The present review is aimed to compare two AV receivers - Yamaha RX-A780 vs Marantz NR1510 that are meant to satisfy the needs of cinema and music lovers.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha RX-A780 has 7.2 versus 5.2 for Marantz NR1510. Regarding power, then RX-A780 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 95/8, 160/4 when NR1510 has a power of 50/8, 60/6. The THD is 0.06% for the RX-A780 but 0.08% for the NR1510.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, Burr-Brown 384 KHz/32-bit for RX-A780 and 192 KHz/32-bit for the NR1510. Only the RX-A780 supports Bi-amping feature. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.
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 RX-A780 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, Qobuz, and the NR1510 can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio.
Both AV receivers support HDR10 technology (High dynamic range). 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. The RX-A780 can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the NR1510. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
The Yamaha RX-A780 has 7/2 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 8/1 HDMI connectors of the Marantz NR1510. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. HDMI eARC is available in each model. 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 2.3. These compared receivers have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. The RX-A780 supports voice control via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and the NR1510 - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI. It is also worth noting that the ECO mode is presented in each of the receivers. Both RX-A780 and NR1510 can be configured using the Setup assistant.
Only the RX-A780 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the RX-A780.