Marantz NR1508 vs Onkyo TX-NR777 review

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The Marantz NR1508 vs Onkyo TX-NR777 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 7.2 for Onkyo TX-NR777. Regarding power, then NR1508 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 50/8 when TX-NR777 has a power of 110/8. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.

Audio features

Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 192 KHz/24-bit for NR1508 and 384 KHz/32-bit for the TX-NR777. Only the TX-NR777 supports Bi-amping feature. The Marantz NR1508 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 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 TX-NR777 can receive a content from TIDAL, Pandora. 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 7/2 HDMI connectors of the Onkyo TX-NR777. Only the TX-NR777 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 TX-NR777 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. An ECO mode is only available for the NR1508. Both NR1508 and TX-NR777 can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

Only the TX-NR777 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the TX-NR777.