The Cinema 70s Series 2 is the slimline model in Marantz's Cinema Series 2 range of AV receivers, positioned below the 7.2-channel Cinema 60DAB Series 2 and the 9.4-channel Cinema 50 Series 2. It carries the full seven channels of amplification, Dolby Atmos decoding and 8K video handling you would expect of the range, but in a chassis just 109mm tall, so it will slide into an equipment cabinet or onto a shelf where a full-height receiver simply will not fit. The Series 2 revision introduces an upgraded 32-bit, 8-channel DAC for improved clarity, resolution and dynamic range.
Amplification
Seven channels of discrete, high-current amplification give identical power on every channel: 50 watts each into 8 ohms (20 Hz to 20 kHz, 0.08% THD, two channels driven), rising to 70 watts into 6 ohms (1 kHz, 0.7% THD). The speaker terminals are rated for loads from 4 to 16 ohms, and the low-impedance drive capability of the output stage helps the receiver keep a firm grip on demanding loudspeakers. A Pure Direct listening mode is included, and the seven binding posts are assignable for Speaker A/B use, bi-amping the front pair, or driving a second room.
Immersive Sound
Decoding covers Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Surround alongside DTS:X, DTS-HD and DTS Neural:X, with up to 7.1 channels of processing. Where a full height-speaker layout is not practical, Speaker Virtualizer applies Dolby Atmos height virtualisation and surround virtualisation, and DTS Virtual:X adds virtual height and surround processing to conventional speaker arrangements. MDAX2 compressed audio enhancement is on hand for lower-bitrate sources.
Room Correction and Setup
Audyssey MultEQ XT measures your room with the supplied microphone and sets speaker levels, distances, polarity and the subwoofer crossover, with Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume on hand for low-level and late-night listening. If you want to go further, the receiver is Dirac Live upgradable: a licence key purchased from Dirac unlocks Dirac Live Room Correction on the same hardware. Installation is guided by an on-screen Setup Assistant and a modern high-definition graphical interface.
Video and Gaming
Six HDMI inputs and one HDMI output with eARC handle the switching, with three inputs and the output supporting 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz pass-through at up to 40Gbps. HDCP 2.3, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG and Dynamic HDR are all supported, and a digital video processor upscales 1080p and 4K sources to 8K. Console owners get ALLM and Variable Refresh Rate support, with AMD FreeSync compatibility on HDMI inputs 4 to 6.
Streaming and Sources
Powered by HEOS brings multi-room streaming and control from the HEOS app, with Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, AirPlay 2, TuneIn internet radio, Amazon Music, Deezer, iHeart Radio and SoundCloud on board, plus Roon Ready certification. FLAC, WAV and ALAC files play at up to 192kHz/24-bit, DSD at 2.8 and 5.6MHz, all with gapless playback. Dual-band Wi-Fi and Ethernet handle the network side; Bluetooth works in both directions, so you can stream to the receiver or send its output to a pair of Bluetooth headphones. Physical connections run to three analogue inputs, one optical and one coaxial digital input, a front USB port, an FM/AM tuner and a moving magnet phono stage for a turntable.
Multi-Room and Control
Two zones are supported, with Zone 2 fed by either the assignable speaker terminals or a line-level pre-out, and All Zone Stereo sending the main-zone source to every zone at once. A full 7.2-channel pre-out set, including two subwoofer outputs, allows external power amplifiers to be added later. Day to day the receiver is driven by the supplied RC055SR remote, the Marantz AVR Remote and HEOS apps, or IP and web control for custom installation, with a DC trigger output and IR flasher input for system integration. An Auto Eco mode with an on-screen eco meter and an auto power-off function keep consumption in check.
