Marantz Slimline NR1608 (USA version)

•   Overview
•   Pros and Cons
•   Predecessor
•   Audio Section
•   Video Section
•   Multi-zone Playback
•   Inputs and Outputs
•   Specifications
•   Successor

Marantz Slimline NR1608 was introduced in 2017. It is equipped with 7 channel amplifier with 50 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 7.1 maximum channel processing. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, passes 4K/60Hz and upscales up to 4K 30/25/24p 4:4:4 video signal.

We evaluated the a/v receiver and gave 83 overall score out of 100. Our ranking system is based on the amplifier specifications, audio and video features, connectivity, multizone capabilities, radio and many other details.

In this section we present pros and cons of Marantz Slimline NR1608.

Here we are comparing Marantz Slimline NR1608 to its predecessor NR1607 and displaying the major changes.

UPGRADES	Marantz Slimline NR1608	vs	Marantz Slimline NR1607
DTS Virtual:X		vs
HEOS		vs
Works with Amazon Alexa		vs
AirPlay	AirPlay 2	vs	AirPlay
Tidal		vs
Deezer		vs
Napster		vs
Newer Bluetooth Version	3․0 + EDR	vs	2․1 + EDR

DOWNGRADES	Marantz Slimline NR1608	vs	Marantz Slimline NR1607
Music Playback via USB	MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, DSD	vs	MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD
High Resolution Audio Formats via USB	Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, DSD	vs	Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD

For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Marantz Slimline NR1608 vs Marantz Slimline NR1607.

7 channel Amplifier

Marantz Slimline NR1608 features 7 channel power amplifier. It is rated at 50 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) and is able to drive 4 ohm speakers.

Speaker Configurations

Marantz Slimline NR1608's 7 channel amplifier can be assigned for different speaker configurations.

• Dolby Atmos Configurations: The following speaker configurations are supported for Dolby Atmos:
5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
• DTS:X Configurations: The speaker configurations for DTS:X are the same as for Dolby Atmos:
5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
• Configurations without height channels: There are also other speaker configurations available which do not include height channels:
5.2, 7.2 with internal amplifier.
• 2-ch Bi-Amp: Marantz Slimline NR1608 allows you 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.

Dolby Atmos

Marantz Slimline NR1608 supports Dolby Atmos. It is a cinematic audio format in which sounds exist as individual entities, called audio objects. In Dolby Atmos, any sound can exist as an independent audio object, free of channel restrictions. They can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in your room, including overhead, to flow above and around you in three-dimensional space. Through the use of audio objects, overhead sound, and all the richness, clarity, and power of Dolby sound, Dolby Atmos turns your room into an amazing place for entertainment. The format supports up to 128 simultaneous independent audio objects in a mix for rich, realistic, and breathtaking sound. It recreates the director's original concept through descriptive metadata to provide customized playback for home theater and delivers sounds above you through overhead speakers, special upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar.

• Dolby Surround Upmixer: If the content is not mixed in Dolby Atmos then the Dolby surround upmixer will expand the audio to all channels including ceiling speakers. The upmixer has replaced the Dolby Pro Logic II family with improved upmixing algorithms.

DTS:X

Marantz Slimline NR1608 supports DTS:X. A technique used in DTS:X is similar to the one used in Dolby Atmos. Instead of a fixed number of channels, DTS:X defines object locations from the listener in polar coordinates. An a/v receiver then dynamically renders sound according to the current speaker configuration. The speaker layout employed by DTS:X is the sum of Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D. It has standard 7.1 channel base layer, a 5 channel height layer above the base layer on the front and side walls, and 3 rows of speakers on the ceiling.

• DTS Neural:X: DTS Neural:X is an advanced upmixer that can take non DTS:X content and upmix it to the DTS:X speaker layout. It has replaced the DTS Neo family with improved flexibility.
• DTS Virtual:X: DTS Virtual:X bridges the gap between DTS:X codec and the reality of so many consumers' homes, allowing you to enjoy multi-dimensional sound regardless of room size, layout, or speaker configuration. If you have a limited speaker setup you will miss a full immersive potential of your entertainment system. DTS Virtual:X adds height and surround audio effect to your system without adding height speakers. It works with multiple configurations and delivers immersive sound experience out of 5.1 or even 2.1 speaker layouts.
• DTS Dialog Control: This function adjusts the dialog levels during playback of the DTS:X stream. It allows you to separately increase the dialog levels in contrast with the background sound and hear dialog easily even under noisy circumstances.

Sound Processing

• Audyssey: Marantz Slimline NR1608 comes 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.
• MDAX2: Compressed music enhancement in Marantz Slimline NR1608 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 Slimline NR1608 comes with Audyssey MultEQ room correction system and includes the calibration microphone. It also supports Audyssey App.

• 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 Slimline NR1608 features 8 HDMI inputs. It has 1 output.

• 4K/60Hz Passthrough: All inputs pass up to 4K 50/60Hz 4:4:4 video signal.
• 4K Upscaling: Marantz Slimline NR1608 can upscale up to 4K 30/25/24p 4:4:4 from HDMI and analog sources.
• Analog To HDMI Upconversion: The a/v receiver supports video upconversion, so you can connect your analog Component and Composite video sources and Marantz Slimline NR1608 will output them 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%.
• HDCP 2.2 Copy Protection: All inputs and outputs are HDCP 2.2 compliant which is a requirement for 4K/HDR copy-protected content transmission.
• 3D Ready: Marantz Slimline NR1608 is able to pass 3D video through HDMI.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

Marantz Slimline NR1608 supports HDR (high dynamic range) video formats such as HDR10, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log-Gamma. 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.

Marantz Slimline NR1608 offers multi-zone playback which allows you to play different input sources in 2 different rooms.

Zone 2

• Powered Zone 2: You can use the unit's 2 amplifier channels by connecting Zone 2 speakers directly to the speaker terminals. The remaining 5 channels will be left for main zone amplification.
• Audio Pre Output: If you have a dedicated power amplifier for Zone 2 you can connect it to the a/v receiver via pre outs and control volume from the a/v receiver.

Audio

• Analog Pre-Outs: Marantz Slimline NR1608 has 2.2 preamplifier outputs which allow you to connect the a/v receiver to the external power amplifier. You may want to use a high quality external amplifier for certain channels, usually for front L/R and center, and use the a/v receiver to power the rest.
• Analog Line Inputs: There are 3 line inputs for analog audio connection.
• Digital Inputs and Outputs: 0 optical input, 1 optical output and 1 coaxial input are available for digital audio connection.
• Headphone Output: There is a 6.3 mm (1/4") headphone output jack on the front panel.

Video

• HDMI:
Inputs: 8 (1 front)   Outputs: 1
8K Inputs: 0
• Composite Video: Connect you VCR, Laserdisc player and other old video equipment with composite video cables.
Inputs: 3   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.
Inputs: 2   Outputs: 1

Here we list all the available features and specifications of Marantz Slimline NR1608.

BASICS
Brand	Marantz
Series	Slimline
Model	NR1608
Type	A/V Receiver
Country	USA
Release Year	2017

AMPLIFIER
Channels	7.2
Front Wide Channel Support
Current Feedback Topology
Discrete Amplification
HDAM
THX™ Certification
Continuous 6 Ω Rated
Certified 4 Ω Performance
Bi-amp Capability	assignable

AUDIO
Maximum Channel Processing	7.1
Air Studios Monitor Certification
Dolby Atmos	up to 5.1.2
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
Dolby Atmos Music
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby Surround Upmixer
Dolby Pro Logic
Dolby Digital EX
Surround EX
DTS:X	up to 5.1.2
DTS Neural:X
DTS Virtual:X
DTS Neo
DTS-HD Master Audio
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
DTS 96/24
DTS Express
DTS-ES	Discrete 6.1, Matrix 6.1
IMAX Enhanced
Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
PCM	2-ch/Multi-ch Input
Music Playback via USB	MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, DSD
High Resolution Music Playback via USB and/or Network	up to 192 kHz
High Resolution Audio Formats via USB	Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, DSD
Gapless Playback
DSD via HDMI
DSD via USB	2-ch Input
DSD to PCM Converter
USB DAC
Jitter Reduction
DTS Dialog Control
Dialog Enhancement
Dialog Level Adjustment
Dialog Normalization
Dialogue Lift
Compressed Music Enhancer	MDAX2
High-resolution Music Enhancer
Audyssey Dynamic EQ
Audyssey Dynamic Volume
Audyssey LFC
Audyssey Sub EQ HT
Audyssey DSX
Direct Mode
Pure Direct Mode
Independent Subwoofer Outputs

CALIBRATION
Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.	Audyssey MultEQ
Audyssey App Support
Optimized Bass Redirection
Bass Sync

VIDEO
Enhanced ARC
HDCP Version	2.2
HDR10
HDR10+
Dynamic HDR
Dolby Vision
HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)
BT.2020 color space
QMS (Quick Media Switching)
ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode)
VRR (Variable Refresh Rate)
QFT (Quick Frame transport)
3-D Ready
Video Signal Passthrough	up to 4K 50/60Hz 4:4:4
Video Signal Upscaling	up to 4K 30/25/24p 4:4:4
Analog To HDMI Upconversion	Component**, Composite
Component Video Upscaling
Analog to Analog Video conversion
isf Certified Calibration Control

CONNECTIVITY
MHL Input
DLNA 1.5
FireConnect
FlareConnect
Domotz Pro Compatible
Remote Monitoring with ihiji
OvrC Compatible
HEOS
Chromecast Built-In
DTS Play-Fi
Works with Amazon Alexa
Works with SONOS
AirPlay	AirPlay 2
Apple Product Connection	iPod, iPhone and iPad
Remote App	Marantz 2016 AVR Remote App for iOS and Android devices
InstaPrevue Input Source Prevue
Ethernet
Ethernet Switch
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth	SBC
HDBaseT Compatible
HDMI Inputs	8 (1 front)
HDMI Outputs	1
8K Inputs
USB Input	1 (Front) for USB memory
USB DC Out Port
RCA Line Input	3
RCA Line Output
XLR Line Inputs
Phono Input
Optical Inputs	1
Optical Outputs
Coaxial Inputs	1
Composite Video Input	3
Composite Video Output	1
S-Video Input
S-Video Output
Component Video Input	2
Component Video Output	1
PC In
Multi-Channel Input
RCA Pre-Outs	2.2
XLR Pre-outs
Front A/V Inputs	HDMI, USB
Speaker A/B	assignable
Headphone Out	6.3 mm (1/4")

ZONES
Zones	2
Powered Zones	2
Zone 2 Outs	Pre Out
RS-232C Interface
+12V Trigger Output	1

MISC
On-Screen Display	Advanced Graphic User Interface
GUI Languages	3
Web Browser Control
IP Control for CI
Display	1 line
Remote Controller	RC034SR
Pre-programmed / Learnable / LCD Display	/ /
Detachable Power Cord
Flasher In
Remote Control In/Out	1 / 1
Setup Assistant

RADIO
Analog Tuner	FM/AM
Digital Radio
Internet Radio	TuneIn
Pandora
Spotify
Tidal
Deezer
Napster
SiriusXM Internet Radio

CONSTRUCTION
Solid Aluminum Front
Speaker Terminals	7
Large Speaker Terminals	7
Color-Coded Speaker Terminals
Transparent High-Grade Speaker Terminals
High Grade Audio Components
Gold plated RCA terminals

POWER
Power Supply	AC 120 V, 60 Hz
Toroidal Transformer	(EI)
Power Consumption	250 W
No Sound Power	ECO On/Off: 30 W/40 W
Standby Power	0.2 W

GENERAL
ECO Mode / Hybrid Standby Function
Auto Power off
Dimensions (W x H x D)	440 mm x 105 mm x 376 mm (with antenna: 440 mm x 173 mm x 376 mm) 17-3/8" x 4-1/4" x 14-7/8" (with antenna up: 17-3/8" x 6-7/8" x 14-7/8")
Weight	8.3 kg (18 lbs 5 oz)
Warranty	3 Years

SPECS
Power Output (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2	50 W (0.08% THD)
Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 2	70 W (0.7% THD)
Maximum Effective Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, JEITA)	100 W (10% THD)
Rated Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, IEC)	90 W (1% THD)
Input Sensitivity and Impedance (Line)	130 mV/47 kΩ
S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A)	98 dB
Frequency Response (Analog In)	+1/-3 dB (10 Hz to 100 kHz, Direct mode)
DSD Sampling Rates via USB	5.6 MHz, 2.8 MHz
Video Input Sensitivity/Output Level and Impedance	1 Vp-p/75 Ω (Component Y) 0.7 Vp-p/75 Ω (Component PB/CB, PR/CR) 1 Vp-p/75 Ω (Composite)
Video Frequency Response	5 Hz - 60 MHz, 0, -3 dB (Component) 5 Hz - 10 MHz, 0, -3 dB (Composite)
Ethernet Standard	100BASE-TX
Wi-Fi Standard	IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n
Wi-Fi Terminal Frequency	5 GHz, 2.4 GHz
Bluetooth Version	3․0 + EDR
Bluetooth Frequency	2.4 GHz
USB Terminal	USB2.0 5V, 1 A
FM Frequency	87.5 MHz - 107.9 MHz
FM 50 dB Quiet Sensitivity (IHF, 1 kHz, 100% MOD.)	Mono: 2.8 µV (20.2 dBf)
FM Effective Sensitivity	1.2 µV (12.8 dBf)
FM S/N Ratio	Mono/Stereo: 70 dB/67 dB
FM Harmonic Distortion (IHF, 1 kHz)	Mono/Stereo: 0.7%/1.0%
AM Frequency	520 kHz - 1710 kHz
AM Effective Sensitivity	18 µV

* - 480i/576i and 480p/576p only
** - 480i/576i only
*** - no 1080p/24 upconversion
**** - 1080p signal is not converted

In 2018 Marantz Slimline NR1608 was replaced by NR1609. Let us now have a look at some important changes that the successor brought.

UPGRADES	Marantz Slimline NR1609	vs	Marantz Slimline NR1608
More Optical Inputs	1	vs	1

DOWNGRADES	Marantz Slimline NR1609	vs	Marantz Slimline NR1608
Remote Control In/Out	0 / 0	vs	1 / 1

For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Marantz Slimline NR1608 vs Marantz Slimline NR1609.