Chances are your home cinema amp will sit on show in your lounge, so it's natural to want one that looks as good as it sounds. That's just what Marantz promises with the Stereo 70s, its newest two-channel AV receiver.
It stands just 11cm tall, which is substantially shorter than other models in our list of the best AV receivers (which average 16.5cm tall). Marantz says the 70s is designed to perform like a full-sized amplifier, with the brand's signature warm, rich, detailed sound (we can't confirm this until we've tested it).
It's certainly a looker. The design is typically Marantz, with extras like a backlit remote control and built-in display promising to elevate the user experience.
It has it on the inside, too. Marantz claims that its Hyper-Dynamic Amplifier Modules (HDAMs) will outperform traditional chip-based op-amps found in rival products, while its six HDMI inputs give you plenty of usability options. Three of these support 8K, which should make it future-proof. There's also support for HDMI ARC, doing away with the need for a separate optical cable.
It plays nice with 192kHz 24-bit digital audio and DSD files, so will do your music proud as well as your movies. Plus it has Denon's HEOS Built-In tech for streaming and multi-room playback. Speaking of which, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music HD, Apple Airplay, Bluetooth, Tidal and TuneIn are all supported.
Sound good? It's available this month in black or silver-gold for £900 (US and Australian pricing is still TBC).
MORE:
See how it compares to the best AV receivers
Check out our guide on how to set up your home cinema speaker system
These are the best speaker packages to pair with your new AV amplifier
