Marantz SR-7300 6.1 Channels Receiver

The Marantz SR7300 is a 2003 model, so this review of a non-current receiver is geared more towards people that consider the used market for electronic gear. Since they have no moving parts, used receivers tend to be reliable and a fairly safe bet, and if you are willing to forgo a couple of cutting-edge features you can usually get an upper-level product for the price of a new entry-level one, and enjoy superior sound. I bought a used SR7300 OSE in February 2006 and as of this writing have been using it for nearly four months, long enough to reach some usability and quality conclusions.

Before this I had been using an SR6200 that I had purchased new in 2002. The 7300 has a few refinements over the older 6200 (and almost identical 7200) that users of these older machines may find useful.

If you are familiar with the older models you know they are 6.1 channel designs, but the 7300 adds refinements such as DD EX and DTS ES (whereas the 7200 used a Marantz proprietary surround-back decoder which was not true EX/ES), and the capability of adding a second surround back speaker if you have an external amplifier, to build a true 7.1 channel system. There are also 7.1 channel inputs should a new 7.1 channel surround format become available (perhaps HD-DVD or Blue Ray DVD players will have 7.1 outputs to go with the new high-definition sound capabilities of these new discs).

Other new features I like include wide-bandwidth component video switching, automatic digital input detection (if you watch TV with both digital and analogue channels, the 7300 will detect this, saving you from having to switch the input in the menu), the ability to set different channel levels depending on surround mode, the adjustable 80/100/120Hz crossover (rather than the fixed 100Hz crossover in older models), and the speaker distance setting that now includes the subwoofer. There are also adjustable parameters for Dolby Pro-Logic II Music and Circle Surround 2, and DTS Neo 6 and 96/24 are now included (though I have yet to come across any DTS 96/24 discs).

The 7.1 channel direct input is now more versatile in that you can set channel level, and use the front two channels as a separate input (AUX 2) instead of 7.1, and when used in this mode tone control can be applied.

The previous years' 7200 and below exhibited some well-known problems such as poor S-video switching and questionable power delivery when driven hard. For the x300 models Marantz advertised the ability to deliver 70% of the rated two-channel power to five channels simultaneously, and the 'pro-grade' video switching.

I can lend a bit of weight to these claims – the video switching is superb, and the power is noticeably higher than the previous models.

I like the fact that Marantz offered the OSE option, which basically told the bean counters to stand aside while the engineers added a few tweaks to increase the product's quality. The OSE model retailed for roughly $300 more than the standard SR7300, and was fairly popular among budget-minded audiophiles at the time, giving them an alternative to the pricier SR8300.

According to Marantz, the OSE designation adds a slightly more powerful amplifier, a copper bottom plate for better EM shielding, additional shielding in other areas, gold-plated input and output jacks, an HDCD decoder, better internal wiring, and refinements to the output stage and preamp input. Any one of these features alone probably does nothing to improve sound quality, but added together I'm inclined to believe they make a difference.

One thing that bothered me about the older 6200 is that while it sounded good in all modes, it sounded noticeably better in two-channel Source Direct that I felt a little cheated when watching home theatre. With the 7300 there is less of a quality difference between modes (they are uniformly excellent), which may indicate an improved surround processor. In fact, the 7300 is noticeably more dynamic when watching a movie, with a stronger LFE effect. I'm sure the new CS49400 processor and improved amp section play a part in this.

The high-end detail is also very much improved, and I didn't realize the 6200 was lacking in this regard until getting the 7300, which is much more revealing. This isn't always a good thing if you have a poorly recorded CD, which is more common than you think. Many producers record CDs overly 'hot' to make them appear louder to the head-banger crowd, who think 'louder is better.' The truth is, this leads to compressed dynamic range and a clipped signal, which can sound harsh, especially on good systems that tend to reveal all flaws.

Surprisingly, in two-channel Source Direct mode (without subwoofer) the SR6200 beat the 7300 in the bass department. I have no explanation for this because the 7300 clearly has a more powerful internal amp. It's as if the 7300 shifted the entire frequency spectrum up a notch, without leaving the bass intact. That's not to say the 7300 is lacking; if I play a Crystal Method CD in stereo I get great bass, but the 6200 was slightly better. But since most listening is with a subwoofer the 7300 wins overall with its superior dynamics and stronger LFE.

Unfortunately, the 7300 suffered from a factory defect, which prompted lot of chatter on the HT boards in 2003 about a high-frequency hum that was most noticeable from the SR7300's centre channel (sometimes present in all channels). This sound was similar to that of a tuning fork, and did not change with volume, so it was easiest to hear at low volume settings (e.g. when listening at night). Its intensity level depended on which mode you were in, being loudest in digital surround and quietest in two-channel source direct, but I could hear it in every mode, and especially from the centre (even when the 7300 was set to stereo).

This sound was noticeable from my listening position ten feet from the TV, so it was unacceptable, and I feared I'd have to part with this otherwise great sounding receiver. But after much research and talks with the tech at D&M Canada, they replaced a capacitor which has almost entirely fixed the problem. I can still hear the hum from the centre channel if I turn the volume right down and put my ear within a foot of the speaker, but I can't hear it otherwise. There is no longer any hum from the other speakers, so I'm now a satisfied user. I believe all units exhibited this problem, but some users were thankfully unable to hear it or it was low enough to be inaudible from a distance. The 7300 is otherwise very well designed and constructed, and one of the few recent models made in Japan.

There are more features in the 7300 than I presently use, including line out for a second independent AV zone, two DC triggers, and an RS232 port for system automation. The RS232 port is also touted by Marantz (and other manufacturers) as a way to upgrade the unit as new surround formats become available. Despite having only one powered surround back, the 7300 has the same CS49400 processor as the newer Dolby Pro-Logic IIx equipped SR7400, and I'm sure the 7300 could be upgraded to this spec for users that have external amplification for the second surround back channel. Whether Marantz ever makes an upgrade available is another question.

As for features missing on the 7300, the newer models come with 7.1 to take advantage of DPLIIx, but I wonder how many users actually have seven speakers. A side benefit of seven amplified channels though is a more versatile second-zone option in that the surround back speakers can be assigned to a powered independent zone two, leaving the main room with 5.1.

On the video side, HDMI switching for high definition TVs is only now appearing in affordable receivers, but again, it is not truly necessary since you can make the connection directly from the DVD player to the TV.

If you come across a 7300 I'd recommend you audition it before buying. If you can't detect the hum (or if the previous owner had it fixed) you will be very pleased, especially if it is an OSE model. I listened to the SACD release of Dark Side of the Moon last night in 5.1 surround, and I can't imagine anything sounding better.