Marantz HD-AMP1 Review and Specs

The new amplifier of the Japanese company Marantz was the HD-AMP1 model with a high-level layout and a catchy retro design. More of these Marantz HD-AMP1 specs you’ll find in this Marantz HD-AMP1 review.

Marantz HD-AMP1 review

Specs and features

This unit delivers 20W/8 Ohms of power. The HD-AMP1 is the first Marantz model in this class to use pulsed amplification technology. The company's specialists for a long time radiated class D circuitry, setting themselves the goal of achieving with its help sound quality that meets Marantz's high standards. As a result, using proprietary HDAM modules and a specially calculated general current feedback, it was possible to create a class D apparatus that is capable of working with speakers with a wide variety of impedances and has real Marantz sound. The amplifier is equipped with an ultra-stable power supply, which has a large power reserve.

Design and build

The integrated amplifier HD-AMP1 was developed by Marantz from scratch in such a way as to fully meet the most modern requirements for technology in this class. At the same time, the external appearance of the device turned out to be quite recognizable, both in terms of design features (the most noticeable here is the round display on the front panel), and the traditionally high quality finish. Perhaps the only feature of the appearance of the HD-AMP1 is the reduced size compared to standard Hi-Fi components, which, however, did not affect its functionality. The device is made on a two-layer chassis with an additional bottom plate, which effectively dampens any mechanical vibration that can degrade the sound.

Connectivity

On the rear panel of the HD-AMP1 there are two linear analog inputs, coaxial, two optical, as well as a USB connector for connecting to a PC. The latter can be fed with a digital stream with parameters up to 32 bit / 384 kHz (PCM), as well as a DSD of 2.8 / 5.6 / 11.2 MHz. In addition, through the USB connector on the front panel, the amplifier is able to play music files of all popular formats, including FLAC and WAV with parameters up to 24 bit / 192 kHz and DSD 2.8 / 5.6 MHz. You can also connect an iPad / iPhone to it.

Pros and Cons