Incredible sound in 2-channel stereo! DTS/DOLBY Decoding. THX Select. Big and heavy with great looks. Amazing remote.

no 5-channel stereo (not a big deal, but I couldn't think of anything else)

Well I've had this thing for a week now and all I can say WOW!! This puts to shame my old Yamaha and any other receiver in its price range. Home theatre sound is amazing, especially in DTS. The real beauty of this thing is in its 2-channel stereo. What a difference between this and my old system. The sound is so soft and doesn't hurt my ears like the crisp, high treble receivers from Yamaha and Denon. As for not having 5-channel stereo, it really isn't a big deal. I listen to mainly classical, so I have to listen in 2-channel anyway. Also, the 2-channel stereo this thing produces is fantastic and surrounds my entire room, as though 5-channel is on. I got a great deal for this receiver ($1899 CAN - $1265 US) and would recommend it to anyone, especially if you can get the same deal as I got. By far, Marantz is the best receiver out there and if you have the money, I'd recommend it highly.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha RX-V596

sound, remote, cost

none stand out, oh yeah, the dsp's suck but what else is new

First of all I feel obligated to submit a review on this site as it has been very helpful to me in making decisions related to my audio system. Now, about this reciever, I must say that I have been very happy with just about every aspect of this reciever.It is almost ridiculous that it costs 1300.00 especially when you consider that you get a great learning remote with macros. It blows denon away in every catagory and is much more musical in 2-channel audio. There is no way that you can get reciever that SOUNDS this good for anywhere near this price.The only reason that I am not giving it 2 5's is that in my opinion that should be reserved for the very best, however I would HIGHLY recommend this reciever.
Marantz SR-19
Pioneer 626D dvd player
Sumiko Pro-Ject 1.2 Turntable
Creek OBH-8 phono pre-amp
Niles IPC-12 plc
Monitor Audio Silver 5's (fronts)
" " " 3's (surrounds)
" " " center 10
Definitive Tecnologies PF 15tl sub
Ted's Excellent cables:
Tracer Digital Cable
Demension Audio Cables
Speaker Cables

Similar Products Used:

denon

Very clean power. Lots of headroom. Very powerfull. Remote is very cool, the best I've used.

No real complaints, except for 5-channel stereo, but no big deal.

Well, I've had this receiver now for more then 6 months. So I've had the chance to really break it in, and play around with it. I've also had the oppertunity to use it with two entire different speakers. B&W, and now Def Tech. While it drove the B&W's no problem, it pushes the Def Tech that much easier. I couldn't beleive how easy the SR-19 handled them. The power was so clean, better then anything I've owned, and perhaps heared in it's class. Imaging and detail are so crisp, while the power is ample. Since this receiver has been broken in, it's that much more impressive, the sound has opened up so much. Surround decoding is done very well, while all detail is heared. This receiver can produce excellent base, with no problem's! Wow, what more can I say. 2-Channel music listening is among the best.

Hands down, this receiver is the best in it's class, and for the money, nothing comes close. Bar none!!

Gear: Def Tech BP2004TL
CLR2002
BP2X's
Pionner DV-05
Toshiba 36'Cinema Series
JPS Labs Super Blue Speaker Cable
Tributaries Component Cable and Digital Cable

Similar Products Used:

Yam992, Onkyo 676 and 777

Too many to list them all, so here's a few:
Reference quality sound for both music and movie soundtracks
Insane build quality-this unit is built like a tank
130 watts x 5 channels of clean, distortion free, high current power
THX EX and DTS ES decoding
192kHz/24 bit DACS for all seven channels
Digital inputs and outputs out the kazoo

None

NOTE: THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE SR-19EX!!!

I have been on a quest for the ideal AV reciever for over a year and a half. I've tried all of the aforementioned receivers, and have finally found the perfect receiver for my needs. I had a Denon AVR 3300 receiver for about a year, but had never been satisfied with the quuality of music reproduction on the unit. I recently decided I wanted to have the option of THX EX and DTS ES, so I started shopping around. I started with the Denon 3801. Although it sounded great for movies, it sounded very dull on music, even more than my 3300. BEWARE of the Denon power rating on the 3801. There is NO WAY that the 3801 is putting out over a hundred watts per channel with all channels driven!!! I'd be surprised if it was acutally putting out more than about 85 watts. I tried the Onkyos out. They are well built, and offer many options, but the sound very bright, especially for music. The HK was a total disappiontment. High current my ass! The build quality of HK is sad(espeically when I look at how well my old HK AVR 20 MKII was built.)
On a lark, I checked into the Marantz line. I started with the SR8000. This is an outstanding unit, both for music and movies. It is well designed and built, and puts out gobs of pure power. I liked it so much I was willing to worry about THX EX/DTS ES later. I took it home and tested it out-and loved it. I loved it so much I went back to my dealer to "just look" at the next one up in the Marantz line-the SR-19. BAD IDEA!!!! I had as much luck "just looking" at the SR-19 as I would "just looking" at Salma Hayek, and not taking her home with me! I was hooked! Simply put, the Marantz SR-19 put out the most beautiful sound I've ever heard from a combined AV receiver. It sounds better than many seperates I've heard. Music reproduction was beautiful, and Gladiator in DTS rocked! Out came the credit card, and I took the Marantz home. I had it for just shy of a month, when I found out the SR-19EX was out. I exchanged the SR-19 for the SR-19EX. I am now totally content!!!! (OK-not quite-no Salma Hayek to keep me company ;)
The Marantz SR-19EX is outstanding in EVERY respect. I cannot find one thing to complain about. And believe me-I return a lot of gear for "minor" shortcomings. When Marantz says "Because Music Matters" they mean it! Music reproduction is wonderful! This unit creates a very detailed, rich, and three dimensional sound field. It's the closest I've come to "perfect" music reproduction from a component. Run anything you want for music-classical, metal, rock, jazz, rap, pop-the SR-19EX handles them all flawlessly. For those who enjoy five channel stereo, the SR-19EX has this feature, and it sounds great.
Movie playback is also reference quality. This component is THX Ultra certified, and it shows! Channel separation, soundstage and dynamics are all stellar. The Marantz SR-19EX handles even the most dynamic movie soundtracks so easily its's insane! I can't put the volume up more than about 30% without rattling my windows, and damaging my ears. Multichannel music also sounds beautiful. The SR-19EX does require two additonal channels of amplification for THX ES and DTS ES playback. The way the Marantz is designed, you flip the two front channels to power the two rear speakers, and add outboard amps to power the fronts.
The unit weighs 55 pounds, and is EXCEPTIONALLY well built and designed. The remote control is great! There are plenty of digital, and analog inputs/outputs, and the unit also has component video inputs/outputs. This unit is almost double the cost of the SR8000, and I'm penny pinching to pay for grad school, but I feel the SR-19EX is well worth it. It is without a doubt the best audio/video purchase I have ever made!!!! Feel free to email me with any questions you may have. Happy listening.

Similar Products Used:

Marantz SR-19
Marantz SR8000
Denon AVR 3801
Denon AVR 3300
Onkyo TX-DS 787
Onkyo TX-DS 989
HK AVR 7000

SOUND!! Quality. Weight. Looks.

Manual is horrible.

I have only had this Receiver for a week but so far I am VERY happy camper! The sound stage this baby presents in 2 channel sound is wonderful! I keep walking up to my center channel to make sure that it's not on! I think for the money it would be hard to beat this baby. My wife has even started to enjoy music again, she sat with me in our livingroom the first night we had it and listened to cd's for hours. Haven't seen her ever do that in 14 years!! I can't give you much info on it due to my short time of owning it but I can say that this baby is a 5 star receiver in my book!!! My system consists of the following:

Fronts: PSB 6t's
Center: PSB 9c
Surronds: PSB 2b's
Sub: PSB Subsonic 6
DVD: Toshiba 2100
TV: Toshiba 36"
VHS: Some GE model, doesn't matter.

Similar Products Used:

Sony,Sansui, Yamaha, etc.........

Build Quality, Sound Quality, Remote

Lack of banana plug connections may be a negative for some people

I saw this receiver at a HT/stereo shop in Atlanta. I initially listened to it with Paradigm Studio 80s fronts, and the matching Paradigm center and dipole surrounds. I was floored by what I heard, but I couldn't afford the whole setup. Luckily, the shop had my current (now previous) receiver, an Onkyo TX-DS676, as well, so I listened to the same speakers driven by it. The Marantz was head and shoulders above the Onkyo, greatly improving the imaging and detail that the Paradigms produced. So, I decided to buy it for use with my HT setup.

My speaker setup is much more modest than the Paradigm setup (Polk RT55 fronts, Polk CS400 center, Polk RT/fx surrounds, Velodyne CT100 sub, with Monster standard cable to all speakers and Monster to the sub as well), so I was doubtful that I'd hear nearly as much difference between the two receivers as I did with the Paradigms. Luckily, I was wrong: the Polks sound like new speakers when driven by the SR-19. I liked the 5-channel stereo surround mode the Onkyo had, but the Marantz makes the RT55s fill the room just as well in plain stereo mode. And for HT, the SR-19 once again exceeded my expectations by a wide margin; listening to the DTS version of Saving Private Ryan in DTS/THX Cinema mode actually sounded better to me than when I saw it in a THX certified theater.

Another big plus for the SR-19 is its remote. I have looked for a universal remote for nearly two years, but hadn't found one that controlled all of my equipment ( combo DVD/LD player, SVHS VCR, DSS receiver, TV) and was easy to use. The RC-18 remote the comes with the SR-19 appears to be a nearly exact copy of the RC 2000 MK II that Marantz sells as a standalone product. It is very easy to program, and has large, easy to use buttons, an easy to read LCD screen and excellent backlighting. There are some areas where it could be improved, but it is by far the best remote I've seen bundled with an HT component. My wife is even comfortable using it; that says more than I could ever say about it.

I paid about 2 1/2 times what I paid for the Onkyo to get the SR-19. Do I feel that I got my money's worth? No question about it.

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo, Harman-Kardon and Yamaha A/V Receivers

Sound! Clear, big sound stage, not harsh. Remote functionality

Manual, No A/B

Hi,

Around boxing day, here in Canada, I went window shopping. I dropped in a store to see what was on sale. I initially was looking at the prices of progressive DVD players until the salesman made me listen to the Marantz SR-19.He put in St-Germain's CD "Tourist" on track #7 "Pont Des Arts".

I was blown away by the sound! The imaging and sound stage of this receiver is awesome! The bass of not boomy, and listening to the music was not tiresome like some other more expensive speaker/system I listened to.

I was wondering if it was because of the speakers and room. I went back to my place and played the same track on my Yamaha. I did not get the seem sensation as I did with the Marantz. At home I have a pair of Energy Pro 22. I thought that the Yamaha was good for music (which in my opinion, it still is), but the Marantz was just better.

The Marantz was also attractive because the price has gone down due to a replace model comming soon. Also, looking forward to DVD/Audio or SACD, the Marantz has a analog direct mode, which the Yamaha did not.

When I wire up the Marantz, I put it the ST-Germain cd and I was not disappointed at all. Even with a nonideal listening room, the sound was a drastic imprevoment over the Yamaha.

For Music, the Marantz blows anything that I listened in the same price range.

For movies, I would say that the Marantz is a tad better than the Yamaha.

As a unit, the Marantz seems solid. It is a no thrills unit that don't care for fancy DSP effects. On the Yamaha, I would only used 2-3 modes out of 30+.

The Marantz does not have A/B speaker switch. Not a big deal for me, but may be a factor for others.

Functionaly, the remote is great, better than the disfunctional remote that came with the Yamaha. However, the batteries are in the front part of the remote. This was awkward as the weight of the remote was not in the palm of your hands as most remotes.

Besides that, All I have to say is that this is a great sounding receiver for the bucks. If you are into both, movies and music, I would definitely recommend this one if you can find it, if not than I am sure the SR19 ex will be a worthy successor

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha 2095

DSP modes, manual.

I got the Marantz after living for quite sometimes with the Kenwoods and still have a bad taste in my mouth about their musical ability. I bought the Kenwood VR-410 to replace my old VR-208 after acquiring some B&W speakers. When I play the first songs through the speakers, I was so distraught. The exquisite highs which I have heard in the stores are now like gongs banging close to my ears. I thought it was the case receiver and the speakers has not been broken in so I lived with this combination for another 6 months.

After this period while the sound improved marginally, the highs are still ear-piercing. I returned to the shop in search for the same electronic which was driving the B&W when I first bought them. I listen to NAD 1761, Denon 3801 and Yamaha RV-1000. These are world difference from the Kenwoods. For music, I would rate the NAD first then, Denon and Yamaha. But for movies, the NAD is not even comparable to the other two.

Knowing that Marantz has been recommended to be used with B&W speakers. I went to another shop to listen to either the Marantz SR-7000 or SR-8000. I was introduced to the SR-7000 and thought it's as good as the Denon 3801 for 2-channel music listening. But then the SR-19 which was on special caught my eyes. It's the wow factor that enticed me to try it out although it was more than the my budget. All I can say is I have found sound I was searching for. The Marantz warm sound can control the B&W speakers perfectly and without breaking a sweat.

I brought the SR-19 home and sure enough it has exceed all my expectations. I found myself looking towards the end of the day when I can relax listening to my favorites CDs. And of course, the SR-19 is no slouch in the home theater arena either, I have rewatched the DVDs that I have and found new sounds which I haven't noticed with the VR-410. The THX post processing does change the sound somewhat and while it can work wonder on some movies, others are best played without it. The remote is one of the best that I have ever seen however the manual is akwardly written.

If you want the latest home theater gee-wiz factor and music is less important then the Denon 3801 might be a better choice. However if you don't want to compromise with music then the SR-19 is tough to beat. My B&W speakers are now real happy with the Marantz and so are my ears. Heck, even their slogan matched: Listen and You Will See (B&W) Because Music Matters (Marantz).

B&W
602 s2 front
CC6 s2 center
P4 rears
asw 1500 subwoofer

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood VR-208, VR-410. Auditionned NAD, Denon, Yamaha

very few

I do not own this receiver as yet but I am strongly contemplating buying it.The reviews and favourable ratings have helped me a lot in making up my mind.Though a lot has been written about its musical and HT performance, I would like to know more about its component switching abilities. I shall be thankful if some fellow audio enthusiasts could email me about its component video switching capabalities.Has anyone experienced degradation of HDTV signals using this receivers component switching.
Thanks.

Similar Products Used:

nad t761, denon avr2600

EASY TO SET UP.WARM SOUND ON STEREO.THUNDEROUS SOUND ON THEATER.BUILT LIKE A TANK.VERY WELL CONSTRUCTED.

NONE AT THE TIME OF THIS REVEIW.MAYBE THE MANUAL

LETS START BY SAYING I TESTED EVERY PRODUCT OUT THERE IN THE
$1000 RANGE.SINCE I WAS ON A BUDGET, I WAS LIMITED TO ABOUT
THAT MUCH ON THE RECEIVER.AS EVERYBODY ELSE,IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE A CHOICE WHEN THER ARE SO MANY PRODUCTS OUT THERE. SINCE I HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM THE INDUSTRY FOR SOME TIME,I HAD SOME HOME WORK TO DO.SEARCHING THROUGH MANY OF THE RECENT MAGS (HOME THEATER THE BEST), I SAW THAT MARANTZ WAS ON THE UP SWING SINCE PHILLIPS TOOK THEM OVER.I SAW THAT THEY WERE MAKING A WELL BUILT PRODUCT THAT DOESN'T BREAK THE BANK. AFTER HOURS OF READING AND WEB SEARCHING I CAME UPON THIS SITE.I READ ALL THE REVEIWS AND EDUCATED MY SELF ON THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGIES.AFTER ABOUT A MONTH I WAS READY FOR MY SEARCH.I TESTED THEM ALL, DENON,YAMAHA ETC.BUT I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH BUYING A NEW SYSTEM FROM A COMMERCIAL STORE
(CIRCUIT CITY , THE WIZ ETC).SO I FOUND AUTHORIZED DEALERS IN MY AREA.MY FIRST CHOICE WAS WHEN I HEARD DEFINITVE SPEAKERS.I WAS IN LOVE.THE SOUND WAS SO REAL AND LIFE LIKE TO MY EARS.THAT'S WHERE IT ALL STARTED.I BOUGHT THE 2004 FRONT SPEAKERS WITH THE BUILT IN SUBS.THE 2002 CENTER CHANNEL SPEAKER.THE CINEMA 100 SPEAKERS FOR MY SURROUNDS.
GREAT COMBO OF SPEAKERS.THEN I READ THE REVIEWS ON THE SR-19
RECEIVER.I NEVER REALLY HEARD IT BUT WENT ON SO MANY POSITIVE REVIEWS.SAVE A FEW EXTRA BUCKS AND WENT CRAZY.NOW FOR THE REVIEW.AFTER OWNING IT A MONTH AND PLAYING AROUND WITH IT, ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS AMAZING.FIRST SET UP WAS VERY EASY.FOLLOWING THE ON SCREEN MENUS WAS A PLEASURE. REAR CONNECTIONS WERE ALSO WELL LAID OUT AND EASY TO FOLLOW.
I UPGRADED ALL MY CABLES TO MONSTER CABLES (INTERCONNECTS AND OPTICALS).THEY'RE A LITTLE PRICEY BUT YOU KNOW YOU ARE GETTING QUALITY.AFTER SET UP WAS COMPLETE,IT WAS TIME TO FIRE IT UP.SINCE MUSIC IS MY FIRST PRIORITY,I THREW ON SOME WELL PRODUCED CD'S.BILLY JOEL THE BRIDGE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FULLY DIGITAL CD'S MADE.AWESOME TREMENDOUS SOUND.I
THOUGHT BILLY WAS IN MY LIVING ROOM.THEN I WENT THROUGH VARIOUS CD'S AND ONE WAS BETTER THAN THE NEXT.CRYSTAL CLEAR HIGHS WITH CLARITY AND CRISP VOCALS.THIGHT SOLID BASS.NOT MUDDY OR DISTORTED.THE APPEARENCE OF THIS UNIT IS ALSO IMPRESSIVE.JUST BY LOOKING AT IT,YOU CAN TELL IT WAS BUILT TO GO TO WAR.VERY SOLID HEAVY UNIT (55 LBS).NOW IT WAS ON TO MOVIES.IT PUT ON BRAVE HEART,JURASSIC PARK AND JUST ABOUT ANY VAVOOMING SOUND TRACKS I HAVE.OUTSTANDING.CRYSTAL CLEAR
DIALOGUE.EARTH SHATTERING EXPLOSIONS.MY NEXT STEP IS TO SET UP THE SPEAKERS WITH A SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL METER AS RECOMMENDED IN THE MARANTZ MANUAL.I BOUGHT A RADIO SHACK METER FOR $35.THE WIRING DIAGRAM WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING BUT NOT BAD.THIS IS TRULY A WONDERFUL UNIT. I SPENT $400 MORE THAN I WANTED BUT I AM NOT REGRETING IT.I AM VERY SATISFIED AND AM PLEASED I MADE THIS DECISION.I DON'T THINK THAT $1400 FOR THIS UNIT IS ALOT IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY AND MORE.


SYSTEM COMPONENTS:

MARANTZ SR 19 RECEIVER
ROTEL RCD 955 AX CD PLAYER WITH DIGITAL OUTPUT
SONY DVP S500D DVD PLAYER
DENON DR M34 HR
PHILLIPS PRONTO REMOTE (EXCELLENT REMOTE)
DEFINITVE SPEAKERS:
BP 2004 TL FRONT SPEAKERS WITH BUILT IN SUBS
CLR 2002 CENTER CHANNEL
PRO CINEMA 100 REAR SURROUND
MONSTER CABLE INTERCONNECTS,DIGITAL AND OPTICAL CABLES
12 GAUGE SPEAKER CABLES

Similar Products Used:

NONE