Marantz 13.4CH AV 20 Pre/Pro and 12CH AMP 20 Power Amplifier Review!

The ink has only just begun to dry on the deal that sees Marantz and the other Sound United companies change hands from Masimo to Harman, but the wheels of AV progress continue to turn. Now Marantz is introducing the latest additions to its portfolio of reference-quality home theater components: the AV 20 preamp/processor and AMP 20 multi-channel power amplifier ($6,000 each). These new components bridge the gap between the $4,500 CINEMA 30 AVR, Marantz’s top AV receiver, and the company’s flagship AV 10 and AMP 10 separates ($7K each). The CINEMA 30 can power an 11.4-channel system, while the AV 10 and AMP 10 separates can handle a 15.4-channel system. Slotting nicely between the two, the new AV 20 home theater preamp delivers 13.4 channels of processing, and the AMP 20 — somewhat curiously — offers 12 channels of powerful Class D amplification. What can you do about the missing amplified channel? Let's discuss.

Pricing Note: As of the time of writing, the flagship AV 10 and AMP 10 sell for $7K each. These prices are expected to rise in June of 2025 as a result of the Trump administration’s tariffs, but we don’t yet know what the adjusted prices will be. The $6K/each launch prices of the AV 20 and AMP 20 already take into account the tariffs, so those prices should not be affected by the June price increases. 

The AV 20 preamp processor effectively replaces the aging Marantz AV8805A processor ($5,500), bringing more 8K inputs, a much-improved graphic user interface, and more powerful DSP processing, which enables Dirac Live compatibility. The new model has a “bigger brain,” according to Sound United’s Global Director of Training, Phil Jones. (More on the AV 20’s Dirac capabilities in a moment.)

Both the AV 20 and AMP 20 are proudly designed and manufactured at the Shirakawa Audio Works facility in Japan. All aspects of their performance have been “carefully honed by the Marantz Sound Master to ensure the best possible sound quality with all source components and in all audio modes,” according to Marantz. Both units sport the latest generation of Marantz’s iconic porthole display combined with the elegant industrial design language that we’ve enjoyed in virtually all of the company’s new designs since 2020. The AV 20 and AMP 20 may not be the top dogs in Marantz’s home theater lineup, but you wouldn’t know it by examining their multi-layer chassis designs, which are built to very high standards and feature an extensive use of copper. Their clean aesthetic design includes selectable side illumination on their fascia plates, copper screws, and high-quality feet. The backlit aluminum remote control continues the theme of quality and attention to detail.

Marantz AV 20 Features, Including Dirac ART!

Under the hood, the AV 20 deploys the latest and most powerful Analog Devices SHARC dual-core DSP chipset, coupled to state-of-the-art 32-bit two-channel DACs with dedicated jitter reduction. (Marantz has not yet shared which DAC chips are utilized, but both the AV 10 and the Cinema 30 use ESS Sabre DACs.) The powerful DSP provides plenty of number-crunching capability, enabling the AV 20 to accurately decode and process a wide variety of incoming audio signals, including Dolby Atmos, IMAX Enhanced, DTS:X Pro, and AURO-3D. Audyssey MultEQ XT32 advanced room optimization is included, along with an Audyssey microphone. Those wishing to use Dirac instead must pay for Dirac Live licenses separately, but I expect many AV 20 users will cough up the cash for Dirac Live Room Correction plus Dirac Live Bass Control. Together, these solutions deliver fully optimized low-frequency integration for up to four independent subwoofers, resulting in extremely coherent bass response. This can be difficult to achieve using other tools, especially in challenging room environments.

Fans of Dirac will no doubt be excited to learn that the AV 20 will also offer the latest and most powerful of Dirac’s extensive room-optimization technologies: Dirac Live Active Room Treatment. This is a first for Marantz (though we expect Dirac Live ART to arrive on the AV 10 as well), and it makes the AV 20 one of the first products from any manufacturer outside of StormAudio to promise this extremely desirable feature. Dirac Live ART is designed to give the most cohesive and tonally consistent listening experience of any available room optimization technology by using all of the bass capable speakers in a system to cancel out lingering bass, leading to unprecedented clarity. ART leverages Dirac’s unique MIMO mixed-phase correction to make the speakers in a room work together as a unified system, and it uses each speaker’s strengths to cancel out unwanted effects. (See our article Dirac Live Active Room Treatment: One Giant Leap for Room EQ.) The Dirac Live ART upgrade will be supported via a future firmware update coming later this year. Dirac requires the use of a separate microphone, such as the $124 miniDSP UMIK-1.

The AV 20 features seven HDMI inputs, all of which support up to 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz video, along with advanced gaming features like AMD FreeSync. The brand-new high-resolution user interface makes setup and customization seamless, according to Marantz. Of course, the back panel also sports multiple analog and digital inputs, coupled to an extensive range of custom-installation-optimized features. On the audio side of things, the AV 20 boasts Marantz’s discrete HDAM SA-3 preamplifier stage. The purpose of HDAMs (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Modules) is to reduce background noise and drastically improve the speed at which signals are amplified, compared to the op-amps used by much of the competition. The result is an overall sound that is reportedly “richer and more dynamic.” The discrete HDAM SA-3 preamplifier stage feeds up to 13.4 channels via a full suite of RCA and XLR outputs on the jam-packed back panel. The AV 20’s 2-layer chassis is not as deep as the chassis of the flagship AV 10, making the AV 20 easier to fit in your AV rack or furniture. That said, the AV 10’s 3-layer chassis is even more robust, measuring 3.6mm thick versus an already-impressive 2.4mm on the AV 20. As you would expect, the AV 20 features the latest version of the HEOS multi-room platform, which includes Roon Ready certification and a host of other connectivity options, such as Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, and Apple AirPlay 2.

Marantz AMP 20: Clean, Low-Distortion Power

Chief Audioholic Gene DellaSala was impressed by the performance of the Marantz AMP 10, praising both its bench test results and its subjective sound quality. According to Marantz, the amp modules and HDAM boards in the AMP 20 are identical to those in the AMP 10, though the internal layouts are slightly different, owing to the different channel counts and chassis dimensions. Both the AMP 10 and AMP 20 utilize the same 1,500-watt Marantz proprietary SMPS power supply.

We expect to see and hear very similar performance from this new amp, which is a very good thing indeed. Marantz tells us that the AMP 20 is prodigiously powerful and versatile enough to meet multiple different system configurations. We were somewhat puzzled by the fact that the AMP 20’s 12 channels of power are not enough to amplify all 13 channels of processing available on the AV 20. According to Phil Jones, the decision was governed by the fact that the amp modules are stereo, so the unit would have to offer either 12 or 14 channels. Moving up to 14 would require a larger chassis and a jump in price, and many popular system configurations (such as 7.1.4) are provided for with a 12-channel amp. Those requiring more channels can opt for the 16-channel AMP 10.

The new AV 20 and AMP 20 are the next stage in Marantz’s continuing evolution in the high-performance audio category. They represent all that is best about the brand’s premium design, engineering excellence, and attention to detail, and they also usefully expand the breadth and versatility of our offering in home theater.

— Giles Pocock, Vice-President Brand Marketing

Marantz AMP 10 Bench Test Results (AMP 20 used identical amplifier modules and power supply)

Marantz Amp 10 Power Measurement Table

The AMP 20 is configured as a cool-running 12-channel power amplifier with 200 watts per channel (8 ohms, 1kHz, THD 0.05 % with two channels driven), which is sufficient to drive multiple different speaker configurations and speaker layouts with ease, according to Marantz. The specs indicate that the AMP 20 still delivers its promised 200 watts per channel (into 8 ohms) with 7 channels driven and this was confirmed by our AMP 10 bench test results. It also provides the option of reconfiguring pairs of 200W amp channels into bridged-tied-load (BTL) outputs, delivering 400W into 8 ohms, with up to a maximum of 6 channels. Alternatively, users can opt to bi-amp up to 6 speakers using the AMP 20’s 12 channels of power.

Audioholics Proposed Solution to 13CHs of Amplification

When we received the press release material for the AMP 20, our first thought was: How will consumers power 13 speakers when utilizing the full capabilities of the AV 20 if it only has 12 channels of amplification? The solution? Buy an AMP 10! That’s right—buy the 16-channel AMP 10 instead, and bridge the front three LCRs to gain 3 dB of headroom while supporting all 13 channels in your system.

If you're only using 11 speakers in your setup (i.e., 7.4.4), stick with the AMP 20 and bridge the center channel for an additional 3 dB of headroom, ensuring you’re not "wasting" unused amplifiers.

The new Marantz AV 20 and AMP 20 are available to pre-order as of today at Marantz.com and from selected retailers, though exact shipping dates are still TBA. Keep an eye out for Shane Lee’s video review of the Marantz AV 20 and AMP 20, coming soon.

More information: Marantz

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.