![Marantz SR8002 A/V receiver - First Look Marantz SR8002 A/V receiver - Preview](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzZpX-nglPRW-nkIH9T9sD83SaKRM_rrTN9_42LXne2eWOeJgU3FtSPqzDI3Tdg1HS0P8pX0xrRfSIVJVHC7SejDGknUSahbX2BlQjb0sVnU8Y-ucJpmH97UnWLcj2gl7-_BVuw/s1600/Marantz_SR8002_AV_receiver_Review_Front.jpg)
Pros
Like the recently reviewed Onkyo and Denon A/V receivers, this Marantz is future-proof with onboard Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD surround sound decoding. The latter two are data compression-free formats which output sound rivaling studios' master soundtracks played back in cineplexes. That said, you will need a bitstream audio-enabled player such as the Samsung BD-P1400 and Toshiba HD-XE1 to tap on these capabilities. For those on high-def CDs, there's an inbuilt HDCD decoder which readily extracts the extra resolution encoded in these audio discs, too.
![Marantz SR8002 A/V receiver - First Look Marantz SR8002 A/V receiver - Preview](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnaq-SowRDDi58706DFLRSfZQ1DzC4PPcQ3QizYcXxh-47BPzSpeyG8UfEmQxE4lgZBTNtfUWJrS0-1TVgYMCMiFNL_0AvRFSTwZS5lOJv0fm1ThYEiJ-0P9JBQtT2eGfdGn06A/s1600/Marantz_SR8002_AV_receiver_Review_Rear.jpg)
To put you in complete control over the receiver, Marantz is bundling two separate remotes in the package: A primary LCD and secondary controller. Both have learning functions as standard with the former having an edge in terms of a huge display, macro programming and key backlighting. Convenience aside, the SR8002 sports a generous suite of A/V jacks centered on four HDMI 1.3 inputs and two corresponding outputs--all with 36-bit Deep Color-compatibility. There are equal numbers of sockets for component-video adding up to 12 HD-ready terminals at your disposal.
Cons
For its audio prowess, the SR8002 lacks an equally compelling video-processing under its hood. There is no 1080p video upscaling which may be a potential bottleneck for users of legacy standard-definition equipments, though interlace-to-progressive conversion is adequately covered here. To further nitpick, this receiver is only outfitted with a lower-end Audyssey MultiEQ automatic audio calibration system. Compared with the XT equivalent utilized by its competitors, it measures only up to six listening positions and equalizes sound using lower-resolution filters.
Bottomline
At S$2,599 (US$1,709.87) a piece, the Marantz SR8002 is neck-to-neck with the feature-packed Onkyo TX-SR875 and S$200 (US$131.58) pricier than the network-enabled Denon AVR-3800. This makes it less enticing for the value-conscious crowd especially with the glaring omission of a HD video scalar. Having said that, we are pretty sure there is a market for this receiver, particularly for those with equal emphasis on music and movie playback without the budget or space for a processor-power amplifier pair.
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