Marantz’s new SR8012 11.2 Channel AV Amplifier has its Australian distributor QualiFi, and us, excited. Why? Because it’s been over ten years since Marantz has built an AV amp like this.

To clarify, the SR8012 is technically not an AV 'Receiver' as there is no AM/FM tuner onboard. Not a problem though given the abundance of sources and connectivity the SR8012 does offer. Let's just call it an AV Amplifier.

Built in Japan by Marantz, they haven’t sacrificed all the bells and whistles which are still ever present. What they have produced however focuses on what’s just as important and that’s ultimately the sound quality and performance.

The SR8012 uses “identical symmetrical monolithic amplifier modules” to deliver 205 watts to each of its 11 channels. The power supply is the heart of any AV or stereo amplifier, and the SR8012 has been built around an oversized supply with a shielded, custom-built toroidal transformer and high-current main capacitors purpose-built for Marantz.

Like the brand’s Reference series stereo amplifiers, the SR8012 uses a copper chassis design with an extra-rigid construction for stability and rigidity which helps keep vibrations away from the audio components for the purest possible sound.

If you’ve been itching to get into the latest 3D immersive sound formats, you’re in luck. The SR8012 is the ideal choice for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro 3D formats. All the digital signal processing is performed by no less than four SHARC DSP chips.

Denon’s now famous HEOS wireless multi-room platform is built-in, allowing the SR8012 to be the hub of your whole-home audio system. From the HEOS app, the SR8012 can also play music from Bluetooth and AirPlay portable devices, USB storage and of course analogue and digital sources.

Its eight HDMI inputs and three outputs conform to the latest HDMI and HDCP standards, with 4K Ultra HD 60Hz video, 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling, High Dynamic Range (HDR), 21:9 video, 3D, BT.2020 pass-through and Dolby Vision pass-through support.

The SR8012 will also breathe life into your legacy sources as it will upscale standard and high definition analogue and digital video content to 4K Ultra HD.

The highly capable DAC can decode up to 24-bit/192-kHz ALAC, FLAC and WAV lossless files as well as DSD 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz tracks via the front panel USB port and network sources. There’s Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth available to round out the connectivity solutions too.

Nothing has been overlooked by Marantz and their new flagship has the latest trends in room correction on-board:

Audyssey MultEQ XT32, LFC, Sub EQ HT, Dynamic Volume and DynamicEQ make set-up and room optimization simple and extremely accurate, and the SR8012 is compatible with the Audyssey MultEQ Editor App, allowing viewing and precise customisation of the sound to tackle specific room problems in your room, or to tailor the sound to personal preferences.

There are more features in Marantz’s new SR8012 than we can write about here, so we’d suggest a demo at your nearest Marantz dealer when they arrive in stores from next week. But for all its flexibility, the SR8012 is simple to use thanks to four ‘Smart Select’ buttons on the front panel and remote control: each one will store your preferred setup - input, volume, and Audyssey configuration - for your preferred source.

Just in time for Christmas, the Marantz SR8012 AV Amplifier will sell locally for $5,740 RRP.

For more information visit Marantz.

Further reading: AV Receivers & Processors Forum