Lefisc
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This is really part one of a two part review of the Marantz SR 7009. This will stress setup and operation and in a month I’ll post a deeper performance evaluation.
I would have this directly compete with my main media room, with units mentioned below in my signature. This is going into our “upstairs” room where we more causally listen to music and watch TV, often just before bed. The room has an LG55EC9300 OLED TV, an Oppo 95 Blu Ray player and B and W in wall speakers. This unit will be replacing the 8 year old Marantz 8002, which served us well.
I bought this first because I got a great price from our dealer, Dan at Suffolk AV on Long Island and Dan would do his usually immaculate job helping me set this up. Also, I can get a good “trade in” price from another dealer, if I can’t sell it first. (If that is a bit confusing I’ll explain later).
It took about an hour and fifteen minutes to remove the old unit and put this in. Then it took about 30 minutes to configure and, over a couple of days, I went through the 40 or so full size pages on the settings. This allowed me to learn what the unit does and how it does it. That took about 30 minutes too. If you add 45 minutes for programming my remote, the whole thing took about three hours.
The external connections were: an HDMI inputs for the Cable and Blu Ray; Digital input for the LG TV (I get over the air channels); a 25 foot long cable that goes to my Sonos* in the living room; An outdoor FM antenna; an internet cable (for the internet radio and updates); two Bluetooth and Wi Fi antennas that come with the unit and an internal AM antenna that still give me NO AM reception.
My six speakers and subwoofer were attached as well as an HDMI came going into the TV.
The unit “begs” you to use its automatic set up and we did and it worked simply and perfectly. It “assigned” the right inputs to settings such as “TV” and “Blu Ray” and even allowed me to change the names of the inputs. It came with a microphone that set up speaker quantity, distance and levels. That part took about 15 minutes.
*This comes with an internet radio, but I did NOT know if I would need to set up (and pay for) another Sirius package. The answer was I did not have to, BUT it told me that I MUST have my Sonos off in order for me to get Sirius on this. (Yep, it knew!) Like the Sonos, you need to download an app to use the internet radio. Perhaps not as intuitive as the Sonos, it’s fine.
The picture is really good, the controls are easier to use than the 8002 but this comes with one remote, the 8002 had a second remote for an additional zone. No matter, I use the URC 850 for the whole system. While watching TV last night, I went through the settings section and that was a bit time consuming but real easy. And, for me, a bit of fun. So much of this is pre-set but changeable, but I would up changing very little.
Two interesting functions:
First, if you choose an audio function (CD, radio, internet radio) you can choose an external and separate video function. You could not do that on the 8002. So you can watch Baseball and listen to music.
Second, even with the unit off, there is an HDMI passthrough that will allow to watch and hear your cable stations on your TV.
The sound is good and the midrange and detail is especially better than the 8002, but the 8002 is still very good. The surround seems to be a bit better two, but let me listen more.
Quite frankly, it takes me a while to just watch a TV show or listen to music when I get a unit. I am listening t the new receiver, not the music. But, very quickly this unit, after I went through the setting became invisible and impressive. I saw my FIRST 3D cable movies (I have seen them on my Blu Ray) and it was amazing. I saw “Maleficent” - and a bit of the “300” movie. Really it looked and sounded wonderful.
I would have this directly compete with my main media room, with units mentioned below in my signature. This is going into our “upstairs” room where we more causally listen to music and watch TV, often just before bed. The room has an LG55EC9300 OLED TV, an Oppo 95 Blu Ray player and B and W in wall speakers. This unit will be replacing the 8 year old Marantz 8002, which served us well.
I bought this first because I got a great price from our dealer, Dan at Suffolk AV on Long Island and Dan would do his usually immaculate job helping me set this up. Also, I can get a good “trade in” price from another dealer, if I can’t sell it first. (If that is a bit confusing I’ll explain later).
It took about an hour and fifteen minutes to remove the old unit and put this in. Then it took about 30 minutes to configure and, over a couple of days, I went through the 40 or so full size pages on the settings. This allowed me to learn what the unit does and how it does it. That took about 30 minutes too. If you add 45 minutes for programming my remote, the whole thing took about three hours.
The external connections were: an HDMI inputs for the Cable and Blu Ray; Digital input for the LG TV (I get over the air channels); a 25 foot long cable that goes to my Sonos* in the living room; An outdoor FM antenna; an internet cable (for the internet radio and updates); two Bluetooth and Wi Fi antennas that come with the unit and an internal AM antenna that still give me NO AM reception.
My six speakers and subwoofer were attached as well as an HDMI came going into the TV.
The unit “begs” you to use its automatic set up and we did and it worked simply and perfectly. It “assigned” the right inputs to settings such as “TV” and “Blu Ray” and even allowed me to change the names of the inputs. It came with a microphone that set up speaker quantity, distance and levels. That part took about 15 minutes.
*This comes with an internet radio, but I did NOT know if I would need to set up (and pay for) another Sirius package. The answer was I did not have to, BUT it told me that I MUST have my Sonos off in order for me to get Sirius on this. (Yep, it knew!) Like the Sonos, you need to download an app to use the internet radio. Perhaps not as intuitive as the Sonos, it’s fine.
The picture is really good, the controls are easier to use than the 8002 but this comes with one remote, the 8002 had a second remote for an additional zone. No matter, I use the URC 850 for the whole system. While watching TV last night, I went through the settings section and that was a bit time consuming but real easy. And, for me, a bit of fun. So much of this is pre-set but changeable, but I would up changing very little.
Two interesting functions:
First, if you choose an audio function (CD, radio, internet radio) you can choose an external and separate video function. You could not do that on the 8002. So you can watch Baseball and listen to music.
Second, even with the unit off, there is an HDMI passthrough that will allow to watch and hear your cable stations on your TV.
The sound is good and the midrange and detail is especially better than the 8002, but the 8002 is still very good. The surround seems to be a bit better two, but let me listen more.
Quite frankly, it takes me a while to just watch a TV show or listen to music when I get a unit. I am listening t the new receiver, not the music. But, very quickly this unit, after I went through the setting became invisible and impressive. I saw my FIRST 3D cable movies (I have seen them on my Blu Ray) and it was amazing. I saw “Maleficent” - and a bit of the “300” movie. Really it looked and sounded wonderful.