# Pre processor selection Help needed RX-A3040 VS AV7702



## Dhanula6688 (Nov 24, 2014)

I am upgrading the basement theatre and looking to get a Dolby Atmos supported pre processor to match my configuration looking to see anyone had experience on comparing Yamaha RX-A3040 VS Marantz AV7702.. 

I've never owned either brand AV gear so appreciate experts advice about how they (at least the brands) sound like comparatively ... 
If there is a better option that I can consider?

70% Movie, 30% music listning
(rest of the set up is : Benq W1070, OppoBDP105 , Anthem PVA 7 (looking for a another PowerAmp to run fronts), SVS utra series speakers.. )

Thank you


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

In for results, as I am contemplating the same:TT


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

A good buddy of mine bought a mid-to-upper tier Marantz receiver a year or so ago based on the stellar reviews it had received, and he absolutely hates it because it is not user friendly. And that’s coming from years of owning Sony equipment, which I myself have generally found to be not terribly intuitive or user friendly. I visited him earlier this year to demo some new Golden Ear speakers he had just bought, and neither one of us could figure out how to get a straight stereo signal from the Marantz, and I’m usually pretty adept at such things.

Regards,
Wayne


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## selden (Nov 15, 2009)

I would recommend the AV7702 over the RX-A3040 because the AV7702 uses Audyssey MultEQ XT32, which tends to do a much better job of EQing the subwoofer channels than YPAO does. (Also, FWIW, the indication when Atmos is in use is quite unambiguous. People seem to be having problems determining when Atmos decoding is in effect on the Yamaha AVRs.)

Personally, I have found the user interface in this year's D+M equipment to be quite good. If you select the automated setup, it is very user-friendly, for example, although it doesn't provide as many options as are available when you do the setup manually.

When directly comparing speakers, selecting Direct probably would be the appropriate thing to do. It has its own button on the remote. Direct and Pure Direct disable all processing, so what you hear is the speaker plus its interaction with the room.


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## Dhanula6688 (Nov 24, 2014)

Thanks for the ideas guys, 
There is the extra price i have to pay for 3040s built-in amplifiers which I don't intend to use. 
Getting to know that audysyXT32 is superior to YPAO is a definite positive point..

It will be very upsetting if Maranyz doesn't have a stereo mode or a DSP program built in, which I am going to audition this week (i cant stand my music playing in 11 Speakers)

Will update the thread when I have a listen to 7702 later..


And a Marantz dealer gave me a very good deal for 7702 which I have to confirm next week


Thank you all for your views and ideas....


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> A good buddy of mine bought a mid-to-upper tier Marantz receiver a year or so ago based on the stellar reviews it had received, and he absolutely hates it because it is not user friendly. And that’s coming from years of owning Sony equipment, which I myself have generally found to be not terribly intuitive or user friendly.


As someone who gets to use a lot of different equipment with different GUIs, the issue is usually that a user who becomes familiar with one kind of GUI/menu (e.g., Sony's) will probably find any other to be different and difficult. I used Integra for years and, when I switched to Marantz, there was a learning curve but I did learn it to the point of comfort. The most difficult are the real high-end ones (Meridian, Krell, Bryston, Classe, etc.) but all the mainstream ones are OK although they differ from each other.



> I visited him earlier this year to demo some new Golden Ear speakers he had just bought, and neither one of us could figure out how to get a straight stereo signal from the Marantz, and I’m usually pretty adept at such things.


For a stereo source, DIRECT always works.


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## Dhanula6688 (Nov 24, 2014)

Thank you [/QUOTE]



Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> A good buddy of mine bought a mid-to-upper tier Marantz receiver a year or so ago based on the stellar reviews it had received, and he absolutely hates it because it is not user friendly. And that’s coming from years of owning Sony equipment, which I myself have generally found to be not terribly intuitive or user friendly. I visited him earlier this year to demo some new Golden Ear speakers he had just bought, and neither one of us could figure out how to get a straight stereo signal from the Marantz, and I’m usually pretty adept at such things.
> 
> Regards,
> Wayne



Page 145 of Marantz 7702 says something about the Stereo mode that can be triggered from the remote : 
"This mode plays 2-channel stereo audio with no additional surround sound processing.

Sound is output from the front left and right speakers, and subwoofer if connected.
When multi-channel signals are inputted, they are mixed down to 2-channel audio and are played back with no
additional surround sound processing.


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Marantz and denon have the same UI. 
On the factory remote press and hold music or movie or direct and a pop-up menu will display showing your audio options. 

You can also directly select them via the app or if your control system uses IP or RS232.


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

I won the 7701 last year and never got around to writing a review... Sorry about that. 

I've found them to be more user friendly than Yamaha an far easier to setup than Sony or Rotel.


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## Dhanula6688 (Nov 24, 2014)

Finally I got the Marantz 7702 and had time to play around with it with 7.2.2 setup over the weekend . 
Ièll comment on the 7702 set up and quality so far. Unfortunately I have not used RXA 3040 so this is not a direct comparison of the two models. 

The setting up 9 speakers and 2 subs with Audyssey MultEQ XT32 was a breeze. Software interfaces are very user friendly and clear (except for the Android phone remote). 
Iève been using to Yamaha interfaces for many years, but within a few minutes I was able to get used to the Marantz menus and navigation. 
Sound quality and control over configuration parameters are much better than the Yamaha Avantage series I have used for the last 4 years. 

Bass Management features and Basse channel configuration allows me using my SVS SB 13 and the Ultra towers to the maximum.. (Much better control over all channels than the Yamaha I had RXA740 I had may be RXA3040 is better but I haven't used it.)

I was surprised to see the full set of remote capability is available via Web browser interface (used Chrome) The Android remote app is not even close to be used by end users though I guess the Android app was not developed by Marantz 

OVerall I am totally happy about the purchase and looking forward for the ATMOS movies coming out in 2015 


DK


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