In March of last year, I wrote about Cinema 40 and said that Cinema 40 is second only to AV 10/AMP 10. It wasn't until the official launch of the Cinema 30 that it was positioned as the flagship model of the Marantz integrated home theater amplifier, and it was truly second only to the AV 10/AMP 10. In fact, in terms of price, there is a big gap between AV 10/AMP 10 and Cinema 40, and the price range between the two really needs another model to connect, and Cinema 30 is a model launched under this premise. As the flagship model of Marantz's integrated home theater amplifier, the Cinema 30 is not only powerful, with a maximum output of 13.4 channels, support for Dirac Live Room Correction and Dirac Live Bass Control, etc., but also incorporates Marantz's "audiophile" Elements, including HDAM analog amplification circuits, proprietary digital filtering modes, and audio-grade components, are designed to give users superior sound quality.
This time, I chose to use Dirac Live
When trying out the DENON AVC-6800H, I used the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 to optimize the sound. This time with Cinema 30, I used the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 and Dirac Live, respectively, and archived all the analysis data. In the end, I chose to use Dirac Live for sound optimization. And because of the audition activities, the placement of the subwoofer can not be as free as the audition equipment that I usually use alone in the audio-visual room, so I placed the subwoofer in front, and also readjusted the position of the three speakers in front of me, further widening the width between the left/right channel speakers.
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 loudspeakers are used for the front three channels
When running Dirac Live, I used the Dayton EMM-6 test microphone to complete the measurement process. After completing Dirac Live, I used RAW software + EMM-6 to measure, and then manually fine-tuned it in Dirac Live software according to the measured data to get as close as possible to the target frequency response curve. I've had many experiences using and auditioning Dirac Live Room Correction, which automatically fixes the delay, level, and frequency response of each channel, automatically sets the crossover point, and optimizes the impulse response. The level and equalization can be adjusted manually by the user. Dirac Live Bass Control opens up the bass management function to allow users to adjust the crossover point, and then Dirac Live optimizes the connection between the subwoofer and other channel speakers according to the user's set parameters, and if multiple subwoofers are used to play bass, Dirac Live Bass Control can also optimize the phase between the subwoofers.
Listening to the optimized sound of Dirac Live, I always feel that the sound tends to be more intelligible, faster, and especially the bass sounds cleaner and more punchy. Watching "John Wick 3", there is a bass effect with a shotgun, which is very powerful. With Dirac Live, there is a refreshing feeling of quick start and quick stop, and the gunfire is tight and powerful. The Audyssey MultEQ XT32 is just as powerful in the bass, but it's relatively soft when it comes in.
The sound part of the documentary "Planet Earth 2" consists of audio commentary + ambient sounds, and I enjoyed watching it very much. In the past, when I watched it, I paid attention to the graphics and the content of the commentary, and paid little attention to the ambient sounds. This time, I was impressed by the fact that there was an avalanche in the documentary, although the sound of the scene was quieter and more faint than the audio commentary. But I was impressed with the bass sound produced by the avalanche, especially when properly tuned, and I could hear deep, powerful, solid, and large-scale bass. There is also a section in "The Mario Movie" where Mario competes with the gorillas. When the bass is properly adjusted, when the gorilla flicks the smaller Mario with his fingers, you can feel a very exaggerated, even oppressive bass effect.
"Quincy Jones' 75th Birthday Stars Concert" is a ventriloquist rendition of "Billie Jean" on the Blu-ray disc, which is also my favorite part to listen to recently. I usually listen to Dirac Live off and on to compare the sound changes. It's definitely impossible to listen to when it's closed. After turning on Dirac Live, the fullness of the vocals is completely different, and the bass part is looser and more natural, with a sense of envelopment, which sets off the atmosphere better. There is also a huge difference in the presentation of the sound field, which is described as huge, depth, height and width are not the same thing, especially the positioning of the human voice after turning on Dirac Live, the positioning is obviously presented higher than the center speaker, and the position behind the deeper, the sound image is presented on the projection screen.
Dirac Live Bass Control also provides bass management, which allows the user to set the crossover frequency parameter to 100Hz, and then the software optimizes the connection between the subwoofer and other channels
Comparison of the frequency response curve of the LFE channel before and after the correction of dual subwoofers + Dirac Live, the green frequency response curve is Dirac Live off, and the red frequency response curve is Dirac Live on, which is not only smoother, but also has better low-frequency dive. And when I adjusted the low frequency, I used 31.5Hz as the turning point, and it faded back quickly
Before and after correction of center channel speaker + subwoofer, the yellow curve is the original state without any adjustment, and the blue curve is the corrected state of Dirac Live
Rich in detail and unobtrusive in personality
Marantz incorporated Marantz's HIFI elements into the design of the home theater amplifier, and its pre-amp output uses HDAM SA2 amplifier circuitry, which is a fully discrete circuit with a total of 17 amplifiers corresponding to 13.4 channel outputs. There is also a digital section with Marantz's exclusive digital filtering mode. In the "Audio" section of the operation menu, in the "Filter" option, "Filter 1" is Marantz's exclusive digital filtering mode. Of the two filtering modes, the sound of "Filter 1" sounds warmer and more detailed. So I listened to Cinema 30 and kept using the "Filter 1" mode. In addition, the Cinema 30's power transformer is shielded, and the filter capacitors and amplifier tubes are also custom components.
When I listen to two-channel HIFI speakers, I tend to pursue a sound that is comfortable, natural, with a sound field and a certain sense of space. That's what I feel when I listen to the Cinema 30, it's unassuming, it's very sedate, and the sound is very smooth and detailed. It presents a large sound stage and a sense of depth, so it doesn't feel oppressive. To put it simply, the sound of the Cinema 30 is not very exciting, but it is very visual.
Look at "Fast X" (Fast and Furious 10), the sound of the explosion of the big ball bomb can reflect the sense of height in the presentation of the sound field and positioning, and there is an effect of extending from above. The shock wave generated by the explosion, the sound effect enveloping is very strong, there is a sense of immersion, but there is no oppression at all, and it is comfortable to listen to. There is also a Dragon Ball Super theatrical version of "Super Cyborg" The sound effect also uses Dolby Atmos, from the sense of hearing, it can be discerned that it is different from other films in terms of timbre adjustment, and the timbre of "Super Cyborg" will be brighter and more vivid, with a bit of excitement. One of them is a clip of Sun Gohan and androids fighting in a thunderstorm, the sound effect of the thunderstorm is very enveloping, the effect is strong, and in different pictures, the direction of the sound is also a little different, some pictures are presented above, and some are presented in front. When the thunder sounds, you can feel the low frequency from above.
The Cienma 30's pre-amplification circuit uses HDAM SA2 amplifier circuitry and is made from pure discrete parts, which is completely audiophile-like approach
The power transformer of the Cinema 30 is shielded
The power tubes of the Cinema 30 are also custom made by Marantz
This is done when running Dirac Live and manually tuning with the EMM-6 test microphone
Decode multi-channel music with stunning results
The Cinema 30 also uses the HDMI interface to transmit multi-channel pure audio, as well as DSD Direct mode for DSD decoding. It just so happens that I also have a multi-channel SACD record from Norway 2L, which can be decoded using Cinema 30. I listened to the "Simple Symphony" from the album "Divertimenti", which was recorded with the members of the band in a circle and then placed in the orchestra with five microphones to record the sound, and was available on Blu-ray and SACD/CD. Among them, SACD is issued in the form of 5.1 channels. Now decoded with Cinema 30, the sound effect is very good, the sound is not only full, warm, and informative, but also the sound field created by the multi-channel is really good, very wide, very large, with a clear sound image positioning in the center, no unreal feeling. Switching to a 2-channel audio track, the immersion of the sound is incomparable to the sound field effect.
There is also an album called "MAGNIFICAT", the repertoire is mainly religious music in choral form, the recording location was selected in the church, the recording was recorded in AURO-3D form with 9 microphones, and the Blu-ray Disc part provides AURO-3D 9.1 channel tracks. Using Cinema 30 to decode the output sound effect does feel like being in the scene, especially the reverberation effect of the church is very good, the vocal chorus plus the sound effect of the reverb is very ethereal and expansive, the positioning of the vocal chorus part is clear, the bass effect of the organ is very good, the sense of volume is abundant, filling the whole space, and it sounds very loose and natural, very comfortable.
summary
What is musicality, what is visuality? I think Cinema 30 is a great interpretation of both. It is designed to support not only the most common surround sound decoding and video formats, but also easy-to-use and effective sound correction software. In the audio part, it is optimized with HIFI concept. When it comes to the sound performance of home theater amplifiers, if you talk about the sound and picture sense, everyone should be easy to understand, and its sound is warm and steady, the details are excellent, and the style personality is not ostentatious. But when it comes to musicality, you may think that it is difficult for home theater amplifiers to have a beautiful sense of music. But when playing music, the Cinema 30 is not only musical, but more importantly, the atmosphere of the sound. If you like movies, music, and sound quality, I highly recommend the Cinema 30, and I recommend listening to multichannel music with the Cinema 30, which gives you the feeling of being there and being immersed in the action.
Basic technical parameters
●支持三维沉浸式音频格式：Dolby Atmos、DTS:X、Auro-3D、IMAX Enhanced
● Support video format: 8k/60Hz, 4K/120Hz
●声音优化功能：自带Audyssey MultEQ XT32，可付费升级支持Dirac Live Room Correction和Dirac Live Bass Control
●Built-in amplifier: Built-in 13 amplifiers, 140W@ output power (8 ohms, 20Hz~20KHz, THD: 0.05%, 2 channel drive)
●Dimensions (Hx Wx D): 109x442x384 mm
- Weight: 8.7kg
●Inquiries: 4006-210-886
●Website: www.marantz.com.cn