The Marantz CINEMA 50 SERIES 2 heads the CINEMA SERIES 2 range of AV receivers, sitting above the 7.2-channel, 100W-per-channel CINEMA 60DAB SERIES 2 and the slimline 7.2-channel, 50W-per-channel CINEMA 70s SERIES 2. It shares the 9.4-channel, 110W-per-channel amplifier rating of the original CINEMA 50 that it follows, but is built around a newly upgraded high-performance DAC that Marantz credits with improved clarity, resolution and dynamic range. The wider Marantz CINEMA line-up also includes the higher-tier CINEMA 40 and the flagship CINEMA 30. Like every CINEMA Series receiver, the CINEMA 50 SERIES 2 is voiced by the Marantz Sound Master to the house signature of clarity, balance and musicality.
Amplifier Design
Nine channels of discrete, high-current power amplification drive the CINEMA 50 SERIES 2, rated at 110W per channel into 8 ohms across the full 20Hz to 20kHz bandwidth at 0.08% THD with two channels driven, and 150W per channel into 6 ohms at 1kHz at 0.7% THD. Speaker outputs are rated for loads from 4 to 16 ohms. A high-speed current feedback circuit is used in the preamplifier stage so that high-definition audio formats are amplified with minimal phase error, supported by Marantz HDAM SA2 discrete amplifier modules, a clock jitter reducer, gold-plated RCA terminals and gold-plated screw-type speaker terminals. Power comes from an EI-core transformer. Eleven speaker terminals are provided in total, with assignable Speaker A/B, bi-amp and multiroom operation, and both Front Bi-Amp and Centre Bi-Amp modes are available. Pre-out provision extends to 11.4 channels for those adding external power amplification, and Pure Direct mode shortens the signal path for critical listening.
Immersive Audio and Room Correction
Decoding covers Dolby Atmos, including Dolby Atmos Music and Dolby Atmos Height Virtualisation, DTS:X, DTS Virtual:X and DTS Neural:X, Auro-3D, 360 Reality Audio and MPEG-H, and the receiver is IMAX Enhanced certified. Four independent subwoofer outputs allow level and delay to be set for each subwoofer individually; Audyssey Sub EQ HT first compensates for level and delay differences between the four, then applies Audyssey MultEQ XT32 across all of them together for deeper, better-defined bass. Room correction is Audyssey MultEQ XT32 with Dynamic EQ, Dynamic Volume and LFC (Low Frequency Containment), calibrated using the measurement microphone and stand supplied in the box. For those who want to go further, Dirac Live Room Correction, Dirac Live Bass Control and Dirac Live Active Room Treatment are all supported by the hardware and are unlocked by purchasing the relevant Dirac Live licence key; they are optional upgrades rather than included functions.
HDMI and Video
Six HDMI inputs are fitted, every one of them 8K-capable, alongside three HDMI outputs: two for the main room, one of which carries eARC for a single-cable connection to a compatible television, and a third assigned to ZONE2 so a second room can watch a different source. Pass-through of 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz signals is supported on six inputs and two outputs at up to 40Gbps, and the digital video processor upscales 1080p and 4K material to 8K (7680 x 4320). HDR handling covers HDR, HLG, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dynamic HDR, and HDCP 2.3 copy protection is supported throughout. Gaming features include ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) pass-through, Variable Refresh Rate, Quick Frame Transport and AMD FreeSync compatibility on HDMI inputs 4 to 6.
Analogue and Digital Inputs
Five analogue stereo inputs are joined by a moving magnet phono stage for a turntable, rated at 2.5mV input sensitivity with RIAA deviation held to plus or minus 1dB from 20Hz to 20kHz. Digital connectivity comprises two optical and two coaxial inputs, and a front-panel USB port handles USB audio playback. Custom installation is well served: IP, RS-232C, web and app control are all present, together with a Marantz remote bus, an IR flasher input, a DC trigger output and HDMI diagnostics.
Streaming and Multiroom
HEOS is built in, allowing synchronised playback across HEOS-enabled products throughout the home. Streaming support runs to Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, Amazon Music and Amazon Music HD, Deezer, iHeart Radio, SoundCloud, Mood Mix, Pandora and TuneIn internet radio, alongside AirPlay 2 and Roon Ready certification. High-resolution playback covers FLAC, WAV and ALAC to 192kHz/24-bit and DSD at 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz, with gapless playback across all of them. Bluetooth works in both directions: as an input for a phone or tablet, and as a transmitter to Bluetooth headphones with a separate transmitter level control, either alongside the connected speakers or on its own. Two zones are available in total, and the All Zone Stereo function can send the main zone source everywhere at once.
Design and Operation
The CINEMA 50 SERIES 2 keeps the Marantz CINEMA design language: a metal front panel with the porthole OLED display at its centre, flanked by large input selector and volume controls. Setup runs through the Modern HD graphical user interface with a Setup Assistant to guide first installation, and Smart Select presets recall complete input, volume and sound mode combinations at a button press. Further tuning tools include a graphic EQ, selectable DAC filters, storable speaker presets and a Tactile Transducer setting for adding a bass shaker to the system. ECO mode with an on-screen eco meter, auto power off and a sleep timer keep consumption in check, and firmware can be updated over the network or by USB. The RC054SR system remote control is supplied.
