Marantz SR7012 vs Sony STR-ZA2100ES review

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The present review is aimed to compare two AV receivers - Marantz SR7012 vs Sony STR-ZA2100ES that are meant to satisfy the needs of cinema and music lovers.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Marantz SR7012 has 11.2 versus 7.2 for Sony STR-ZA2100ES. Regarding power, then SR7012 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 125/8, 165/6 when STR-ZA2100ES has a power of 75/8, 95/6. The THD is 0.05% for the SR7012 but 0.09% for the STR-ZA2100ES. Both the SR7012 and the STR-ZA2100ES 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. Only the SR7012 supports Spotify. 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 rivals can scale the resolution of the incoming HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.

Extensive connections

The Marantz SR7012 has 8/3 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 6/2 HDMI connectors of the Sony STR-ZA2100ES. 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 2.2. The SR7012 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.

Additional features

The SR7012 supports 3 Multi-room zones, versus 2 for the STR-ZA2100ES. An ECO mode is only available for the SR7012. Both SR7012 and STR-ZA2100ES can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

Both devices have support for Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format. The surround sound technology DTS:X is supported by devices under review.