My Pride and Joy!!! (Marantz SR-5000)

Member Name: valve90210

Product:	Marantz SR-5000
Date:	06/11/08 (185 review reads)
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Advantages: Wonderful sound, powerful and rich

Disadvantages: Gettting on a bit now, not as well featured as new amps (hence 4 out of 5 for features)

I am a big fan of watching films. If I'm honest, it is probably my favourite hobby. I love sticking a film on, ignoring the world for a couple of hours and escaping into the world of the film. Sadly I don't get as much time to do this as I would like but there are still occassions when I do. Going to the cinema is ok but it is quite expensive really one you start adding on top all the things that accompany a trip to the cinema, petrol to get there, parking, food, drink etc. It can make for a very expensive hobby really.

Although I do get along to the cinema for some films, normally ones that I have been looking forward to for a while and am excited about, there are a great many films I wait to see on dvd. There are always bargain dvds to be had somewhere so I tend to buy a lot of dvds and hence have a collection well into the hundreds now!

Of course watching a dvd on the television at home doesn't really match going to the cinema, especially if you are using the tvs speakers for the sound! As such when I first started work after university I gradually put together a nice home cinema setup, giving me great surround sound and a nice sized screen (smallish by todays standards at 32inches, but nice nonetheless). At the heart of the system is a Marantz SR5000 amp/receiver.

As is quite an aged amp now (I've had it for about 8 years now) and is in technology terms prehistoric, it is still one of my prized possesions! I won't go into too much detail about the specification etc because to be honest it is old technology, you won't find any HDMI, or upscaling or such like here, but what it does do, it does very well indeed!

Back when I was looking at amps, I saw this model in a test against other amps costing three times as much as this one. It was awarded the best buy not only because it was so much cheaper and did most of the same thigns as the other amps, but because it was actually better at most of the things it did!!! I had a listen to it in the Hi-Fi shop where I was going to buy my speakers etc and was very impressed indeed.

It is a 5.1 amp rather than the 6.1, 7.1 or even more channels that some amps have these days but in most cases I really couldn't see you needing any more than that. It has bundles of power and effortless deals with everything I have ever thrown at it. Even in the most busy and action packed scenes with masses of effects in all different channels, things never get muddy sounding, everything is presented in lovely clear tones, with all effects steering hadnled very well. That said, it does not sound overly clinical as some amps I have heard do, it has a lovely warm rich sound which is characteristic of Marantz equipment.

For music I use it paired with a Marantz CD player and it just sounds wonderful, full of power, force, clarity and with such warmth and feeling, it leaves the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. I love listening to this amp!!!

If you are thinking of entering the world of home cinema and surround sound for the first time, I would seriously consider trying to find one of these amps, as being fairly aged now, if you could find one you would be able to pick it up for a bargain price and believe me it would be worth every penny!!!

Summary: I love my amp!!!

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