June 2026 ertonline.co.uk


Marantz in production.


and quite different listening rooms where their respective Sound Masters hone each brand’s sonic profile, before release.


AVR PCB.


Our introduction to the Marantz way comes Home cinema news


As we arrive, Denon is taking the wraps off its latest X-Series home cinema receiver range, the AVR-X2900H and AVC-X3900H. Positioned above entry-level AV products and premium soundbars, the new receivers are aimed at enthusiasts seeking more immersive home entertainment, while also catering to gamers with features such as 1440p video pass- through, AMD FreeSync support and expanded HDMI connectivity. The AVR-X2900H is a 5.1.2-channel model delivering 95W per channel, while the more advanced AVC-X3900H offers 5.1.4 channels of amplification, 11-channel processing capability and 105W per channel for larger installations. Both boast updated internal components and DAC architecture. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding come as standard, alongside Audyssey room calibration and optional Dirac Live optimisation. Built-in HEOS provides access to streaming services including Spotify, Qobuz and TuneIn, while support for Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth is also included. All for £1,299 or less.


The Shirakawa Audio Works factory opened back in March 1983, and has since obtained almost mythical status amongst audiophiles - it’s often referenced but rarely seen. We can confirm it’s big, some 1.8 x the size of the Tokyo Dome, and handles everything from design and manufacturing,


to final


quality inspection and shipment. It’s here that all high-end models from both Denon and Marantz are made. Unsurprisingly, the lion’s share of production in Shirakawa is AV amps, which represent 61.2 per cent of its output. The next biggest production run is Hi-Fi amplifiers at 22.7 per cent. CD also warrants a good deal of attention, accounting for 10.5 per cent of production. The remainder is made up of network products, cartridges, Power supplies and headphones. As we toured the facility, it was busy


producing Denon’s AVR/AVCA1H flagship, the AVR/AVC6800H and the AVR/AVCA10H, and Marantz’ AV10, Amp10, Cinema 30 and Cinema 40 models. One often repeated question is just how


different are comparably specified AV amplifiers and receivers from these two brands. Having toured the production lines for both we can confirm they are indeed quite different, even though they share some of the fundamental PCBs and construction technologies. It’s core components that separate the two, and these greatly influence sound quality. The final audio tuning is fundamentally different, too, to the point that the two brands have unique


Denon specific component.


via Takumi Murayama, Lead Engineer and Engineering Manager. He’s been with Marantz since 2007, and has assumed key development roles on top sellers like the Marantz PM-11 S3, PM-10, Model 10, PM-15S2 and PM -KI Pearl. The Model 10 Marantz, hailed as the most powerful Marantz integrated amp ever; is waiting for us in the brand’s listening room. It’s built around a dual monaural power amplifier concept, with a two layer structure of both upper and lower floors, all this to ensure low distortion and high power.


This attention to detail pays dividends. A stunning rendition of Shostakovich’s Symphony Number 5 II allegretto, by The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, fills the demo room. With the amplifier connected to a Bowers


& Wilkins 800 series speaker array, it displays astonishing power and body, creating a three- dimensional, orchestral image that’s musical and spatially coherent, even in the most demanding passages. To demonstrate the amplifier’s ability to


reduce lifelike vocals, Mr Murayama plays a track from Pavarotti and Friends, entitled ‘Caruso’. The imaging is so precise it even illustrates the difference in height between the two featured singers. Lower low end frequency of response


impressed as well, with a run through of Stravinsky’s Firebird Infernal Dance suite, as performed by the San Francisco Symphony orchestra.


The amplifier emphasises the weight of the bass drum and the sharp transient of the Timpani. Final tuning is the responsibility of Marantz Sound Master Yoshinori Ogata. >>


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