Yamaha DSPAS640ES or MarantzSR5400

oh also, does anyone happen to know if RS carry a choise of the MS finishes?

And is there anywhere I can see full pictures of the three finishes? And finally....what is the CD/DVD tat comes with the MS Premiere package?
 
Bias aside, I think it will work pretty well. As has been discussed ad infinitum, premiere is not as good as the KEF eggs but it is of course considerably cheaper (and we've nearly finished our egg competitor). RS should currently have cherry and graphite available, the new maple and vanadium should appear feb/march time.
I have no idea what the "CD/DVD tat" to which you refer actually is.
 
anywhere i can see pics of the cherry and graphite finsihes?
 
You have a PM
 
I can't post a link 'cos it's in the current issue...but they came in in in this order...
Sony 790
Denon 1804
Onkyo 501
JVC 8032
Marantz 4400 :eek:

Personally, I would take these tests with a pinch of salt. The Marantz 4400 was rated at 85w per channel with 5 channels driven. The Sony was rated at 65watts. The JVC measured a massive 20 watts into 5 channels...so you might want to avoid that one. The Sony also decodes every format known to man (including dts96/24) and has 2 outputs for the surround back channel...
 
Didn't you post elsewhere that the Sony has some funny habits about DTS playback AB? It is also worth mentioning that the 4400 came last because of its poor bass management- something that the 5400 doesn't have.
 
I posted in this thread that it seemed that everyone who noticed a great differenec between DD and dts seemed to using a Sony amp...
Does anybody here actually own a 5400...I've had a 5200 & a 5300 and they had terrible audio delay problems. Watching a DVD, when the layer change happened, it would sometimes take 1 - 2 seconds for the audio to click in again...have Marantz ironed out this problem? If they have, I would go for the 5400 at £300 - if they haven't, I would go for the Sony at £210...but I would probably have to change my speakers because they're Missions and the Sony makes them sound awfully bright...
 
Would definately like to hear from some actual 5400 owners myself. I read a very good review of it on a DVD forums somewhere, but unfortuantely I lost the link. I also did read some excellent reviews of the Pioneer I was considering.
 
The 5400 OSE that arrived for some voicing work seemed fine but I know what you mean- the SR7300 I was using until recently wasn't entirely immune from this foible.
 
Tons of Fun, any ideas on how the Pioneer would go with the MS Premiere's?
 
My opinion still stands between 740 and 5400. But if we include Denon and Onkyo as well, then you have 3 extremely good amps.

What I don't like about my 4300, are the bugs (search on 4300), which we on the forum thought was rectified after x200, the remote is unfunctional, and if I turn it off, my delay settings dissappears. I do love the Circle SurroundII modes, the power, but it is not enough for me.

But this is my absolute favourite in the class atm although I haven't listened to it. I just wished more people in UK would dare to take the step and purchase an Onkyo. Just to let you know that Onkyo is a very respectable brand (their Integra line is as respected as Pioneer Elite, NAD, Harman Kardon), in US and Europe and Japan. I think it is due to bad marketing Onkyo hasn't got a foothold in UK.

The Onkyo 601, it as equal impressive sound in home cinema and stereo as 740, 1804 and 5400 according to Swedish and US members.

The only amp in this class to have all the way down to 40hz crossover (denon has down to 80hz, pio 912 has down to 100hz, while Yamaha is fixed at 90hz as well as Marantz, Sony I don't know). Now 80hz is the most commonly used but depending on speakers, 60hz can also be important.

It has 2 component inputs (1804, 740 has 2, but 5400 and 912 has none), ok only useful if you want to use the amp as a hub for video signals as well.

On paper more powerful than the others with 110w, which I have no doubt will transfer to good lab figures and real watts. See audioholics review, and the German audiovision got a incredible 119w on each channel when they tested the little brother 501.

"intellivolume" is really useful, you can match all inputs to the same level on the audio inputs. see page 3 and 4

It has really good bass adjustments - read the review page 3

It has proper zone2 feature, where you can e.g. listen to 1 2channel source one room and 2channel source at another room.
No one in this or even up one class has this feature.

The DSP chip is really good in practise

Other features are similar to others in the class, OSD, the same sound modes etc.

And some quotes from the audioholic review

Driving 4ohms and 6ohms loads
So far the TX-SR601 has proven to be a workhorse in my home theater system. I expected the receiver’s amplifier section to balk at the 4-ohm load of the Axiom M80ti(s), but Onkyo makes a decent amplifier section. I noticed no audible distortion in CD music played in excess of 100dB – far above the listening levels I use when watching movies or listening to my CD collection – and my Axioms were grateful to be able to exercise their bottom end throughout this test. During normal listening sessions, the amplifier drove my system with plenty of gusto. Highs were clear and precise, and lows were authoritative and controlled. Essentially, music sounded the way I expected it to, and at a level that I did not expect, having come from a receiver that priced out at twice the price, but only 20% more rated power. Onkyo credits its amplifiers performance on its High Current Power Supply (H.C.P.S.) transformer combined with high-capacity filter capacitors, pictured below.

The Onkyo employs two options for volume display on the unit: Absolute and Relative. Absolute displays the volume as a minimum level of 0 and a maximum value of 100 – the default setting. The relative display option sets a designated reference point at 0, equaling an absolute setting of 82. You can then adjust the volume +18 or -81 from that reference point. It is always important to realize that all manufactures have their own way of setting and controlling the amplifier volume, resulting in different perceived minimum and maximum volume levels at which a certain expected level is reached. For example, on my current receiver a volume level of -40 would equate with an approximate setting of 60 using the TX-SR601’s absolute setting. Add Onkyo’s IntelliVolume input level compensation into the mix and you can see why you should really judge an amplifier solely by its ability to produce enough levels for your system without distorting – regardless of how the volume display may read.

Link - http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/onkyo_TX-SR601_review_01.html

Wasabi
 
I own the 5400 what problems should I be looking for in reference to previous Marantz recievers?

I use it with a Marantz 4300 DVD and 5x Boston micro's + a Rel Q150E II.

Not a hi-fi newbie by any means but a not had too much experiance with home cinema although common sense seems to prevale. Previous amp was a Yammy DSAP 3090.

The only negatives so far are I have noticed the odd sound drop out, very rare but it happens for a split second and only on some channels :confused:

Other things to note. The remote is a bit naff. The way you have to press a button twice to select a source or once to control the source is carp and initially confusing especially if like me you dont read instruction booklets.

Apart from that I can honestly say that for £320 I am more than happy with my purchase. If there is anything i can do or any test I can try please post and I will help if possible. :)
 
Originally posted by james.miller
whats wrong with it?

With reguards the Yammy 640 I think HCM measured the 5 channel power output as something like 40 WPC. How relevant this is in real world use I don't know but it put me off.
 
Originally posted by bones`
I own the 5400 what problems should I be looking for in reference to previous Marantz recievers?

Previous 5xxx models have had serious sound delays and seem to take an age to pick up a digital stream. Most obvious during layer changes on DVD's or when the film first starts.
A good test for this is Star Wars EpII: Attack Of The Clones. Chapter 28 I think it is. The layer change happens just as Jango Fetts' ship comes out of ludicrous speed!! The ship moves along about 50 metre's before any sound is heard and the "BOOM" as the ship jumps out of warp is missed completly.

(If it's not chapter 28, it's the scene where Jango chases Obi Wan Kenobi into the asteriod field and uses sysmic(sp) charges...)
 
Tomorrow I will have a play around but off the top of my head the amp seems to lock onto whatever is input via my coax instantaneously. Like when the adverts etc are in say stereo and then it switches to DD at the start of a film?
 
Originally posted by superdon
The Yamaha seems to win a lot of awards and I have now found it at £249.

Where did you see it for £249? The cheapest I have seen it for is £279 from Superfi.

Wingnut
 
I got the Yamaha in the end for £249 at Richer Sounds. I was going for the Marantz, but they had no stock and I couldnt wait.

RS are doing the Yamaha in their new year sale at £249. But they still advertise in store at £299. Bit of a bargain I think, and the amp itself seems great so far.
 

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