The sensible solution to your receiver woes
You want a receiver that's advanced. But most receivers these days are overloaded with more connections than you could ever find uses for, and they take up about as much space as a '70s Cadillac. OK, that's an exaggeration, but you get the point: Why devote more money and space to features you won't use? That's where the Marantz NR1602 comes in. A more sensible solution, the NR1602 has enough inputs for the majority of modern homes in a much sleeker shell. And when it comes to functionality, this Slim Line unit has you covered. It offers 7.1-channel output as well as support for the latest HD audio and video standards. It even manages to find room for fun extras like an on-screen GUI and, with a network connection, streaming from a variety of great sources. If you're in the market for a new receiver, meet the sensible solution.
What's in the box?
Included with purchase is the receiver, getting started manual, CD-ROM owner's manual, power cord, remote control, 2 AAA batteries for the remote, setup microphone, AM loop antenna, and FM indoor antenna.
Good but underpowered (August 15, 2012)
| Ease of Use |
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(4/5.0) |
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| Value |
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(3/5.0) |
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(3/5.0) |
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(3/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Alvaro - Seattle, WA
After looking at many reviews on the Marantz NR1602 I decided to go for it. I bought it together with the Definitive speakers. The reviews stated that it was an excellent receiver however some reviewers stated that you give up power for size. I found it as an open box item so saved some money. The receiver is very slick, small so I thought it would go unnoticed by my wife and it did!. The setup process is very straight forward. Once I started using it I came to realize what the previous reviewers meant.... it is definitively underpowered. At 50W per channel I was not taking advantage of my speakers. For everyday use I think it is fine but when you want to listen to a concert out loud or for a party it may not be powerful enough. Another issue I found was the remote control. Very complex and not straight forward to use. A lot of buttons that I may never use. Also the menu button was malfunctioning. I could not look at the instructions that came on a CD dont have a CD slot on my computer so tried to download from the web and I could not look at the instruction either. At the end I decided to return it and get the Marantz SR5007. Its more expensive but may work well for me. Vanns customer service was amazing, I exchange the receivers without difficulty. I had questions about different receiver and wanted to get advice about an appropriate receiver for me. The customer service representative was very helpful and after he provided a good discount on the SR5007 I decided to get it. So far the new receiver has been great. Bottom line the Marantz NR1602 is nice because of its small size but if you want to listen to music or watch a movie at a higher intensity, you will be disappointed.
Marantz Nr 1602 (December 28, 2011)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: John H. - Huntington Beach, CA
This AV Receiver performs very well the slim line is very sleek the sound is incredible setup is easy Pandora radio is great it has 4 hdmis makes for easy clean setup has plenty of power for my livingroom 16x14 if you are looking for lots of power this receiver is not for you the sound is very clean and has alot of cool features I am very happy with my purchase from Vanns arrived in 4 days
So far so good (November 16, 2011)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Joe J. - Chicago, IL
Ive had the receiver 2 months now, and its as good as advertised. I bought it to accommodate a new LED TV my old Yamaha amp had no HDMI inputs and I was getting a delay. I paired the system with Energy Classic 5.1 speakers. The setup was great with the calibration and sound is rich and clear. The receiver looks great and is not a clunky and oversized as the other comparable receivers. My only problem... I have barely tapped into what this receiver can do and I might be too lazy to figure it out. Great price at Vanns!
Marantz NR1602 (September 30, 2011)
| Ease of Use |
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(5/5.0) |
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| Value |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Alex - las vegas, NV
Excellent price from Vanns. I bought this unit primarily because it is very slim with its height being only a little over 4. This allowed me to place this in an area where my regular full height receiver would not fit. I am very happy with its amplifiers performance even with the lower rating of 50Wch. It is more than adequate for our huge family room, especially when paired with my very efficient Klipsch, JBLs, and Boston Acoustic speakers. Cranking up the volume halfway is about as much as I can do on this reciever without blowing up the house and upsetting the neighbors. I certainly do not miss my 100wch receiver. Though small, it has more than enough HDMI inputs. I only really need one for Blu Ray. This unit is also aesthetically pleasing to the eye with the curving sides and complements the matching Marantaz UD5005 Blu Ray player which I also bought.
Marantz NR1602 AV Receiver (September 07, 2011)
| Ease of Use |
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(5/5.0) |
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| Value |
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(4/5.0) |
| Performance |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: C. K. - FOrt Worth, TX
I had an older SONY AV receiver that lost its right front channel. Rather than have it repaired, I decided to upgrade the 7 year old receiver to a new one that could connect to my network, get firmware updates over the internet and add multiple HDMI ports since that was the way all video products were going. Setup was fairly straight forward, including the speaker calibration with the included microphone sensor which had initial issues because I was going from a 6.1 setup to a 7.1 setup, being one speaker short, but easily programmed around. I have already received two firmware updates which were a concern to other reviewers. I did compare this receiver to the Denon AVR 1912 and AVR 2112CI receivers, but chose the Marantz for its reputation, slim design and Marantz is owned by the same company. The only negative review I can say is that it seems to be a bit under-powered compared to my older Sony unit, but it delivers clean sound, but will not blow the doors out ... OK by me, but I do tend to run the volume at about 70-80. All my devices are connected via HDMI and was able to program control of this receiver into my Logitech Harmony universal remote where my cable box remote would not control it being so new. Vanns was very quick to fill and ship my order, receiving it in about 3-4 days.
Comparison Specifications
- Dolby TrueHD/Digital Plus, EX/Pro Logic IIz, IIx, II/Virtual Speaker/Headphone; dts-HD Master Audio, High Resolution Audio/ES/(96/24)/Discrete & Matrix 6.1 ES/Neo:6/Express decoding
- 350 W total output power (50W x 7 channel rated output power @ 20Hz to 20kHz, 0.08% THD)
- 4 HDMI inputs/1 output, 2 component video inputs/1 output, 3 composite video inputs/1 output
- 2 digital optical audio inputs, 1 digital coaxial input, 6 analog stereo inputs (including one front mini-jack)
- Front USB port
- M-X Port
- Learning remote control included
Additional Specifications
- DLNA-certified (audio/photo)
- Internet radio ready
- Streaming of Napster, Rhapsody, Pandora, Flickr with network connection
- SetUp Wizard
- Slimline steel chassis
- Variable crossover
- Lip-sync feature
- 192kHz/24-bit DACs
- Audyssey MultEQ auto calibration with included mic
- 10Hz to 100kHz frequency response (+/-3dB, Source Direct mode)
Dimensional Specifications
- Dimensions: 17.38" W x 4.19" H x 14.50" D
- Weight: 19.8 lbs
Marantz NR1602 Warranty Details
3-year limited manufacturer's warranty
