I have been shopping for a AV receiver and I have narrowed down my search to Marantz SR5300 and NAD T742.
I have in mind Wharfadale Diamond Series to match the receiver. Any comments.
Anonymous
Posted on
I'm also interested in hearing opinons about the SR5300 vs NAD T742. Specifications and feature differences aside, what's the difference in the musicality and tone of these two products? I can listen to the SR5300 in person, but there is no local NAD dealer.
My one concern about them both: I believe the previous generation of both the Marantz and the NAD's were pretty trouble-prone and that's made me concerned. It's terrible that the most musical sounding, reasonable priced products have the worst quality reputations.
Tim
Posted on
I believe the Marantz SRx300 series has addressed a lot of these build quality issues and is now a decent machine. It's supposed to be good with music (eg. CD). My SR4300 is still in its box upstairs while I wait for my speakers.
Don't know about the Wharfdales, but I was advised to consider Mission and Mordaunt Short for speakers.
Hawk
Posted on
Anon 2:
I took a pair of my beloved old (16 years old) Heybrook 2Rs around to listen to several receivers. Now the Heybrooks are a very accurate speaker, a classic, in fact. I had the dealers hook them into their board so I could hear speakers I knew really well driven by some mid-priced receivers. Based upon this experience, I felt the NAD 742 was far more musical than the Marantz, which is also no slouch. The Marantz has far more features on it and does absolutely nothing wrong, but when we listened to the NAD, we found ourselves sitting up to hear more as the sound was so good. I found the NAD to be fuller and more dynamic, whereas the Marantz was a little leaner sounding. Since both were very good, you might prefer the Marantz, however.
This confirmed a previous blind test I did at the same dealer a couple of months earlier involving four brands of receivers and using the dealer's speakers. Unfortunately, I do not have a dealer here that has both NAD and Marantz for a direct comparison. So, I took my speakers to them as a way of comparing both.
In short, I don't think you will make a mistake with either receiver. Both are extremely good at that price point. But sonically, at least, I give the edge to the NAD.
Hawk
Posted on
Anon 2:
I forgot to address your second question. Hey, I wouldn't worry about either one. Both Marantz and NAD clearly got their act together and are making a very good quality product. Both the 742 and the 5300 have been out now for nearly a year and I have not seen any problems reported on any of the forums I monitor, so I think either is a safe bet.
This seems to follow a trend I see among the good companies out there. Yes, they may make a bad generation, but the good ones come right back with a huge improvement because they know their reputation cannot afford another stinker. Onkyo, for example, seems to have really made amends for the problems with their 500 and 600 models with the new 501 and 601 receivers, which are significantly improved over the earlier models. The ones you have to watch out for are the companies that don't learn from their mistakes (we will not name names at this point)!
avdude
Posted on
I happened on this thread today. I have found a new Marantz SR5300 for well under $400, with full warranty. The 742, as we all know, is available for $449 new, about $90 more than the Marantz, also with a full warranty.
I was wondering if the SR5300 was sonically close enough to the NADT742, since I like the Marantz's better power ratings (90W X 6 vs. 50W X 5) and the fact that it is 6.1 and has 7 input and preouts, versus 5.1 for the NAD T742 with 5 preamp outs and 5.1 inputs (I believe)...
Thanks for any feedback.
I would be willing to buy a T762 for $899 (or a T752 for $699), if the difference is noticeable enough over the NAD T742 or Marantz SR5300
Jonmoon
Posted on
avdude,
I have the SR5300 and the T762. I had the SR5300 as my HT set up but felt it was a bit lacking for my large room. I also don't like the remote too well. Alot of the answer to your question will deal with what you are using the receiver for and the size of your room. I have moved my SR5300 to my bedroom to handle a smaller room and set up. I am really pleased with the T762. I didn't have a chance to test whether the T752 was enough but it was probably a good idea to get the T762.
I you need a bit more power, definitely step up to the T752 or T762. If you don't and you like the sound of the Marantz, that is a great price and enjoy it. It is a nice receiver.
Again, you will probably get a better answer if you list your music to movie preference ratio, your speakers and the size of your room.
In the end, you will do well whichever one you choose.
avdude
Posted on
Thanks Jonmoon!
To answer your questions: My preference is really probably none (i.e. 50% movies / 50% stereo CDs (and now DVD-Audio and SACD surround, not SACD stereo, discs)) at the moment.
My room is not too large (~13.5' X 19' bedroom).
MY SETUP: - HK DC520 dual auto revers Dolby HX Pro cassette deck.
- Technics SL MC-7 110+1 CD changer with optical out.
- Pioneer DVD-563A SACD/DVD Audio player ($161 + tax, couldn't resist) for SACD/DVD-Audio playback
- Sony CX985V 400 DVD changer (with SACD) for DVD Video discs.
- Cyberhome CH-300S for MP3 DVD playback only. (only $48, in case anyone is wondering why I have so many DVD players... each one has a unique feature: one player holds 400 DVDs another plays both DVD-Audio and SACD The third plays MP3 DVDs...)
Speakers: Fronts - Infinity Overture 2 3-way towers with built in bass amplifier (67% off MSRP about 4 years ago - $654 + shipping for the pair).
Rears - Advent Laureate ($100 pair from a friend years ago)
Center - Optimus Pro CS-5
Subwoofer - 15" amplified Tympani (don't use due to having neighbors directly below my place).
The SR5300 has sold, so my quest continues.
avdude
Posted on
Make the room dimensions closer to 11' X 15', better estimate...
Jonmoon
Posted on
avdude,
I was hoping that some of the regulars would jump in as I am no expert on systems nor how the speakers would match up. I can just tell you that, having compared directly the NAD with the Marantz, I would go with the NAD. Your room seems pretty small and the question might be, how much is money a factor. I decided to spend extra money on the basis that everytime I decide to save some money and choose down, I am ultimately disappointed. I had an opportunity to buy the T752 at a great price new $550 or so and a slightly used T762 at $889. I decided to go up because I had a large room and also the posts on the supposed bugs on the NADs scared me. The authorized dealer (for what its worth) said that people who buy from unauthorized dealers buy recycled bad units. I don't know if that is true but I haven't seen any problem thus far and the sound is great. The NAD also has an ease of use and a great learning remote. The remote is not something I paid a lot of attention to intitially, but it means something. You can pay several hundred dollars to buy a good remote. The NAD includes it with its receiver. The one remote controls everything very easily unlike the Marantz's remote. Again, that is a more convenience thing but it does involve a savings if you would otherwise buy a universal learning remote.
The Marantz that got away was a fantastic price. I bought mine for a little over $500. I had previously tried an Onkyo and then an HK from Circuit City. I have to say that I didn't really like the Onkyo but I thought the HK was pretty dern good. I questioned myself on these choices and went to a salon dealer who put the HK and a Pioneer Elite side by side. He tried to convince me the Elite was much better and frankly I wasn't that convinced. (to elitefan: this was a cheaper Elite and perhaps the higher models would have been more impressive) I took the Elite home and was just unsatisfied by several things. I returned it and the salon dealer turned me on the Marantz which I felt was much better although I couldn't tell you that the higher end HKs aren't as good.
I then started looking at these posts and got really interested in what many were saying about the NAD. I went online and found there was only one dealer in my city. This guy runs a furniture store and is an audiophile. He showed me the NAD and I was taken immediately. I can't tell you that I am an audiophile or even an enthusiast. I am trying to be more informed. I trusted the guy who sells these more out of love and he gave me deep discounts perhaps in recognition of a commonality.
I don't really know how to compare these items. My own pattern is to be obsessive about details and study but then to make a compulsive decision on the spot. I guess at some point, you decide and then you try not to obsess about making a bad move.
For example, on speakers, I have read great things about the Athena AS-F2 towers. I went into Best Buy to listen. The environment is crappy to listen but I thought I liked what I heard. That is a $600 set. I went back to the salon dealer and listened to Paradigms and B & W. I thought the small Paradigms sounded lacking and the small B & Ws sounded better but the larger Paradigm sounded great. However, to get that nice sound, you had to go to a $1,000 speaker set. How do you compare these all? You have different sounds at different prices.
I went back to the furniture store because I know he sold PSBs. I wanted to check out the 5Ts as I have read those are good too. I told the dealer that I was looking in the $500 - $800 range and he suggested I look at some Martin Logans (Montage which I guess is a nonplanar cheaper ML). Those blew me away. I couldn't tell where the music was coming from and (as I have heard described) I was listening to the musicians and not the music. I did ask to listen to the PSB 6T and in 10 seconds I said forget about it because it wasn't the same class.
So to make a short story long, ultimately there aren't any right or wrong answers in these types of decisions. Money is a big factor. How much can you really afford? If you can step up without losing your marriage or sacrificing your kid's education or messing up a vacation, do it. You will thank yourself later. With the NAD, you are really purchasing the sound as you don't get tons of bells and whistles.
Hope this helps.
avdude
Posted on
Thank you so much Jonmoon! I appreciate the effort you took to post all your experiences and your valuable opinions and information.
As far as remotes go, this won't be a factor for me, since I bought a new TheaterMaster MX500 remote a few months ago. It is an IR learning remote that controls 10 devices, has macros, key relabeling etc.... The macros save me cumbersome keystrokes (my brother later bought an MX700 - about twice as much as my MX500, because he has more than 10 devices with remotes, even though he has a $200 Pronto remote that he hates). It is also easier to use, for me at least, than those touchscreen remotes, where you have to look at the screen each time you want to push a "virtual" button...
Regarding budget: That is a good question. To be honest, I haven't pinned myself down yet. Having just bought a car, I guess I feel saving a few hundred dollars on the receiver will make me feel a bit better. That being said, I do not want to sacrifice quality, which is why, no matter what, I will still buy a good NAD or Marantz from an authorized dealer, so that I get an official manufacturer warranty. I would not have a big problem spending the $899 for a new NAD T762, IF I felt it would really be sonically NOTICEABLY superior to a T761 or T742/T752, to MY ears. I suppose that is the big question that needs to be answered. I think that if the T761 ($499 with 1yr warranty from an authorized dealer) were 6.1, I would have probably already purchased it.
I would like to make a decision soon, since I will be off for vacation starting Thanksgiving, and would love to spend part of that time watching movies and listening to music, especially SACD / DVD-Audio for the first time --------------------------------------------- If anyone knows a place in NY/NJ where I can audition a T761 side by side with a xx2 series NAD, let me know. I could go to Harvey Electronics to audition the NAD receivers vs Marantz receivers. I just hope they aren't too pushy, since I won't be purchasing from them, with SaturdayAudioExchange charging $400 less than Harvey for a new T762 with a full manufacturer warranty... The reason I haven't bothered to audition any, other than the fact that the rooms at Harvey are locked and not wanting to feel pressured by a sales person (even if I know I would never say "yes" to him anyway), is that I had a Carver and Nakamichi before this, and was VERY satisfied with both. I know that the people who post here are passionate about music and know what they are talking about. I KNOW NAD (and probably a decent Marantz) would not dissapoint me. It is just a matter of whether paying almost double for a T762 (as compared to a mfr refurbished T761 w. warranty) is worth it, sonically-speaking. That consideration and the 5.1 dilemma are the two factors affecting my decision.
Thanks again!
Johnny
Posted on
avdude,
I have been following this thread for awhile, and thought I would throw my 2 cents in. Before I start, let me say that I own a NAD T762, purchased from Saturday Audio about a month ago. I could not be more pleased with it.
You say that you are concerned with whether the 762 will sound "sonically" better than the 761. My answer to that is probably not. John A., a regular poster on this forum, has a T760, if I remember correctly, and he has made numerous comments that lead me to believe that it is just as capable as my 762. He has commented many times on the clarity and detail that his unit provides. My 762 provudes the same exact thing. So I think, in my opinion, that sonically, the 761 and 762 are nearly the same. The 762 might sound slightly better due to the Power Drive circuitry and the better DAC's as Hawk has stated, but as you have said many times, probably not a big enough difference to spend almost twice as much money on, especially if you just bought a car.
That leads us to your second dilemma...the issue of 5.1 vs. 6.1. This is a heated debate that has raged on this forum for some time now. One thing that you have to keep in mind is that as of now, probably 95% of the DVD's out there are only encoded in a 5.1 format. Therefore, you will not be getting a true 6.1 sound anyway, rather the surround rear channel is matrixed from the other two surround channels. You must then ask yourself if you have room for a 6th speaker. Many people do not, so a 6.1 setup will just go unused. If you do have room for a 6th speaker, then it is up to you to decide, as it is a personal preference. The rear surround speaker does fill some of the "gap" between the other two surround speakers and is a nice feature to have, but many people are perfectly satisfied with only 5.1. I myself bought the 762 for its sound and power, not for the 6.1 setup. I don't have room for a 6th speaker now, and likely will not any time in the near future, but it is nice to know that I have the option if I so choose. Whether this option is enough to spend the extra $$$ on is up to you.
Jonmoon
Posted on
Avdude,
Just one last thought based upon Johnny's suggestion. If there really isn't much different in the 20 watts, maybe your choice is the T752 rather than the T761 or the T762. You will get a good price, a good warranty, a new product and the new circuitry. The price should be pretty close. That would be my call for what its worth. Thanks to Johnny for chiming in.
avdude
Posted on
Thanks a lot Johnny. I don't really have room for the 6th speaker, since I intentionally have my system in my bedroom for convenience sake - I spend most of my time in my bedroom.
Regarding the 752 vs 761, the 761 (mfr refurb) is $499 with a 1yr warranty from an authorized dealer, the 752 is $699, which is still $200 more.
The good thing about the 752, is that it has 7.1 preamp outs and 7.1 for future upgradability, which the 761 unfortunately lacks.
Would the Elite VS-43TX would be noticeable step down from a NAD (761/752 etc.)? I had overlooked the Elite, because I know that NAD and Marantz get high marks for being very musical receivers. However, I read that (some of?) the Elite series have a more tubelike sound due to the MOSFET circuitry? I am not an audiphile, so maybe I can "step down" slightly to the VSX-43TX, and get 7.1 sound for under $500, while still getting a quality receiver that looks good on top of it all.
I had an easier time choosing a car!!! ;)
Jonmoon
Posted on
Avdude,
I guess you still have the dilemma. I had the opportunity to buy the new T752 at about $550 so I assumed the price was lower. I would be curious at what you finally decide and how it works out.
mrev
Posted on
I purchased the sr5300 about six months ago. It is matched up with mission m73s at the front and m70s at rear. I must say that I couldnt be happier with this system. the marantz has worked flawlessly and makes music or movies thoroughly enjoyable.
Anonymous
Posted on
Take Marantz, you wont be sorry. I think that many people here are biased toward NAD. Just imagine...cheap looking retro style with noisy cooling fan will follow you for years to come.
