Marantz SR7400

[m000]

Im looking at this amp, but more on the issue of availability as retailers are 'selling' it but waiting for Marantz themselves to have stock.

So has anyone heard anything about it and anyone got any better lead times for it other than 3 weeks?

Looks good and as far as Im aware it will also be one of the first with DPL IIx

Any bones to chew ....?

[pwiles]

I have been told it is the first to market with PL IIx, if it is anything like the availability I had for my SR5300 last year 3 weeks is pretty good as long as the price is OK.

[Rainbow6]

Paul,
See you've got a 5300. Do you like it? Was it hard to set up? Am looking for an amp/receiver, and was thinking on this one, or the 7300 both at sale prices. Did you compare with any Yamaha's before buying? What do you use it to listen to: just DVD's or music too?
Cheers.
Jim

[pwiles]

I listen to both, music performance is a priority for me hence the mono-blocks (my 603's are difficult to drive and the 5300 could not cope as well as I would like for bass), the 5300 IMO does both very well, With respect to the Yamahas my last amp was a DSP A5, obviously their amps have moved on since then but the Marantz was a massive step up for music and movies (even before I bought the mono-blocks), even my wife commented on the difference. If it was up to me I would go for the 7300 they are a bargain now, I think RS had them for £400.

Setting up is a doodle on the Marantz, you assign what mode you want to what digital input or leave it as analogue, set speaker size, speaker distance, and gain (just do this by ear if you do not have a meter) and that is about it, it remembers which surround format you use for each input when you switch over.

[home_bas]

I find Source Direct mode using analogue inputs for CD gives a nicer sound than the standard stereo mode.

[Rainbow6]

Thanks for your reply. But I'm not sure what mono-blocks are. Music would also be a priority for me, but I'm on a budget, speaker wise (and size matters). I have been pointed towards the Mordaunt Short Premier/Plus package, which I've been told is hard to drive. Would the Marantz 5300 or the 7300 do ok? I've heard the 5300 hooked up to the original premiers, and thought it was ok but a bit weak and not as full as I'd like. I'm told that the 'Plus' version may help things here . . . And even that the Yamaha amp would help matters. I'm not sure why. I suppose I've been wondering if the 7300 with more power would help too, or if the issue is not power related at all . . .
Also I see the reviews in What HIFI on the KEF eggs, but don't know if the price difference would be worth it, between £500 for the Premier Plus pack, and £800 for the Eggs, or even another hundred more for the VM1's. I've been looking at these because size (smaller the better) matters for us in our lounge. - As do looks, and I'm not sure if my wife is that excited about the eggs or the VM1's. . .
Thanks for any thoughts.

[Rainbow6]

m000,
Where have you been looking, and what prices are you being quoted. Unbeatable seems to be a good price of about £480 or something. I've just emailed them to check availability, and whether or not they ensure that it's UK stock with full UK spec.
Anyone else know the answer to that one, regarding Unbeatable's stuff?
Thanks.

[RICKYJ]

I would be interested in any specs that anyone has on this receiver. As the best specs I have found are on the av-land websites, which incidentally wants £650 for the reciever making the unbeatable price of £480 a steal. Even the marantz website has no details

There is no mention of the pro logic IIx function on it, although I have seen the press release saying that it will be a receiver carrying this function BUT this was an US press release, so not sure that the UK model is going to have it straight away.

Lets just keep our fingers crossed there is not the high pitched problem, as with the 7300.

Any responses will be greatly received.

Thanks

Ricky

[clancol]

i have the sr5300 like piles and i also have the Large Mordaunt short 900 series speakers and the amp runs them easaly.
I can't see the 7300/400 strugel with the sat prem pack.

Dont even ask about mono blocks until you get the hang of the rest. Not worth considering for someone who is buying a new amp.

[m000]

Yep been looking at the unbeatable price - just not sure on the actual stock levels

[Rainbow6]

Here's what I heard back from Unbeatable today. Hope it helps anyone interested. What do you all think?

Dear Sir
Thank you for your email.
Delivery is approximately 10-14 days from the date of the order. We deliver direct from Marantz U.K. Delivery is £17.19 per unit to Belfast.
Regards
Nicki Howe
Customer Services @Unbeatable

[pwiles]

Originally posted by yumyum33
There is no mention of the pro logic IIx function on it, although I have seen the press release saying that it will be a receiver carrying this function BUT this was an US press release, so not sure that the UK model is going to have it straight away.

I was told in a conversation with someone from Marantz that the 7400 will have PL IIx, although it does not say so in the latest Marantz brochure, must be a late addition to the spec. I would make sure before you buy.

Originally posted by Rainbow6
Thanks for your reply. But I'm not sure what mono-blocks are.

A mono-block is a single channel power amplifier you need two of them to get stereo, mine are 125 Watts (each) into 8 ohms and THX ultra approved, I use them to Bi-Amplify my front speakers along with the SR5300 (5300 drives tweeters only, the 6100's drive the mid and bass one per speaker)


I am not familiar with the speakers you have mentioned, but IMO I would stay away from the small wall mounts if you are interested in music.

[m000]

So has anybody spoken to anyone at Marantz about the availability as I went into a local dealer and they didnt even have the SR4400 nevermind the SR7400.

Am curious as I would want either this or the denon 2803. Any opinions on that?

[m000]

My brother and my Girlfriend managed to ring Marantz today and as far as the person on the other end of the phone was concerned the SR7400 will not be available till December.

So if anyone else knows otherwise please let me know if not its the 2803 for me.

I found this pdf about the SR7400
http://www.marantz.com/pdfs/e_sr7400.pdf

Looks like the remote control will be better than the SR7300.

There are lots of pdfs here http://www.marantz.com/pdfs/

Hope this helps anyone.

[Rainbow6]

Thanks for that, Photo. I'm just trying to figure out, besides the remote, how the 7300 and 7400 are different? I couldn't find a spec sheet for the 7300 in that .pdf list (manual is there, and spec for 7300OSE is there, but not for the 7300). Can anyone help out here?
Cheers,
Jim
BTW - the 7300OSE looks like a real beastie. Anyone got that one, have any comments on it, or know where one might be purchased? I haven't seen them advertised on the sites.

[pwiles]

Originally posted by Rainbow6
I'm just trying to figure out, besides the remote, how the 7300 and 7400 are different? Jim
BTW - the 7300OSE looks like a real beastie. Anyone got that one, have any comments on it, or know where one might be purchased? I haven't seen them advertised on the sites.

I do not know if there was ever a 7300 OSE those PDF's are internal and put together before any release.

I am interested in the 7400 for its multi room ability but need to know what other benefits I might get over my 5300, I know about 7.1 and PL IIx.

If I got £200 for my SR5300 that is still another £270 or so for the SR7400, do not know if I can justify that, I could buy an amp and CD player for the second room for that.

[Rainbow6]

pwiles,
I see whatcha mean. I am interested in the 7400 for the same reason, though don't know much about PL IIx and whether I need it or not. My wife just got kinda excited when I talked about the multi room idea. If Yamaha does essentially the same thing with the A/B switch (minus being able to play different sources and volumes) that may be enough for less cash. I still need to audition them though, and decide which speakers to get. (Hmm - still a way to go).
Jim

[Starkiller]

I read the PL IIx will be avaiable as "patch" for the 7300 as well
so it looks like the RS232 update port is actually useful

Ill look forward to demo'ing this one next year(PJ comes first)

[pwiles]

The 7300 only has single centre rear out so 6.1 only on PLIIx but I guess you would be hard pushed to notice the difference most of the time.

[pwiles]

What is the best price people have seen for the SR7300?

[Rainbow6]

A while ago it was going for £399 at Superfi. Don't know if it still is, or if somewhere else is doing a better deal. Are you thinking of going for one?
Jim

[pwiles]

If it is possible to get a PLIIx patch then it may be worth considering, they are gold and will match my mono-blocks.

I want to upgrade to Processor Power amp but that will be a few years yet, In the meantime I would still like IIx even if it is mono centre rear with the 7300. I don’t know yet will have to see.

[RICKYJ]

I believe there is going to be an upgrade for the 7300, but not sure when and if it will cost.

What I do know is that there is 7.1 preouts on the 7300 reciever, which may mean that you should be able to connect an amp to the rear 2 channel preouts, so as giving 2 discrete channels instead of the one per the receiver. This will need confirming though, as I am not sure how the DPLIIx decoding will work on the 7300.

Finally, I phoned marantz today, and they confirmed that the 7400 will carry DPLIIx and is due to be released in December. They also said that there are already many orders for the unit, so an order should be placed very soon, if people wanted a pre xmas delivery. (not sure how many of those orders are to dealers for stock though).

Ricky

[pwiles]

The 7300 PLIIx will be a service job and as such will cost, not sure how much did not ask.