Marantz AV10

I have an AV10, my third Marantz AVR.  I previously had the AV8805A, and from a sound perspective, the upgrade to an AV10 was noticeable.  Not a quantum leap, but improved.  I don’t care to try and make sense of settings on the limited real estate of a phone app, and I also find using a tablet to change settings clumsy.  I therefore appreciate the AV10’s on-screen menus and overall, the system is rock solid and reliable.  I had issues with eARC (not alone on this) and since connecting the streamer output to one of the HDMI inputs, with a second HDMI cable from the Monitor 1 output to the TV, it has been flawless.

My routine is streaming from the usual suspects (Netflix, Apple TV) and despite different audio formats, the AV10 recognizes them automatically.  The backlit remote works well and can be more easily read than that of the AV8805A, although I wish it were a learning remote so I can winnow down the army of remotes next to me.  While I have a constant itch to upgrade, with my compromised home theatre space and streaming based on less than ideal audio quality versus other sources, the jump to one of the heralded five figure AV processors is unnecessary with the AV10 in place.  The learning curve and setup options are daunting, but as someone mentioned, getting a Dirac license is a worthwhile investment, as I felt my system really came alive.

Robert

Thank you so much for your input…super helpful.

I’ve had my AV10 for about a week and am really enjoying it so far.  The AV10 isn’t recognizing some of the material my Sony VPL-VW295ES 4K  projector is sending so I have to look into it otherwise no glitches at all. 
 

Used the Audessey mic to set up room correction and it sounds amazing.  Would you still spend $400 on DIRAC? 
 

I set up HEOS and added a QOBUZ account and waiting for the new Apple TV to come out so I can listen to my own music via Apple Music.  
 

The AV10 isn’t mated to an Anthem Statement A5 (225X5 class AB) and it sounds amazing but wondering if replacing it with a Marantz AMP20 (class D) would be an upgrade.  
 

Appreciate all the comments…thank you!

Glad you are enjoying the AV10.  When I ran into issues my friend Google pointed out online discussions/ other forums where current owners with similar problems shared tips for resolving them, and it helped considerably.

While waiting for the new Apple TV, an option is a $5 app called BubbleUPnP which allows you to use HEOS to access Qobuz.  I use it with an older Marantz AVR in a setup with no streamer, and it works really well.

I ran the Audyssey gamut from the standard one provided with the AV10 to the $25 phone app to the full blown app from Audyssey downloaded onto my PC, and each was better.  Going for Dirac was yet another step in the right direction, and I felt it worth the investment.  From what I read, Dirac ART is the way to go, although it is pricey.  Use and enjoy what you have, then perhaps take the leap on Black Friday, when Dirac typically offers a sale.  I'm happy I did it, and have just scratched the surface with its capabilities..

Stay with Audyssey, You can get better sonic results with Audyssey and YPAO (yamaha) than Dirac. The default cal is not the end. You'd have to fine tune a bit further, as you learn it.

Thank you so much for your input…super helpful.

I’ve had my AV10 for about a week and am really enjoying it so far.  The AV10 isn’t recognizing some of the material my Sony VPL-VW295ES 4K  projector is sending so I have to look into it otherwise no glitches at all. 
 

Used the Audessey mic to set up room correction and it sounds amazing.  Would you still spend $400 on DIRAC? 
 

I set up HEOS and added a QOBUZ account and waiting for the new Apple TV to come out so I can listen to my own music via Apple Music.  
 

The AV10 isn’t mated to an Anthem Statement A5 (225X5 class AB) and it sounds amazing but wondering if replacing it with a Marantz AMP20 (class D) would be an upgrade.  
 

Appreciate all the comments…thank you!

Thank you both for your advice!  On the fence about DIRAC so will hold off for now.

Any opinion about replacing my Anthem A5 5 channel amp?  It’s 225w x 5 and is class AB.  The new AMP20 is 200 wpc, bridgeable and class D.  Would love to hear from folks who know more than me.