Marantz PM8004 Integrated Amplifier (Black)

You looking to find the "Marantz PM8004 Integrated Amplifier (Black)" Good news! You can purchase Marantz PM8004 Integrated Amplifier (Black) with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $999.00    

Product Feature

• New Tri (Bass/Mid/Treble) tone control for more flexible sound adjusment
• Marantz original metal speaker terminal SPKT-1 x2 pair
• Fully discrete current-feedback amplifier, Fully discrete constant current feedback phono preamplifier, marantz HDAM-SA3 circuits
• Speaker A/B switching, "Power Amp Direct" input, Pre outputs
• Source Direct mode, Gold plated terminals, Triple layer bottom chassis, System Remote, Detachable Power code
• 70W (8 ohms), 100W (4 ohms) Output Power per channel using a Double-shielded Toroidal Transformer

Product Description

New Tri (Bass/Mid/Treble) tone control for more flexible sound adjusment, marantz original metal speaker terminal SPKT-1 x2 pair, Fully discrete current-feedback amplifier, Fully discrete constant current feedback phono preamplifier, marantz HDAM-SA3 circuits, Double-shielded large capacity toroidal power transformer, marantz custom tuned power supply capacitors, Short power line layout, High instantaneous peak current capability, Audiophile-grade semiconductors throughout, Separate input buffer for exclusive CD/for common other inputs, Speaker A/B switching, "Power Amp Direct" input, Pre outputs, Source Direct mode, Gold plated terminals, Triple layer bottom chassis, System Remote, Detachable Power code

Marantz PM8004 Integrated Amplifier (Black) Review

For comparison sake, I demoed a NAD 356BEE, Rotel RA-1520, and the PM8004 with a pair of KEF Q300 and B&W685. The NAD appears to be $200 cheaper than the Rotel and Marantz, but it does not include a phono pre-amp stage, which cost an extra $200. So if you add that MDC module, it would cost the same as the Rotel and Marantz, which both of those amp include a phono preamp stage. The MDC slot does give you the flexibility of adding a DAC or phono.

Note: I tested all amps in Pure Direct Mode. My computer fed audio in WAV 44.1KHz into a Cambridge DACMagic (upscales to 192KHz). The DAC was connected via AudioQuest interconnect into the "CD" input. The KEFQ300 were the preferred speakers (B&W685 is my zone2 speaker set). I also used 14 guage Audioquest X2 speaker wires that ran 12feet each - connections between speakers and amp were bi-wired. Speakers were set about 8feet apart, about 3-4 feet from wall and 20-30 degrees toe-in. Speakers were set on 24 inch stands. Speakers probably had about 150 hours on them. Each amp was left on for three days of continuous use for break-in.

On to the comparison. I started out with the Rotel RA-1520. In terms of build quality, the Rotel is top notch and best of the three. The chasis, the knobs in the front, the binding post are all built with exceptional quality. The 60watts rating is very conservative, it felt like it was outputing close to 90-100 watts. The amp provided more power than most bookshelf speakers will ever need. The bass and midrange is top-notch. Bass is tight and controlled, it is probably the best amp for bass and midrange. Imaging and soundstage is exceptional and airy. The treble is a bit bright and edgy, though not harsh - and I'm using more laid-back speakers too. The Rotel is no slouch, but there was something missing from this amp. The sound that emanates from this amp sounded life-less and cold - some people calls it analytical or clinical - which is not for me. So if you like that kind of sound, the Rotel is the best choice. I would not pair this amp with bright speakers.

The NAD 356BEE was next. This unit is very plasticy and I would probably rate it the lowest in build quality when compared to Rotel and Marantz. Regarding power output, this amp sound the most powerful. It has very powerful bass (best out of the three), but it was a bit more splashy and boomier (relative to the other two amps). This amp appears to be built to be driven at very high volumes - so if you want to crank it up, this is the amp for you. Soundstage and imaging was good. The one thing, and most critical to me, was that the amp sounded a bit dull. The treble was missing something to it. It just didn't really click with me.

The PM8004. The sound was airy, warm, smooth, and full of life. The moment I got goosebumps listening to Adele's powerful voice, I knew this was THE amp for me. Norah Jones timbre voice came through with smooth and emotional impact. Frusciante's guitar licks screamed with authority when I popped in Stadium Arcadium. In addition, I felt this amp did the best in creating that center image, but it's only marginally. Some more observations: Power output is comparable to the Rotel. Bass is not as tight as the Rotel, but better than NAD. Imaging is not quite as clear as the Rotel, but a tad bit better (maybe even the same) than the NAD.

In summary, the Rotel amp was like that hot chick that you drool over, but you didn't like her personality once you went out a date with her. I really tried to like the Rotel amp and even gave it a longer audition time. The NAD didn't impress me. The Marantz, although technically not as good as the Rotel, the warmer sound was a better fit for me. Also one thing I almost forgot to mention is that the Marantz does the best job at resolving details at lower volume - which is super important to me.

Build quality: Rotel>Marantz>>NAD
Bass control (tightness and timing): Rotel>Marantz>>NAD
Bass impact (volume): NAD>Rotel>Marantz
Midrange: Rotel>Marantz>NAD
Total power output: NAD>Rotel>Marantz although they are all sufficient for bookshelf speakers.

I can't recommend one over the other, but if you like warmer sound, stick with the PM8004. If you like the clinical sound with tight and accurate bass, the Rotel is the best choice. I'm not sure about the NAD since it didn't really do much for me.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Marantz PM8004 Integrated Amplifier (Black)" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Marantz PM8004 Integrated Amplifier (Black) ...