Marantz SR9600 THX Ultra Receiver

Marantz America introduced its flagship Model SR9600 THX Ultra-certified A/V receiver (SRP $3,499), which joins the company's recently introduced SR8500 ($SRP: $1,599). With the addition of the SR9600, consumers now have two high-end Marantz home theater receivers to choose from.

The Marantz SR9600 features an innovative amplifier design and strengthened chassis as well as a host of advanced technologies including new high-speed twin 32-Bit DSP Chipsets, audiophile-grade DACs, two IEEE 1394 ports, seven-channels of equal power amplification, and HDMI switching.

"With the power and features to literally immerse users in room-filling surround sound and home theater, the SR9600 exemplifies Marantz's new 'Life Amplified' corporate philosophy," noted Kevin Zarow, Director of Marketing and Product Development, Marantz America, Inc. "Every new technology in the SR9600, from high-speed twin 32-bit DSP chipsets to HDMI switching and a new amplifier design helps our customers raise their home entertainment experience up a notch."

The first thing you notice about Marantz' new flagship receiver is its stunning, classically simple exterior. Audio aficionados will particularly appreciate the receiver's nod to the "classic" Marantz era with the precision Flywheel Gyro-Touch AM/FM tuner, capable of storing up to 50 station presets. The fold-down front panel allows for a clean attractive symmetrical design while concealing the fully functional cursor-controlled menu. In addition to its visual elegance, the rugged copper-plated chassis is said to prevent internal vibrations from radiating to the exterior of the receiver, virtually eliminating noise intrusion and maintaining the classic Marantz sound.

The Marantz SR9600 Digital Surround Receiver incorporates the most advanced digital technologies for ultimate home theater receiver performance. A Massive Toroidal Transformer provides a clean and powerful 140 watts x 7 power output for authoritative reproduction of movie soundtracks and music. In addition, the newly-developed all Discrete Current Feedback (SA-ready) amplifier design ensures the receiver to deliver a minimum of 70 percent of its two-channel power rating when driving five channels simultaneously.

To ensure the highest quality video images from all sources, the SR9600's newly designed video section features S-video/composite-to-component-video upconversion. The SR9600 also includes a built-in HDCD decoder, to provide the superior sonic benefits of HDCD playback from CD players and DVD players without HDCD capability. The receiver features a Video Off mode that switches off the video circuitry for lowest interference during audio-only playback.

The SR9600 offers an extensive array of connection options for installation flexibility, including four component video inputs and two outputs , plus s-video and composite video inputs, and multiple digital and analog audio inputs. To ensure compatibility with today's most advanced source components, the SR9600 features HDMI switching, with two HDMI inputs and one output as well as two IEEE 1394 ports for further connectivity options.

Advanced MRAC For Fast, Easy Calibration
Marantz's proprietary MRAC (Marantz Room Acoustic Calibration) feature, with an included high-quality microphone, provides users with an easy and fast way to analyze and calibrate optimum surround sound settings for any size or shape room, including parameters for speaker level, phase, size and frequency response. For total versatility and utility, the SR9600 also offers audio and video multi-room operation with configurable amplifier output and multi-room on-screen display.

Dolby Headphone Technology, and More
The SR9600 offers a host of additional performance and convenience features. The inclusion of Dolby Headphone technology in the SR9600 allows users to listen to music, watch movies, or play video games with the dramatic surround effects of a 5.1-channel soundtrack through any set of headphones. Total surround sound versatility and realism is provided with the inclusion of THX Surround EX, DTS-ES Discrete, DTS-ES Matrix and DTS Neo:6 Cinema and Music 6.1-channel decoding.

The SR9600 is supplied with the highly acclaimed RC3200 programmable touch-screen learning remote control that operates all functions and can control all the components in a home entertainment system.

The Marantz SR9600 Digital Surround Receiver carries a suggested retail price of $3,499 and will be available in the second quarter of this year.

The SR9600 and SR8500 receivers joins Marantz' full line of 7.1-channel receivers, including the SR7500 (SRP $1,099), SR5500 (SRP $649.99) and the high-value SR4500 (SRP $449.99). For more information, please visit the newly-redesigned http://us.marantz.com/Home/default.asp .