The Marantz NR1510 is a slimline 5.2-channel AV receiver. At 105 mm tall it is roughly half the height of a conventional AV receiver, so it fits into AV furniture and shelving that a full-size unit cannot. It combines five channels of discrete amplification, six HDMI inputs with 4K/60 Dolby Vision pass-through and HEOS network streaming in a single compact box. For Dolby Atmos and DTS:X in Marantz's slimline format, the 7.2-channel Marantz Cinema 70s is the step up.
Amplification
Five discrete power amplifier channels are rated at 50 W per channel into 8 ohms (20 Hz – 20 kHz, 0.08% THD, two channels driven), 60 W into 6 ohms (1 kHz, 0.7% THD, two channels driven) and 85 W into 6 ohms (1 kHz, 1% THD, one channel driven). The speaker terminals accept loads from 4 to 16 ohms, and twin subwoofer pre-outs allow two subwoofers to be used for smoother bass across the room. A Pure Direct mode bypasses unnecessary processing and display circuitry for two-channel listening.
HDMI and Video
There are six HDMI inputs, five on the rear and one on the front panel, all with HDCP 2.3. Video passes through at up to 4K/60 Hz with full 4:4:4 colour resolution, with HDR10, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) supported alongside BT.2020 colour and 3D. The HDMI output supports eARC, so audio from a compatible TV's own apps can be returned to the receiver over the same cable, and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) switches a compatible TV into its game mode automatically.
Surround Formats and Room Calibration
The NR1510 decodes Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio from Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray, with Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS Neo:6 upmixing for stereo sources. It does not decode Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. Audyssey MultEQ room calibration uses a measurement microphone to analyse the speakers and room and correct the response, while Audyssey Dynamic EQ keeps bass and surround effects balanced at low volumes and Dynamic Volume evens out sudden level changes such as loud adverts. Marantz's MDAX2 processing restores detail lost in compressed audio files.
Streaming and Smart Home
HEOS built-in provides access to Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Deezer, Amazon Music and TuneIn internet radio, and lets the NR1510 join a HEOS multi-room system with other HEOS-enabled speakers and components. AirPlay 2 streams from Apple devices, and Bluetooth covers other phones and tablets; a firmware update also lets the receiver send audio to Bluetooth headphones for private listening. Dual-band Wi-Fi and Ethernet are both provided. Hi-res files are supported up to 24-bit/192 kHz in FLAC, ALAC and WAV, plus DSD at 2.8 and 5.6 MHz, and voice control works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri.
Connections
Alongside the HDMI inputs there are three analogue RCA inputs, a moving magnet phono input for connecting a turntable directly, one optical and one coaxial digital input, and a front-panel USB port for music on USB storage. An FM/AM tuner with RDS is built in. Setup is guided by the on-screen Setup Assistant, and day-to-day control is available from the RC040SR remote, Marantz's remote control app or the HEOS app.