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The Marantz AV7706 is an 11.2-channel audio-video preamplifier/processor, equipped with XLR and RCA outputs for each channel. It supports decoding of multichannel audio formats and handles video signals up to 8K resolution.
The design of the Marantz AV7706 remains faithful to the brand’s visual signature with its characteristic champagne metal front and central circular display. Measuring 440 × 411 × 185 mm and weighing 10.4 kg, this preamplifier features a robust construction that reflects the care taken in its manufacture at the workshops in Shirakawa, Japan.
The device offers particularly rich connectivity with eight HDMI inputs (including one practically on the front panel) and three HDMI outputs. This setup allows you to manage multiple sources simultaneously while feeding several display zones. The presence of composite and component video inputs may seem anachronistic, but it ensures compatibility with vintage equipment or retro gaming consoles.
The HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module) modules, an exclusive technology developed by Marantz since 1992, form the heart of the preamplification section. These miniaturized discrete circuits, composed of dozens of individually selected components, replace traditional operational amplifiers. With a slew rate reaching 70 to 80 V per microsecond and an open-loop gain of around 70 dB, HDAMs optimize channel separation, minimize crosstalk, and significantly improve the signal-to-noise ratio—particularly in the high frequencies where conventional op-amps show their limits.
The built-in Audyssey MultEQ XT32 system represents the most sophisticated version of this acoustic calibration technology. With over ten thousand individual control points and 512x-resolution FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filters for both satellites and subwoofers, this system captures and corrects even the smallest details of your room’s acoustic properties.
The calibration process analyzes up to eight different microphone positions within your listening area. The algorithm identifies unwanted resonances, phase shifts, and imbalances between speakers, then applies targeted corrections. The Sub EQ HT technology, specifically designed to manage multiple subwoofers, measures each subwoofer individually before perfectly synchronizing them in terms of delay and level.
The Audyssey MultEQ Editor mobile app (available for an additional 20 euros) allows manual fine-tuning of correction curves, disabling of midrange compensation if desired, and saving multiple calibration profiles. For the most demanding users, the MultEQ-X PC software offers even more granular control with the ability to apply custom parametric filters and visually compare measurements before and after correction.
The processor natively handles the most advanced object-based audio formats. Dolby Atmos, with its Height Virtualization technology, creates a three-dimensional sound bubble even without physical ceiling speakers. DTS:X, with its Neural:X and Virtual:X extensions, offers maximum flexibility in placing sonic objects, allowing sound to move freely in space without being constrained by predefined channels.
IMAX Enhanced certification deserves particular attention. The result of a collaboration between IMAX and DTS, this technology optimizes both picture and sound to faithfully reproduce the creators’ intent. IMAX Enhanced soundtracks use a specific variant of DTS:X based on the original IMAX theatrical mix, preserving all the dynamics and emotional impact of the cinema version.
Auro-3D completes this trilogy with its unique approach based on three distinct sound layers: ear level, height, and ceiling. This configuration creates a particularly convincing sense of vertical space, especially for music content recorded specifically in this format.
The Marantz AV7706 includes a dedicated HDMI input capable of handling 8K signals at 60 Hz or 4K at 120 Hz, anticipating the evolution of sources and displays. This input, HDCP 2.3 certified, supports all current HDR technologies: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma).
Quick Media Switching (QMS) eliminates black screens during frame rate changes, particularly appreciated when watching mixed content or switching between different sources. ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) automatically optimize settings for gaming, reducing input latency and synchronizing the refresh rate with that of the console.
4:4:4 Pure Color subsampling ensures uncompressed color reproduction, crucial for sharp text and detailed graphics from a PC. Video upconversion improves low-resolution sources, while 3D processing remains available for collectors of Blu-ray 3D.
The built-in HEOS system turns the AV7706 into a central hub for whole-home audio distribution. Compatible with major streaming services (Amazon Music HD, TIDAL, Deezer, Spotify Connect), it handles high-resolution formats up to FLAC 192/24 and even native DSD (2.8/5.6 MHz).
Network connectivity is based on a wired Ethernet connection or dual-band Wi-Fi, complemented by Bluetooth for direct streaming from mobile devices. Compatibility with AirPlay 2 facilitates integration into the Apple ecosystem, enabling control via Siri and multiroom synchronization with HomePod.
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants can control basic preamplifier functions, from source selection to volume adjustment, offering a convenient hands-free experience.
Compared to the AV7705 it replaces, the AV7706 mainly brings HDCP 2.3 support and an HDMI 2.1 input capable of handling 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz. Though limited in number, these improvements are crucial for future-proofing the installation in light of new gaming consoles and upcoming 8K content.
Against the higher-end AV8805, the AV7706 stands out with a particularly attractive price-performance ratio. Certainly, the AV8805 offers 13.2 channels of processing versus 11.2, a more robust power supply, and separate boards for each channel, but these differences do not necessarily justify the substantial price gap for most home installations. Objective measurements show comparable performance in terms of distortion and signal-to-noise ratio between the two models.
Yes, the AV7706 is a pure preamplifier/processor with no built-in amplification. It must be paired with external power amplifiers to drive your speakers. Marantz offers its own models (MM8077, MM7055, MM7025) that are perfectly matched, but the preamplifier will work with any quality amplifier featuring RCA or XLR inputs.
XLR (balanced) connections offer better immunity to electromagnetic interference over long distances (more than 3 meters) and allow higher output levels. RCA (unbalanced) connections are perfectly suitable for short runs and remain the standard in most home installations. The AV7706 provides both types across 11.2 channels, offering maximum flexibility.
For 20 euros, this app is a modest investment that unlocks valuable features: visualization of response curves before/after correction, selective deactivation of midrange compensation, fine adjustment of target curves, and saving multiple profiles. These options allow you to tailor calibration precisely to your listening preferences and the characteristics of your room.
Thanks to Audyssey’s Sub EQ HT technology, the processor measures each subwoofer individually, calculates optimal delays and levels, then synchronizes them to create a uniform low-frequency response throughout the listening area. The two independent subwoofer outputs allow separate control of each sub, optimizing their integration with the main speakers.
If your current setup works perfectly and you don’t plan to acquire a next-generation game console or an 8K TV, the upgrade is not urgent. However, for a new installation or if you want to enjoy gaming at 4K/120Hz, the AV7706 is a smart investment thanks to its HDMI 2.1 port and HDCP 2.3 compatibility.
Absolutely. Pure Direct mode bypasses all digital and video processing to provide the shortest, purest signal path possible. This function even turns off the front display to minimize electrical interference, ensuring remarkably transparent stereo reproduction for purist audiophiles.
The EI (Economy Iron) transformer offers a good balance between performance and cost. While a toroidal transformer would theoretically be superior in terms of electromagnetic radiation and efficiency, the AV7706’s EI transformer—combined with a carefully designed power supply and the HDAM modules—provides stable, quiet power perfectly suited to the demands of a preamplifier.
Jean-pascal
Excellent product, nothing to say, 10/10.
I recommend it.
Comment from November 21, 2024 — Experience from November 26, 2023
Didier
Very satisfied, perfectly meets my expectations. I only use the manual setting.
Comment from May 03, 2023 — Experience from April 21, 2023
Laurent
The AV7706 + MM8077 combo is a good compromise for audio and video. You can immediately feel the audio headroom and it properly powers my Chorus 836 speakers, with a warm and non-aggressive sound. For video, the preamp does the job well, with simple configuration, although it may be wise to seek optimization and play with the settings to personalize the rendering. The equation was complicated, for stereo music listening and home theater. Does equipment exist that would perfectly do both at a reasonable price...
Comment from April 14, 2023 — Experience from March 16, 2023
