Marantz AV 20
Marantz 13.4-channel balanced AV preamplifier with seven 8K HDMI inputs, discrete HDAM circuits, designed for demanding home cinema installations.
Description
The AV 20 is a Marantz 13.4-channel balanced audio-video preamplifier, designed to drive a reference home cinema installation. It handles processing, decoding and distribution of audio and video signals to a set of separate power amplifiers, without itself including an amplification stage for the speakers.
The unit is built around discrete Marantz HDAM circuits, an analogue design technology unique to the brand. It offers seven HDMI inputs compatible with 8K UHD, 4:4:4 resolution and HDCP 2.3 certification, allowing several recent video sources to be connected while preserving image quality up to the highest formats currently available. MDAX2 compressed audio amplification works on the processing of compressed files to restore their detail.
On the connectivity side, the AV 20 has five RCA analogue inputs, one XLR analogue input, one MM phono input in RCA format, two optical digital inputs, two coaxial digital inputs, as well as a front-panel USB input. On the output side, there are three HDMI outputs, two analogue multi-room outputs, fifteen multichannel pre-amplified outputs and four dedicated subwoofer outputs, enough to cover an extensive multichannel configuration and multiroom distribution.
This preamplifier is aimed at home cinema enthusiasts wishing to build a high-end, upgradeable installation, paired with separate power amplifiers and an elaborate multichannel speaker system. Its wealth of inputs and outputs also makes it a relevant choice for demanding multiroom or multi-source installations.
Technical specifications
| Video resolution | 8K and 4K, 4:4:4, HDCP 2.3 |
| Audio decoding | DTS:X, DTS Neural:X, DTS Virtual:X |
| Compressed audio amplifier | MDAX2 |
| Front inputs | USB |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 442 x 457 x 191 mm |
| Weight | 15 kg |
What to check before buying used
The HDMI block and discrete HDAM circuits deserve a thorough test across all inputs and outputs (7 inputs, 3 outputs), including 8K and 4:4:4 pass-through, as a fault on a single port can easily go unnoticed during a quick test. Also check HDCP 2.3 recognition with a recent source and correct operation of the MM phono input, which is more prone to interference with age. A factory reset and firmware update are recommended before any configuration, to ensure the preamplifier correctly responds across all 15 pre-amplified outputs.
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