After announcing the N1200 receiver, it’s now the turn of Marantz’s SR-series range with the unveiling of the SR5014 and SR6014 Ultra HD 4K AV receivers.
The list of new Marantz products keeps growing with the announcement of the SR5014 and SR6014 AV receivers.
Related: Marantz’s NR1200 stereo network receiver offers ‘serious hi-fi’ in a compact form
Both carry Marantz’s Hyper Dynamic Amplification Module (HDAM) circuitry, which targets optimal fidelity as well as achieving maximum dynamic range for Hi-res Audio files so listeners get a better sounding experience. The receivers’ low impedance means they’re able to drive a wide range of speakers too.
Moving into the home theatre realm, the list of features the SR6014 supports is considerable, with IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and DTS Virtual:X accounted for. The SR6014 has 11.2ch processing capability, and with an external stereo amplifier in tow, it can offer a 7.2.4 or 5.2.6 speaker configuration.
Both the SR5104 and SR6014 have Dolby’s Atmos Height Virtualisation. This means home cinema owners who don’t have dedicated height speakers can experience a similar effect in a virtual 7.1 configuration.
Related: What is Dolby Atmos?
There’s plenty more in terms of audio and picture formatting. HDMI connections top out at eight, with one on the front panel for quick connections. You can count on 4K 60Hz video, 4:4:4 sub-sampling, Dolby Vision HDR, Hybrid Log-Gamma, HDR (HDR10), 21:9 video, 3D (that’s still a thing) and BT.2020 pass-through. They also carry the HDCP 2.3 copy protection standard.
Both support eARC for Dolby Atmos audio transmission from TV apps. Gamers, specifically Xbox users, will benefit from the presence of ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) for quicker, lag-free gameplay. This is dependent on your TV supporting ALLM, with both Samsung and LG launching sets that cover that requirement in 2019.
Related: What is HDMI 2.1?
Rear connections of the SR6014
Moving into the digital streaming space, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal and TuneIn Internet radio feature, and the SR-series covers the gamut of the popular voice assistants with Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri. It’s not clear whether they are built-in, but it does appear that voice control functionality can be done through a compatible smart speaker or smartphone.
With built-in HEOS, multi-room becomes a reality as long as you have other HEOS-enabled products in the house. If you don’t then fear not, there’s Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth to fill in the gap.
Home cinema enthusiasts will be pleased to know that room calibration is possible, as the SR5014 has Audyssey’s MultEQ XT and the SR6014 MultEQ XT32. What’s the difference between the two? The XT32 version offers more precise levels of calibration.
Hi-Res Audio tops out at 24-bit/192kHz ALAC, FLAC and WAV files. For those who favour DSD playback, the SR-series can play DSD 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz files.
Related: What is Hi-Res Audio?
Like the NR1200, it’s a similar story for the Bluetooth Out connection, which is due in a firmware update towards the end of 2019. Record players’ sound can be boosted by connection to the SR5014 or SR6014 via its phono input.
The SR6014 and SR5014 will be available at authorised Marantz retailers, and comes in elegant black or classic silver-gold finishes. Prices for the SR6014 are £1,249/€1,399/$1,499, and for the SR5014 it’s £849/€949/$999 respectively.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.