Marantz SR8012 vs Sony STR-ZA810ES

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Along with the growing popularity of custom home theater builds, the comparison of Marantz SR8012 and Sony STR-ZA810ES takes place. According to the results of our review, Marantz SR8012 received 9.5 points out of 10 possible, and Sony STR-ZA810ES was rated 7.4 points. Both AV receivers were introduced in 2017. Based on the data on the characteristics and features of both models, we can conclude that SR8012 has better performance than STR-ZA810ES.

Main advantages Marantz SR8012 over Sony STR-ZA810ES

Main advantages Sony STR-ZA810ES over Marantz SR8012

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the devices received different marks - 10 and 7, respectively, on a 10-point scale.

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. The Marantz SR8012 supports 11.2-channels sound, but Sony STR-ZA810ES supports a 7.2-channels configuration.

RMS stands for the actual power of the receiver. The higher this value, the louder the sound can be produced. The differences between the models in terms of RMS power are significant - for the SR8012 this value is 140/8 W/Ohm, and for the STR-ZA810ES it is 100/8 W/Ohm.

Audio features

After reviewing the audio features of each model, we can rate the SR8012 10 out of 10, and the STR-ZA810ES - 7.

Most receivers now come with a microphone included. It is with the help of this microphone that the auto-calibration system functions, which adjusts the sound of the receiver to the room.

Speaker A/B switching allows you to change between the main and sub speaker set. Marantz SR8012 can work with the main and additional set of speakers - and switch between them.

Connectivity

The connectivity of competitors in our comparison is markedly different, Marantz SR8012 scored 8, and Sony STR-ZA810ES scored 9 out of 10.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for the receiver's control or even music broadcasting.

DLNA is the perfect way to use your local cloud storage to stream movies and music directly to a TV. You can use the DLNA protocol only with Sony STR-ZA810ES.

Streaming services

Now music streaming services are gaining more and more popularity. They allow users to listen to millions of songs by subscription.

Extensive connections

The presence of many connectors makes the receiver more versatile. But there are also narrowly targeted models, the number of connectors which are limited to a certain area of use. And when choosing their own receiver, users need to consider exactly your goals for using the receiver. For extensive connection, Marantz SR8012 got 10 points, but Sony STR-ZA810ES received 7 points.

Marantz SR8012 is equipped with 8/3 HDMI inputs and outputs, and Sony STR-ZA810ES has 6/2 HDMI inputs and outputs.

Connecting a vinyl player or phonograph is possible using a Phono input which is represented by mini-jack or RCA connectors. Only the SR8012 has a Phono interface.

Video features

The AV receiver is the heart of the home theater. And in this case, support for all current video formats ensures the best user experience, so it is very important to consider this when choosing a device. Video features of rivals in our comparison were rated 9 out of 10.

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, the SR8012 got 10 points, but the STR-ZA810ES has 8.

Only the Marantz SR8012 has the ECO mode.

Multi-room

As the center of a home media system, each multichannel receiver has an additional set of terminals for connecting the second set of speakers to create additional audio space in Zone 2 or even Zone 3 where audio can have the separate source.

Multichannel surround

Marantz SR8012 got 10 points for the multichannel surround sound and Sony STR-ZA810ES got 7.

Auro 3D gives a bit more versatility than Dolby Atmos or DTS:X and provides a hemispherical sound and enables a receiver to produce 3D sound stages. Only the Marantz SR8012 has Auro-3D on its feature list.

IMAX Enhanced is a licensing and certification program under which home theater devices deliver crisp 4K HDR pictures and powerful sound as it was designed by the IMAX engineers. Only the SR8012 licensed by IMAX.