Marantz AV8805

[Waboman]

Originally Posted by gotmule

I am thinking you are right. Sounds like an answer to Dolby Vision / Atmos with a touch of THX certification process thrown in.

I think everyone's first reaction is to compare this with the old THX certification. Someone asked Marantz this very question on social media. Here's their reply:

[Waboman]

Here's a pic from AVS of an AV8805 running a beta version of the IMAX software at CEDIA.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Waboman

I think everyone's first reaction is to compare this with the old THX certification. Someone asked Marantz this very question on social media. Here's their reply:

There is an article on Forbes saying the 8805 is due for a firmware upgrade in October which contains IMAX enhanced, but I am not sure how valid it is.

[Waboman]

Originally Posted by gotmule

There is an article on Forbes saying the 8805 is due for a firmware upgrade in October which contains IMAX enhanced, but I am not sure how valid it is.

Yes, it's been been confirmed for an October firmware release. This is from Marantz's instagram:

[Robert Zohn]

All true! I personally saw and heard this today at CEDIA. Here's a copy of my post on the IMAX Enhanced thread on Blu-ray.com.

"At CEDIA two exhibits had a new IMAX Enhanced UHD/HDR BDs demonstrated.

My favorite IMAX Enhanced demo was in the Sound United booth. The system was a dream consisting of Sony's new VW990ES HDR Laser projectors with Panasonic's UB820 BD player and Marantz's AV8805 flagship processor connected to 3 MM8077 power amps. driving 7.1.6 speakers. They actually had 7 subwoofers, but because it's just one LFE channel the seven subs only count as one channel.

Things are moving very quickly in the high-end a/v business with content and equipment that makes this hobby more fun and the content more immersive than every imagined.

I'm working on getting this new IMAX Enhanced disc for our TV Shootout as I'd love to use some of the clips to help evaluate the latest flagship TVs."

[Waboman]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

All true! I personally saw and heard this today at CEDIA. Here's a copy of my post on the IMAX Enhanced thread on Blu-ray.com.

"At CEDIA two exhibits had a new IMAX Enhanced UHD/HDR BDs demonstrated.

My favorite IMAX Enhanced demo was in the Sound United booth. The system was a dream consisting of Sony's new VW990ES HDR Laser projectors with Panasonic's UB820 BD player and Marantz's AV8805 flagship processor connected to 3 MM8077 power amps. driving 7.1.6 speakers. They actually had 7 subwoofers, but because it's just one LFE channel the seven subs only count as one channel.

Things are moving very quickly in the high-end a/v business with content and equipment that makes this hobby more fun and the content more immersive than every imagined.

I'm working on getting this new IMAX Enhanced disc for our TV Shootout as I'd love to use some of the clips to help evaluate the latest flagship TVs."

That's awesome to hear, Robert. I'm all in for filling my entire 16:9 UHD screen with glorious IMAX HDR with thunderous audio. My monoblocks are itching. Although I'm slumming it with only two subs.

Wish I was there with you. I would have bought the first round of tequilaMAX shots.

Looking forward to reading and maybe seeing some pics of your CEDIA adventures.

Say, if you happen to have an extra IMAX and/or Atmos demo disc I'd gladly give them a happy home.

[Waboman]

Copied from AVS. Sheds a little more light on the IMAX/DTS upgrade.

Originally Posted by batpig

A few more tech details I clarified / learned about IMAX DTS at the AVS event tonight where I got to ask some more tech nerd questions.

1. Corrected: The HDR actually won’t be proprietary as I initially assumed, rather it will be HDR10, but specially graded / mastered according to IMAX standards. If the display is also IMAX Enhanced, in addition to the performance certification stuff, it will also lock into a special IMAX picture mode when it detects IMAX enhanced content as the input signal... a non IMAX display will just display it as standard 4K HDR10.

2. Confirmed: The video will also include IMAX’s proprietary sharpening / noise reduction technology they use in IMAX cinemas, called DMR.

3. Clarification: The DTS:X immersive audio will be 7.1.4 with one static object for the Center Height channel. So until (if?) DTS can do more than 11 channels it will play as 7.1.4 DTS:X with a phantom CH channel. The interesting part — the DTS guy said it would not just be a phantom center in between the FH L/R speakers but also the *center channel* would be used to create the phantom image (presumably to pull the phantom CH forward to the top of screen position as in commercial IMAX 12ch, since the FH speakers in IMAX 12ch are more overhead, not like Auro3D where they are on the same plane as CH). I was so surprised I asked him to confirm what I heard and he did.

4. Because IMAX theatrical mixes don’t have an LFE channel, there will be some proprietary bass management rolled into the IMAX DTS decoding. I’m not 100% sure but it sounds like it will override the bass management settings in your AVR when locked into IMAX DTS sound codec (kind of like how THX modes would force an 80hz xover).

5. The thing that was the biggest “wow really?” moment ... the DTS guy made the observation that IMAX uses Audyssey for calibration of their commercial cinemas, but with a proprietary target curve (which is a known thing). But then he said the IMAX DTS mode would include for HOME a proprietary target curve that would override the Audyssey reference curve default. All the other stuff above I had an inkling about but this one was a surprise.

We got to see a few more IMAX DTS demo clips than what they showed in the standard demo, and the picture quality was truly stunning with the Sony 995 running the IMAX prototype firmware.

[solarrdadd]

I mean, how is this supposed to work, I keep seeing post after post of people who HATE DTS:X/DTS: Neuaral X and I'm sure with this partnership, DTS is NOT abandoning X so, what will all those who so passionately hate it do if they are interested in the IMAX portion of this.

and what the hell does the IMAX portion of this thing mean, is it converting everything to IMAX? I'm not sure beyond the IMAX name, what it's supposed to be doing beyond making people jump to want to buy it.

we need real details on what this is supposed to mean and do for the end user beyond cost a pantload to have the IMAX name on it.

[solarrdadd]

Wabo, thanks for post #67

i'll be keeping an eye on this, not that I'm looking to upgrade, but, just to understand what this new "technology" is offering.

[solarrdadd]

any screen captures of a movie say in UHD/DV/HDR/ATMOS and then a screen capture of the same movie utilizing the coming IMAX/DTS option?

[Waboman]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

I mean, how is this supposed to work, I keep seeing post after post of people who HATE DTS:X/DTS: Neuaral X and I'm sure with this partnership, DTS is NOT abandoning X so, what will all those who so passionately hate it do if they are interested in the IMAX portion of this.

and what the hell does the IMAX portion of this thing mean, is it converting everything to IMAX? I'm not sure beyond the IMAX name, what it's supposed to be doing beyond making people jump to want to buy it.

we need real details on what this is supposed to mean and do for the end user beyond cost a pantload to have the IMAX name on it.

Lol. I can feel your angst jumping thru my monitor.

We're all trying to piece this together with what little info we have.

Who hates DTS? I haven't read one post, let alone post after post of haters. I've read people prefer Dolby. But that's far from passionately hating DTS.

Certain D&M models are already slated to get the update in October. No need to buy anything new. As neat as this is, I certainly don't want you to load you pants.

Not much is known at this point. But we'll get there.

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by Waboman

Lol. I can feel your angst jumping thru my monitor.

We're all trying to piece this together with what little info we have.

Who hates DTS? I haven't read one post, let alone post after post of haters. I've read people prefer Dolby. But that's far from passionately hating DTS.

Certain D&M models are already slated to get the update in October. No need to buy anything new. As neat as this is, I certainly don't want you to load you pants.

Not much is known at this point. But we'll get there.

trust me buddy, many people at this site hate DTS:X (not DTS) because they carry on about it being locked to 7.1.4 as apposed to ATMOS. I'd never lie or make up something like that. you know me, shit either sounds good or it doesn't. but there are distinct camps and it's ATMOS vs DTS:X. personally, I've heard both good and bad mixes with both. but, like I said, it either sounds good or it doesn't; makes no difference of the codec. again, me.

I have seen a little about the "IMAX" thing here and at AVS and it seems to have come out of nowhere, so, like you and others, I'm trying to understand, exactly what it's supposed to be and be doing as well as how.

it's making for an interesting read so far.

[solarrdadd]

I also don't want to clog up or derail this thread with the ATMOS/DTS:X thing, so, we can really chat about that elsewhere.

I do want to know more about the IMAX portion of this new video enhancement system. the what and the how it is and is implemented.

[Waboman]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

trust me buddy, many people at this site hate DTS:X (not DTS) because they carry on about it being locked to 7.1.4 as apposed to ATMOS. I'd never lie or make up something like that. you know me, shit either sounds good or it doesn't. but there are distinct camps and it's ATMOS vs DTS:X. personally, I've heard both good and bad mixes with both. but, like I said, it either sounds good or it doesn't; makes no difference of the codec. again, me.

I have seen a little about the "IMAX" thing here and at AVS and it seems to have come out of nowhere, so, like you and others, I'm trying to understand, exactly what it's supposed to be and be doing as well as how.

it's making for an interesting read so far.

It sure did come out of nowhere. Or I just wasn't paying attention. Which my wife tells me I do all the time. "What was that, honey? Sorry, I wasn't listening."

I will say the 8805 getting the update has definitely elevated my interest in this. However, now it seems Sony is gonna screw the pooch and not make it available for my model tv. Even tho it has the same X1E processor that tv's who are getting the update have. Thanks Sony.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Waboman

Copied from AVS. Sheds a little more light on the IMAX/DTS upgrade.

Thanks for the post! I have been curious how they were approaching the audio side of the equation. I am a big fan of the center height option with Auro’s upmixer as the effect is pretty damn cool, so I will be waiting for the 8805 upgrade to see how it sounds with DTS’ version. Like Solarrdadd said, it either sounds good or it doesn’t. It doesn’t matter how they get there in my mind. Still a lot of questions for sure about the whole deal. Pretty happy with the fact that the 8805 gets the upgrade, and we don’t have to contemplate buying a new unit to see and hear what it is all about.

[BLMN]

Originally Posted by Waboman

It sure did come out of nowhere. Or I just wasn't paying attention. Which my wife tells me I do all the time. "What was that, honey? Sorry, I wasn't listening."

I will say the 8805 getting the update has definitely elevated my interest in this. However, now it seems Sony is gonna screw the pooch and not make it available for my model tv. Even tho it has the same X1E processor that tv's who are getting the update have. Thanks Sony.

The excuse they used was lame “the Z9D is a 2 year old set”. In my eyes it’s a 2 year old set very capable to run this new imax enhanced mode but I guess Sony wants to sell lots of z9f’s now and it’s understandable. I don’t have the AV8805 but I have the SR8012 and it will also get the DTS imax update soon. Can’t wait to give it a try.

[fistymusic]

Using the 8805 with 6 in ceiling speakers, will the current 4K Atmos discs playback with 6 speakers, or only 4 speakers. Also, what will happen to the DTS X soundtracks. I currently use a 7702MKII, utilizing 4 in ceiling speakers, but I am considering upgrading to the 8805. The Marantz distributor could not even answer this question for me.

[gotmule]

The 8805 does 7.2.6 for Atmos mixes, so you are good there. For DTS X you are currently limited to 4 ceiling speakers due to the limitations of DTS X......but there is the upcoming IMAX enhanced which will have a more elaborate DTS speaker option. I Have read a few updates from Cedia as what those will be, but haven’t seen anything official yet.

[Waboman]

New firmware update available now.

These are some of the new features:

• IMAX Enhanced (Available for the AV8805)
• eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel)
• Smart Remote Management (SRM)

[Canada]

Sound and Visions review