Marantz AV7005 Networking A/V Processor Review

by Frans van Hofwegen — last modified December 03, 2010

Contributors: Gene DellaSala

Summary

Product Name: AV7005 Networking A/V processor
Manufacturer: Marantz
Performance Rating:
Value Rating:
Review Date: December 03, 2010 09:04
MSRP: $ 1500

Specifications

7.2 channel balanced pre out
11.2 channel unbalanced pre out
Phono input
6 HDMI In (one located on front panel) / 2 HDMI Out (one with Audio Return Channel), Version 1.4a, Deep Color, Auto Lipsync and HDMI-control function
Anchor Bay 10-bit (ABT2015) video processing
Zone 2 and Zone 3
Audyssey MultiEQ XT Speaker calibration and Room acoustic corrections
Audyssey Dynamic EQ / Dynamic Volume
DLNA 1.5 certification and Windows 7 compliant
Internet Radio Connectivity (Last.fm, vTuner, Flickr, Napster on European models, Pandora is included on US models)
Signal to Noise Ratio: 105 dB (IHF–A weighted, DIRECT mode)
Rated output: Unbalanced pre-output: 1.2 V, Balanced pre-output: 2.4 V
Distortion: 0.005 % (20 Hz ~ 20 kHz) (DIRECT mode)
Size: 17.3” (W) x 7.36” (H) x 15.55” (D)
Weight: 22.5lbs
Warranty: 3 years

Pros

Great channel separation
7.2 balanced output
MM Phono input
Packs a billion features: a true feature creature!

Cons

Cumbersome remote
No S-Video ins / outs
No Audyssey XT32

Introduction

Marantz has released a solid feature packed product with their new AV7005 Networking A/V Processor. It doesn’t quite go the extra mile in terms of features but its audio and video performance are top notch. The AV7005 really delivers; I just couldn’t fault its sonic performance. Channel separation abilities are much better from what I’ve heard with the Marantz SR6003 A/V receiver which was not quite in the same league. The Anchor Bay video-processing chip offers excellent upscaling performance, while High Definition performance is equally impressive. Marantz’s approach to hide the main display behind a front plate gives the unit a clean look. It can be matched with the new MM7055 or MM7025 multichannel amplifiers that also come with their new “port view” design. Highly recommended to the discriminating Audioholic wanting a high performance separates solution at a reasonable price.

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Monica1233 posts on March 28, 2012 02:18

I should probably clarify that part of his review. You get a boost of 6dB at the pre/pro but the matching amp balanced inputs are usually 6dB lower to compensate. Thus the net gain is unchanged if the pre/pro balanced output is 6dB hot and the matching balanced amp is 6dB lower than unbalanced.

GranteedEV posts on March 27, 2012 15:41

morganovich;874835
this has a dead flat soundstage,

How does a preamplifier have a soundstage?

ZERO voice localization,

...what?

and really weak surround features.

...so? I don't really care if it can't matrix 25.4 or whatever onkyo is at these days.

the video scaler is unimpressive as well.

It's an audio product. If I wanted video upscaling I would get my BDP, TV, or even an outbound HDMI based video unit to handle those things.

even in 2 speak mode, disks that generally image like crazy are flat and fake sounding.

How so?

to make kef reference speakers and a bel canto amp sound bad takes some real doing, but the marantz managed it and was even worse with my vandersteins, which are some of the warmest, best imaging speakers i've heard. it turned them into muddy, flat goop.

Sounds like you had a defective unit or as someone suggested, miswired connections.

davidtwotrees posts on March 27, 2012 15:30

AcuDefTechGuy;874851
.......... I don't believe it. It measures just like any pre-pro or AVR, and it should sound like any pre-pro or AVR, especially in direct/pure direct mode.

That is really really a hard concept for a huge portion of this hobby to grasp.

0s and 1s are 0s and 1s. Amps are amps. Wires are wires. Get over it and move on.

See the speakers, be the speakers, hear the speakers.

cpp posts on March 26, 2012 19:22

I had one and it worked flawlessly. Sounds like you might have had something within defective.

jcl posts on March 26, 2012 19:14

Sounds like the polarity to one his mains is wrong, but I think audyssey would have caught that.