Review on 🎧 Marantz SR6015 9.2 Channel AV Receiver with 8K Support, Immersive 3D Audio, Built-in HEOS, and Voice Control by Mike Wheeler

After a few weeks of using the SR6015 I'm happy to understand why audiophiles on the Audiogon forum insist on using 2-channel systems for music more than not movies too . These guys can be snobs, but sometimes they have the last word on audio advice. Many have both a system for music and a separate system for TV/Movies. The average system for them costs over $20,000 for two-channel audio alone. I am very pleased that although part of me wants the best sound and picture on the system I am very happy with the SR6015 and need look no further. I must confess that I invested about $20,000 in my system including Marantz SR6015, 65 inch OLED TV, Sony 4K Blu-ray player, Apple TV 4K, Outlaw 5000 power amplifier, 11 ELAC speakers with 2 SVS subwoofers (7.2.4) and LOTS of Audioquest cables used for power, speakers and connections. It is noteworthy that the SR6015 perfectly understands all this. Editor in IOS Store) for both 7.2.4 surround sound (preset-2 for movies and TV) and 2-channel stereo (preset-1 for music). More recently, Marantz has added 2 calibration presets and allows the unit to be used as a preamp with preamp outputs. The nice thing is that you can easily switch between 11 channels [9 on Marantz, 2 on external amp] or just 2 channels [both on external amp - none on Marantz]. For some reason the music was "wrong" before. Many songs sounded odd from 11 speakers as the entire "soundstage" of the artist's original performance was destroyed and sounded "artificial" when the artist recorded in stereo instead of surround. To quote audiophiles in general, our goal is to "hear music the way the artist intended”. I believe you can achieve this with Marantz components. I've never heard music recorded in surround sound, but if that's what the artist intended, Marantz would make it "perfect". In addition, thanks to the Marantz Smart Select function (4 buttons for 4 different sources and listening modes), it is easy to switch sound modes. I chose SMART SELECT: 1. Stereo Music, 2. Blu-ray, 3. TV and Movies and 4. CD. I can switch from stereo to surround with just a few button presses, although I still have to switch to a different source input using the Logitech Harmony Elite remote. Smart Select remembers all settings for each selection (MultEQ XT32 settings, crossovers, amp assignment, etc.). I'm hoping that a future software update will use a one-button process for each Smart Select, which essentially has to act as a universal remote. Either way, the SR6015 does a great job with both movies and music. I'm not a serious gamer so I don't have an issue with HDR 4K/120Hz mismatch. I am sure that in the long run everything will work as expected. I'm currently using an Apple TV 4K as a source via HDMI-7, the SR6015's 8K input is set to 8K Enhanced to ensure the input works. Although the Apple TV 4K is only a 4K source, HDMI-7 outputs 4K/60Hz just fine when the 8K input is set to 8K Enhanced! Later I will try a 4K/120Hz source via HDMI-7. I don't want an Xbox or Play Station. I hope Apple blesses us with 4K/120Hz support in the new Apple TV soon. Until then I don't know anything about 120Hz. UPDATE 4/16/21: I've had more time to evaluate the SR6015. It's still a winner in my book. There were some issues with feeling that the musical dynamics were a little off on my system. I mainly blamed this on my ELAC Uni-Fi speakers as they are rated at 4 ohms impedance and are considered very, very power hungry. I thought part of the fault might be the SR6015! Long story short, I changed the OHM setting in the SR6015 settings from the default 8 ohms to 4 ohms. I used to think, based on a lot of research online, that if you have the choice to set a lower or higher resistor value in your amp, you should always go for a higher value. It was assumed that manufacturers would install a switch between 4/6/8 ohms to pass rating tests for Underwriters Laboratories (UL) certification to prove their devices would not clip, overheat or malfunction when powered by demanding loudspeakers, except at very high frequencies. large quantities. Audiophiles believe that if you have 4 ohm speakers and set the switch to 4 ohms, the power supply will dampen the output of the speakers to prevent overheating and clipping, which will also reduce dynamics. I've followed this logic with several receivers over the years. The Marantz SR6015 turned out to be something special in that the designers actually planned to drive the amplifiers into 4 ohms, 6 ohms or 8 ohms. So you actually "open" more current in a 4 ohm setting compared to 6 or 8 and the system will run at full power with no sign of clipping if you have 4 ohm speakers and the amp is on 4 ohms is set. I switched the setting to 4 ohms and my speakers thrived even more than I thought they would. When I fell in love with my Elac Uni-Fis, I'm in love again now and my system is now more dynamic than ever, just what I was looking for. So be sure to set the "Ohms" setting to match your speaker's impedance. Otherwise you miss the momentum. Take the time to learn all the features and you will be richly rewarded!