Marantz AV8805 AV Preamp Reviewed

Published On: December 31, 2018
Last Updated on: November 1, 2020
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Marantz AV8805 AV Preamp Reviewed

Brian Kahn puts Marantz's flagship AV preamp through the ringer to see how it stacks up with previous models and the current state of the art.

Marantz AV8805 AV Preamp Reviewed

By Author: Brian Kahn

Brian Kahn is the longest tenured writer on staff at HomeTheaterReview.com. His specialties include everything from speakers to whole-home audio systems to high-end audiophile and home theater gear, as well as room acoustics. By day, Brian is a partner at a West Los Angeles law firm.

I've had the good fortune to review several of Marantz's top-tier AV preamps in recent years, from the AV8802 to the more recent, feature-laden AV7703. The AV7703 had a feature set the older AV8802 could not match, but the AV8802 sounded better. At first glance the AV8805 appears to be a combination of the AV8802 and AV7703, taking the performance level of the AV8802 and incorporating the AV7703's feature set, while coming in at only slightly more than the prior-generation AV8802 at $4,499.

The AV8805 is a goodie-packed 13.2 channel processor that supports the latest in immersive, multi-channel audio formats, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and even Auro-3D straight out of the box. It reportedly shares a good bit of circuitry with the AVR-X8500H that my colleague Bob Barrett recently reviewed and loved. Each of the 8805's HDMI inputs features 4K/60Hz capabilities; Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Hybrid Log Gamma pass-through; BT.2020 support; accommodations for 21:9 and 3D video; HDCP 2.2 compliance and ISF certification. IMAX Enhanced is another standout feature of the preamp, but given the newness of this collaboration with IMAX and DTS and the fact that the first discs supporting the format won't be released until right around the time we go to print, I was unable to evaluate it.

The AV8805 also comes with Smart TV connectivity through CEC in addition to enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), which was enabled in a recent firmware update. The only thing missing is MHL, a feature I know I would rarely use but our own Dennis Burger is a fan of. Before we move off of HDMI, I know many people are rightfully concerned about spending a lot of money on an AV Processor with HDMI 2.0, given that 2.1 is on the way. Marantz has designed the AV8805's HDMI board to be replaced with a HDMI 2.1 board, which will support 8K video when HDMI 2.1 is available.

Even though the AV8805 has just about every type of audio and video input, except S-Video (which I doubt anyone will miss), I suspect most people will be using HDMI and network audio inputs more than anything else. Eight HDMI inputs and three HDMI outputs should accommodate just about any system. The AV8805 can connect to your network via dual band WiFi or Ethernet, and is also Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 capable. In addition to accessing your own audio files, including FLAC, ALAC, and WAV up to 192 kHz/24 bit (and DSD 2.8/5.6 MHz), other network audio options include: Tidal, Pandora, Spotify, Napster, SiriusXM, Amazon Prime Music, Deezer, and more. It is not a Roon compliant (yet), but its AirPlay compatibility lets it function as a Roon endpoint for those of you who use Roon. The network connectivity also allows for Smart Remote Management in addition to IR, IP, and RS-232 control.

Marantz_AV8805_back.jpg

All of the above can be controlled with the LCD-screened, multi-device remote that comes in the box, or a free Marantz app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices. The AV8805 also works with Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant, and Josh.ai voice control. You can't have your AV preamp to be feature-shamed by your $600 soundbar can you?

While the free Marantz AVR remote app makes it easy to access all of the services built into the AV8805, the network audio feature I liked the most was the built-in HEOS functionality. The Marantz AVR app worked fine for most functions, but the HEOS app made it very easy to access my source of choice and search my multi-terabyte collection of audio files. It was a night-and-day difference from using the Marantz AVR app to search for and play audio files. The addition of HEOS is one of the most significant feature upgrades from the 8802.

Marantz_AV8805_door_closed.jpg

Although the AV8805 shares the same porthole industrial design as the rest of Marantz's current lineup, Kevin Zarow of Sound United, the parent company of Marantz, explained that there are over one thousand changes between the AV8802 and AV8805. Many of these changes were no doubt made to incorporate the new features or improved manufacturing processes, but others were to improve performance. These include better transformer vibration isolation; cleaner signal paths; increased rigidity and shielding. AKM's audiophile grade AKM4490 192kHz/32-bit D/A converters are featured on all channels, as is Marantz's HDAM current feedback circuitry.

The Hookup
Taking the AV8805 out of the box, I immediately noticed its additional weight as compared to the AV7703. The AV8805 felt extremely solid as I placed it in my theater's equipment rack. I connected most sources and my display via HDMI.

The AV8805 has both balanced and single-ended outputs for 15.2 channels (yes, 15.2 channel outputs, despite the preamp's 13.2 channels of processing). The extra channels provide setup flexibility for those looking to take full advantage of the available three-dimensional surround formats. The AV8805's manual does a good job displaying the differences between speaker setups optimized for Atmos as opposed to Auro-3D. The extra two channels of output allow you to have the ability to change two of your height speakers when going back and forth between Auro-3D and Atmos/DTS:X. While I did not use more than one zone for this review, the second and third zones have analog or component video and analog stereo outputs; Zone two adds a HDMI output as well.

The AV8805 industrial design will be immediately familiar to anyone who has perused the current Marantz lineup, with large knobs for volume and source flanking a small porthole display. A drop-down panel hides a second display along with some additional controls on the bottom half of the center panel. The panel also hides connections for headphones, Audyssey setup microphone, USB input, HDMI, and analog A/V inputs.

Marantz_AV8805_door_open.jpg

I connected my DirecTV satellite receiver and Oppo UDP-203 UHD Blu-ray player via HDMI, as well as a PS Audio DirectStream DAC and Network player via balanced audio cables. Connections to the amplifiers were made with balanced audio cables with a Marantz MM8077 driving the four height channels in my 5.2.4 system and a Krell Theater Amplifier Standard driving the front, center, and surround channels. The included color coordinated stickers leftover from my AV7703 install made it very easy to identify each channel. (The AV8805 also comes with similar stickers.) All connections (except the Ethernet cable) were made with Kimber Cable Select Series cables for the interconnects and 8TC for the speaker connections. I also connected the 12-volt trigger outputs to the external amplifiers. The projector in my reference theater room is only 1080p, so I needed to move the AV8805 to my family room and connect it to a pretty new-school Sony 4K OLED set to test out the video separately.

For speakers I used MartinLogan Summits and the matching MartinLogan Stage center channel. Golden Ear Invisa Home Theater Reference 7000 ceiling speakers and Canton bookshelf rear speakers rounded out the full-range speaker compliment. A beefy Paradigm Signature SUB25 took up the challenge of the LFE channel in this object-based surround sound configuration.

The Marantz setup wizard walks you through the configuration process and prompts you to logon and/or configure the streaming services you want to use. The most tedious part was manipulating the on-screen keyboard to enter my HEOS login and password, although to be fair, this can be done though the HEOS app, as can user names and inputs for all of the various streaming services supported by the platform.

When it came time in the setup process to configure the speakers, I used the optional Audyssey MultEQ App. I already had the app, but if you don't it's available for both the iOS and Android platforms for $19.95. It's well worth the small expenditure. Combine the power of the app with the MultEQ XT32 processing onboard the AV8805, and you have the makings of a very robust room correction system that approaches the quality (though not the complexity) of Dirac.

42_mz_Audyssey_app_2017.jpgThe Audyssey MultEQ App allows you to use your mobile device to control and tweak the speaker calibration process. The app shows you the Audyssey speaker detection results and lets you modify the setup--drawing your own target curve if you choose, tweaking settings like the BBC Dip, and more importantly setting a maximum filter frequency--but my favorite thing about the app is that it also provides graphs of before and after processing, which is helpful to see what your room is doing and what changes have been made.

You can also make multiple copies of the results and make different tweaks to each of them. The curves can then be uploaded from your mobile device to the preamp so you can try different settings then easily go back to your favorite. This may sound complicated, but in actual use was very easy to do. Nonetheless, if you want to keep it simple, the traditional Audyssey setup utilizing the Marantz remote is always an available option.

[Editor's Note: Another thing worth pointing out in terms of the AV8805's control feature set is that it's supported by a wonderful SDDP (Simple Device Discovery Protocol) driver for Control4 systems. What this means for you Control4 homeowners in the audience is that your dealer will spend less time installing and programming the preamp, since the Composer Pro software automatically recognizes it as soon as it's attached to the network, and identifies it by MAC address, not IP address, so you don't have to worry about assigning a static IP. In addition, there's also a HEOS network module, as well as a HEOS endpoint driver and individual music service modules for Control4 systems that effectively make the AV8805 part of a whole-home distributed music system that doesn't require you to pull out your phone if you don't want to. All told, the AV8805 offers a level of automation integration that most preamps in its class simply don't.--Dennis Burger]

Performance
I received an Auro-3D Demo disc a few weeks before the AV8805 arrived, so I was anxious to check it out as soon as I had the AV8805 configured. Auro-3D has impressed me when I heard it at tradeshow demonstrations, despite it being a channel-based system as opposed to Dolby Atmos, which is channel- and object-based. Object-based encoding gives an object a place in the 3D place as opposed to a specific channel. To those of you who are fact checking me here, I acknowledge that Auro-3D is capable of object based decoding, but only when 20 plus channels are in use. Auro-3D proudly points out that it utilizes three height layers, whereas Dolby Atmos and DTS:X only use two layers.

The disc has an assortment of short clips, including a couple from movies I already had at home and was familiar with. Playing the Penguins of Madagascar and Ghostbusters clips, I was able to compare Auro-3D to DTS-HD. While the clips were short, everyone who listened to them with me clearly preferred the Auro-3D. This was not surprising, as these clips were carefully selected by Auro-3D. However, when I listened to all of the Auro-3D clips through the AV8805 I found the sound to be involving and immersive. (This is probably why they call Auro-3D, DTS:X, and Dolby Atmos immersive formats.) Whether it was a demonstration featuring nature sounds, or action scenes, or music, the sound field was enveloping, circling all around me and above me with convincing transitions as the objects moved from one location to the next.


After spending an hour or so with the Auro-3D disc, I received a request for my family to play an actual movie, so I selected Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

The film's Dolby Atmos soundtrack delivers a good aural workout when the mischievous creatures wreak havoc in the city, destroying buildings and causing debris to fall. The AV8805 uses this immersive soundtrack to reproduce a three-dimensional sound field that features objects smoothly moving from one channel to another both from overhead positions and multiple positions at ear level.


Transformers: Age of Extinction is a typical Michael Bay production with absolutely nonstop action. In this iteration there are mini-drones, aircraft, and alien ships above you as well as lots of action around you, all of which provide ample opportunity for plenty of shooting, rockets, and explosions.

In the Ratchet chase scene, the AB8805's detail and resolving power kept all of the separate objects distinct.

The same scene, along with many others, also allowed the AV8805's dynamic prowess to shine with rocket blasts, explosions, and crashes that were reproduced with great dynamics.

Transformers: Age of Extinction Official Trailer #1 (2014) - Michael Bay Movie HD


During my time with the AV8805, I watched some of the same movies I watched during my AV7703 review, including Star Trek Beyond. I found the sonic profile to be more similar to the AV8802 than the AV7703, even exceeding the detail of the AV8802.

Other movies that I watched on all three processors included American Sniper and Gravity. These movies confirmed my impression that the AV8805 sonic capabilities exceed the earlier AV7703 and AV8802 in terms of resolving power, while retaining the warmth and liquidity of the AV8802.

If you read my review of the AV7703, you may remember my discussion of Jennifer Warnes' album Famous Blue Raincoat (Private Music)

. I found the track "Bird on a Wire" to be a good demonstration of the relative amount of resolution and low-level detail between the AV7703 and my reference DAC, the PS Audio DirectStream DAC. The PS Audio DirectStream costs more than the AV8805 and way, way more than the AV7703, so I was not surprised that it bested the latter in its overall performance. What did surprise me was how much closer the AV8805 came to the more expensive PS Audio's performance level. While the nuances in space, rhythm, and detail still place the PS Audio ahead, the Marantz AV8805 easily exceeded the DACs in my various Oppo players (BDP-83SE, BDP-95, and UDP-203) and came extremely close to the reference DAC.

Jennifer Warnes - Bird on a Wire (Cohen)


The PS Audio had faster leading edges and a more precise soundstage, but the AV8805 came very close. In order to take advantage of the AV8805's lower noise floor and greater resolving capabilities, I also listened to both the CD and DSD versions of "The Girl from Ipanema" by Stand Getz and Joao Gilberto from the album Getz and Gilberto (Verve).

The AV8805 was able to utilize the increased resolution of the DSD file, elevating the reproduction form very good to outright exceptional. With the DSD file I found there to be much greater nuance with the saxophone, making the reproduction believable and quite lifelike. Likewise, Astrud Gilberto's voice is simply captivating, with rock solid imaging. Listening to the DSD version of this song several times in a row I heard new details in her voice each time which work together to make this vocal track raw, sensual, and emotional. Any audio component that can reach down and reproduce the nuanced details of a piece of music with a natural and balanced tone as the AV8805 did gets my seal of approval.

Astrud Gilberto With Stan Getz - Girl From Ipanema (1964)

Lastly, the AV8805 has a headphone jack. In my room, the positioning of the theater rack is not conducive to headphone listening, but I did move in a chair so that I could sit down by the rack to give it a try. The headphone circuit is quiet and has more detail than I find in most components in this category or class (meaning non-dedicated headphone amps). When used with my relatively sensitive in-ear monitors, there was a higher noise floor than with a separate dedicated headphone amplifier, but it was not high enough to be readily noticeable except on very quiet passages. The AV8805's headphone jack had no problem driving most of my headphones, but harder-to-drive cans, such as those from HiFiMan, or AKG K701s, will still benefit form a dedicated headphone amplifier to achieve their full dynamic capabilities.

I briefly connected the AV8805 to my 65-inch Sony 4K OLED television to test its video capabilities. To my eyes, the video performance was very similar to that of the AV7703. It did a good job scaling standard and high definition signals to 4K and passed each and every 4K signal I could through at it. If I was playing non-4K discs through my Oppo, I would still use the Oppo's internal processor, as it had slightly fewer artifacts. Otherwise, I would not hesitate to use the Marantz's scaler. The AV8805 also includes a lot of video processing options that will let those with multiple sources and/or displays get the most out of their systems.

The Downside
As I said above, the Audyssey MultEQ App supported by the AV8805 improves upon the base Audyssey system, but I still find the pre-defined Audyssey curves to be somewhat lacking until you adjust them. If you are not afraid to experiment with different curves and settings, you can obtain good results, but you need to work a bit for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Another minor concern is the fact that sound mode presets are configured by incoming audio signal, and can't be set separately for each input, except through the use of Marantz's Quick Select functionality. The AV8805 does remember the last sound mode used for each input, though.

As the AV8805 is billed as an audiophile piece, and rightly so, I would also like to see it fully compatible with the leading music server software, Roon. The AV8805 can be accessed on Roon via AirPlay but not as a direct Roon endpoint. While this does not impact the ease of playback, it can impact audio quality. I suspect that this could feasibly be remedied via a firmware update, and hope that this is in the works, as it adds one more juicy feature that will make the Marantz 8805 irresistible for music lovers as much as movie buffs.

Finally, the lack of HDMI 2.1 connectivity is worth noting. Of course, this is a concern with literally any new AV preamp or receiver at this point, given that HDMI 2.1 is just not available as of this time, but it's looming over AV enthusiasts like you and I like a technological anvil. Marantz has a fantastic track record of updating HDMI boards to accommodate newer standard, so the main downside is losing the use of the AV8805 during the upgrade process, and of course the costs associated with the upgrade. I wouldn't say "don't buy this preamp because it doesn't have HDMI 2.1," since--really--what else are you going to buy right now that does? But I had to at least mention it as a consideration for anyone purchasing an AV preamp anytime soon.

Competition and Comparison
Options for AV preamps in this general price range have traditionally been slim, but there are more exciting options coming to market. Anthem's excellent AVM 60 ($2,999) is another full-featured 11.2 AV Processor with DTS Play-Fi multi-room system and an undeniable heritage.

The Lyngdorf MP-50AV ($9,999) recently impressed my colleague Greg Handy and has HDBase-T support built in. Like the AV8805, the MP-50AV is prepped for a future 2.1 update. However, the Lyngdorf has no legacy connections.

The AudioControl Maestro M9 ($8,999) and Lexicon MC-10 both feature the excellent Dirac Live room correction.

Perhaps as an ultimate compliment to the Marantz, I would mention it in the same breath as the reference standard, the Trinnov Altitude 16 that Dennis Burger recently took a deep look at. This $16,000 AV preamp is seemingly the king, with the most effective, powerful room correction and incredible audiophile performance, along with sixteen discrete processed channels. But despite its straight-out-of-the-screening-room pedigree, the Trinnov doesn't have all of the ancillary features that the AV8805 has.

Finally, the much-anticipated Emotiva RMC-1 ($5,000) should be released soon and also features Dirac Live for its 16 channels of processing. With that said, Emotiva has a spotty record with their products. Some are genius and incredible values, and others struggle out of the gate with issues that can take some time to correct via firmware.

Conclusion
If you couldn't already tell, the Marantz AV8805 is an absolute winner. It combines high-performance object-based surround with cutting-edge video management, paired with a very good room correction, as well as a feature set that is hard to replicate at any price. Marantz's track record as a company that delivers both value and performance along with great long-term support and updates makes this a safe bet for an AV preamp investment, and I say that fully aware that so many of us have taken a bath (or two) on past AV preamps that simply couldn't keep up with the ever-changing standards of home theater formats.

Right now, I just don't think you can find this combination of features and performance wrapped up in one component for anywhere close to the price of the Marantz AV8805. The checkbook is out because this sucker isn't leaving here for a long time.

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