The Marantz NR1609 vs Sony STR-DN1060 comparison will be extremely helpful for people who want to get a great, powerful receiver with many functions.
AV receivers under review have the same number of channels. In terms of power, there are differences, the NR1609 has such a ratio W/Ohm - 50/8, 70/6, while the STR-DN1060 has a power of 165/8. The value of total harmonic distortion is also different, and for the NR1609 it is 0.08%, but for the STR-DN1060 it is 0.09%.
The manufacturer installed different DACs, the NR1609 received the model 192 KHz/24-bit, but the STR-DN1060 is equipped with 96 KHz/24-bit. Each of the compared opponents supports Bi-amping. Both Marantz NR1609 and Sony STR-DN1060 can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. Each of the receivers has a Bluetooth connector. The contenders have differences in the supported services from Apple - AirPlay, AirPlay 2 versus AirPlay respectively. Access to the Spotify service is on each of the competitors.
Support for the HDR function can only boast of each of the AV receivers. The quality of 4K/60Hz signal remains unchanged when transmitting from a source to a TV or projector via HDMI for both receivers. Signaling over HDMI in standby mode can provide the NR1609 and the STR-DN1060. Video scaling is only possible with the NR1609. Operation with the Dolby Vision is only possible with the NR1609.
The number of HDMI inputs/outputs varies depending on the receiver, the NR1609 has 8/1, and the STR-DN1060 has 6/2. HDMI Audio Return Channel is implemented in both devices. HDMI eARC is only supported by the STR-DN1060. When comparing receivers, it becomes clear that each of the rivals can work with HDMI CEC. NR1609 and STR-DN1060 support the standard HDCP 2.2. In the presence of a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player only at Marantz NR1609.
Ability to create 2 Multi zones inherent in both AV receivers. For voice control in the NR1609 is used Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI, but in the STR-DN1060 is used Google Assistant. There is an ECO mode in NR1609. The Marantz NR1609 and the Sony STR-DN1060 can be properly configured using the setup assistant.
A Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format is available both models. A DTS:X surround technology is supported by devices from our comparison.