Marantz continues to expand its tradition of excellence in high-fidelity home cinema with the launch of two new premium separates: the AV 20 AV Preamplifier and the AMP 20 Power Amplifier. Inspired by the flagship AV 10 and AMP 10, these new models deliver a large portion of Marantz's reference-grade performance—now packaged for more streamlined systems and more accessible price points.
Expertly crafted in Shirakawa, Japan, both the AV 20 and AMP 20 feature Marantz’s iconic industrial design, including the signature porthole display. Their elegant exteriors house advanced engineering that brings uncompromising sound and video performance into more homes.
AV 20: The Brain of Your Home Theatre
At the heart of the AV 20 lies its powerful processing engine, capable of decoding up to 13.4 channels. Whether it's Dolby Atmos, DTS:X Pro, Auro 3D, IMAX Enhanced, or Sony's 360 Reality Audio, the AV 20 delivers every format with precision and depth, allowing you to create configurations as large as 9.4.4 or 11.4.2 for truly immersive sound.
Audio performance is driven by dual Analog Devices SHARC+ DSPs and nine premium ESS9018K2M Sabre DACs—components shared with the AV 10—for impeccable digital-to-analog conversion. Marantz’s proprietary HDAM-SA3 analog circuits further preserve signal integrity, providing clean and detailed output through both RCA and XLR connections.
When it comes to room optimization, the AV 20 includes Audyssey MultEQ XT32 and supports an upgrade to Dirac Live, including the advanced Dirac Live ART (Active Room Treatment), helping you tailor the sound to your specific acoustic environment.
On the video side, the AV 20 is fully 8K-ready. It includes seven HDMI inputs and two main HDMI outputs (plus a third for a second zone), all supporting the latest in video passthrough and HDR formats like Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dynamic HDR. Gamers will appreciate its support for ALLM and VRR.
For connectivity, it integrates HEOS Built-in for multi-room wireless audio, supports popular streaming protocols like AirPlay 2 and Roon Ready, and includes Bluetooth with retransmission to headphones.
AMP 20: Power with Precision
Complementing the AV 20 is the AMP 20, a 12-channel powerhouse built for flexibility and clean, dynamic power delivery. Each channel offers 200 watts into 8 ohms (400 watts into 4 ohms in stereo), making it more than capable of handling demanding speaker systems.
The AMP 20 shares its Class D architecture and HDAM-SA2 input stage with the flagship AMP 10 and even includes the same massive 1500W custom Marantz SMPS power supply. This design ensures stability, control, and sonic neutrality—even at high volume levels.
Users can configure the AMP 20 for bi-amping or bridge-tied load (BTL) operation, unlocking even higher output power for specific channels—up to 400 watts into 8 ohms per bridged pair. Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs are available for all 12 channels, along with robust SPKT-1+ speaker terminals for solid, high-quality connections.
AV 20 & AMP 20 vs. AV 10 & AMP 10: Flagship Features at a Smarter Scale
While the AV 20 and AMP 20 don’t replace their flagship counterparts, they intelligently scale down some features while preserving the DNA that defines Marantz separates.
- Channel Count: The AV 20 processes 13.4 channels, while the AMP 20 provides 12 channels of amplification—enough for serious home theatres, with options for expansion or bridged configurations. In contrast, the AV 10/AMP 10 combo supports up to 15.4 processing and 16 channels of power for even larger speaker arrays.
- Processing & DACs: Both units use top-tier ESS DACs and Analog Devices SHARC DSPs. The AV 20 even introduces a newer generation DSP, along with Dirac Live ART out of the box—a feature being rolled out to the AV 10 as well.
- Chassis & Build: Though the AV 10’s 3-layer copper-plated chassis is more robust, the AV 20’s 2-layer version still offers excellent shielding and stability. The AMP 20 matches the AMP 10 in internal amplifier module and power supply design.
- Inputs & Outputs: The AV 10 offers more HDMI outputs and includes a phono (MM) input, while the AV 20 reintroduces some legacy analog video inputs, which are not present in the AV 10.
- Affordability: The AV 20 and AMP 20 are designed to come in well below the AV 10 and AMP 10's price point - opening the door to more enthusiasts without sacrificing premium performance.
A New Tier of Marantz Performance
With the AV 20 and AMP 20, Marantz offers a refined and powerful gateway to reference-class separates. These units are ideal for users who want immersive, uncompromising performance in a slightly more compact and cost-effective format—without stepping down to an all-in-one AVR.
For those building a serious home theatre system that doesn’t require the full scale of the AV 10/AMP 10 combo, this duo hits the sweet spot.
Discover the new AV 20 and AMP 20 in-store, at Fillion Électronique.
