Marantz SR6008 Review

Verdict

Pros

• Extensive features
• Sensational sound quality
• Superb looks and build quality

Cons

• Relatively expensive
• Fewer features than some cheaper rivals

What is the Marantz SR6008?

It’s a seven-channel, network-enabled AV receiver from Marantz’s 2013 range, sandwiched between the cheaper SR5008 and range-topping SR7008. We’ve always been big fans of Marantz’s receivers thanks to their winning blend of elegant looks, cutting-edge features and refined performance, and the SR6008 looks like it offers more of the same. Originally available for £900 at launch, you can now find the SR6008 for well under £600 online which, when considering the eye-popping spec, looks like tremendous value.

Marantz SR6008 – Design

It’s not often that you can describe an AV receiver as ‘elegant’ but that’s exactly what the SR6008 is – although that’s no surprise as Marantz has been crafting the best-looking receivers on the market for years. Sadly this isn’t one of its sexy slimline models (those are the NR1504 and NR1604) but even so, its relatively compact dimensions are far from imposing.

Available in black or silver-gold, the SR6008 boasts all the company’s usual design traits, such as curved edge panels, vertical grooves and a central porthole that displays the selected input, volume level and other messages. It’s a little too small to see clearly from the sofa, but it’s so stylish you won’t mind leaning forward, plus all the relevant menus and settings are displayed onscreen via HDMI anyway. 

Build quality is stunning – the wonderfully robust bodywork, thick front panel and brushed metal finish scream luxury. The central section is fairly busy, offering a row of buttons and sockets for on-the-fly connection of devices, but it’s arranged in a way that doesn’t feel cluttered. 

Marantz SR6008 – Connections

Front sockets include a headphones jack, HDMI input and a ‘Made for iPod/iPhone’ USB port that lets you play music from Apple devices or USB drives. Pop open the plastic panel and you’ll also find composite and analogue stereo inputs, plus a port for the Audyssey setup microphone.

Six more HDMI inputs reside on the back, all of which can pass through 4K and 3D signals, as well as two HDMI outputs – one ARC-compatible ‘Main’ port and a dedicated output for Zone 2. Through these sockets you can upscale analogue and digital sources to 4K resolution while the nifty InstaPrevue feature lets you preview HDMI inputs onscreen using a row of thumbnails.

On the audio side you get four digital audio inputs (two optical, two coaxial); six analogue stereo inputs (one for a turntable) and one out; 7.2-channel pre-outs; 7.1-channel analogue inputs and Zone 2 pre-out. For video switching, there are two sets of component inputs and one out; three composite video inputs and one out.

If you’re using the SR6008 as part of a custom installation, there are RS-232 and IR flasher inputs, remote control in/out and a 12V DC trigger output. Completing the line-up are Ethernet, FM aerial and M-XPort terminals, the latter allowing you to connect Marantz peripherals like the RX101 Bluetooth receiver.

As well as binding posts for the front, surround and centre channels you’ll find terminals for surround back and front wide/height speakers, the latter coming into play when you activate the Audyssey DSX or DTS Neo:X processing – but being a seven channel receiver you can’t use both sets at the same time. The surround back channels can also be assigned for multi-room use.