I operate the SR6008 with CANTON GLE series of speakers. Specifically, the the GLE 490 were in the front, the GLE 420 as rear and the GLE 455 as center speaker. As a subwoofer comes with me the AS125SC also from the house CANTON used. But this is to be replaced at times by the CANTON SUB12. The front and center speakers are 25 speaker cables with a cross section of the rear speakers and 2x2,5mm² with Oehlbach Speaker Wire 15 speaker cables connected to Oehlbach Silverline with a cross section of 2x1,5mm² with the SR6008. The subwoofer derives its signals also by Oehlbach cable to the AVR.
The AV receiver serves me how many others with security and, as a control center for the connected devices. This includes me as a Blu Ray Player Panasonic DMP-BDT 110 and the game console Xbox 360. These two devices I have connected with an HDMI cable from Oehlbach with the Marantz. My cable Germany HD Receiver I connected directly to my LED TV from Samsung with an HDMI cable. For the sound transmission to the AVR serves an optical cable, which also dates back to the home Oehlbach.
Let us only to the actual review.
Let's start with the design and feel.
Marantz SR6008 donated to a very noble metal front that stands out above all by the placed in the middle display the porthole style. This is framed by the left and right knobs placed. These sit very well in the version without any play. The fits of the AVR are top. Here everything is there where it should be. The AVR is on a solid metal feet are anti-slip and blend in perfectly with the noble front of Marantz. All buttons on the front have a good tactile feedback and are fitted clean. All connections and the speaker terminals on the rear panel are gold-plated. The speaker terminals are all side by side which makes the connection of the speaker cables much easier. Overall, I am with the design and feel more than satisfied.
We continue with the display.
In many test reports, the small display of Marantz Receivers is criticized because very few information is displayed. In the case of SR6008, the display on the source and the volume limited. Personally, I find this fact does not bother us, since all the information is displayed by clicking on the remote control in the on-screen display (OSD) and the AVR thus retaining its unique design.
Now we come to set up and use.
This must be carried out quickly thanks to the Audyssey calibration and the easy-to-use setup wizard for laymen. Initially, all sources and the speakers are connected to the receiver and this then connected to the TV. After the first switch then starts equal to the setup wizard. This performs an incremental by all major settings, including the Audyssey Einmessungssystems. The SR6008 uses the Audyssey MultEQ XT Pro. This enables up to 8 listening positions are measured. I have confined myself in the readings of 3 positions. The settings can be customized after the wizard. Operation via the OSD is working properly using the remote control clearly designed, because the menu is very well structured. The operation with the Marantz Remote App works without problems.
Now the most important is the sound.
It should be clear that the most important aspect of a home cinema system, of course, are the speakers. Even the best AV receiver can not particularly improve the sound bad speaker. As mentioned at the beginning of this review, I use my receiver mainly for listening to music. Therefore, like a good stereo reproduction was very important. I hear mostly electronic music, with a large proportion of House (in all variations). But classical music is with me in the Blu Ray player. Anticipation was told that the Marantz dominated both the film soundtracks and music playback perfectly.
The SR6008 sounds very clear, dynamic and transparent. I have some pieces and movies heard things that were previously not so clearly reproduced with the AVR 1909 by Denon. Overall, the entire reproduction of fine, high-resolution and warmer compared to the Denon. Especially in the bass range of the Marantz plays very precise and differentiated. I could some day the AVR-3000 DENON X, so the sister model of Marantz 'SR6008 test. Even this had brought a distinct sound improvement over the AVR 1909 to. However, compared to the SR6008 played not quite so fine and transparent. Particularly in stereo mode reveals the Marantz its strengths. For the pure music listening experience Marantz has the Pure Direct mode on board. If this is activated, the speaker replay on dynamic and punchy.
At the end I will say a few words to the network functions.
The SR6008 does not have integrated Wi-Fi. So you have to connect to the Internet router on the receiver with a LAN cable or wireless bridge. Once connected, you can start the same. The streaming of music, whether from your smartphone or from one of the countless internet radio stations, works perfectly. Never has listening to music easier.
Conclusion: Overall, I'm taken to the Marantz SR6008 more than satisfied and can 5 star. Real weaknesses of the Marantz SR6008, apart from the lack of WiFi not. I did not think that the change of an AV receiver makes a distinct sound improvement, but so -especially in Stereobetrieb- with it. Sensible speakers, of course. The 800 I paid for the SR6008, I think in view of the very deliberate embellishment, the excellent processing and the brilliant sound for more than adequate. I can put this receiver all those warmly who would like to have a perfect film sound, but do not want to give up an equally perfect stereo reproduction.
EDIT on 25.11.14: I have one more bit late probably. not quite uninteresting Note. Meanwhile, I have also my cable Germany Receiver Sagem connected via HDMI cable to the SR6008, as the sound transmission via optical cable, unfortunately, did not work 100%. If you have turned on the cable box and the Marantz AVR, you have heard the sound normal over the connected speakers, but once you have changed a channel, the sound was gone. Wait was not helpful. Even after a few minutes, the sound could not be heard. It helped only the power cycle of the SR6008. I had this problem with the SR5008 and Denon AVR-3000 also X before. Apparently, the current AV receiver of the D & M Group tolerate not with the Sagem receivers of cable Germany. At least in terms of sound transmission via optical cable because the HDMI transmission works without problems. But this fact does not alter the conclusion drawn above.
