Price Paid:  $366.00 from Dhaka/Bangladesh

Summary:
I love to listen to Loud music Specially when I play some action movies........and I tell U its AMAZING !!!!!! Within this price range you won't get nothing better than this. It is one of the best Amp I had so far.......it has replaced my Harmon Kardon with 100% satisfaction.

Strengths:
Easy to use...specially the Remote Control. You can use its remote with your DVD player, TV and Amp together. Also its look..........

Weaknesses:
The amp is pretty big as you won't be able to notice on the display pic. Treble is vey high.

Similar Products Used:
None.

Price Paid:  $350.00 from 5th Avenue Park Squa

Summary:
Very well balanced receiver. Good for audio and home theater applications. Moderately priced at this power range. Very useful features. Can deliver enormous amount of power and can drive almost any speaker. Handles any type of music and movies very well. Excellently built receiver. Superior amplifier section. Remote control needs improvement.

Strengths:
Good power reserves. Drives any type of speakers. Well balanced on audio and home theater. Moderately priced. Very good build and quality. Very warm, clear sound.

Weaknesses:
None at this price range.

Similar Products Used:
Denon, Pioneer, Harman-Kardon, Sansui, Onkyo, Rotel, NAD

Price Paid:  $325.00 from shangrila mall makat

Summary:
a bit bright especially on HT. lacks power during HT. overall sound is nice

Strengths:
overall sound is nice, easy to operate

Weaknesses:
a bit bright especially when used for hT

Similar Products Used:
hk, yamaha, pioneer, rotel

Price Paid:  $275.00 from Cambridge Soundworks

Summary:
Overall an excellent AV receiver.

The amplification section is excellent (see Strenghts).

Has all DTS and Dolby decoding algorithms for 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound.

Does not have all of the bells (such as component upconversion and automatic speaker calibration), but missing these features is a minor point.

Almost as musical as my NAD C320BEE integrated amp, which I use for stereo recordings.

The Marantz SR4500 is being replaced by the SR4600. The SR4600 has all of the SR4500 features plus HDCD decoding and a detachable power cord. I purchased the Marantz SR4500 for $275 at clearance. I could not justify the extra $125 for HDCD decoding because my CD player is hooked to a NAD C320BEE for stereo recordings.

Strengths:
An excellent amplifier section:
(all 5-channels driven simultaneously)
Marantz SR4500: 74.4 W @ 0.1% THD
Denon AVR-2105: 62.4 W @ 0.1% THD

Reference: Home Theater Magazine
www.hometheatermag.com

The low end Marantz outperforms the more expensive Denon AVR-2105 (MSRP $650).


Has all current algorithms for decoding 5.1 and 7.1 channel surround sound (Dolby and DTS).


Has a Pure Direct Mode (bypasses all tone controls and sound processing) that is very useful when listening to music.

Weaknesses:
None at this price point.

NAD AV receivers have excellent amp sections (better than Marantz), but accodring to online reviews tend to have reliability problems.

Similar Products Used:
Onkyo, Denon

Price Paid:  $480.00 from Tones & Colors

Summary:
I bought this receiver in Dubai and used it with my polk audio monitor series speakers. The sound was very good, clear, raw and likewise the design and the technology. The only thing I don't like is when I tried to connect my sub in the SW preout, it doesn't have an audio signal. I called the store and even the tech support of Marantz, but there's nothing that they can do about the problem. So as a remedy, I connected my sub in the cd lineout to get this things work.

Strengths:
Design and built, 7.1ch and advance features like DTS Neo, Dolby ProLogic IIx, massive El-type transformer and DS processor.

Weaknesses:
SW preout, perhaps due to a factory defect, too much heat generated by the transformer, poor technical support and no speakers A/B switching and loudness.

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer
Kenwood