Andy - How did the upgrade progress, also have the RN602 and thinking possible upgrade at the moment...
Funny you should ask that question, as I've had a PM7000N on demo at home since yesterday.
I am impressed. It certainly is an upgrade over the Yamaha. I wanted and was hoping for more defined bass, better dynamics, more detail and a wider soundstage (all the HiFi cliches,
). That is exactly what I'm hearing. I always thought the RN602 was quite good, but lacking something. This amp sounds clearer, the bass is more pronounced, but not overpowering or boomy. I am hearing more details in the music (I mostly listen to Prog Rock, but also Internet radio and my TV is routed through the optical in). The soundstage has certainly opened up, it just sounds "more stereo".
A couple of slightly negative points. I prefer the Yamaha MusicCast app over the HEOS app. HEOS isn't bad, and so far its been 100% stable (unlike the related app I used to use on a Denon Piccolo, that was almost useless). The app seems just a little less responsive than MusicCast on my Moto G7, and the navigation around the app is a bit fiddly. Having said that, I`ve not properly investigated if I'm using it correctly, there may be a few shortcuts I haven't found yet. Also, the shop have given the remote control for a PM6006, so some of remote functions can't be tested (Display Dimming etc).
I was considering pairing an external streamer (Allo DigiOne Signature) with something like an Audiolab 6000A. I demo'd both the PM7000N and a Bluesound Node 2i feeding a 6000A hooked up to QA 3020is. I was a bit disappointed with the 6000A (tried both the analogue and digital outputs from the Node), so I walked away with the Marantz.
So having lived with it for a few hours, I can say that it is better than the Yamaha (as expected). Is it worth spending £999 for that improvement ? I think so, and I think I'll be keeping it. What will probably convince me is when I hook the Yamaha back up in a few hours, I'm expecting to really notice how much better the PM7000N is.
This hobby can drive you nuts, as there's always the thought "could I do better for the money ?", and that's exactly what's in the back of my mind at the moment. However, it's impossible to try every different combination of kit. What I do know is that the PM7000N connected to QA Concept 20s sounds good to my ears.
Update : The Yamaha is back in place. It didn't sound that much different at first, but I soon noticed that the bass was lacking some of the clarity and power that the Marantz delivers. Also there's a noticeable narrowing of the soundstage. So the extra ~£650 is delivering noticeable improvements in audio quality. I'm keeping the PM7000N.