No too long ago, after discovering the shortcomings on the low end of the 2011 Astro Mixamp’s frequency response (it clips below 35Hz), I decided to look into upgrading my 11 year old AVR to one with Dolby Headphone. It was mentioned in Mad Lust Envy's Headphone Gaming Guide (an excellent resource, btw!) that Marantz receivers were one of the few with DH processing, so I focused my attention there.
As I began researching the different Marantz models with DH (using the brochures and manuals from Marantz’ site, as well as reading forums), I compiled a list of key features I was looking for so I could see how the models compared to one another. Although the below headers are pretty straightforward, here's some descriptions for each:
Are there other Marantz receivers with DH? Possibly; I don’t claim to have looked at all of them. I do know, though, that although the SR5006/SR6006 brochures state that they have DH processing, I confirmed with Marantz tech support that it was a misprint and they do not. So, as far as I can tell, the xx05 series was the last to use DH.
Anyway, there you have it. I hope that this has been helpful!
As I began researching the different Marantz models with DH (using the brochures and manuals from Marantz’ site, as well as reading forums), I compiled a list of key features I was looking for so I could see how the models compared to one another. Although the below headers are pretty straightforward, here's some descriptions for each:
- Model - Instead of having these ordered sequentially, I grouped them by their series/release year
- Year - I referenced these from the year printed on the manual, so they might have hit the market a bit later than that
- Watts Per Channel - Since I also have surround sound speakers, this spec was important for me
- HDMI Version - I read of some issues people had getting PS3's to work with HDMI 1.1 devices, so I wanted to be cautiously aware of the version on these
- HDMI Inputs - More is always better, right?!
- DD/DTS HD - Whether or not the receiver has Dolby Digital HD or DTS HD decoding capabilities from a bitstream source.
- USB - Whether or not a USB port is available. Note that when one is, older MP3 players may not interface, and PC to AVR will not work
- THX - Not really a huge feature to me, but was kinda neat to be aware of. Has no impact on DH processing, though, AFAIK.
Model | Year | Watts/Chan | HDMI Ver. | HDMI Inputs | DD/DTS HD | USB | THX | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SR4001 | 2006 | 80 W | 1.1 | 2 | No | No | No | Might need firmware update for 7.1 PCM |
SR5001 | 2006 | 90 W | 1.1 | 2 | No | No | No | Might need firmware update for 7.1 PCM |
SR6001 | 2006 | 100 W | 1.2 | 2 | No | No | No | Might need firmware update for 7.1 PCM |
SR7001 | 2006 | 110 W | 1.2 | 4 | No | No | Select 2 | Might need firmware update for 7.1 PCM |
SR8001 | 2006 | 125 W | 1.2 | 4 | No | No | Select 2 | Might need firmware update for 7.1 PCM |
| | | | | | | | |
SR4002 | 2007 | 80 W | 1.1 | 3 | No | No | No | |
SR5002 | 2007 | 90 W | 1.1 | 3 | No | No | No | |
SR7002 | 2007 | 110 W | 1.3 | 4 | Yes | No | Select 2 | |
SR8002 | 2007 | 125 W | 1.3 | 4 | Yes | No | Select 2 | |
| | | | | | | | |
SR4003 | 2008 | 80 W | 1.1 | 3 | No | No | No | |
SR5003 | 2008 | 90 W | 1.3 | 3 | Yes | No | No | |
SR6003 | 2008 | 100 W | 1.3 | 3 | Yes | Yes | No | |
| | | | | | | | |
SR5004 | 2009 | 90 W | 1.3 | 3 | Yes | No | No | Bad popping sound caused damage |
SR6004 | 2009 | 110 W | 1.3 | 4 | Yes | Yes | No | Bad popping sound caused damage |
| | | | | | | | |
SR5005 | 2010 | 100 W | 1.4 | 4 | Yes | Yes | No | |
SR6005 | 2010 | 110 W | 1.4 | 6 | Yes | Yes | No | |
SR7005 | 2010 | 125 W | 1.4 | 5 | Yes | Yes | No | Able to decode FLAC |
*Although I checked the data many times, it's possible I made some errors. If you notice anything, please let me know! |
Are there other Marantz receivers with DH? Possibly; I don’t claim to have looked at all of them. I do know, though, that although the SR5006/SR6006 brochures state that they have DH processing, I confirmed with Marantz tech support that it was a misprint and they do not. So, as far as I can tell, the xx05 series was the last to use DH.
Anyway, there you have it. I hope that this has been helpful!