The Marantz brand definitely has its fans, but positioning the marque against its sister brand Denon is a tough balancing act. Many were hoping for the old Marantz flagship SR8002 receiver to get the updates (cosmetic and otherwise) handed out to the SRx003 models; but those folks will have to hope the 8-series skips generations, because the rest of the lineup has quite expectedly been upped to SRx004 nomenclature. Convenience features take center stage on the SR6004 ($1,250) and SR5004 ($850), headed up by support for Marantz's RX101 Bluetooth receiver that lets you beam music, sans wires, to the receiver. These models also get Dolby Pro Logic IIz and the popular trio of Audyssey MultiEQ, Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ. After that, it looks like Marantz is getting served second at the D&M feature table -- 4-in/2-out HDMI ports, no Audyssey DSX, and no mention of Anchor Bay video processing. Still, true fans might still find the Marantz sound that they love in these new models.

We finally got a peek at the new BD-Live capable Blu-ray player from Marantz a couple of weeks ago, but you should be able to take a peek at the UD9004 yourself, as it began shipping today. For a cool six grand, give or take, the all in one CD, SACD, DVD Audi and Blu-ray playing beast can be yours, complete with internal HD audio decoding, Silicon Optix Realta chipset, 7.1 analog outputs and more. Check out all the specs and details in the press release after the break, though we suspect many of you are wondering just how many Oppo BDP-83 players that $5,999 MSRP could buy.

We questioned the strategy of Marantz delivering a nearly $800 Bonus View Blu-ray player last fall, but it appears ready to settle things with customers who believe in its superior construction and components and want a few newer features (though access to streaming movie services is still missing) with two BD-Live compatible players on the way in August. Both support AVCHD, DivX, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD bitstreaming and more, with the BD7004 adding 7.1 analog outs, internal TrueHD and DTS-HD MA decoding, an Anchor Bay Reference Series video processor and additional reinforcement against vibrations. Look for the BD5004 (pictured above) for $549 and the BD7004 at $799. In the interests of matching equipment, announced along with the BD7004 in Japan is the 7.1 channel NR1501 amplifier due this month, supporting the latest HD audio formats in a 105mm x 367mm deep resin and fiber reinforced design for ¥60,000 ($635), check for additional pictures after the break.

If you thought the well-to-do crowd wasn't feeling the pinch from the rotten economy, consider this -- D&M is not going to be at CEDIA Expo 2009 in a couple of months. You know, the show that features pricey, high-end custom install toys. Not being able to get our paws on the latest toys from Denon, Marantz, McIntosh, Boston Acoustics, Snell and Escient breaks our hearts, but D&M has decided to commit its resources to dealer training (and promotions, we hope); all the better to drive new customer sales. To be clear, D&M will have a presence at CEDIA, it just won't be on the Expo floor -- meetings will be by appointment only. We're just keeping our fingers crossed that similar measures won't have to be taken at CES in January. Planar (and by association, Runco) may take a similar CEDIA approach, not entirely surprising given its recent performance.

Finally, here's a peek at the Marantz UD9004 Blu-ray / SACD player announced a couple of months ago. Besides posing for the cameras, it has a release date and price now available, due in Japan next month at a cool 577,500 yen ($5,894 U.S.) As mentioned, all that doesn't buy DVD-Audio support, but 10-bit Silicon Optix Realta chipset, BD-Live, and RS-232 are present and accounted for those with the requisite taste and pocketbooks.

While our typical hotel coverage involves HDTVs and/or special programming, we'll make an exception for the Marantz/DALI audio setup getting dropped into the Empire Suite of Manhattan's Carlyle hotel. We won't make any guesses about what the rack rate is for the duplex suite in the swank hotel, but it's got to be cheaper than the audio system, which combines four MA-9S2 mono amps, an SC-7S2 preamp and SA-7S1 SACD deck from Marantz's Reference lineup with a pair of DALI MEGALINE III speakers. All told, that's about $47,000 of Marantz gear and another cool $60,000 for the speakers, all to deliver good old two-channel. Might we suggest staying in and ordering room service?

One reason we keep a place in our hearts for high-end audio is that there is still room for a single designer's vision, and this is no more apparent than in components with designer initials etched right into the faceplate. Right in line with NAD's stereo components wearing Bjorn Erik Edvardsen's initials, Marantz has issued the KI (Ken Ishiwata) Pearl stereo SACD player (model SA-KI) and matching integrated amplifier (model PM-KI). As with any signature gear, top-notch build is expected, and the Marantz KI Pearls don't disappoint; toroidal transformers, copper plated chassis and hand-picked components make the grade. Of course, you also expect high prices, and the KI Pearl pieces also deliver on that front -- the limited run of 500 pieces (each) of the SACD player and integrated amp will go for £2,499 ($3,769) each, and no US availability or pricing has been released yet. Painful, yes, but you might take some small comfort in knowing this is exactly the kind of gear that will appreciate in value. Audio geeks can go past the break for more glamor shots.

We can definitely see where this is headed. Hot on the heels of Denon's DVD-A1UD and OPPO's BDP-83 comes yet another Blu-ray player that does just a pinch more than handle audio CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. Unveiled as a prototype over in Munich, the Marantz UD9004 is just one format shy (it's lacking DVD-Audio support) of being a complete "universal" Blu-ray player. Said device, which is slated to get official sometime in 2009, is built upon the $6,500 SA-7S1 SACD player (pictured) and features a 10-bit Silicon Optix chipset, 14-bit video DAC, an SD card reader, RS-232 control interface, support for BD-Live and an Ethernet port. Outside of that, details are nonexistent, but we'll definitely be keeping an ear to the ground for more.

[Via Slashgear]

While Marantz is still generally sticking to its bread-and-butter AV receiver offerings, there's nothing wrong with a little diversion every now and then to see just how successful a new initiative can be. The CR502 micro audio system possesses two stereo amplifiers, each of which pack 25-watts of power. There's a built-in CD player, a DAB radio tuner and a nice array of inputs and outputs (USB 2.0 included) to complement the clock radio function. Of course, that whole "Marantz" logo helps explain the lofty £499 ($718) price tag, but if you've got it to blow, your night stand will thank you ad nauseam.

[Via Stuff]

We were told at CES that Americans would have to wait another quarter or so to take possession of Marantz's pristine-but-pricey BD8002, but Britons can grab one and simultaneously stick their tongues out in this direction right now. A number of UK-based retailers are now stocking the Profile 1.1 player, but given the current economic situation, we have to wonder who all is willing to hand over £1,799 or so for this thing. Then again, a $131,000 cellphone sold out in just three days late last year, so we suppose anything's possible.

With a name like Marantz, it has to be good, right? Evidently so, as the outfit's SR6003 AV receiver received high marks by the critics over at TrustedReviews. Setup was found to be a breeze, the build quality was phenomenal and the functionality was top-shelf. During testing, reviewers were blown away by how dynamic the audio was, with it packing the ability to both "rip your head off" and emit the subtle details that we all enjoy. Furthermore, performance was found to be just as excellent with music as it was with movies, and quite simply, they figured that you'd be hard pressed to "find anything better" in the price range.

Wireless iPod docks were all the rage back in 2006 (seriously, we remember nerds camping out for them), but the trend sort of petered out as 2007 emerged and focus turned to more important matters. Now, Marantz is looking to bring it all back in style with the IS301, a Lucullan wireless iPod dock that transmits both audio and video sans cabling and includes a port-filled receiver for tight-knit home theater integration. Practically every dock-connecting iPod (no iPhones allowed, at least not officially) will work fine here, and there's also Bluetooth 2.1 support for receiving and beaming tunes from BT-enabled devices. Expect the bundle to storm Japan in January for ¥26,250 ($277), after which we Americans will drop down on bended knee and plead for a US version.

[Via Impress]

The Sonos music system consistently gets high marks for its easy-to-use Sonos Controller remote. But folks who want to control their whole home with a single device can't be bothered by another remote, and they've probably got some money to spend to fix the problem. Make way for the enterprising folks at AVD Australia and QualiFi, who have come up with 2-way communication between Sonos and a Philips Pronto TSU9600 or Marantz RC9001 remote, so you can ditch that now-obsolete $400 Sonos Controller. Up to 8 Sonos areas can be controlled by up to 8 remotes, so yeah, there's room to grow. All this convenience should be available this month, starting at AUD $695 (US $540) for a single remote and zone (Sonos and remote not included).

We fully understand that Marantz buyers are going to pay a premium for that Marantz logo, but this just screams absurd. Joining the company's $2,000 BD8002 is the "budget-minded" BD7003, a Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player with an equally stupefying $799 price tag. Oh sure, it's got HDMI 1.3a, 1080p upscaling for standard DVDs and support for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, but we're still unclear on what makes this thing worth nearly eight bills. If you've got it all figured out, however, you can dive right in this November.

The Audioholics store has lifted the lid on the new Marantz SR4003 receiver. Right up front, you'll notice the design borrows from Marantz's Reference series of components, so now you can satisfy your champagne-like tastes without breaking your beer-like budget. Joe Six Pack won't feel robbed by the feature set either -- the SR4003 is a seven-channel, 80-Watt number with a triplet of HDMI 1.3a inputs and a single output. With some 16,000-microfarads in the amplifier section's capacitor banks, those are pretty generous 80-Watts, too. Of course, there's an array of video upconversion and autocalibration niceties for you, too. For Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, you'll have to use LPCM, but something had to be cut out to fit the budget. In all, the generous package of specs behind the nice-looking face and a $550 price sound like a good formula to us.