Marantz SR7200: Surround Sound for Movies, Music

A good audio/video receiver is the solution for many home theater fans. Marantz has introduced a multichannel unit that seems to offer everything that most folks could want: plenty of power, a variety of surround formats, high-resolution digital-to-analog audio converters, and component video switching. The price? About $850.

Confused about 5.1- or 6.1-channel surround systems? The SR7200 can serve both with ease. Equipped to decode DTS® 5.1/6.1, Dolby Digital® 5.1/6.1, Dolby Pro Logic ® II, and Circle Surround® 5.1, this versatile performer also features custom surround modes including hall and stadium effects, and a "movie" mode to emulate the theatrical experience. Six channels of discrete amplification pump out 105 watts each into an 8-ohm load, and are said to have superb low-impedance drive capability for 4-ohm speakers. An A/B speaker selector switch allows the use of a second speaker system, and a multi-zone function allows you to simultaneously enjoy a different entertainment source in another room.

The 7200's six-channel analog inputs let you get the most from multichannel SACDs or DVD-Audio recordings. Internal high-resolution audio DACs operate at 192kHz/24-bit to extract the maximum performance from digital sources such as standard CD; the receiver's back panel sports one coaxial and three optical digital inputs.

No-compromise video performance is enabled by the unit's component video switching capability. Multiple video sources can feed the SR7200 via two component video inputs, four composite video inputs, and four S-video inputs. The AM/FM tuner can handle up to 30 preset stations, with the stations' call letters programmed into the display. The receiver is finished in black; the learning remote is finished in silver. An onscreen menu makes for easy setup and navigation.

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