Marantz NR1508 vs Marantz NR1509 review

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It makes sense comparing Marantz NR1508 vs Marantz NR1509 because they both are able to give some premium features.

Amplifier

Considered AV receivers have the same number of channels 5.2. Regarding power, then NR1508 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 50/8 when NR1509 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.

Connectivity

WI-FI modules have the same characteristics: 2.4/5GHz. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. The Apple Music service is implemented on considered devices: AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Spotify can be used on each receiver. The NR1508 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, and the NR1509 can receive a content from Deezer, Pandora, TuneIn Radio.

Video features

These units support HDR technology. Compared AV receivers retain the quality of 4K/60Hz signal when transmitting from a source to a TV or projector. HDMI signal transmission in standby mode is implemented in each of the devices. Both competitors are not able to scale the HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.

Extensive connections

The Marantz NR1508 has 6/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 7/1 HDMI connectors of the Marantz NR1509. Only the NR1509 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. The NR1509 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. Supported voice control technologies are identical - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI. It is also worth noting that the ECO mode is presented in each of the receivers. Both NR1508 and NR1509 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.