Marantz 2023 Flagship CINEMA 40 9.4 ch. A/V Receiver

[Robert Zohn]

Just wanted to add the STR-AZ5000ES has 7 HDMI Inputs/2 Outputs.

The AZ5000ES' seven HDMI inputs with four supporting full 8K & 4K/120 video sources, and two HDMI outputs that also support full 8K & 4K/120 video sources.

You are HDMI 2.1 future proofed for many many years ahead.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

I' spent a lot of time with Sony's new 2023 AZ ES Receivers and the AZ5000ES 11.2 channel 130 wats per channel is a very excellent high performance receiver.

Other than it's premium audio quality performance the new exclusive features are very useful and important with several new room set-up configurations now possible.

It's priced very reasonably at $2,099. all in and delivered, when considering against all other receivers in the high-end class and being an 11.2 130 watts per channel capable receiver.

Regarding Sony AZ5000ES 11.2 channel model.
130W + 130W 8ohms, 1kHz, 2ch, THD 0.9%

Comparably Marantz Cinema 40 and Denon x4800h specs are
Power Output (8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.05% 2ch Drive) 125W
Power Output (6 ohm, 1 kHz, 0.7% 2ch Drive) 165W
Power Output (6 ohm, 1 kHz, 10% 1ch Drive) 235W

Only showing 130 watts @1Khz, 2ch with much higher 0.9% THD is a marketing cheat.

[Robert Zohn]

The Marantz CINEMA 40 and Denon X4800H are $400 higher priced than Sony's AZ5000ES. I'm a very big fan of Marantz and Denon's new receiver line-up and we are factory direct authorized dealers, but I also like Sony's new receiver line-up and especially all of the new features, like the capibility to use Sony's wireless rear speakers and wireless subwoofers as well as the ability to just add Sonos Port to enjoy full control of Sony’s XW5000ES power on and volume from your Sonos app.

Also Sony's AX5000ES is an 11 channel receiver and the CINEMA 40 and X4800H are 9 channel receivers with the capability to add a 2-ch. external power amp to get up to the full 11 channels.

Also know that the higher power output means that you do not have to drive and amps as hard to get the same volume level on a lower power receiver so the natural s/n ratio will be less than the specs list as you will not be pushing the amp and the s/n will be lower when the amps are not driven as hard.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

The Marantz CINEMA 40 and Denon X4800H are $400 higher priced than Sony's AZ5000ES. I'm a very big fan of Marantz and Denon's new receiver line-up and we are factory direct authorized dealers, but I also like Sony's new receiver line-up and especially all of the new features, like the capibility to use Sony's wireless rear speakers and wireless subwoofers as well as the ability to just add Sonos Port to enjoy full control of Sony’s XW5000ES power on and volume from your Sonos app.

Also Sony's AX5000ES is an 11 channel receiver and the CINEMA 40 and X4800H are 9 channel receivers with the capability to add a 2-ch. external power amp to get up to the full 11 channels.

Also know that the higher power output means that you do not have to drive and amps as hard to get the same volume level on a lower power receiver so the natural s/n ratio will be less than the specs list as you will not be pushing the amp and the s/n will be lower when the amps are not driven as hard.

Funny Crutchfled listed the Sony's AX5000ES at 120 watts per channel into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.09% THD, with 2 channels driven. So less power than Marantz CINEMA 40 and Denon X4800H. I'll wait for technical reviews with measured power.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

The Marantz CINEMA 40 and Denon X4800H are $400 higher priced than Sony's AZ5000ES. I'm a very big fan of Marantz and Denon's new receiver line-up and we are factory direct authorized dealers, but I also like Sony's new receiver line-up and especially all of the new features, like the capibility to use Sony's wireless rear speakers and wireless subwoofers as well as the ability to just add Sonos Port to enjoy full control of Sony’s XW5000ES power on and volume from your Sonos app.

Also Sony's AX5000ES is an 11 channel receiver and the CINEMA 40 and X4800H are 9 channel receivers with the capability to add a 2-ch. external power amp to get up to the full 11 channels.

Also know that the higher power output means that you do not have to drive and amps as hard to get the same volume level on a lower power receiver so the natural s/n ratio will be less than the specs list as you will not be pushing the amp and the s/n will be lower when the amps are not driven as hard.

Given the design changes, both CINEMA 40 and X4800H is a different decision than previous years. Operation wise the implementation makes one consider that simply having a larger chassis has little effect on RMS output into 4 ohms loads and the fact that the older x6700 ran towards hot, now both these new AVRs get just warm as a comparison. There is also the fact they have a new 1080P GUI interface as do other 2022 models. Worth taking a pan though all the design changes. Now the 2020 models are not so desirable, only this and later models. The 50 min Youtube video is from Denon covering all the changes from the 2020 models, it's not a few things either. The below chart at the bottom shows the x4800H has the same jitter reduction now as the x6700H/X8500HA models. The same Dacs as the x6700H, a new ADSP 21593x1 versus the 2020 models used ADSP-212573x2

ADSP-21593 - Up to 1GHz Dual-SHARC+® DSP with 2x 640KB L1, 2048KB Shared L2 SRAM, 400-Ball FCBGA
ADSP-21573 - Dual-core SHARC+ DSP (w/768KB L1), 1MB Shared L2, DDR, 400-cspBGA

Introducing the brand new Denon AVC-X4800H. - YouTube

[JohnAV]

Denon x4800H user manual
https://manuals.denon.com/AVCX4800H/...800H_EU_EN.pdf

Marantz Cinema 40 User Manual
https://manuals.marantz.com/CINEMA40...MA40_EU_EN.pdf