Anyone replace a Marantz 8802A with the AVM 60? I'd love to hear thoughts on how the AVM 60 stacks up to the Marantz flagship.

www.avsforum.com/forum/90-receivers-amps...vm-60-thread-35.html

Jcbudny,

Check out the link above for the comparisons between the AVM 60 and the 8802a. It seems most users that have compared prefer the AVM 60 for the cohesiveness of the surround field, ARC2 room correction, and the level of detail in the sound. The deciding factor for me was that it did very well against the 8802a while being significantly cheaper. I still love this processor and have no buyers remorse whatsoever.

Cheers,

T Cobe

I spent waaaay to too much time last night reading through the AVS AVM 60 board. Seems like opinions are split. Some prefer the Anthem while others staunchly prefer the Marantz (Thrang comes to mind for the later).

Already owning the 8802A, it's a hard sell to switch. That being said, Audyssey doesn't play well with my equipment (too much gain so my trim levels max out). I can see where ARC would be a benefit to me.

Seems like the 8802A has better DACs and is easier to use. User comments make it sound as if the Anthem UI is archaic in comparison to the Marantz.

I should probably just demo the Anthem to decide for myself.

So who wants to lend me an AVM 60

Jcbudny,

I would think that arguing the merits between the two is like arguing abou BMW versus Audi. If you already have the 8802, seems like a shut case to me. I certainly wouldn't be looking to switch if I had the 8802.

I can say the DAC on the AVM 60 is very good. It is very musical! I've seen people that prefer music playback on each, so to me, it's a bit of a draw. The user interface is fine. It takes a little getting used to like any brand switch. If your a previous Marantz owner, the 8802 will be easier to navigate but I moved from Integra and like the UI on the Anthem better. The 7702 I demoed at the dealer was pretty easy as well. Again, I think this is a matter of personal preference.

The great equalizer here is ARC versus Audessey. In my personal opinion, ARC is WAY better. I like the interface, graphics, and adjustability on the front end and the resulting sound at the back. I usually left Audessey turned off on my Integra (Audessey XT32). I have not disabled ARC since running it the first time. The impact it has on sub frequencies is huge! It can't make up for glaring room issues but having graphic displays of those issues allows you to make adjustments and get visual feedback to verify results. The quick measure feature has gotten a lot of use in my theater.

Value and estimating worth is a very individual thing. One could easily argue the merits of both processors and be correct. It really is a matter of individual preference. If you can afford to switch between the two and aren't completely happy with the 8802, I'd definitely recommend an audition. Your dealer may even lend you an Anthem to test at home. keep us posted if you make the comparison yourself. User reviews are all we have right now while the "pros" take their sweet time writing up their reviews. They really seem to be dragging their heels on this one.

Cheers,

T Cobe

www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/762

Looks like the first pro review has finally hit the net. I think this review echoed much of what has been said by many consumers and it is certainly consistent with my experience. I thought I would post this for anyone that has been waiting. I was a little disappointed by the lack of discussion on the ARC2 room correction, but that has probably been covered plenty in Anthem's AVR reviews.

Cheers,

T Cobe

Thanks for the link. Great review. I would love to do some A/B testing with my XMC-1. I still have and really love my Anthem MRX 700 and I'm a big fan of ARC. The XMC-1 is supposed to have a new upgrade to bring up to 11.2 also, I believe in Q1 2017. Competition is good for the soul. Thanks again,
Brad