Sony STR DH550 vs Marantz NR1504 review

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The Sony STR DH550 vs Marantz NR1504 comparison proves that these receivers have many common features.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Sony STR DH550 has 5.2 versus 5.1 for Marantz NR1504. Regarding power, then STR DH550 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 90/6 when NR1504 has a power of 50/8, 60/6. The THD is 0.09% for the STR DH550 but 0.08% for the NR1504.

Audio features

Competitors' digital to analog converter (DAC) is identical to 192 KHz/24-bit. None of the models support Bi-amping. The Marantz NR1504 can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.

Connectivity

Both models do not have WI-FI support. Only the NR1504 has Bluetooth support. Only the NR1504 supports Spotify.

Video features

HDR is not available on each model. Compared AV receivers are not able to transmit a 4K signal from the source to the TV or projector. Only the NR1504 provides HDMI signal transmission in standby mode. Both competitors are not able to scale the HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is not supported by these receivers.

Extensive connections

The Sony STR DH550 has 4/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 6/1 HDMI connectors of the Marantz NR1504. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. 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. A voice control is not available. An ECO mode is not present in each of the AV receivers. The setup assistant will help you configure Marantz NR1504.

Multichannel surround

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