Marantz Cinema 70S review

The Marantz Cinema 70S is a 7-channel home theater receiver in a slimline format that's ideally suited for smaller listening rooms. The company has a strong Hi-Fi heritage and this attractive Cinema series integrated design pulls together a feature set that will suit audiophiles, movie fans and gamers.

In terms of hierarchy, the Cinema 70S sits below the Cinema 60, which is a slightly beefier 7-channel amplifier, and the 9-channel Cinema 40 and Cinema 50 models.

Three of the Cinema 70S' six HDMI inputs offer 8K and 4K 120Hz playback support. It's compatible with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and supports Hi-Res audio streaming via HEOS built-in. 

For this review, I listened to the U.K. version. Read on to see how the Marantz Cinema 70S performed during my tests and to discover if it makes the grade to rank as one of the best AV receivers around.

Marantz Cinema 70S review: Price & availability

Available now, the Marantz Cinema 70S retails for $1,200. In Australia, it’s priced at AU$2,000, while in the UK, the Cinema 70S sells for £850. 

It's available in black only in the U.S. and Australia, but U.K. residents have the option of a sliver-gold version, too. It can be purchased directly from the Marantz website. Alternatively, it can also be found on sale through online retailers including Amazon, Crutchfield and Best Buy.      

Marantz Cinema 70S review: Design

Adopting the design language of the rest of Marantz’s Cinema separates, the Cinema 70S heralds quite a change of style for the brand, but I like it. Out goes the curved fascia of old, and in comes a sharper, industrial look, albeit still with the characteristic Marantz porthole display and twinned volume and input dials. 

There’s no front-mounted HDMI input, although we do get a USB port and headphone jack.

Build quality is fine, although the fascia is plastic rather than metal. It’s not a heavyweight though, coming in at just 8.7kg.

The Cinema 70S ships with a busy remote control, the same as that found higher up the Cinema series range. A handy button on the side backlights the key, for ease of use during dark room movie sessions.

Marantz Cinema 70S review: Connectivity

On the rear are six HDMI inputs, plus a single output. The board is split between 4K 120Hz 8K capable inputs and regular 4K 60Hz ports, at three apiece. All the high-bandwidth inputs are 40Gbps.

The Cinema 70s will upscale 1080p to 4k, and 4k to 4320p. It also supports HDR passthrough of HLG, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+.

In addition to its HDMI six-pack, there are three assignable analogue stereo inputs, an MM phono turntable input, USB, and a pair of digital audio inputs (one coaxial, the other optical). There are also two subwoofer outputs, and a full 7.2 set of preouts, which provide the option of system expansion if you want to migrate to more powerful amplification in the future.

Additional niceties include screw-on Wi-Fi/Bluetooth aerials, an FM/AM radio, and an Ethernet port for those that prefer to hardwire their network, rather than go wireless with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Marantz Cinema 70S review: Setting up

Installation is guided by a step-by-step GUI, which boasts HD resolution graphics and a calming teal background. This installation routine includes calibrating your listening space with the supplied microphone, and Audyssey MultEQ. I measured six listening positions to ensure all seating on and around my sofa were optimised.

Marantz Cinema 70S review: Performance

While the Cinema 70S lacks the updated HDAM amplification found in its Cinema 60 and 50 stablemates, it still benefits from the warmth so characteristic of Marantz sound.

This toasty glow positively radiates from the Miles Davis’ staple, "Moon Dreams", on Tidal, which sounds gloriously seductive and smokey, with the AVR in two-channel mode.

Spatial resolution is high. The Yes prog-pop classic, "Owner of a Lonely Heart", is joltingly electric, but the Cinema 70S handles the toppy treble in Trevor Horn’s production with ease, it’s detailed but never sibilant. 

The AVR is also peerless with popcorn. In Army of Thieves (Dolby Atmos, Netflix), you really get the sense that you’re travelling into the inner mechanism of the safe when Ludwig Dieter lays his hands on the lock, during the safecracking competition. The clicky travel of the dial is crisply delineated against the symphonic score, which rises all around. 

Hooked up to a Fire TV stick, I was soon listening to Dolby Atmos music mixes from Tidal — and was thrilled at just how seamlessly the 360 presentation is. Billy Porter’s Break A Sweat places you firmly in the middle of the dance floor, with horns in the surround, the vocal dead centre and the main beat gyrating across the LCR.

In my 5.1.2 configuration, there were no sonic gaps or dips, just a totally immersive listening experience.

Marantz Cinema 70S review: Verdict

Despite its half-height design, there’s nothing half-hearted about the performance of the Cinema 70S. This is a fine home theatre receiver that also handles two-channel music with agile refinement.

If you can live with the single HDMI output (so no doubling up on a projector), then its three-port support of 8K / 4K 120Hz playback can be considered generous, and its sonic chops are excellent for the price.

It may not have the muscle for those looking to fill the largest home theatres, but for the rest of us this is a brilliant home theater buy.