Sony STR-DH790 vs Marantz NR1609

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Votes 1 1
Rating 5 5

STR-DH790 vs NR1609 comparison chart

Sony STR-DH790 vs Marantz NR1609 review

Sony STR-DH790
vs
Marantz NR1609

Let's compare Sony STR-DH790 versus Marantz NR1609 for an overview of all their pros and cons. According to the results of our review, Sony STR-DH790 received 5.3 points out of 10 possible, and Marantz NR1609 was rated 8.2 points. Both AV receivers were introduced in 2018. And as a result of the comparison, NR1609 seems to be a better option for the role of a home theater center than STR-DH790.

Main advantages Sony STR-DH790 over Marantz NR1609

  • Include HDMI eARC function.

Main advantages Marantz NR1609 over Sony STR-DH790

  • Thanks to 2 multi-room zones support, NR1609 bypasses its competitor without multizone support.
  • There is WI-Fi support.
  • The Spotify support is an exclusive advantage.
  • There is support for Apple AirPlay.

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the models have rated 7 points out of 10.

STR-DH790
7
NR1609
7

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. Both receivers can handle the 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 STR-DH790 this value is 90/6 W/Ohm, and for the NR1609 it is 70/6 W/Ohm.

STR-DH790 NR1609
Channels7.27.2
Stereo power (RMS), W/Ohm90/650/8, 70/6
Output impedance, Ohm68, 6
Frequency response10Hz-100KHz10Hz-100KHz
THD in stereo, %0.090.08

Audio features

The score for audio features is 8 of 10 for both receivers.

STR-DH790
8
NR1609
8

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.

STR-DH790 NR1609
Digital to analog converter (DAC)192 KHz/24-bit192 KHz/24-bit
Bi-amping
Pure direct (straight)
Auto speaker calibrationDCACAudyssey MultEQ
Speaker A/B switching
Other audio featuresHi-Res audioAudyssey Dynamic Volume, Audyssey Dynamic EQ, Compressed Audio Enhancer(MDAX2), Hi-Res audio

Connectivity

The connectivity of competitors in our comparison is markedly different, Sony STR-DH790 scored 6, and Marantz NR1609 scored 8 out of 10.

STR-DH790
6
NR1609
8

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

Wired internet connection via RJ45 allows receiver faster connection than wireless or even use NAS storages. Wired connection via RJ45 is possible in the NR1609 only.

STR-DH790 NR1609
Wi-Fi2.4/5GHz
USB1 (USB 2.0)1 (USB 2.0)
Bluetooth
Ethernet (RJ45)1
DLNA
MHL

Streaming services

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

STR-DH790 NR1609
Apple Music (AirPlay)AirPlay, AirPlay 2
Amazon Music
Spotify
Other streaming serviceshas notDeezer, Pandora, TuneIn Radio

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, Sony STR-DH790 got 7 points, but Marantz NR1609 received 9 points.

STR-DH790
7
NR1609
9

Sony STR-DH790 is equipped with 4/1 HDMI inputs and outputs, and Marantz NR1609 has 8/1 HDMI inputs and outputs.

HDMI eARC is the next step in the development of audio return channel technology, which works in conjunction with HDMI 2.1. Using eARC provides the highest sound quality for home audio systems. HDMI eARC is available only on Sony STR-DH790.

Connecting a vinyl player or phonograph is possible using a Phono input which is represented by mini-jack or RCA connectors. Only the NR1609 has a Phono interface.

STR-DH790 NR1609
HDMI input/output4/18/1
HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel)
HDMI eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel)
HDMI CEC
Digital content protection (HDCP)HDCP 2.2HDCP 2.2
Subwoofer output (LFE)22
Headphone output1 x 6.31 x 6.3
Optical digital input11
Coaxial digital input11
Composite input03
Component input/output0/02/1
Phono (MM) input
Front panel connectorsphones, setup micUSB, HDMI, phones, setup mic
Multi channel preamp output

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 the STR-DH790 were rated 7 out of 10 against the 9 for the NR1609.

STR-DH790
7
NR1609
9

Most of the AV receivers have a video scaling function, it is the process of reformatting the video signal to a higher resolution without losing the quality of the image. Upscaling the video signal resolution is possible with Marantz NR1609.

STR-DH790 NR1609
HDR (High Dynamic Range)HDR10
4K signal pass-through4K/60Hz4K/60Hz
8K signal pass-through
HDMI signal pass-through
3D signal pass-through
HDMI pass-through in standby mode
Video conversionanalog to HDMI
Analog to HDMI scaling
HDMI to HDMI scaling
Dolby Vision
Other video featuresHLGBT.2020

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, the STR-DH790 got 6 points, but the NR1609 has 10.

STR-DH790
6
NR1609
10

Voice control allows you to control the basic functions of the receiver through a smartphone, smart speaker or using the microphone that comes with the kit. The NR1609 can be controlled by voice via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI. Marantz NR1609 has the ECO mode.

STR-DH790 NR1609
Voice controlAmazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI
App controliPhone, iPad, iPod, AndroidiPhone, iPad, iPod, Android
Displaycolour OSDcolour OSD
TunerAM, FMAM, FM
Sleep timer
Auto power off
ECO mode
Graphical user interface (GUI)
Setup assistant
Firmware updateUSBnetwork, USB
Other additional featureshas notIP Control, Web Control

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.

STR-DH790 NR1609
Multi-room zoneshas not2
Zone audio outputhas notspeaker, preout
Zone HDMI outputhas not
Multi-room controlhas notHEOS App
RS-23200
Remote control input/output (IR)0/00/0
DC trigger output (12V)01

Multichannel surround

Sony STR-DH790 got 7 points for the multichannel surround sound and Marantz NR1609 got 8.

STR-DH790
7
NR1609
8

STR-DH790 NR1609
Dolby Atmos
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby Surround
Dolby (other)Dolby Digital PlusDolby Digital Plus
DTS:X
DTS HD Master
DTS Virtual:X
DTS Neural:X
DTS (other)DTS-ES, DTS 96/24DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS-HD, DTS-EXPRESS, DTS-Surround
Auro-3D
IMAX Enhanced
Multichannel stereo
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