Three new A/V receivers from Marantz

Marantz has announced a trio of new A/V receivers, two of which feature optional Bluetooth support, and one which boasts a slim size not found in most receivers.

The SR6004 and SR5004 are the company's two new full-size, Bluetooth-capable receivers, replacing the SR6003 and the SR5003 in Marantz's lineup. They're designed to work with Marantz's new NX101 Bluetooth receiver, an accessory packaged with the $1,250 SR6004 and available separately for $130 with the $850 SR5004. Both receivers support HBR audio, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, and accept LPCM 7.1 signals from Blu-ray Disc players. The SR6004 also features a 4-in/2-out HDMI repeater, and a front USB port that supports iPod and iPhone connections. Both receivers ship later this month.

Marantz announces $6k Blu-ray player, other models

This might be the first time I've seen a product announcement span a 10x increase in price for different models. Marantz has just announced four new Blu-ray Disc players, ranging from the $550 BD5004 to the $6,000 UD9004. No, that is not a typo, that's a six followed by three zeros.

Marantz is known for high-end audio/video gear, but $6,000 for a Blu-ray player seems steep even for them. The UD9004 is almost three times as much as the company's second most expensive Blu-ray player, the just-announced $2,200 UD8004. For the price, Marantz offers what it calls the "ultimate-quality" Blu-ray player, a feature-rich and meticulously built device meant for the most advanced home theaters.

Marantz's KI Pearl gear gets coffeetable book, SACD

Last month, Marantz announced its upcoming KI Pearl line of high-end audio equipment. The SA-KI Pearl SACD Player and PM-KI Pearl Integrated Amplifier were created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the company's European brand director, audio designer Ken Ishiwata. Both the SACD player and the amp have all the hallmarks of special, limited-edition product releases: limited quantities, a unique "silk pearl" finish, and a formidable price tag ($2,999 for the SA-KI and $3,599 for the PM-KI). Now, Marantz has announced a series of collectibles to go with these limited-edition components.

The company will release a hardcover coffee table book ($30) and a dual-layer SACD ($50) that, like the KI Pearl components themselves, focus on the work of Ishiwata. The SACD is the most notable item, with a dozen jazz tracks chosen by Ishiwata and featuring the work of singer Katelijne van Otterloo. It was recorded with entirely acoustic instruments with a small sound stage, to emphasize Ishiwata's aural aesthetics.

Both the book and SACD will be available from Marantz retailers later this summer. The SA-KI Pearl SACD player is already available at Marantz retailers, and the PM-KI Pearl will ship in September.

— Will Greenwald

Marantz's "Budget" Blu-ray Player

Who doesn't love high-end home entertainment gear? Great quality, fabulous components, all the latest features, right?

Somehow, Marantz missed the boat. For sale in November, the Marantz BD7003 is the answer to the BD8002 that Marantz currently sells for $2,000. The new BD7003 is selling for a mere $799. Yup, just days after we tell you about $199 players, Marantz unveils this "budget" BD player.

What features does it have, and more importantly, what's missing?