PM8006 | AUDIO TEST (print) [DE]

The highly positive article in the new issue of AUDIO TEST comprises a striking cover insert and a 4-page feature. The ‘vinyl amplifier’ is awarded ausgezeichnet (excellent) among other things.

“If Saul Bernard Marantz could testify this personally, he would definitely be proud of his heritage. Because the way the PM8006 is putting the LP on stage is how vinyl oriented amplification works – just so.”

“Clearly calling for the reference level. It’s one of these reviews that should never end and that lets a modest audio editor like me steal a glance at his piggy bank.”

“The Marantz PM8006 stereo amplifier lives up to its promise: vinyl pleasure of the highest quality. […] Especially vinyl fans should absolutely check it out.”

The PM8006 also includes preamp outputs along with a power amp direct input, which lets you use the unit as a standalone power amplifier for integration into a multi-channel home theater system. For precise sound tailoring, our triple tone control system provides separate controls for the bass, midrange and treble. The elegant remote control features an ergonomic layout for easy operation, and can control accompanying source players.

Key Features

·         Integrated Current Feedback Amplifier with 2x 70W / 8 ohm rms

·         Newly designed electric volume circuit

·         Exceptional Marantz Musical Phono EQ stage

·         Marantz proprietary HDAM-SA3 circuits

·         Triple layer bottom plate

·         Gold Plated Inputs/Outputs incl. Phono (MM) input

·         Double shielded Toroidal Transformer and high quality customized components

·         High quality, original Marantz SPKT-1+ Speaker Terminals (A / B switchable)

·         Available in black or silver-gold

·         Current Feedback

Current Feedback amplification is a well-known, Marantz-original circuit technology, suiting perfectly with the requirements of Super Audio hi-res music for wide-bandwidth, high-speed reproduction. The impedance at the Current Feedback point is limited resulting in a very low phase shift, meaning Marantz Current Feedback amplifiers reduce the need for phase compensation via Negative FeedBack (NFB) to a minimum. This simplified the signal path, resulting in high through-rate, excellent transient response and superb sonic transparency across the full bandwidth. Unlike conventional Voltage Feedback topology, Current Feedback also makes the power amplifier insensitive to difficult loudspeaker loads.

Marantz HDAM Technology

Marantz developed its own discrete circuit boards, called Hyper-Dynamic Amplifier Modules, or HDAMs, to replace the chip based amps used elsewhere. Using discrete surface mount components with short mirror-image left and right signal paths, HDAMs outperform the regular integrated Op-amps dramatically in Slew Rate and noise level, resulting in a much more dynamic, accurate and detailed sound. Over the years Marantz has developed different HDAMs to fit the particular requirements of players and amplifiers: the PM8006 uses the high-grade SA3 version.

Marantz Musical Phono EQ

For a long time, Marantz integrated amplifiers have featured high-quality phono stages, but now the company takes its commitment to vinyl to new levels with the Marantz Musical Phono EQ stage, launched in the PM8006 amplifier. This unique technology, simplifying the signal path in the phono stage for optimal sound quality, underlines the company’s commitment to the very best playback of all music sources, be they digital or analogue. Marantz Musical Phono EQ uses two-stage amplification, allowing less gain per stage, for lower distortion. Of course, being a Marantz design it uses the company’s HDAMs, but here they’re combined with JFETs (junction gate field-effect transistors) in the input stage, giving a high input impedance. This allows the deletion of the AC coupling capacitors previously used providing a simpler signal path for the tiny output from a phono cartridge, improving signal purity.

Marantz has also rethought the re-equalization process within the phono stage, a fundamental part of vinyl replay required to compensate for the limitations of the format. In the Marantz Musical Phono EQ stage this re-equalization is split into passive and active sections, for more accurate equalisation: the RIAA correction is carried out within an HDAM, while amplification is in the hands of a high-quality op-amp, running in Class A mode for minimal distortion, and delivering a clean and open sound. With Marantz Musical Phono EQ there’s no need to consider upgrading the PM8006 with offboard phono stage: as part of Marantz’s commitment to optimising playback of all format, be they digital or analog, the amplifier already has premium-class phono capability built-in.

Toroidal Transformer

A Toroidal transformer has several advantages over a normal EI core transformer. It is very efficient and therefore delivers more power compared to the same size of an EI core transformer. In addition, due to its shape, the electromagnetic radiation and the mechanical vibration are extremely low all ending in a better sound quality.

Often under-estimated: a high-quality volume control

A newly developed electric volume control using the latest volume control IC realizes better channel separation, dynamic range and distortion-reduction, while retaining the operational feel of an analogue volume control device. To ensure the most involving musical experience, the amplifier uses a new Marantz-designed electric volume control for high linearity and best-in-class channel separation.

High quality, original Marantz SPKT-1+ Speaker Terminals

The terminals are made of massive brass with a thick silver plating for the best possible contact with the speaker cables, and the main speaker terminals are mounted lower, and thus closer to the main circuit board, to reduce the signal path. That’s in keeping with the entire design of the amplifier, which uses the shortest possible signal paths and High Instantaneous Current topology for better speed and dynamics.