Marantz AV-7706 Preamp Processor $3200
Building a preamp processor that WORKS PROPERLY and SOUNDS GREAT is a daunting task.
Over the years I’ve dealt with many companies trying to hit the nail on the head of performance and operation. It’s a technological tour de force to make a high end pre-pro. It’s a computer as much as an audio piece.
Precious few can do it at all. Nobody except Marantz can do THIS state of the art work at a fair price. I have tired numerous competitors over the years. Virtually all are fraught with problems. For example, they don’t switch video without blue screen roll. They only have a couple of their inputs support 4k. Their set up menus must have been set up by NASA, and they still don’t hold the selected options. In short, their software is always lacking. Marantz has NO such problems. If you’re still with me here you should be asking, “Why do you keep trying other brands when Marantz has it DOWN PAT?” Because I’m a hopeless audiophile who loves to putz with stuff. So yes, in fact, when Marantz came out with AV-9000 in 1999, I should have just said, nobody bother me with any other brand of pre-pro. You’re only going to let me down!
AV-7706 is a magnificent pre-pro, processing 11.2 channels in RCA and XLR. That should be enough, right?
If not, Marantz offers the AV-8805A which processes up to 15.2!
Fact is, it takes massive techno resources to do a pre-pro right. Our N American friends try with all their heart and soul, but simply do NOT have the resources and expertise of Marantz, who builds AV-7706 in its tier 1 factory in Japan. AV-7706 has audio chops rivaling the specialty companies like Mac, and does the home theater switching and processing far better.
If you want to run a GREAT home theater and also demand marvelous two channel performance with the same system, please buy Marantz! Please don’t start down the complicated road of home theater pass through loops, incurring more cables, confusing operation and divorce court.
You can have your cake and eat it too. But your prepro has to be a top echelon separates piece. That means, buy Marantz.
