Marantz NR1506 vs Marantz SR6009

Here we are comparing Marantz NR1506 to Marantz SR6009 to reveal their common strengths and weaknesses as well as the differences between them which will help you in making a correct decision before the purchase. The Marantz NR1506 has 5 channel and the Marantz SR6009 has 7 channel amplifiers with Marantz NR1506's being less powerful.

Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these receivers, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Marantz NR1506 over Marantz SR6009.

This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Marantz SR6009 over Marantz NR1506.

We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

Amplifier

• Current Feedback Topology: Marantz SR6009 features Current Feedback Topology which is a well known, Marantz’ original circuit technology. The Current Feedback amplifier technology fits perfectly with the high requirements set for Super Audio software providing wide-bandwidth, high-speed reproduction. The impedance at the Current Feedback point is limited resulting in a very low phase shift. Marantz receivers and amplifiers equipped with Current Feedback can keep the phase compensation via Negative FeedBack (NFB) to a minimum, resulting in high through-rate, excellent transient response and superb sonic transparency for the full bandwidth. Unlike conventional Voltage Feedback amplification, the Current Feedback amplification makes the power amplifier in-sensitive to difficult loudspeaker loads.
• HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module): Marantz SR6009 features exclusive Marantz HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module) technology found on their Reference Series components. Marantz developed its own discrete circuit boards to replace standard IC's. These HDAM's consist of discrete surface mount components with short mirror image L/R signal paths. Those devices are doing exactly the same thing as the Op-Amps, but outperform the regular IC Op-amps dramatically in terms of the Slew Rate and reduced noise level, resulting in a much more dynamic, accurate and detailed sound. Over the years Marantz developed different types of the HDAM to improve quality and to fit to the special requirements of a product category like CD or amplifier.

Speaker Configurations

Marantz NR1506's and Marantz SR6009's amplifiers can be assigned for different speaker configurations.

• Configurations: Available configurations are:
Marantz NR1506: 5.2 with internal amplifier.
Marantz SR6009: 5.2, 7.2 with internal amplifier.
• Front Wide Channel support: With the presence of two front wide speakers you can enhance the front surround stage. The following speaker configurations are available for front wide channels:
Marantz NR1506: Does not support.
Marantz SR6009: 7.2.
• Bi-Amp: Marantz SR6009 is able to bi-amp up to 2 main channels simultaneously. During bi-amplification two amplifiers are used for one speaker. One amplifier powers the midrange and tweeter section of the speaker and another amplifier powers the low frequency woofers. Each amplifier is less loaded and performs better. In order to use this feature speakers must have 2 pairs of connectors.



Audyssey DSX

Marantz SR6009 supports Audyssey DSX which allows you to augment a standard five-channel home theater with either two Front Wide or two Front High speakers. The Wide channels create an expansive soundstage and bring out convincing directional effects. Alternatively, Height channels can add a vertical dimension to movie and game soundtracks.




Sound Processing

• Audyssey: Both receivers come with Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume.
Dynamic EQ: selects the best possible frequency response and surround volume levels moment-by-moment. This ensures that the bass response, tonal balance and surround impression remain constant despite changes in volume. This is the first technology that carefully combines information from incoming source levels with actual output sound levels in the room, a pre-requisite for delivering a dynamic volume solution.
Dynamic Volume: Your Listening experience can be greatly diminished when there are significant shifts in volume between television programs, commercials and within the program material itself. When this happens you must constantly adjust the volume to maintain your desired listening level. Audyssey Dynamic Volume monitors the volume of program material moment-by-moment and automatically adjusts it, maintaining the desired listening level for all content while optimizing the dynamic range to preserve impact.
• Compressed Music Enhancer: Marantz NR1506 and Marantz SR6009 feature Compressed Music Enhancer which enhances the quality of the music files with lossy compression.
MDAX2: Compressed music enhancement in Marantz NR1506 and Marantz SR6009 is done by Marantz’ MDAX2 technology. The use of compressed audio files like MP3, Windows Media™ Audio or AAC is getting more and more popular. The audio quality of these compressed files however is less than the original lossless files that are on a CD, especially lacking the higher frequencies and affecting the lower frequencies which make the audio image less wide and deep. The Marantz Digital Audio Expander 2, also called M-DAX2, recalculates the outputted frequency range. This enables you to get a more detailed and clearer sound.

Room Calibration

Marantz NR1506 comes with Audyssey MultEQ and Marantz SR6009 comes with Audyssey MultEQ XT + PRO room correction system.

• Audyssey Room Calibration: Audyssey is an acoustic measurement technology which automatically restores the acoustic distortion caused by the acoustic behaviour of a room with only a push on a button. Audyssey equalization provides an clear, accurate, natural sound with voices and dialog that become focused and intelligible, restoring the musical balance. Musical instruments and sound effects become precisely localized and the surround soundstage is made seamless and enveloping.

HDMI

Marantz NR1506 comes with 6 HDMI inputs. It has 1 output.

Marantz SR6009 comes with 8 HDMI inputs. It has 2 outputs - 1 for MAIN and 1 for ZONE2.

• 4K/60Hz Passthrough: On both receivers all inputs pass up to 4K 50/60Hz 4:4:4 video signal.
• 4K Upscaling on Marantz SR6009: It can upscale up to 4K 50/60Hz 4:4:4 from HDMI and analog sources.
• Analog To HDMI Upconversion: Marantz SR6009 supports analog to HDMI Upconversion, so you can input your analog video sources and output them digitally via HDMI. This means that you will need only one HDMI cable to connect to your TV.
• BT.2020 Color Space: BT.2020 or Rec. 2020 is a color standard which delivers a wider color gamut compared to Rec. 709. It covers approximately 75% of the total visual spectrum while the Rec. 709 covers only 35% (available on Marantz NR1506 only).
• HDCP 2.2.0 Copy Protection: Both receivers are HDCP 2.2.0 compliant which is a requirement for 4K/HDR copy-protected content transmission.
• 3D Ready: Both receivers are able to pass 3D video through HDMI.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

Marantz NR1506 supports HDR10, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log-Gamma.

Marantz SR6009 does not support HDR.

High dynamic range video has greater dynamic range than standard dynamic range (SDR) video with brighter whites and deeper blacks. The result is greater contrast and more details in dark and bright areas, better color and depth.

• HDR10: HDR10 uses the wide-gamut Rec. 2020 color space. It sends static metadata via video stream to the TV which calibrates its screen brightness and color according to that. HDR10 supports 10-bit color which corresponds to 1024 shades of the primary RGB colors. It is technically limited to a maximum of 10,000 nits peak brightness, however common HDR10 contents are mastered with peak brightness from 1,000 to 4,000 nits.
• Dolby Vision: Dolby Vision is a set of technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories for high dynamic range (HDR) video. It covers content creation, distribution, and playback. Like HDR10+, it includes dynamic metadata that are used to adjust and optimize each frame of the HDR video to the consumer display's capabilities in a way specified by the content creator. Dolby Vision allows for a maximum resolution of 8K up to 12-bit color depth, maximum peak brightness of 10,000 nits and a color gamut up to Rec. 2020. It uses Dolby's proprietary dynamic metadata defined in SMPTE ST 2094-10.
• Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG): The Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) is a transfer function developed mainly for HDR live video feed and over-the-air broadcasts. It is an HDR format that uses BT.2020 color primaries and a bitdepth of 10-bit. It is backward compatible with the transfer function of SDR and is designed to be better-suited for television broadcasting, where the metadata required for other HDR formats is not backward compatible with non-HDR displays. HLG defines a non-linear optical-electro transfer function, in which the lower half of the signal values use a gamma curve and the upper half of the signal values use a logarithmic curve.

Audio

• Phono Input: There is an MM phono input on Marantz SR6009 with built-in phono stage for connecting the moving magnet cartridge output of the turntable directly to the receiver.
• 7.1 Multichannel Input: In case you have a high quality Blu-Ray or a DVD player with multichannel analog outputs you may connect it to a 7.1 multichannel analog inputs of Marantz SR6009 and use high quality DACs of the player instead of the ones in the receiver.
• Analog Pre-Outs: Marantz NR1506 has 2.2 and Marantz SR6009 has 7.2 preamplifier outputs which allow you to connect the receivers to the external power amplifiers. You may want to use a high quality external amplifier for certain channels, usually for front L/R and center, and use the receiver to power the rest.
• Analog Line Inputs: There are 3 pair of line inputs on Marantz NR1506 and 6 pair of line inputs on Marantz SR6009 for connecting sources with analog outputs.
• Digital Inputs: 1 optical input and 1 coaxial input are available on Marantz NR1506 and 2 optical inputs and 2 coaxial inputs are available on Marantz SR6009 for digital audio connections.
• Headphone Output: There is a 6.3 mm (1/4") headphone output jack on the front panel of each receiver.

Video

• HDMI:
Marantz NR1506
Inputs: 6 (1 front)   Outputs: 1
8K Inputs: 0.
Marantz SR6009
Inputs: 8 (1 front)   Outputs: 2 (1 for MAIN, 1 for ZONE2)
8K Inputs: 0.
• Composite Video: Connect you VCR, Laserdisc player and other old video equipment with composite video cables.
Marantz NR1506
Inputs: 3   Outputs: 1.
Marantz SR6009
Inputs: 4   Outputs: 1.
• Component Video: Component video connection gives you the higher quality video compared to the composite video connection. So in case your old DVD player and other equipment do not have an HDMI output but have Component video output use this connection over the composite one. resolution on Component video connectors.
• Marantz SR6009 supports up to 1080p resolution on Component video connectors.
Marantz NR1506
Inputs: 0   Outputs: 0.
Marantz SR6009
Inputs: 2   Outputs: 1.

Front A/V Inputs

• Marantz NR1506: HDMI, USB
• Marantz SR6009: HDMI, USB, Composite, L/R Audio

Marantz NR1506

Marantz SR6009