Marantz AV7005 vs Emotiva UMC-200

[Ave Bona Cornwall]

Just looking for some opinions to helpfully help me choose. The UMC-200 can be had for $599, and the AV7005 can be had (refurb) for $799 plus shipping. This will be my first dedicated pre/pro (I currently use my Marantz receiver as a pre/pro, plus some surround amps). My amps are the Emo UPA-5, and 5 Marantz MA500s; all are 125 wpc.

The big question: is Marantz's sound quality and maybe extra features (?) worth the extra $200? Marantz uses Audessy, while Emo uses their proprietary EQ.

Thanks in advance.

[Youthman]

The UMC-200 uses basically the same room correction software, EMOQ2. When I talked to the Emo Rep, the second revision of EMOQ wasn't significant. I personally have no experience with the UMC-200 but the EMOQ IMO is far insuperior to Audessey and some of the other AVR Room Correction software. If that's really imporant feature, you might want to consider the Marantz. I'm sure others will chime with their opinions.

[Fish]

Every last ounce of audio, video pass through and some experience with set ups, 200. Easy, auto ,bells ,whistles and very little hassle, 7005.

[fuzzydog]

Where can you pick up refurbished Marantz equipment?

[sunburnwilly]

Where can you pick up refurbished Marantz equipment?

Accesories4less http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/category/IntegratedAmp/Home-Audio/Preamp-Processor-Integrated-Amp/1.html

That's where I purchased my Marantz AV-8003 .

[garyrc]

Can't speak for the UMC-200, but I've had a Marantz AV7005 for a while, and have the following things to say:

• Good sound
• Volume control in 0.5 dB steps, helpful in keeping records of how loud you like various disks (I use stickers on the disk cases).
• The bass and treble controls can be used even when Audyssey is on and working, a BIG advantage in customizing the EQ for each piece of music or movie, since recording balance is often off in these days of nobody caring. I wish they had more than their +/- 6 dB range, though. They affect only the FR and FL channels, but that is sufficient.
• I find Audyssey helpful, but not as much as I hoped. You get a choice of Audyssey FLAT, regular Audyssey (on some other pre/pros called "Cinema"), and Audyssey OFF. I usually prefer Audyssey FLAT, which provides as complete compensation as the Audyssey people deem appropriate, given the room/speaker measurements taken from 8 microphone positions. Regular Audyssey rolls of the treble by about 2 dB at 10 KHZ, and maybe 6 dB at 20K Hz. Although much research has indicated that most people prefer that curve and find it most natural, I usually don't like it. Audyssey FLAT, with ideal (nonexistant) speakers and a room without big dips or mode peaks, would provide FLAT response from 20 to 20Hkz. There is a limit to how much compensation Audyssey can provide -- I think that it is up to + 8 dB, and - 12 dB, although the Marantz's funky graph only shows up to + 6, and only at one octave intervals, at that. The latter doesn't matter. Audyssey provides EQ at hundreds of frequency points, and fools around with the time domain as well as the frequency domain, but does not fully correct my room/speakers, due in part to a gargantuan room peak at 42 Hz. I will try to fix that later with a Helmholtz - like device in the room, or something. Comparing Audyssey FLAT to Audyssey OFF in my room, the free online Room EQ WIzard software, with an external substitute for a sound card (M-Audio fastrack pro), and a calibrated microphone dead center at ear height, tell me that Audyssey is getting about the following compensation into the room at a few representative points (the resulting curve is pretty flat -- much flatter than without Audyssey -- except around that 42 Hz peak). Here is the resulting compensation in the room (the difference between Audyssey FLAT and Audyssey OFF), not the resulting curve: 22.7 Hz, +6 dB; 30 Hz +5 dB; 34.3 Hz, +4 db; 90 Hz +3dB; 100 Hz + 1.6 dB; 4K to 10K, an average of +4 dB; 12K, +5 dB; 17 K, +7dB.
• The Marantz manual is poorly written. When dealing with Audyssey, go to Ask Audyssey online, and read the statements, questions and answers there. That will take you about, oh, 6 hours, but it's worth it.

[derrickdj1]

Good room correction is worth the extra bucks.

The Marantz manual is poorly written. When dealing with Audyssey, go to Ask Audyssey online, and read the statements, questions and answers there. That will take you about, oh, 6 hours, but it's worth it.

Somehow almost all the manuals are poorly written. I know the Pioneer ones are, lol.

[gary p]

Being able to adjust your speaker levels on the fly while listening is nice and also turn room correction on, off or adjust to compensate for different recording quality is nice. I payed a lot more for my 7005 and consider your deal a steal. Not dissing emotiva but I know I'm very satisfied with marantz.

There are a lot of possible adjustments and I can dial in almost any music I throw at it. And the audio expander for any ripped or stored files works well when needed.

[Coytee]

Audssey question: Is it dynamic or static?

Meaning... do you run it and it sets various parameters and leaves them or does it adjust them on the fly during a movie/music?

Sort of like setting an equalizer and leaving the controls alone verses playing with the equalizer during the event.

[willland]

Audssey question: Is it dynamic or static?

Meaning... do you run it and it sets various parameters and leaves them or does it adjust them on the fly during a movie/music?

Audyssey Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ do adjust on the fly. My NAD T175HD pre/pro comes equipped with MultEQ XT which allows for choices of three different EQ curves: 1) flat, 2)Audyssey, and 3)NAD's own curve. I choose the Audyssey curve for HT and the NAD curve for music. I have also tried implementing Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ but just can't get used to the flunctuations in volume. They do work okay when the rare times I have to scale the volume down during late night viewing/listening when others are[|-)].

Bill

[Ave Bona Cornwall]

Thanks everyone. Fish, I like your brief summary.

Every last ounce of audio, video pass through and some experience with set ups, 200. Easy, auto ,bells ,whistles and very little hassle, 7005.

Does that mean Emo passes through more than the Marantz?

[McMiRA]

I have the sr7007 and the 7005 before hand. From my understanding its the same software between its av brothern. Look for the outlaw manual. If you cant find it i have it somewhere on a drive. Ill do some digging. I can't speak for the emo, but the marantz seems to be rather intelligent when it comes to content.( or maybe I'm just easily impressed) If you let it run on autopilot it will adjust offsets on the fly, even switch sound modes for content. I've ran audyssey many times on all of my marantz processors, sometimes I get a bum setup so rerun and it corrects itself. Just make sure to throw the dogs outside, shut the doors and make sure your hvac and cellphone are off. Nothing like getting to the last part of the setup and something making a noise.

[garyrc]

I've ran audyssey many times on all of my marantz processors, sometimes I get a bum setup so rerun and it corrects itself. Just make sure to throw the dogs outside, shut the doors and make sure your hvac and cellphone are off. Nothing like getting to the last part of the setup and something making a noise.

Turn off (unplug) the refrigerator!

If a big truck goes by outside, rerun the setup.

Do not walk around the room. You are a moving reflector. Foot treds on the floor will be heard by the mic.

Coytee:

Yes, the Dynamic EQ function is dynamic , but I avoid it unless I'm playing music very softly. It sounds less transparent than Audyssey Flat, or regular Audyssey. I wouldn't consider using Dynamic Volume, but I can see why someone living in an apartment might. My objection to it is that it makes Stravinsky gentle and Beethoven into a wimp. I recommend Audyssey (especially Audyssey Flat) to people who want to try smoother response in their room (from a few listening positions). As much as possible should be done with room treatments first. Audyssey tries to give you what is on the recording, which is quality in, quality out, but garbage in, garbage out. The Audyssey people keep saying that it is not intended to provide program correction, which is really too bad, because somebody has to!

[McMiRA]

I use a camera tripod for the mic. It helps keep the correct height when I move to the other measuring positions. I also make sure all items not normally in the room are removed, blankets on the couch, coffee mug off the end table, etc. and try to do it more towards evening when there is less traffic in front of the house. Your right about the heavy feet on the floor. I can't tell you how many times my wife has flung open the pocket door and walked in in the middle of setup. I'm curious to see how it will react outside, I plan on doing a 5.1 this year on the patio with some outdoor speakers off a spare 1402

[McMiRA]

Here is a link to the outlaw audio main page, the link to their guide is to the right. http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/av7005.html

[garyrc]

Just to clarify: Audyssey MultiEQ XT in the Marantz AV7005 has the following basic options:

• OFF: bypasses Audyssey entirely and gives you the frequency response you would get if the Marantz didn't have Audyssey.
• Audyssey FLAT: Audyssey attempts to provide you with flat response from 20 to 20K Hz at your basic listening positions.
• Audyssey: gives you a curve that is often preferred (but not by me) for home sized listening rooms and home theaters. It trys to accomplish what a modern cinema curve would do in commercial movie theaters, namley reduce the very high treble slightly. It is less extreme than the SMPTE curve for those commercial theaters. It reduces response at 10 KHz by about 2 dB, and rolls off by about 6 dB at 20 KHz.

I usually prefer Audyssey FLAT, for the air and sparkle.

Marantz inserts another choice: MANUAL. It is not really an Audyssey choice; it allows you to use Marantz's octave sliders to adjust frequency response. You can't use MANUAL and any of the true Audyssey choices at the same time. The Audyssey light will go off if you touch a slider. You can start with a very crude representation of what Audyssey found out about your room and speakers, by using "Base Copy" (not "Bass copy," which doesn't exist). I say "crude" because it only copies the average EQ which centers at the frequency represented by each slider. If I may quote without attribution, an Audyssey expert online called "Base Copy" "Largely useless." I tried Base Copy, then adjusted the sliders in MANUAL, and soon went back to Audyssey or Audyssey FLAT. You can sweeten Audyssey's EQ by using the Marantz's bass and treble controls within a +- 6 dB range. Make sure they are off when running the Audyssey set-up, though.

On the Marantz, Audyssey offers two other options: Dynamic EQ (like a modern "smart" loudness control), and Dynamic Volume, a terrible thing that reduses dynamic range so you won't bother the neighbors.

There are other pitfall adjustments on the Marantz you should avoid, all of which reduce the treble. The Marantz sounds very good indeed on Audyssey or Audyssey FLAT.