Customer Reviews

Marantz MM8003 Power Amplifier

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pros:
Great appearance, clear and easy understand on the connections, 2 big 100K capacitors, copper plated chassis and all the screw, use high end design technology (just technology not actual components don't get confuse).

Cons:
140W x 2 @8ohmz into 2 channels NOT 8 channel so in 7 channels driven at the same time don't expect true 140W RMS (It would sound like 80WPC when driven simultaneously all 7 channels). The front 2 side plates I swear it's plastic but according to Marantz the material is aluminum coated with crystal this may not bother for others but to me $2,400 amp make it feel & look cheap as this amp is a high end in Marantz line up. Unbalance preamp input are not gold plated only XLR balance input and speaker terminal are gold plated. Marantz proudly and sing about their massive toroidal power supply, but to me it considerablely small when compared it with my old retired Harman Kardon AVR 7300 RECIEVER that's right RECIVER not AMP which HK never consider their toroidal power suplly is massive. According to Marantz each channel deliver 140wpc RMS X 8 channels and this is suppose to be high current amplifier I would definitely drop 2 toroidal PS even though to some not all 8 will required the power at all time when in 7.1 movie mode, but in stereo the juice will be there ready when needed to deliver the true high current 140wpc to all hungry speakers.

Sound:
My old HK AVR7300 is now RIP so I decided to move on with an Onkyo 808 reciever as HK SURROUND technology is still far behind from other company. Onkyo 808 rated per channel 135wpc RMS, it does not seem to produce to spec so I went ahead and give Marantz MM8003 a try, why didn't I go with Onkyo 9 channels amp? because I lost confident on their TX-NR808 wpc rating. During Marantz amp test I really didn't hear any difference when playing in 6 channel stereo mode, as far as clear or louder comparing to my current Onkyo receiver tx-nr808 rating 135wpc which is only 5wpc different, bear in mind that I'm comparing high end Marantz pure amplifier to a mid entry receiver using a standard transformer. Marantz MM8003 amp seem under power in term of their claim 140WPC RMS, while comparing it to my old HK AVR 7300 reciever rated only 110 X 7 as the output to each speaker giving much stronger punch and clearer sound at much lower volume setting without distortion (HK is great for stereo music listener but horrible in surround decode processing) so if movie is your priority this is it but if you're a music lover look away.

Conclusion:
I'm not bashing Marantz products pretty sure their products are the best but this review conclude amplifier actually output, feel and see at giving test. At the end of the day I think the price set are way over for what the amp can produces and worth, if anyone going to drop $2,400 I would recommend to purchased a reciever and for the money ($2,400) which you most likely landed in higher mid or higher end receiver would do just similar job of this amp beside you will save on the preamp and get yourself a SACD player or BLU-RAY plus a few quality cables.

***update: I called Marantz tech support and were told that unbalance conection will have lower voltage rating than balance so with balance it will have higher gain. I don't have preamplifier to test this scenario out yet but will find out.

My last peace of equipment was the top of the line receiver from Yamaha. So I will compare it with that. I can't compare it with Krell, Mcintosh, etc. because I have never heard them. For me This was a great jump. Im using it in 5.1 with bi-amplification in front speakers. This option for me is the best. For movies I always use the 7.1 input of the preamplifier and for me this is a monster of unit. Delivers sounds in 3D. You can almost fell every person or sound in an specific room location. When used with music, I never knew my speakers sounded so great in Stereo Mode. Now I understand why hi-end users talk about 3D sound. And what a sound!!!.