John Darko
What does a Future-Fi amplifier look like when the manufacturer swaps out the front-panel (touch)screen for capacitive touch ‘buttons’ so that it can sell for under a thousand Euros/dollars?
Marantz has answered that question with its all-new Model M1: a streaming amplifier whose dimensions suggest a MacMini that’s spent six months in the gym and whose woven-mesh top shows us a novel way of ventilating the internals: 100wpc into 8 Ohms (or 125wpc into 4 Ohms) of direct digital circuitry where the incoming PCM signal is converted to PWM so that it can switch the output stage devices directly. Ergo: no interceding DAC.
This is not your Grandadโs Marantz. Heck, it’s not even your Dad’s Marantz. Just add loudspeakers and tuck it away out of sight.
One notable ‘advantage’ held by this Marantz over its similarly spec’d rivals from Bluesound, WiiM, and Lyngdorf is that it’s made in Japan. On the other hand, when sat next to the Chinese-made competition, the Model M1’s streaming support looks skinny: its HEOS platform internalises Deezer, Tidal and Amazon Music and underpins Bluetooth, Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay 2, the latter holding Roon users over until Roon Ready certification comes out of the oven. Can’t wait that long? Use the back panel’s 5V/1A USB-A socket to power a WiiM Mini hooked into the neighbouring TOSLINK socket; or pipe Apple Music from an Apple TV – via a TV – into the Model M1’s HDMI eARC input. The Samsung Frame’s remote control and the Apple TV’s silver wand work flawlessly with power on/off and volume up/down.
I single out these streaming ‘workarounds’ – Roon in tandem with the TVRemote tvOS app or Apple Music’s own tvOS app – because they put ‘now playing’ information on the TV to help us care far less about the mini-Marantz’s screenless design.
For its operational behaviour, we must pay attention to the LED tucked away on the bottom lip of the front panel. Flashing white means the Model M1 is starting up. Solid white means the start-up process is complete and the unit is ready to rock: look for the Marantz inside the HEOS app. But beware! Flashing amber means a firmware update is in progress during which time the Model M1 will be a HEOS no-show.
Vinyl purists should note how the M1’s line-level analogue input digitises all analogue signals upon entry. Digital domain signal carriage is mandated by the direct digital amplifier circuit and the DSP engine that fuels the unit’s digital filtering. This is used by Marantzโs Sound Masters in Japan to voice the amplifier with (and I quote) โthe characteristic warmth and musicality of any Marantz product.โ
DSP also runs the Model M1’s tone controls and bass management system. Both are accessible from within the HEOS app. We choose a low-pass frequency for the subwoofer output and – independently – a high-pass filter frequency for the speaker outputs. The extra flexibility in sub-bass hinge design has the Marantz one-up the singular crossover point seen within the Bluesound Powernode’s BluOS app.
That tees up our first side-by-side comparison.
The Powernode is priced within spitting distance of the Marantz. However, instead of using a direct digital amplifier (like the more affordable Powernode Edge), the Powernode pairs a Hypex UcD Class D module with an ESS Labs DAC circuit for 80wpc into 8 Ohms.
For our second side-by-side comparison, we head south on the spendometer to bypass the Powernode Edge in favour of the US$299 WiiM AMP. We already know that the WiiM leap-frogs the Marantz on streaming protocol support but I still want to hear how much audible daylight sits between the Model M1’s direct digital amplifier and the WiiM’s TI chip amplifier that threatens 60wpc into 8 Ohms.
Heading in the opposite dollar direction, Lyngdorf’s US$2500 TDAI-1120 also gives us 60wpc into 8 Ohms but from a direct digital design for a third side-by-side comparison. How close does Marantz’s direct digital sit to Lyngdorf’s when we ignore the Dane’s RoomPerfect room compensation / subwoofer integration software and its broader range of streaming options?
How does the Model M1 compare soundwise to a similarly-priced Class A/B amplifier? I still have the US$999 50wpc Audiolab 6000A Play in-house for a fourth and final side-by-side comparison.
Marantz sent the first Model M1 samples to European reviewers in early June but with Ethernet-only functionality. Last week’s firmware update put wi-fi back on the spec sheet but I’ll still need another 3 – 4 weeks to conduct the four side-by-sides outlined above. Expect to see my video coverage land sometime in early-mid July.
Further information: Marantz
