Marantz NR1508 vs Marantz NR1504 review

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The Marantz NR1508 vs Marantz NR1504 comparison proves that these receivers have many common features.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Marantz NR1508 has 5.2 versus 5.1 for Marantz NR1504. Regarding power, then NR1508 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 50/8 when NR1504 has a power of 50/8, 60/6. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.

Audio features

Competitors' digital to analog converter (DAC) is identical to 192 KHz/24-bit. None of the models support Bi-amping. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. The Marantz NR1508 has support for AirPlay, AirPlay 2, and its competitor in our comparison - AirPlay. Spotify can be used on each receiver. The NR1508 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, and the NR1504 can receive a content from Pandora, SiriusXM.

Video features

Only the Marantz NR1508 has support for High dynamic range (HDR). HDMI signal transmission in standby mode is implemented in each of the devices. Both competitors are not able to scale the HDMI signal. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the NR1508.

Extensive connections

Each receiver has 6/1 HDMI inputs/outputs. Only the NR1504 supports HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC). Unfortunately, HDMI eARC is not available on monitored devices. The Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) feature is present in most modern AV receivers and the models in our comparison are no exception. Both models support the standard HDCP 2.2. Receivers do not have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. An ECO mode is only available for the NR1508. Both NR1508 and NR1504 can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

None of the rivals equipped with Dolby Atmos multichannel audio decoder. The receivers do not support the surround sound technology DTS:X.