Older Marantz high-end 14EX, 18EX and 19EX receivers? Do you know the differences?

[morkys]

I have a Marantz SR 8000 which I love very much. I am thinking of upgrading to a Marantz SR 14EX, 18EX or 19EX but it is difficult to determine the differences between these receivers. Some say the 18EX and 19EX have 130 watts/channel and the 14EX is the only one with 140 watts/channel while others talk of their 18EX or 19EX (or even the 18 or 19 non-EX) as having 140 watts/channel. Does the 14EX have HDCD decoding? Does the 19EX have DTS-EX while the others only have THX-EX?

If I could find an owners manual for the 19EX it would be handy. If you can direct me to a PDF of an owners manual for the 19EX and/or you know the differences between these receivers, then please offer what info you can. Thanx.

edit - I have downloaded owners manuals for the 14EX and 18EX but nothing for the 19EX.

:)

[Daedilus]

Both the 14 and the 18 have 140 wpc, the 19 has 130...but another publication listed 120... as to what their decoding abilities are, its hard to know without the year of production for the specific piece you are looking at... the 19EX has been discontinued, so spec sheets are hard to find on it...

Closest thing i could find was a product release sheet and some reviews...

http://www.marantz.com/p_prod_release.cfm?id=11&cont=AM

http://www.avrev.com/equip/marantz/

Both of those are fairly informative about its stats and features, however.

Both of the current incarnations of the 14 and 18 do decode HDCD... hard to say whether or no the older one would..

http://us.marantz.com/c_sr18ex_man.pdf
http://us.marantz.com/c_sr14ex_man.pdf

dunno how helpfull that was, but it's what i can find on the web.. . Ill call marantz tomorrow at work and see if i can track down a PDF for the 19EX.. since they no longer host it on their site.

[morkys]

Thanx for the info. I forgot to mention that I have those owners manuals downloaded from that same website. Those owners manuals say that the 18EX has 130 wpc and the 14EX has 140 wpc.

[Daedilus]

Wow, thats really odd.. i see that it does say they are different wattages in the manuals, yet on thier product spec sheets they both clearly say 140 ...

http://us.marantz.com/c_sr18ex.pdf

http://us.marantz.com/c_sr14ex.pdf

oh well, ill see if i can get the PDF for the 19 tomorrow anyway.

[morkys]

Yep, it is weird. I wonder if there are difference ones for different countries. Although I am in Canada, I will buy whatever I can find in Canada or the USA for a reasonable price. I see the SR 18 and SR 19 are rated for 140 watts some times, but then the SR 18EX and 19EX are rated for less. Notice that although the files are called 18ex and 14ex, only the brochure for the 14EX says 14EX in the copy. The 18ex file only says SR-18. So which is it? I guess I should tack on the 18 and 19 as models I need to learn, but they don't have component switching and that is something I need. I guess my bigger issue is that I am concerned that 10 watts makes a difference...lol, and it probably doesn't e really. I am sure 10 watts doesn't make a difference, but perhaps the extra 10 watts reflects other design upgrades. Anyhow, I figure if I am going from the 105/100 wpc SR 8000 I may as well get all the watts I can. My speakers are 6 ohms, so 140 wpc into 8 ohms means I go up from my 125 watts into 6 ohms that I have now, to 175 watts into 6 ohms :)

[markw]

Two things to keep in mind, at least.

1) To get a barely audiable 3 decible increase in peak loudness levels, you need to double your power. That would mean going from 100 watts to 200 watts. Anything below that would be hardly worth it. And, you will never hear a 10 watt difference.

2) HDCD is nice. Not a night and day change nor an industry standard, but still nice in some circumstances. Do you really think it's worth the scrratch to upgrade for? Have you listened carefully? Aside from the 6db volume level difference, which is mandated by the specs, did you find a significant difference?

If those were your only two issues, I'd suggest you think carefully...

[morkys]

I am aware that I need double the power to get a perceived increase in volume. I don't want that much more volume. Ok, I am not upgrading for the power alone. The higher power is mostly simply indicative of better amp components and the higher power could help low bass at moderate volumes. I don't listen really really loud. I have thought of grabbing a couple of MA 700's which would almost exactly double my power from 125 watts to 250 watts per channel. Here are the reasons I am interested in the 14 EX or 18/19 EX.

1) Better amp and more power. (HDAM pre-amp like the SR 8000 but probably a better amp section)
2) Component switching (I have a few different dvd players and other component sources)
3) 80 hz crossover
4) 6.1 or 7.1 channel surround modes
5) Pre-outs and pre-ins AND the ability to re-power the front speakers for more real ommph but then power added surrounds with the internal amps - not too important but neat
6) HDCD decoding (not sure if my Yamaha C750 is doing this..it may be, and if it is, I don't need it)

I will think seriously about it. Perhaps there is something else out there that suits my needs, but the 14 and 18 EX seem kinda neat if I can find one for a reasonable price.

Thanx for the sensible feedback. I would buy a used one for a reasonable price, and then listen and compare with my SR 8000 before deciding on replacing the SR 8000 completely.

[morkys]

Found out the component switching is practically useless because it is limited to 8 mhz - 1dB. 480p needs at least 10 mhz or higher...

Does that make sense? Has anybody tried switching 480p dvd signals via one of these receivers?

[morkys]

Anybody know whether these receivers could switch 480p without degradation?

[powerlord]

I don't know if this will help you because I'm a total newb here,but I have an SR-18 and the manual says 140 wpc at 8ohm,Marantz says you can drop it to 4ohm for 200 wpc.And I can't get my player to play in the 480p setting through this with component.

[morkys]

You mean when you set it to 480p when connected to your SR 18 the signal doesn't go through properly?

[morkys]

I actually only need interlaced component switching for now. If anybody has an SR 19EX, 18EX or 14EX and wants to sell it, I am interested.

[morkys]

Ok, what about newer Marantz receivers. What is a good example of something which has more power than the SR 8000 but sounds as good or better?

[powerlord]

I'm sorry for that uneducated advice I gave you on my 18,it will do everything you ask of it.It just doesn't have HDMI capability.And I see these every once in a while on ebay for around 700 or more,you wouldn't be sorry you bought one,this is a beautiful machine.

[morkys]

I'm sorry for that uneducated advice I gave you on my 18,it will do everything you ask of it.It just doesn't have HDMI capability.And I see these every once in a while on ebay for around 700 or more,you wouldn't be sorry you bought one,this is a beautiful machine.

Are being sarcastic? Your advice was fine. I would prefer the 14EX because it has lots of other toys, but I am open. If there is an 18EX or 19EX I will seriously consider either of those. I would just rather locate a 14EX.

[powerlord]

No I wasn't being a smart ass.The 19 is the least powerful of the 3.But I haven't heard many complaints about any of these.You can't go wrong either way,I really like mine.I think it out classes my Eosones and I haven't heard the best this reciever has to offer yet,even so it still has more head room than I've ever heard.And the component switching is just fine,I have my PS3 run HDMI to my TV and the audio into the optical on the SR-18 and I can't complain.

[morkys]

Ok, fair enough. Thanks for the feedback. A few of these were available a while back, some 14 and 18 EX's and then they dried up. Guess I have to wait until somebody else tires of their big toy and wants the latest surround modes :)

With the pre-out main in's of the 14 EX, I was thinking I could get two Marantz MA 700's to power the front channels and re-direct the pre-out's for the un-powered surround channels to the now un-used internal amps and have a fully powered 7.1 system.

Does the 7.1 work matrixed for DTS or just DD?

[morkys]

Is there anywhere else I can look for one of these? I look here, AVS, HTF, Canuck Audio Mart, Audio and Video gon, secrets forum etc etc and haven't seen one for a long time.

[Tarheel_]

i don't understand why your limiting yourself to these models? They are older receivers and the new Marantz models have everything your looking for and then some.
Remember, power ratings don't mean alot...most are with 2 speakers driven only. So don't get focused soley on wattage.
Take the middle of the road Marantz 5600 or 7500, they have HDCD, PLII, Neo:6, 7.1 inputs (blue ray, SACD,DVD-A, DVD-HD) and 7.1 preouts for adding another amp if needed. component switching, 2nd zone, etc....
both can be had for the same price or lower than the older models you seek.

Plus, if you think the AVR amp isn't enough, buy the SR5600 online for $400 and add an external 5 channel amp. Let the 5600 - 6th and 7th amp channels drive the rear surrounds if your at 7.1. Say, you buy a used 5 channel amp for $400-500, then your at $900 bucks for a pre/amp. Not too shabby for the money.

[powerlord]

Hey morkys an SR-19 just came up for sale on ebay.

[morkys]

I would like 7.1 but I'm not interested in CS or DPL II. The reason I like the SR 14EX is that I love my SR 8000. I like the HDAM's. The 14EX has all sorts of design characteristics that make the music sound good. The 14EX also has main-ins which is handy. I am not limiting myself. I am also considering these models:

7500
8200 (preferabley upgraded to 8300)
8300
8400
8500

It's just that I would most like to try a 14EX. I'll keep looking. The non-EX 18 and 19 don't have quite the same specs and abilities.


i don't understand why your limiting yourself to these models? They are older receivers and the new Marantz models have everything your looking for and then some.
Remember, power ratings don't mean alot...most are with 2 speakers driven only. So don't get focused soley on wattage.
Take the middle of the road Marantz 5600 or 7500, they have HDCD, PLII, Neo:6, 7.1 inputs (blue ray, SACD,DVD-A, DVD-HD) and 7.1 preouts for adding another amp if needed. component switching, 2nd zone, etc....
both can be had for the same price or lower than the older models you seek.

Plus, if you think the AVR amp isn't enough, buy the SR5600 online for $400 and add an external 5 channel amp. Let the 5600 - 6th and 7th amp channels drive the rear surrounds if your at 7.1. Say, you buy a used 5 channel amp for $400-500, then your at $900 bucks for a pre/amp. Not too shabby for the money.

[morkys]

Hey morkys an SR-19 just came up for sale on ebay.

I'll check it out. :)

[morkys]

I've revised my search to these:

SR 14EX, 18EX and 19EX (18u and 19u?)
SR 9300(V) / 9300 and SR 9200

:)

[powerlord]

I have the 18u and there is an 18 on the bay right now too,don't know if you saw that one.

[morkys]

What is the difference between the 18 and 18u? I guess the 18U is sort of between the 18 and the 18EX?

[powerlord]

Ok Morkys I did some research and here's what I came up with.The 18 EX is a 7.1 THX EX reciever and is rated at 130 wpc,the 18U is rated at 140 wpc has THX and is a 6 ch.,both have 6 ch direct.They are different in weight,the Ex at 53.9lbs and the U at 57lbs.

[morkys]

Weird. I don't see that when I research. Got any links?

thanks,

:)

[powerlord]

I looked on my manual and the EX manual on the Marantz site and made comparisons and that's the only differences I saw.

[morkys]

Gotcha. You have the manual for the U and the EX is on the website. Cool. Thanks.

So there is no 7.1 decoding and 7.1 pre-outs with the U?

[powerlord]

You are correct sir! The Marantz site doesn't even show the U or the "just 18" manual.

[morkys]

Weird. I tell ya, it's not possible to get the specs from eBay. It's all over the map. You've got people with 18U's and 18's stating their wattage as anywhere from 110 watts per channel to 140 watts per channel. Most common is stating 130 watts per channel. Some say the U has 7.1 pre-out's but looking at the back panel pictures they don't.

[powerlord]

I know man, I don't know why there are so many different specs,I put my 18u on the medical scales at work,and that thing is always dead on and it weighed in at just a little over 60lbs. give or take a couple ounces.My manual does say 140 wpc @8ohms and 200 wpc @4ohms. but it doesn't say 18u,or EX ,just 18,but my reciever says 18U on the back made in 2002.

[morkys]

Hmmm...I do have an interest in trying 7.1 ... but perhaps I could go with just the 18 for a start if I find one. Does it have 6.1 or 7.1 pre-outs? Does the 18U have a toroid transformer and/or copper chassis? HDAM's?

[powerlord]

Yes it has toroid and HDAM and the copper chassis.I have heard other people that own these talk like the U is the one to have out of the 18's,personally i like the 14 as far as cosmetics go.The 19,14,and 18 are all great recievers and I'll never use 7.1 anyway so I am more than happy with mine,I could be looking into seperates though pretty soon,I like the idea of endless headroom.

[powerlord]

Hey Morky,there is a very,very nice 18U on the bay right now at a very reasonable buy it now.:ihih: I'd jump on that!

[morkys]

Looking at it. It's not easy importing receivers. I am holding out for a 14EX. If an 18EX or 18U shows up locally, I may bite. I'll inquire with the auction about shipping etc. Problem is, for a company, they have to declare a certain value and I get dinged for taxes/duties/brokerage fees etc, more than I normally do with private sellers.

One thing puzzles me. I often see people saying that the 18U has 7.1 and/or 7.1 pre-outs but it doesn't look it on the back panel. Yet, when you look at photo #1 and #2 in the photo gallery for that auction, I swear you can see lights (not lit?) on the front panel that show, L, C, R, LFE, LS, RS and one that looks like S, what I would think is back surround.

If you could take a picture of your receivers back panel, and/or the first features discription page of your owners manual, that would be handy. I'd like to have it for comparison reference. I cannot find the owners manuals on the net.

If you ever get a chance, you can email it to:
morkys@hotmail.com

thanks,

Chris

[powerlord]

It's a mother getting to the rear of my 18 for pics,but here's the diagram for that front light

LF RF

C

LR S RR

peak

[morkys]

Thanks man. Ok, so that wasn't a back surround light, it was an S for SUBWOOFER :)

The 18U sounds like a super suped up SR 8000. It's pretty nearly the same in terms of 5.1 etc etc, but it has THX with an 80 Hz crossover, 140 watts vs 105, main-in and main-out and a few other bonus features.

:)

[morkys]

I have done some more reading and have become a little more frustrated. The Marantz owners manuals and specs on the support section are largely incorrect.

For the 18EX they have the 18U spec sheet and the 19EX owners manual. It's so badly obvious because you see the front page for the 18EX owners manual, and yet there is no HDCD (which the 18EX has and the 19EX does not) and the rest of the manual mentions 19EX time and time again. So stupid. You'd think whoever is responsible would be able to peice together something as simple as proper owners manuals. Also, instead of listing the 18U and 19U as well as the 14EX, 18EX and 19EX, they only list the 14EX and 18EX and the info for the 18EX is incorrect as I described above.

Kind of frustrating. While I do want to hold out for a nice SR 9300 one day. Just enough toys with all the clean power, in the mean time, I am creating a spreadsheet to show all of the differences between the Marantz models. Well, I'm listing the important models anyhow ;) There is an 18EX on eBay and an 18U. I really want either a 14EX or a 9300 but I may have to chose something else in the meantime like an 18EX or 18U as I'm getting impatient :p ...the 19EX and for sure the 19U are off my list.

[powerlord]

I know one thing,I'm very happy with the 18u. It is a powerhouse in every sense of the word and it comes real close to my friends seperates(adcom).It even comes close to another friends parasound setup,I took my reciever to his house and we set it up on his speakers and he couldn't believe it.My dream reciever however is the Denon 5805 MKII which I will never be able to afford until the price drops considerably.And I demo'd a marantz SR9600 and I couldn't tell the difference from my 18u.

[morkys]

That's good that the 9600 sounds the same. I was worried that the newer receivers lack of HDAM's would make the sound somehow inferior. I guess they may not have HDAM's listed, but I'm sure the pre-amp components are good enough.

[morkys]

Still think I should hold out for a 9300 or 14EX... but if I went for an 18U... how much should I be looking at? What are they worth? Not how much are people asking, but how much should I be willing to pay for one? I'm not dying to pick one up, but just in case :)

[powerlord]

It's funny,they had a 2700.00 retail,but I see them go for anywhere from 600 to 800 on ebay.

[victorsmazda]

I also have an SR-8000 and I have to say that I was considering the 18 and 19 but after alot of indecision and some auditioning current receivers in similar price range the 8000 was I have concluded that the 8000 is an awesome piece of equip and unless I am willing to shell out at least another $ 3,000-$5,000 I probably won't be satisfied so my advice to you Morkey would be to stay put until your ready to fork out the dollars for an upgrade that will truly make a difference other than that your wasting your money. Again the 8000 is a hard piece to beat for anything less than big bucks.

[morkys]

I also have an SR-8000 and I have to say that I was considering the 18 and 19 but after alot of indecision and some auditioning current receivers in similar price range the 8000 was I have concluded that the 8000 is an awesome piece of equip and unless I am willing to shell out at least another $ 3,000-$5,000 I probably won't be satisfied so my advice to you Morkey would be to stay put until your ready to fork out the dollars for an upgrade that will truly make a difference other than that your wasting your money. Again the 8000 is a hard piece to beat for anything less than big bucks.

Interesting. I must say when I listen to this puppy with my PSB Image speakers, it sounds awesome. I am definitely staying away from the run of the mill Marantz. I want the ones that have the same lineage as the SR 8000. HDAM's etc etc. The 14EX, 18EX, 18U and the 9200 and 9300 are all pretty much as good or better than the 8000. The 9600 should be awesome too, but waaay too much ca$hola.

Have you auditioned any of the 14EX, 18EX, 18U or 9200/9300? I'd be surprised if they didn't sound at least as good as our SR 8000 :)

[morkys]

I can't find any info saying the 9300 has HDAM's and I am finding that it may not have the same caliber audio quality as the SR14EX/18/19 etc... I wanted HDAM's and 7.1 with DPL II. I don't even need DPL IIx but it's not looking like I could get DPL II without the 9300 but the 9300 doesn't seem to have HDAM's. Originally I wasn't interested in DPL II...but ever since I upgraded and matched my PSB Image speakers, I have fallen in love with DPL II for music. I don't always listen to it, but it's a nice option. I have been using a Yamaha C750 dvd player for that, and it works ok, but I was hoping to grab a Sony mega changer and use a receiver for the DPL II. It's impossible to combine all the things I want without buying the 9600. :(

[victorsmazda]

No I haven't auditioned the older Marantz receivers but I'm sure they do sound as good as our 8000 but to spend the money on those units in my opinion would be going backwards due to the new HDMI technology and as I mentioned before any new stuff that sounds as good as the 8000 is large coin so give it at least another year for mid to high end HDMI receivers to come down to earth before you give up on what may be one of the best receivers ever made for the money.

[morkys]

Fair enough. I guess we have different needs. I won't be dropping too much. I think an 18EX or 14EX would be a good temporary receiver to use while saving up for the 9600. I may consider the 9200/9300 but it may not match even the 8000 in sound quality. I don't care about HDMI really. I have all my video stuff going through my video processor, component, DVI and HDMI, and into my projector so I could care less about HDMI switching in a receiver right now. I like the idea, but it's not a deal breaker. I just want more of the good audio quality of the 8000, plus I'd like to try out 7.1. In the end, I will want DPL IIx and true DTS-ES but that won't be a reality until 9600's (used?) come down in price in a year.

Does our 8000 have a toroidal power supply? I take your feedback and the others here regarding the value of these older receivers seriously and will keep my spending low, if I do anything at all. I wonder what my SR 8000 is worth.

[powerlord]

The 8000 does not have a torroidal ps,I auditioned the 8000,it doesn't even come close to the sound of an 18 or a 14.If you don't care about the HDMI why not buy an older power house?Are you really wanting to run 7.1? Have you auditioned a SR18 yet?It is the touted Marantz reciever and reviewed by many as one of the best ever put out by them,itdoesn't need all the shiny bobbles,it's a different level of reciever for sure.I just bought a seperate amp and auditioned several with an authorized dealer in my house,this 18 out pumped a Rotel 1080,and an Adcom 5500 easily.The amp I bought was the adcom 5800 which achieved a better sound for me and greater headroom.The 9600?Nice,but same league as the 18 with more shiny stuff.18 EX? Less power and THX EX,step dowm IMO.

[morkys]

The 18EX has the same power as the 18U. The reason you think it has 130 watts is because you are seeing the specs for the 19EX. The 18EX downloads on the Marantz website are incorrect. They have 18U specs and a 19EX manual for the 18EX. I have researched thoroughly, including getting people who own 18EX's and 19EX's to check their own owners manuals (the only way to confirm product specs once and for all). I have finally figured out what the main differences are.

Here is how it breaks down (All have HDAM's and at the very least, the 18U, 18EX and 14EX have Toroidal PS iirc):

SR 19U - 120 watts x 5 - 96/24 DAC's - no component switching - 5.1
SR 19EX - 130 watts x 5 - 96/24 DAC's - 3 component in / 1 out - 7.1 (THX EX)
SR 18U - 140 watts x 5 - 96/24 DAC's - 2 compo in / 1 out - 5.1
SR 18EX - 140 watts x 5 -192/24 DAC's - HDCD - 7.1 (THX EX) 3 Component in / 1 out + Metal chassis and copper sheilding
SR 14EX - 140 watts x 5 - 192/24 DAC's - HDCD - 7.1 (THX EX) 3 Component in / 1 out + Copper chassis and extensive copper sheilding

The 14EX has more copper and sheildling. The 18EX and 14EX both have 192 kHz/24 bit DAC's and I think the 14EX has the better DAC's on all channels while the 18EX just has them on the front two? I am pretty sure this is correct because the 14EX specs show ADDC (Adaptive Double Differential Control). I think this means it can cascade it's DAC's (double up) in stereo mode. It's also possible that the 18EX (and maybe 19EX) do DTS ES discrete, but so far I suspect they both just do DTS ES 6.1 via THX EX matrix.

There are more differences. I have made a spreadsheet. I found it necessary because of the mis-information on the Marantz website and everybody's postings on eBay having wrong info. Sometimes they put stuff that their receiver doesn't have, other times they leave features out or underquote watts.

Here are two links to check out (each with their spec links) if you don't believe me re: the 140 watts of the 18EX.

18EX overview:
http://www.marantz.com/p_product.cfm?id=494&cont=u&line=rcv&category=hf
18EX detailed specs:
http://www.marantz.com/p_prod_specnew.cfm?id=494&cont=u&line=rcv
14EX overview:
http://www.marantz.com/p_product_ovr.cfm?id=468&cont=u&line=rcv&categ=hf
14EX detailed specs:
http://www.marantz.com/p_prod_specnew.cfm?id=468&cont=u&line=rcv

So there you go man! My research is nearly complete. There have been so few 14EX and 18EX for sale that I had to do something while looking for them. I wouldn't mind trying the 9200, but I still think the lack of HDAM's would not do well for sound quality and I want audio to be top notch for music of all kinds (redbook CD - DPL II with my dvd player for CD's (for fun) and SACD & DVD-Audio ... all must sound as good as possible).

- - - - -

So here are my current options:

1) There's a guy on AVS with an 18EX who is probably going to sell soon.
2) A 14EX .. for $1275 CDN but I can only go $1100 CDN I think
3) An MM9000 for around $550 USD that I could use with my 8000 for now (I have the HDAM's and the 9000 would give me toroidal amp and ability to do 7.1 when I pick up an 18EX or 14EX).

thanks for the feedback man...

I'll keep you posted. :p

[morkys]

Too late to edit. The 14EX does NOT have 192/24 DAC's ... it has 96/24 DAC's... opps... not sure about the 18EX.

So I guess the above specs links cannot be trusted either... :p

[morkys]

Picked up a used SR14EX and it is very good. Amazing in fact. I think my search is over... for the time being at least. I will do without the new fancy surround modes, but will try 7.1 THX EX for fun. The SR 14EX sounds great and has poop loads of dynamic range vs the SR 8000. At first it was hard to tell if the 14EX sounded better, but it's pretty clear now, especially for movies. Wow. I almost shat my pants. I thought I blew my speakers when a car exploded in one scene and then a tree crashed through a kitchen in the following scene in the dvd The Mator. Awesome. It sounds as good in stereo as source direct, or at least if there is a difference it's hardly noticable. I can even mix the subwoofer in, something I have only dreamed of doing and it really seems to work. It sounds way better than what I tried with the SR 6200, 7000 and 8000. I think it's because the stereo mode sounds nearly as good or the same as source direct, and the 14EX has a neat L & R mix option for the subwoofer output. The remote that came with it is an RC5200 which sucks. Man are touch screen remotes ever slow and they obviously have no tactile feel. I'm going with an RC2000mkii or RC1200.

thanks to all for your feedback etc,

:)

[powerlord]

Hey that's great Morkys,you found something you are happy with and that's what matters.Hope you are enjoying it,I love Marantz recievers.:cornut:

[morkys]

For all intents and purposes, I probably would have been just as happy with an 18U but this 14EX popped up locally on Canuck Audiomart (only a 40 minute drive from me) and everybody loves a surprising local find :cool:

[morkys]

Ok. Just a question about these EX and U models. When I upgraded from the SR 6200 to the SR 7000, it was totally and completely obvious that the 7000 sounded much better than the 6200. When I upgraded to the 8000, it was hard to tell the difference and sometimes I swear it sounded like the bass was better or more pronounced with the 7000, but it was hard to tell. I think I was listening too hard for a difference and was imagining it. I sold the 7000 anyways and kept the 8000. I've loved the 8000 all this time.

Now when I try my best to compare the 8000 and 14EX (it's hard because I have no real test switchers and it's not a double-blind test)... somehow I sometimes get the feeling that the bass isn't as good on the 14EX as on the 8000. It's sublte and sometimes I think I'm imagining it. I'm going to compare a few more times before letting the 8000 go, but it's a weird comparison. The 14EX has much more headroom and the midrange and treble seem to have incredible detail. I just wonder why this happens to me sometimes. I suspect maybe I'm listening too hard for good bass and expect more. The only reason I could have for the 8000 sounding like it has more or "better" bass would be because it has more distortion in the bass. I don't think the 8000 really does have noticabley more or better bass, and I think it's just my mind playing tricks. Perhaps I'll get another person to help me compare one last time. One thing about the SR 14EX that makes it potentially alot better in the bass is that I seem to be able to mix in the subwoofer with much better sounding results, and Source Direct doesn't seem to sound different, so non source-direct allows the use of the bass control (although the bass control is like all Marantz receivers, not very effective), AND lastly, I could always add an EQ. So the SR 14EX has much more options.

I am talking about the overall bass sound, and perhaps the mid-low bass, and not the absolute bottom end. When I play something like "Into The Fire" by Sarah McLaughlin, I hear all the nice tight bass and it sounds essentially the same with each receiver. Whatever the case may be, I think the 14EX with the PSB Image T65's will produce a better sound than my SR8000 and my 6T's. I think this double speaker and receiver upgrade was a good one.

Any thoughts regarding comparing the bass of the SR 8000 and the 14EX? I have matched the output volume as best I could using a Radio Shack SPL meter and treble and midrange just don't seem an issue, although I suspect they are clearer on the 14EX.

[morkys]

Must be my brain playing tricks. I could go back and forth and compare forever, but just listening to the 14EX is very satisfying. Very good midrange and treble detail and the bass is clean and deep so I will cease with comparisons and officially sell my beloved SR 8000.

[powerlord]

Morky I have demo'd the 14 EX,the 18 which I have and the SR9600.And I have owned the 8000,I can't even compare the 8000 to any of the other beasts,the 8000 is like comparing a mid level Sony to a Denon 5800.I hear the difference as night and day.If you took my 18 away and replaced it with an 8000 I would bleed out of every orifice and then die!

[morkys]

Morky I have demo'd the 14 EX,the 18 which I have and the SR9600.And I have owned the 8000,I can't even compare the 8000 to any of the other beasts,the 8000 is like comparing a mid level Sony to a Denon 5800.I hear the difference as night and day.If you took my 18 away and replaced it with an 8000 I would bleed out of every orifice and then die!

That's a little extreme, but yes, it is quite clear that the 14EX is better than the 8000. Remember that the 8000 is still quite good vs alot of the other stuff that is out there. It has HDAM's and an ok amp. Anyhow, I am really enjoying the 14EX the more I use it. I am thinking the next stop for me will likely be the SR 9600. I only hope it sounds as good as the 14EX. For now though, the 14EX will keep me very very happy :)

[powerlord]

I guess i should have elaborated a bit on my comparison,On my system there was a night and day differenc in sound,the 18 has way more headroom,it seems as though the more you push it the cleaner it got on my mains.And at a close to $2000 difference in your 8000 and 14ex if there isn't a major difference in sound and power then marantz did something wrong.I didn't think the 8000 was torroid equipped either.

[morkys]

No, the 8000 did not have a torroid. I have efficient speakers and a reasonabley small room (at the moment) so I don't notice the difference in headroom that much when listening to music at normal volumes. I do notice the following:

1) Bass has more impact and feel even at moderate volumes
2) Bass sounds clean, clear and deep
3) More spacious ambient depth to the sound
4) Great midrange and treble detail
5) Dynamic range for movies is incredible

It's great.

Out of curiosity, how does the SR14EX and SR9600 compare? The 9600 has HDAM's (newer SA2 HDAM's) and torroid power supply. Some day I think that could be my next uprgade. Nothing else other than the 9600 has the HDAM's and torroid.

[powerlord]

When I demo'd the 9600 it was on speakers similar to mine,Def Tech 2000's,so was the 14 ex,the 18 ex and the 19 and the 18u,they were all in the same listening room hooked up to the same pair of speakers.The 19 was the weakest,it pooped out before it got to reference level in all areas,for some reason the 18ex was pretty much the same,but when it came to the 14 and the 9600 and the U there seemed to be no limit to the clarity even past reference,and I couldn't hear an audible difference between the 9600 and the 14 or the U.The 9600 is full of new technology,we have older units,but the same power supply.The 8000 couldn't handle the load my RSF1000's put on it,the bass was muddy and incoherent at high volume and the highs were disgusting,I had an Elite on them and it couldn't handle reference level either,the sound became sloppy,but the 18 U makes my mains sing like angels,clear highs,deep clean authoritative bass past refernce level(which I never listen at).

[morkys]

That's what I love about my PSB Image speakers. They are fairly efficient, so I am only teasing the amp section to get good quality sound at sane listening levels. I am a tame, sometimes daring, but responsible listener. I listen at levels that have the sound going no higher than 85 dB on average at my listening position, 99% of the time. And I do this for obvious reasons. I have already suffered some hearing loss when I was at loud concerts as a teen ager. Stupid. I don't want to loose any more of my hearing. Luckily it was modest hearing loss and nothing nearly serious (had it checked).

Thanks for the feedback. At least I know that if I go to try out the SR 9600 some day for it's surround mode toys, it's audio quality will match the 14EX.

[morkys]

Well, the more I listen to this thing, the more I like it. It has lot's of clarity and lot's of slam. It sounds so clear and defined. No wonder the guy I bought it from says it sounds within 15% of some good quality separates. I thought he was exaggerating a bit but the difference between this SR14EX and other receivers is quite huge. I love this thing :)

[morkys]

Ok, I think I have found my one and only issue with this receiver, and I'm not sure if it's the mode of the receiver or the receiver itself, or the source material, or the speakers or a combination.

I am finding that often times the vocals in movies are boomy. Now, it varies from one dvd to the next. I have upgraded my speakers recently from the original PSB Image line to the 2nd gen Image line. I am using the receiver in NITE mode because one of the people I watch movies with is hard of hearing, so I increase the centre channel a couple of dB's and I try to reduce the dynamic range by using the NITE mode.

Any thoughts?

[morkys]

Any idea's how the SR9300 compares to the SR 14EX? I am looking at a used SR9600 but it's still pricey...but I also have a chance to pick up an SR 9300 for a decent price. The SR 9300 doesn't seem to have those HDAM's... but has all the rest. Not sure what I want to do. I'm a Marantz junky.

[johnny p]

Morkys, I'm not sure where you're located, but send me a PM if you're willing to sell the 8000, it'll be a great upgrade for me, and rest assured, It will give me a lot of enjoyment!

I'm not sure of the resale, but I'll check it out.

[morkys]

I am in Pickering, a sub-urb of Toronto. I sold my SR 8000 a while ago shortly after I bought the SR-14EX. I may sell my SR-14EX now. Why? Because I have Marantz upgrade-itis desease. I don't need to upgrade, I am just mental for Marantz.

[johnny p]

hmmm Doubt I can afford a 14EX, (especially with the decline of our dollar up there)

[morkys]

Well, just so you know, I'm selling my with an asking price of $995 at the moment. Lemme know if you are interested.

[morkys]

Sold the 14EX late last year and picked up an SR9600. Works well with my PSB image speakers, except that it can be so detailed as to be overly bright and revealing. Much of the blame goes to my PSB speakers.

[sb01]

Hi- sorry to bump back an old thread, but I have a very important question to ask regarding the Marantz SR-9600 and was hoping an owner of one of these receivers here could help me-

I used to own a Marantz SR-18ex, it was a fantastic receiver and my favorite of any I've ever owned or heard up to date. The only, ONLY thing that always bugged me about it was that you could apparently NOT run the subwoofer in source direct mode for two-channel music such as CD. (On Dolby and DTS surround modes, however, the source direct seemed to work with the sub- I suppose because the LFE was a dedicated signal, but on two-channel the subwoofer was trying to "borrow" the low-end frequencies from the front left and right channels, but it would not receive any signal because source direct eliminated output to the sub.) On Marantz's more recent receivers using source direct mode does NOT bypass bass management, but on the 18ex it did. I have very revealing Apogee speakers and LOVE their clarity through the source direct mode, but there was no way to run a subwoofer with them in this mode, which is pretty much a necessity, so i was relegated to using the stereo mode on the receiver, which, while still sounding very good, took away a bit of the clarity IMO.

I now have the chance to purchase an SR-9600 which is very comparable to the 14ex and 18ex but adds a few more options. The thing I need to know is whether you can run the subwoofer in the source direct mode for two-channel music on this model, or if it bypasses the subwoofer output like the 18ex did. I also notice that this receiver has a "pure direct" mode as well which bypasses video circuitry, and I have heard that the pure direct mode bypasses the bass management and subwoofer output for two-channel music while the source direct mode does not.

Can someone please clue me in to help me make a decision regarding the SR-9600? I am willing to shell out big bucks for this model but ONLY if it can run a sub in source direct mode for two-channel music. Thank you!!!

[pixelthis]

Dont know about Marantz, but every source direct mode I have ever seen
disables the sub.
Thats the point of this mode, to provide a unenhanced two channel sound in the highest fidelity.
"Stereo" is usually the mode you need, two channel with a sub.:1:

[sb01]

Dont know about Marantz, but every source direct mode I have ever seen
disables the sub.
Thats the point of this mode, to provide a unenhanced two channel sound in the highest fidelity.
"Stereo" is usually the mode you need, two channel with a sub.:1:


Normally I would agree with you, and I see your point- however in some cases such as mine it is necessary to have the sub to augment the lower frequencies to the front two channels. All you are doing with the ability to run source direct with a subwoofer is introducing one electrical circuit back into the signal (bass crossover management). You would still be bypassing tone controls (and in some cases video circuitry altogether) which is the main point of source direct, and even if you had front speakers that would handle the full audio range it would mean that those speakers are still introducing more crossover circuitry back into the signal (granted passive not active, but still.)
To me the benefits of being able to run a sub in source direct far outweigh the drawbacks. And not to start an argument, but just about every receiver that incorporates this mode nowadays (except the extreme high end ones) allow a sub with source direct.