connections
- 7/3 HDMI input/output, all inputs supporting 8K / 60Hz and 4K / 120Hz passthrough

• Modern, high-resolution TV Graphical User Interface for 4K/8K TVs
• Dolby Atmos, DTS:X Pro, IMAX Enhanced, Auro 3D
• Audyssey MultEQ XT32, Dirac Live upgradable
• Toroidal Power Transformer, 19 channel monolithic HDAM design
• Luxury industrial design
• Made in Shirakawa Audio Works, Japan
• Colorway

(SRP) US $7000 / CA $9000

There is a matching AMP 10 16-channel amplifier that delivers 200W @8 Ohms, and pairs of channels can be bridged for 400W @ 8 Ohms. Amps are class-D. (SRP) US $7000

 

[JonFo]

While I'm quite happy with Audyssey XT32 and what's possible using the MultEQ-X software, the option to run Dirac is a huge benefit of this new platform. I fully expect that the 'Spatial' DRC will be a major benefit for 7.4.4 (or higher speaker count) rigs.
Although this new multi-speaker co-optimization is still not fully baked, I expect that by the time the AV 10 ships, it should be ready.
Read more about this here: The Arrival of Spatial Room Correction Technology - Dirac

What it can do to smooth out time-domain resonances is very, very impressive.
Here (a) is a before waterfall, quite typical of a home audio room, pretty ragged below 1KHz
The b) image reflects excellent overall smoothing and reduction in low-end resonances. It would take physical room treatment to fix the rest.

 

[Mirolab]

$7000 for two knobs and a teensy weensey display?? I'm out!! I'll stick with my old Anthem D2V with lots of buttons.

 

[Robert D]

A 16 channel amp with 200 watts/channel is darn nice. That would power an entire Atmos system and avoid having multiple amps. I dont recall seeing an amp on the market with that many channels and that much power. I wonder if the class D would sound ok on conventional in wall speakers? Ive never used class D, other than whats in my sub woofers.

 

[JonFo]

$7000 for two knobs and a teensy weensey display?? I'm out!! I'll stick with my old Anthem D2V with lots of buttons.

LOL, but like all recent Marantz AVR/Preamps, you flip down the lower half of the panel, and there are buttons galore, as well as a big display and the front inputs.

 

[JonFo]

A 16 channel amp with 200 watts/channel is darn nice. That would power an entire Atmos system and avoid having multiple amps. I dont recall seeing an amp on the market with that many channels and that much power. I wonder if the class D would sound ok on conventional in wall speakers? Ive never used class D, other than whats in my sub woofers.

The market is there at the higher end, which is where Marantz is aiming with this new pair, for high-channel-count preamp and amps. The other 16-channel, high power (200wpc) amplifier is the Trinnov Amplitude 16. It is also a Class-D, but one with very, very high specs; it doubles the output from 8 to 4 Ohms. It requires two independent 15A AC circuits, though.

These work extremely well with most dynamic speakers, whether in-wall or not. What I do not know, is how they might deal with an ESL load. Probably OK with the newer line with powered low-ends, but might not like the Gen1 passive hybrids.

 

[Fidji99]

I think this is pitched directly against Emotiva, Monolith and maybe even Storm Audio.

16CH from Trinnov is based on Ice Power modules, actually nothing for me, I have gone with Purifi for screen Speakers and Ncore for rest.
But Dirac with DLBC will be a good proposition for Marantz users.

Re "digital connection" - is some DAC included in the amp? or was it rather meant to have DB25 connector to connect 8 channels with 1 cable?

 

[JonFo]

Re "digital connection" - is some DAC included in the amp? or was it rather meant to have DB25 connector to connect 8 channels with 1 cable?

Sorry, that was my wishful thinking getting in the way. When I read the leak, I thought (hoped?) that they would have something like a Dante or AES67 link (using Ethernet), but it seems not.
I've edited the first post to remove that.