Marantz PM7000N £949
Just add speakers to the Marantz PM7000N and what you get is a practical yet entertaining system that packs 60W-per-channel amplification, a DAC, network module and access to a host of music-streaming services into its chassis. The PM7000N uses an Asahi-kasei AK4490EQ DAC, which allows for 24-bit/192khz PCM streaming across the digital inputs (including a USB, coaxial and two opticals) and music servers, and 5.6MHZ DSD streaming across the USB input and music servers.
It also has four analogue inputs, including one phono, but there’s plenty of source material within the Marantz itself. The PM7000N leverages the hi-res, multi-room HEOS platform created by Marantz and sister brand Denon, giving owners direct access to networked music servers, internet radio, and music-streaming services including Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and Amazon over wi-fi or ethernet.
There’s Airplay 2 for one-touch streaming from Apple devices, and the offline convenience of Bluetooth. Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri are supported, too.
We play Rival Consoles’ Night Melody and the PM7000N reveals a character that’s powerful, expansive and weighty. It has the dynamic attention to convey the ebb and flow of the shuffling synths and we don’t need to turn up the volume to be engaged by the sound. When lo-fi beats share the frame with sparkling synths, the quality at both ends of the frequency spectrum is noticeable, with the midrange keeping pace.
Some Marantz products we have reviewed have had a tendency for the sound to lack excitement, but there’s more than enough on show here, and the handling of dynamics is a strength. As a just-add-speakers streaming system, the Marantz PM7000N is currently unbeatable for the price.