If you're looking for an entry-level stereo amplifier as your first step into a decent hi-fi system, then these two five-star models from Marantz and Rotel won't have escaped your attention. Marantz has an enviable record in dominating the budget stereo amplifier market for over a decade with its PM6000 range, of which the 6007 is its latest refinement of a winning formula. Rotel's A8 is brand-new but also the current What Hi-Fi? Award-winner in this price bracket.
Both amplifiers have different philosophies and priorities in what they offer to a listener and in this head-to-head, we take a deeper dive to explore the features, connections, build quality and overall sound quality between these two fine products. We compare the two integrated amps side by side and weigh the pros and cons to ensure you make the best choice for your system's needs.
Price
The Rotel A8 launched in the summer of 2024, costing £399 / $449 / AU$649. We tested the Marantz PM6007 at £499 / $599 when originally reviewed it back in August 2020. Its price has changed a fair bit since then in recent years – we've seen retail prices from £420 to £349 (or rising in other territories) – but at the time of writing you can pick up the Marantz amp for just £399, the exact same price as the Rotel A8 in the UK. Elsewhere, the Marantz is yours for about $699 / AU$1100 these days.
We haven't seen any deals on the Rotel A8 just yet, whereas the PM6007 has had discounts in recent months. If you see it drop any lower in price, it's worth pouncing on a great saving.
**Winner: Draw**
Build & design
At this budget end of the market, the most sensible way a brand can keep costs down is by using the same casework or chassis. So it's no surprise that not only has Marantz stuck to the same casework and design as it has had for many generations of its PM6000 range, but also that the new Rotel A8 immediately put us in mind of the company's excellent budget models from the 2000s.
From roughly PM6003 onwards (which won a What Hi-Fi? Award back in 2009; every successive model since has won a trophy too), the Marantz unit has had the same aesthetic and design. The sturdy, well-constructed chassis; the curved sides on the metal front; the two large control dials on either side of the front panel – it's identical even down to the three tonal controls in the middle and the sliver of display where an LED lights up blue to indicate which source is selected. Those who prefer the cleaner, minimalist fascia favoured by modern kit might find it a little busy; traditionalists will find it delightful. All the dials and buttons work responsively, the finish is of a high quality, and overall it exudes a high level of quality that we find satisfying every time we get it out of its box. If you told us the PM6007 cost higher than its current entry-level billing, we wouldn't bat an eyelid. The included remote is well-made and easy to use, too.
The Rotel A8 is slimmer and simpler in comparison, with a look not too far off the RA-10 amplifier we reviewed back in 2012, but with a streamlined fascia with fewer buttons and a light flourish of LEDs. Despite its unassuming looks, it is also well built, with tonal control and input selector buttons response in use, as is the central volume dial. Like the Marantz, every button and control feels properly engineered, and you never feel you've been shortchanged by having a tighter budget. The remote control is similarly functional and useful.
Both models are nice to use and don't skimp on quality for the price, but for its higher perceived value, the PM6007 takes the win here.
**Winner: Marantz PM6007**
Connections & features
This is where many prospective buyers' journeys will come to an end, because the bald fact is that the Rotel A8 is an all-analogue amplifier, while the Marantz has (multiple) digital inputs.
Many integrated amplifiers at this level stick with analogue only – the Cambridge Audio AXA35 and Rega io come to mind – and so we're not too surprised to see the new Rotel A8 offer three RCA line level inputs and a moving-magnet phono input. It also features a 3.5mm headphone port at the front for private listening. Again, at this budget end, we think this is plenty enough for most people, if your system consists of a CD player, a turntable, a music streamer and wired headphones.
The PM6007, however, has a built-in DAC and offers two optical inputs and a coaxial input alongside four RCA line-level inputs and an MM phono input. It also offers a subwoofer output for those who want extra bass oomph to their stereo set up, and two sets of speaker terminals for driving speakers in another room or bi-wiring. The headphone jack is a full-size 6.3mm socket.
While both offer tonal controls (bass, treble, balance), the PM6007 additionally offers two filter options (a slow roll-off and sharp roll-off) for sources connected to the digital inputs and a 'Source Direct' mode that turns off all the digital circuitry and controls for a purer analogue signal. When using the digital inputs, we prefer the slow roll-off filter (indicated by a blue LED) for its greater sense of accuracy and naturalness over the warmer, more rounded sharp roll-off filer (indicated by a purple LED).
Neither amplifier has Bluetooth, which is perhaps one convenience that users might miss in today's landscape. The lack of digital inputs on the Rotel A8 will be a dealbreaker for many, but don't let that deter you if your system doesn't require it. In nearly every case we've experienced with stereo amplifiers, the analogue inputs have sounded superior to the digital counterparts. If sound quality is your priority, we would always recommend plugging in your source – even a digital source such as a music streamer – into the analogue inputs. We often find that the DAC module inside a streamer or CD player performs more capably compared with the DACs inside budget amps. But if you want the extra features for the money, the Marantz is more than generous here.
It's worth noting here that the DAC chip inside the Marantz amplifier has changed hands over the years. At launch in 2020, the PM6007 used an AKM AK4490 DAC chip; however, a fire at the AKM factory in 2021 stopped its production and necessitated a different DAC supplier. Since then, current PM6007 production models (with a serial number higher than *70001) now use the well-regarded ESS ES9010K2M. Marantz's engineers have worked hard to tune this DAC to ensure it sounds the same as the original.
**Winner: Marantz PM6007**
Sound quality
Both integrateds run on class A/B amplification. The Marantz offers 45W per channel into 8 ohms, and features new components in the power amp and phono stages since the previous model (6006 UK Edition) to improve performance across the analogue inputs. The phono stage also boasts upgraded circuitry that results in a higher signal-to-noise ratio. The Rotel, meanwhile, has a more modest output of 30W per channel into 8 ohms (rising to 40W per channel as impedance halves) and features a sensibly specified power supply and good quality components. You can even peek into the neatly laid-out circuitry through the top heat vents.
There's only so much you can tell by the specifications and list of connections, however, and it's the performance that matters most of all – so how do the Rotel and Marantz compare when it comes to sound quality?
The Marantz PM6007 is smooth, full-bodied and balanced, with an expansive, spacious presentation that is immediately agreeable. Compared to previous generations, the PM6007 is more lively, with more weight and tautness to the bass. On the other hand, this amp loses some of that rock-solid, grounded quality we enjoyed in its predecessor. It's not enough to dock it any marks, however. Play Portishead's Dummy and you are swept up in the moody, noir-tinged track and Beth Gibbons' dreamy vocals, while grand orchestral pieces with layered instruments such as Górecki’s Symphony No.3 are given the width and freedom to flourish.
If you are wondering about the difference in DAC modules, the current production model with the ESS DAC sounds cleaner, clearer and punchier. You lose a little of the old AKM DAC's subtlety and finesse, but there isn't a significant difference in overall tonality and resolution.
The PM6007's sonic character remains consistent across the analogue connections, although a touch of clarity and precision is lost when switching over to the coaxial input from the analogue input. It still sounds rich and dynamic, and we find a similar balance and trade-off when using the phono stage and headphone output too.
Switch over to the Rotel A8, and you're met with an incredibly controlled, detailed and rhythmically driven performance. There is a greater degree of subtlety unearthed from a recording, along with even greater dynamic heft and punch, compared with the Marantz. While Dave Brubeck's Take Five fills the room easily in a fluid manner through the PM6007, the Rotel sounds more authentic to the original recording. Large-scale dynamic shifts are handled with authority and control, instruments sound more expressive and solid, and everything is kept organised even when the music becomes demanding. Rhythmically, it's snappy and agile, and keeps you completely hooked to the song's beat. As we said in our original review, the A8 is "an amplifier that just fades into the background letting the recording and the other components in the system step into the limelight."
Play the same Portishead track over vinyl, and the cracking textures to the imperfect pitchiness of Gibbons' singing come across with greater clarity and insight than on the Marantz. The bass performance is considerably more articulate and textured than any alternative amplifier we've tested at this price too, and the Rotel A8's superb rhythmic prowess and ability to dig out further subtleties in detail make for an invovling, enjoyable listen. It makes the PM6007 sound rather soft and unorganised in comparison, which is no mean feat. There isn't much in it when it comes to stereo imaging; the Marantz is more expansive but the Rotel is a bit more upfront and crisper in the way it defines the position of sounds. We switch between the two amps multiple times and play a variety of tracks and genres, and there's no denying that the A8 is more transparent than the Marantz by quite some margin.
As with the Marantz, you will hear the full scope of the A8's capabilities through the analogue line-level inputs. There is a slight drop in clarity and transparency when moving to the headphone output and phono stage, but the Rotel's phono stage is by far more satisfying and capable compared with the PM6007's.
The Marantz's natural partner is the matching CD6007 CD player, while Cambridge Audio's MXN10 streamer and the Rega Planar 1 turntable also prove to be excellent sources. With the Rotel A8, however, we find that it works perfectly well with more ambitious sources. We tried the A8 with the step-up Arcam CD5 CD player and Rega Planar 3/Nd3 turntable and the amplifier remains unflappable. We also find that its musically engaging and composed nature is perfectly capable of driving pricier speakers such as the KEF LS50 Meta comfortably as it can drive budget pairs such as the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1. Where the Marantz starts to show its limits with pricier partners, the Rotel A8 – despite being unassuming on paper – has the maturity and resolution to feel at home with partners beyond its modest billing.
**Winner: Rotel A8**
Verdict
If digital inputs are a must for you, then you will likely look no further than the Marantz PM6007 at this price. Coupled with its rock-solid build quality and smooth, open performance, the Marantz remains a convincing five-star performer that will slot neatly into most equally entry-level systems and won't disappoint you. Even with the newcomer Rotel A8 taking the Marantz's crown at the recent What Hi-Fi? Awards, the PM6007 remains a reliable recommendation.
If, however, you are happy using analogue sources and sound quality is paramount to you, then the Rotel A8 is the clear choice. It may not have all the bells and whistles, but it chooses to put all its efforts into making it sound the best it can – and the result is a success. The A8 is a fuss-free, immensely enjoyable and terrifically capable performer that easily surpasses the PM6007's sonic talents. It sets a new standard for amplifiers at this level, and will likely be the last thing you will need to upgrade in a budget set-up.
MORE:
Read the full Rotel A8 review
And the full Marantz PM6007 review
Our pick of the best stereo amplifiers across all budgets
