Marantz NR1608 vs Onkyo TX-SR353 review

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The present review is aimed to compare two AV receivers - Marantz NR1608 vs Onkyo TX-SR353 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 NR1608 has 7.2 versus 5.1 for Onkyo TX-SR353. Regarding power, then NR1608 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 50/8, 70/6 when TX-SR353 has a power of 140/6. The THD is 0.05% for the NR1608 but 0.08% for the TX-SR353.

Audio features

Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, AK4458 384 KHz/32-bit for NR1608 and 192 KHz/24-bit for the TX-SR353. Only the NR1608 supports Bi-amping feature. The Marantz NR1608 can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. Only the NR1608 supports Spotify.

Video features

Only the Marantz NR1608 has support for High dynamic range (HDR). HDMI signal transmission in standby mode is implemented in each of the devices. The NR1608 can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the TX-SR353. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the NR1608.

Extensive connections

The Marantz NR1608 has 8/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 4/1 HDMI connectors of the Onkyo TX-SR353. 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. An ECO mode is only available for the NR1608. The setup assistant will help you configure Marantz NR1608.

Multichannel surround

Only the NR1608 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the NR1608.