Swapping Receivers due to 4K HDR passthrough - thoughts on Yamaha?


Hey guys!

Thinking of swapping to Yamaha rx-A3070. Please see below!

Current setup:

Marantz 7012 (use as pre as of this week)
Krell Chorus 5200 (amp)
ML Ethos (fronts)
ML Motif X (center)
ML Motion 40 (surround)
ML Dynamo 1500 (sub)

Last year, I got the PS4 Pro and Xbox One S. From day one, I have had issues w/ the 4K HDR passthrough. I'm using the Marantz 7011 and Sony 930d. For whatever reason (and its very common if you search online) there are various issues - but basically, on the highest settings for PS4, I get only audio, no video. Marantz didn't have an answer, but eventually they, along w/ Sony, released firmware updates. So, I accepted that I will just use the second from the top option, as its still 4K and HDR, and I doubt I be able to tell the difference. However, last week I tried playing a 4K HDR game on Xbox and all I got was snow...no matter what I did. I switched HDMI's, restarted, switched cables...nothing worked. What's strange is that the Oppo 203 works for full 4K HDR, but ONLY in the front HDMI. Makes zero sense. After over a year, nobody had answer and I tried it w/ 3 different units - so the idea of it being defective are thrown out. 

So fast forward to this week I saw the new Marantz 7012- under its video settings, you can adjust the HDMI to "enhanced." I figured this would alleviate the passthrough issues - so I swapped units. I bring home the 7012 and have even worse issues - now the PS4 has the highest resolution possibility greyed out and says my TV doesn't support it. When I check video output, it says I can only get HDR in 2K, not 4K. This is baffling. Spoke to Marantz for over an hour, and they said it should absolutely be working...so, due to this and many other weird glitches I have had, I am considering switching to Yamaha. 

The reason I pick that brand in particular is because my friend has their flagship, and has zero issues w/ either system - everything works perfectly on all settings. Since the 7012 is new, I can swap it out for the Yammy 3070, but wanted to try and get opinions first. Everything I read says they're very reliable, and it seems to not have as many issues. My concern is more so for the sound it will produce - I tried Denon, and didn't like the sound, but that was also before I got the Krell power amp. Do you think I would notice a huge sonic difference in switching? I always hear mixed things about receivers sounding dramatically different, but if its even CLOSE I would swap just to get rid of the issue I'm having.

Thanks so much for reading and possibly giving input!
128x128ethos4lyfe

Showing 5 responses by ethos4lyfe

Unfortunately, I can only get something that Magnolia here carries, as they let me swap a year old unit LOL. 

I guess im trying to determine the sound differences between Yammy and Marantz - bright vs. warm, etc.

They don't have the 3070 on display at the one near me, but I know a friend has it w/ zero issues and loves it. Granted, he has much different setup than I do
He has the older version, but I spoke w/ somebody on AVS and he said his 3070 works flawlessly....though he has a different tv. 

Somebody on the Marantz thread has the 6012 (one below mine) with the model of Sony, just a year newer..he has no issues. He walked me through his settings and it still didn't work. So, Im wondering if its an issue w/ the 7012 need new firmware? Very bizarre - I know its not defective, as its the second unit I have tried it on AND the Oppo 203 works
Yep, everything is perfectly connected - people on AVS forum have tried to come up w/ solutions but no avail. I can now get picture on xbox but only if i disable HDR in the xbox menu...which kind of defeats the purpose of these tvs/systems LOL
Well, I went to Magnolia and tested their Yamaha 5100 processor w/ my same line of tv, with my cables and PS4 - all resolutions and HDR worked. Seems its an issue w/ the Marantz 7012. I think I'm making the change tomorrow. 

Very strange that I have had these issues for over a year now...
man oh man, i love this sound! i have always heard about the benefits of separates, but truly hearing it for the first time is amazing. first thing i turned on was the world series and the announcers just had so much clarity. i'm honestly blown away. i don't even have the powered subs of the ethos turned on, and the bass sounds almost the same. its fascinating to hear the difference - not to say a marantz separate wouldn't have sounded as great, just amzed at the difference.