Marantz SR-96 AV-receiver

Unlike other similar models, in this receiver the decoders of Dolby Pro Logic system and THX are combined. And a prospective distribution of videos with Dolby AC-3 background sound will not put the future owner of Marantz SR-96 in a hopeless situation: the receiver has a special mode and connectors for an external decoder. This receiver will immediately take a liking to those who are delighted with the on-screen menu of modern Philips or Nokia TVs. It's better for an untrained eye not to look at the back panel, since there is almost no space free from connectors. You can connect to SR-96 four video sources, two of which can be recorded (and all connectors are also duplicated by S-video), a TV monitor, three sources of sound programs, and five loudspeakers. And also there is a subwoofer output, system bus connectors and an AC-3 decoder.

During initial installation, the current states are displayed on the TV screen, as well as a multipage menu for adjusting the surround sound. The state of the activated surround sound control functions is displayed on the receiver's display itself and can be turned off while working with the on-screen menu. But the management of individual units on the system bus Marantz D-Bus, which combines them into a single complex, is displayed only on the receiver's display. Marantz also offers a new way of developing your home system - the MULTI-ROOM mode, which allows you to use this central unit as a program source for a second room as well. Moreover, it can be like the same program as for the main room, but with its own level, and it is completely different. This receiver has enormous possibilities in organizing the control, and since this is, first of all, an AV receiver, there is more control from the remote, which is necessary mainly for the daily operation of the home theater, than from the front panel of the receiver itself. The remote control has the ability to learn, allowing you to use components from other manufacturers.

But let's back to the main characteristics of the receiver. Traditionally for the company, the dual-band tuner in Marantz SR-96 showed high performance. Large and almost identical for all channels output power (front and center channels are of 110W each and 90W is for rear) allows you to get realistic, with good dynamics, sound, even in a relatively large room. When playing video programs, except for the usual stereo or even mono for old movies, when the sound is played only by the center speaker, the receiver provides six surround sound modes, in five of which it is possible to adjust the level of all channels and the delay for the rear channels. Adjustment in the rear channels over a wide range makes gives the possibility to get the desired surround sound effect for almost any material and acoustic design of the listening room.