Marantz is adding a series of brand-new receivers to its home cinema collection with "a range of ground-breaking advancements in sound quality and feature sets".
That consists of the Cinema 50 Series 2, Cinema 60 Series 2, Cinema 60 DAB Series 2 and Cinema 70s Series 2. The brand claims these models “introduce meaningful advancements in sound quality, connectivity, gaming compatibility and installation flexibility”.
Inside each model is a 32-bit, eight-channel DAC which, according to Marantz, delivers dedicated simultaneous high-resolution conversion across every channel.
The flagship Cinema 50 Series 2 has nine channels of amplification, and 11.4 channels of processing.
It also offers a Dolby Atmos Channel Expander feature, which uses all available speakers when playing channel-based Atmos content. If you struggle to hear dialogue clearly, the Cinema 50’s Centre Bi-Amp Mode offers a solution – you can add a compatible centre speaker alongside the standard front left and right speakers.
Marantz says the Cinema 60 DAB Series 2 and the Cinema 60 Series 2 “bring many of the platform’s latest innovations [...] to a wider audience" and, for those short on space, the Cinema 70s Series 2 offers a slimline design.
All three offer seven channels of amplification, but the Cinema 60 models deliver 100W of power per channel, whereas the Cinema 70s is limited to 50W.
You can choose to include Dirac Live Room Correction, though it will cost extra with all models except the flagship. The company says that gives the receivers “tighter bass” and a “significantly larger sweet spot”.
Marantz's HEOS multi-room streaming platform is also on offer, as well as Bluetooth. A future firmware update is on the cards to add low-latency Bluetooth LE Audio to “dramatically reduce wireless listening delay with compatible headphones and mobile devices”, according to the company.
There’s good news for gamers too. All the new models support 1440p video passthrough as well as AMD FreeSync compatibility, which should result in tear-free visuals and smooth gameplay when paired with a PC or gaming console. HDMI 2.1 support is also available, although there’s no word on the number of ports. The older Cinema 50 model sports six HDMI inputs and three HDMI outputs, so we’re hopeful the fresh flagship receiver will follow in its footsteps.
The majority of the models will be available in August, while the Cinema 70 Series 2 comes out in September. It's worth noting that the Cinema 60 Series 2 is available only in the US and Australia for $2000 / AU$2500, but the Cinema 60 DAB Series 2 is only on the cards for UK buyers at £1250.
The cheapest of the bunch is the Cinema 70s Series 2, coming in at £950 / $1500 / AU$1800.
Finally, the flagship receiver launches at £1850 / $3000 / AU$3500, pitting it against the five-star Arcam AVR5 which holds the crown as the top mid-range model in our best AV receivers guide. It will be tough to beat its agile and rhythmic sound, but Marantz's strong history and promising specifications could spell trouble for the current champion.
MORE:
These are the best AV receivers
Check out our review of the Marantz Cinema 30
And here are the best floorstanding speakers
