AliceMarantz has added to its home theatre line up with the introduction of the SR6011 network AV receiver, complete with built-in Wi-Fi and nine power amplifiers – each rated at 185W.
The AV receiver offers Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround decoding, allowing home cinema enthusiasts to set up a 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 3D experience without the need of external amplifier, although should the user chose to use one, it can be extended to 7.1.4 as the SR6011 features 11.2-channel processing.
Along with Dolby Atmos decoding, the SR6011 also features Dolby TrueHD lossless decoding and other Dolby Digital technologies, and naturally, supports conventional 5.1- or 7.1-channel speaker set-ups. In addition to offering DTS:X decoding, the SR6011 features DTS-HD Master Audio decoding and other DTS audio technologies; DTS:X will be enabled via a future firmware update.
In addition, the SR6011 offers both Dolby Surround and Neural:X upmixing, enabling users with a full ‘3D’ sound speaker set-up to get an enhanced experience from conventional Dolby- or DTS-encoded content, or even from music in stereo.
If not in use for 3D audio, the integrated amplifiers can get assigned to drive another pair of speakers in a second audio zone running a different source than the main room.
Preparing for the future, the SR6011 features an advanced video section that is fully compatible with the latest HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 specifications on all eight HDMI inputs. With 4K Ultra HD 60Hz video, 4:4:4 Pure Colour sub-sampling, HDR, 21:9 video, 3D and BT.2020 pass-through support on every input, the SR6011 is ready for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc players, set-top boxes and other 4K Ultra HD sources.
In addition, the SR6011 can upscale standard and high definition analogue and digital video content to 4K Ultra HD.
Full wireless connectivity is provided by both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with dual antennas that help ensure robust signal transmission and reception. Music can be streamed through AirPlay, Spotify Connect or local network storage drives, and high resolution audio formats and playback are fully supported.
The SR6011’s power amp section features discrete high-current output devices for both music and movies, with identical power on all nine channels, rated at 185W per channel – which are compatible with 4-ohm speakers too.
Meanwhile the Eco mode provides energy savings, including an on-screen Eco meter, while it’s also possible to use the receiver in power-saving mode, either reducing the maximum output power or adopting low-power strategies at more modest settings.
Built-in Bluetooth And Wi-Fi
Featuring Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (2.4/5GHz) wireless streaming connectivity, the SR6011 connects to the Internet through the user’s home Wi-Fi network (or with a hard-wired connection via the Ethernet port), linking to streaming services such as Spotify Connect (depending on availability in the country they live in), or choose from thousands of internet radio stations around the world.
AirPlay provides an instant wireless connection to an iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad, Mac OSX computers and other devices running iTunes, and the SR6011 is also able to stream music from home computers and NAS devices via a home network.
Control
The free Marantz 2016 AVR Remote App, available for Android and iOS and the Kindle Fire, lets the user control the SR6011 with a smartphone or tablet. Via the HDMI CEC (consumer electronics control) functionality on some Smart TVs, it’s possible to control the SR6011 with the TV’s remote handset.
The receiver’s ‘HDMI control’ set to ON, set ‘Smart Menu’ receiver control functions and the TV’s Smart Menu home screen provides users with direct access to source and surround mode selections, the main setup menu and Smart Select configuration presets.
There are four Smart Select function buttons on the front panel and the remote control: each one will store the user’s preferred set-up – input, volume and Audyssey configuration – for a particular source.
For remote control compatibility with third party components, there’s a remote control input and output on the rear panel, along with a flasher input and a 12V trigger output. For direct connection to external home automation and control equipment, the SR6011 is equipped with an RS-232C serial port.
The SR6011 can be set up and operated by a home computer via network IP control (via wired LAN or Wi-Fi), and also features Crestron Connected and Control4 SDDP (Simple Device Detection Protocol) for quick and easy integration with home automation equipment.
Not stopping there, the SR6011 can decode AIFF, FLAC and WAV lossless files at up to 24-bit/192-kHz, plus ALAC/Apple Lossless at up to 96kHz/24bit, as well as SACD-quality DSD2.8MHz and ‘Double DSD’ 5.6MHz.
Files can be played via the front panel USB port or streamed to the SR6011 from network sources. Users can also listen to other popular file types such as MP3, and the SR6011 supports gapless playback, for seamless replay of everything from dance mixes to opera.
The SR6011 features Audyssey MultEQ XT32 automatic room acoustic correction. With the supplied measurement microphone, MultEQ XT32 analyses each speaker’s output (including the subwoofers) at up to eight measurement locations and generates precision digital filters that optimize each channel for the correct frequency and time domain response.
Audyssey Dynamic Volume smooths out jumps in volume (such as adverts), letting the user listen at lower levels, whilst Audyssey Low Frequency Containment uses advanced psychoacoustic algorithms to deliver a full range tonal balance, including deep bass, but without disturbing close-by neighbours or family members in other rooms, and features a multi-step adjustment that lets the user dial in the amount of containment to their preference.
Audyssey Sub EQ HT provides individual DSP tailoring of each subwoofer in a dual subwoofer setup, for deeper bass with improved definition, compared to a single subwoofer configuration.
The SR6011 supports two subwoofers: used in different locations, optimised to even out the low-frequency response for more accurate bass anywhere in the listening area.
With the SR6011, one person can enjoy 5.1-channel surround sound in the main room, and at the same time play stereo sound from another source in different part of the house. All the user need do is connect a pair of stereo speakers to the multi-room amplified outputs, or hook up a separate stereo amp and speakers to the Zone 2 pre-outs, allowing them to enjoy full 7-channel surround sound in the main room.
To encourage easy installation, the SR6011 features a horizontal row of premium loudspeaker terminals: the colour coded connection system includes a set of matching cable-labels to ensure correct speaker hook-up.
The new Marantz SR6011 will be available in September in black or silver-gold colour finish.