This is one of the most important amps in the past 10 years - Marantz M1 review
- ducurguz
- 1 day ago
- 18 min read
I do not take this title lightly, it was a thought that was brewing in me for one year now. I have kept Marantz M1 as one of my absolute must-haves to buy when it was announced. But life is not always what we want, so actually to acquire it, it took me some time. And you know what they say: great things come for those who wait, or save money.
Why Marantz M1 is so special
But what I saw in Marantz M1 was a direct competition to the rising tide of eastern competitors, who started to offer a lot more for less money. Marantz had to look onward, with offering ergonomics, power output, quality and connectivity at less money. Pieces came together when Marantz started experimenting with Class D amplification, to their usual Class A/B.
But it was reserved for much more expensive models, like Model 30 which costs 3000, or Model 10 which is 15000. But they found a formula of utilising very narrow Class D, and creating a bit musical sound that fits their brand’s sound image, of warmth and passionate upper bass. So how about utilising that technology into something that is more achievable. But what does Class D bring us is strong amplification, we have 100W in 8 ohms, and 125 watts in 4 ohms. This can drive a lot, a lot of speakers, only those super demanding will have a problem with this amp. But it is more powerful than their Model 60, 50, 40 and has the same wattage as their much more expensive Model 30. Except that Model 30 has 200W in 4 ohms, which means it is more effective.
And as Class D is far smaller, why not use a smaller box, that does not have to take a large chunk of your listening space. So we get a very compact, 2 kilos only device that can be transported and utilised in any space no matter the size. But also make a box that looks premium with matte finish, bronze/goldish letters, and use uppercase to create wavy pattern mesh, that will also be utilised to cool the device and let it breathe. It is a beautiful minimalist box that again can fit anywhere as it is so inconspicuous.
But Marantz have spent a lot of time creating their own DACs, it is a great home-brew DAC that you can find in Marantz Model 60, 40 and 30. It is a great quality DAC, that has this bit warmish approach into conducting the currents and voltages into music. It brings it back to that minimalist approach of having a lot of things in one box, allowing versatility. The DAC itself will give you filter options, to choose between a few filter sounds to suit your preferences. Also a great thing is there is equaliser options, via application. You can change the high pass and low pass filters, you can change the balance, and add and remove decibels from treble and bass.
But when we are at the subject of versatility, do you guys know that M1 has a streamer inside? And a very capable one? It is the same in 40 and 60n, but here they put extra attention to connectivity, as you get licences to many, many Deezer, Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon Music etc. It opens large versatility into how this device integrates in the life of listeners. All in one, just add speakers, and inconspicuous minimal design will be a joy to be part of your system and room.
But it did not end there, while this is primarily a music machine, it has a soft heart for those who love to watch movies as well. Inside this box there are Dolby codecs for decoding Dolby material that comes their way. Same like what AVR is doing. So that Marantz can work as a 2.1 system as there is also a subwoofer out. But it does not end there, there is some Marantz and HEOS magic, that it will take to help you with your movie watching experience. There is a way to create sort of quasi virtual surround sound, which works okay, nothing that can compare to the real deal. It is something I did not care so much about, but one other feature was really useful. So you know that this is a 2.1 system which means just front speakers and sub, but what this amp can do is sort of equalise the sound, if it is hi-res and Dolby certified, and create sort of feeling of central speaker that will help you boost and isolate the speech and give it more of that cinema experience.
And to help all of that there is a HDMI ARC in behind to connect to your PlayStations, TVs, Blu-rays. It is a very helpful input that I just love. It is really nicely featured behind with what I already said: HDMI, sub out, optical, line in, LAN… and unfortunately there is no coaxial or phono inputs here. I think having those two, it would be amazingly featured, but I miss those two. Firstly that I personally prefer coaxial to optical, and secondly to have phono in, whatever the quality, it could be even more points to versatility of this device. And yeah, don’t forget the Bluetooth, there is that as well. Not some fancy codecs, but here it is, who needs it.
One more extra point for Dirac users like me, who love to use room correction features, this device can be used with Dirac Live software to adjust and improve your listening experience. This is a must feature and investment in my opinion.
As you can see there is a lot to love here, it packs so much into this small box, and all of that at a price of 1000 dollars. Now if you are someone who comes from the world of legacy brands, this price seems amazing, but if you come from the new breed of eastern gear that might seem a bit too high. But I think the reality is somewhere in between, as I think it is a good value, but to me subjectively amazing value. As not many of these devices give you this quality: amp, DAC, streamer, mini AVR, broad connectivity and to not forget a great sound.
Sound Quality
Yeah, I think it is time to speak about that elephant in the room. THE SOOOOUND. And I have to mention something. As someone who used a lot of Marantz gear, from past and new ones. If you are that person who believes, lives and breathes that smooth sweet Marantz sound… you might be disappointed.
As this is more akin to Class D, than to Class A/B or Class A. It is more neutral, with DAC inside pushing it to be more warmish, more coloured in that direction. But not as warm sounding amp as some of you people lived with. The sound signature of the Model M1 can best be described as warm yet articulate, carving out detail without ever sounding analytical or fatiguing. Marantz’s proprietary Musical Digital Filtering (MMDF) plays a key role here — it’s engineered to preserve natural tone and musical texture, helping instruments and voices sound “alive” rather than thin or digital.
And considering one of the issues with Class D sounding a bit thin and digital, and going bottom up. Bass sounds very controlled and has a certain attack, cohesion and presence. It can work nicely with speakers that are warmish, enhancing the bass, giving them bigger soundstage and details. Or with brighter speakers, giving them a bit darkness so that they can flaunt their neutral talents without smothering them and giving them a bit more control around bass.
The sound extension I really liked, it is a highlight here, how bass has that great thump and boom to it. It is one that does not overblow or bounce, not a thump that really well mixes with others and gives details. You feel live organics here, depending if it is jazz, classical, which are recorded live in room, so you feel that ambiance and reverb to it.
It really is great for jazz listening. I always prefer a bit warmer amps for jazz, but to get that really good feeling out of it, it needs to have enough decency to be clear and articulate in mids. And this is the one, listening to A Love Supreme showed why this is it. It is a modal jazz classic and you need to follow saxophone work here, but there was engagement in material, while easy to follow sax work around soundstage. It had gravitas and fun to it, but it was also really clear.
You need that rhythm section to have movement and body for the sound to be musical, and I am not saying that this amp is best in that regard, but before going up and explaining other pros, it did have engagement and body to the sound that helped me to tap my hands on my knees.
But all what I said, musical, fun, and engaging with benefit of clarity and compositional awareness of really good midsection. I just loved that. The soundstage was open, not cluttered. There were instruments that, if you have talented gear, can be easily dancing around the room. We can have some serious interplay of instruments on complex IDM songs, where it is not really possible to have full clarity, but you want amp to drive your speakers to try their very best to organise it.
But don’t forget to listen to some nice singers, from Leonard Cohen to Björk. Here the M1 excels most. Vocals are rich and forward, with palpable texture and presence — a hallmark of Marantz’s classic sound tuning. Acoustic instruments like pianos, guitars, and horns retain their natural timbre, and there’s an effortless smoothness that keeps long listening sessions pleasurable rather than tiring. And this amp does not waver in imaging and timbre. It is really nice and beautifully smooth renditions of vocals.
And all of that would not be possible if it did not actively try to help your speakers with details. And here it mostly depends on your speaker combination and quality. But it was clear enough at top as well, that really helps out treble, toms, cymbals, snares, percussions to come alive from the mix.
Why not, we all love that, we all love that in a good rock song when drum work is legendary, to hear all those textures in drums. Not just regular drumming but all of those micro details that go with great drumming and great production. Just that decay and release of a great hit. I think it works really well here, the amp did not make them super important, or forward or at you, but it is clear which means you can hear it and depending on your speakers it will be closer, richer or even more extended than usual. But it does a good job in just letting treble be treble. And no artificial brightness or fatigue here.
It is an overall organic and musical performance, that can truly operate well with many systems, feels closer to Class A/B designs, yet without the heat and inefficiency. But it still retains Class D’s clarity and low noise levels.
Some real world experience
I have to give a few more personal experiences with this amp, while listening to different music. And I have to recommend Rosalía’s LUX album. It is, I guess, a pop album, but written around classical motifs, flamenco and Spanish folk music, and avant-garde experimentations at times. The reason why I think this album is so great to test this amp with is how dynamically challenging this album is. There are big orchestral pieces in this album, which require greater organisation to truly work, and as it is orchestra there are instruments that hit bass and treble, it just spreads the music. To not say there is folk music, that is usually in treble, electronic that is in bass etc. And as it is a clear amp it helps all of the instruments to have a place in soundstage.
That is a great thing, as you want, you have expensive system, you want your system to tell stories with instruments. How they are placed, why they are there, how much value for emotional effect if violin is there. Where it was recorded, you want decay, reverb and timbre to be obvious. And yet as this is a pop album, and it is important to follow the vocal, you want vocal to be vivid among all of that production. You want to feel soft details of her voice that are important. And this amp helped as it brought a little bit of musicality to table, making smoother inflections among lower register and her voice, while remaining open enough at top to remain exciting. Songs like Berghaim, Sauvignon Blanc, La Perla are examples of this. You want clarity to analyse and bit musicality to have fun with.
And also I listened to a lot of jazz and funk, and while listening, I was thinking which record should I talk about in this review. At one point in time it was Maiden Voyage, then it was The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, and then I went absolutely cliché but classic with Kind of Blue. As that album, no matter how much cliché it is, is produced and played immaculately. It was recorded in live booths, so room around them, the ambiance and reverb is an instrument for itself in this album.
But in the end I went with the other great album of 1959, only because it has more extended saxophone in the mix, and a lot of percussions. The reason why that is important is that it tests the limit of how much your system is ready to extend itself. Now this heavily depends from other factors like your source, speakers and amp. But let’s say your speakers are neutral here, and it is duty of your amp to become a bit hot. And to my surprise amp did good, nothing to spin tales here, but good. There was a clarity and that saxophone did feel like it is coming to me enough to be exciting. And percussions easily on soundstage had their place, at least I could easily hear what is happening in upper register and all its textures. This could be done 1:1 with a lot of different amps, which I am going to speak a bit later in this review. But it was good, not laid back and reserved like some Marantz and some other warmer gear. Rather enough open to be exciting and for me to be satisfied. The song Peace is in question where you can hear all of those things. I will link down all these songs in description of this video.
Synergy and Pairing
How about synergy and pairing? Well I tested this amp with these speakers: Wharfedale Super Linton, Wharfedale Diamond 12.1, Focal Aria 906, Bowers & Wilkins 603 and 607 S3 and ELAC Uni-Fi 5.2. Some warm, some neutral, some bright speakers. And it all works. I personally preferred them on a warmer side, as I liked more gravitas with them. More drive and yet clarity with them. But sometimes I liked the Bowers & Wilkins as well to open the extension more in that treble and make them dance a bit more. Just more insight and knowledge there.
But it also works fine with very neutral speakers, not my favourite combo, but hey it still retains all the great qualities of this amp, while being very clinical and really open.
Problems some small some big
But we have to come to problems, as there are some. Let’s first start with a small issue. It is a small box which is great, and it is a versatile box which is even better. But give me coaxial for even more devices to connect to this amp, give me a phono preamp to connect my turntable. Make this device my music hub, to declutter as much as I can around it. I would appreciate that.
The bigger problem is that I really wanted to use HEOS app, but it is just not good. Like many other hi-fi companies, the software is always a problem. Not many have invested enough, or have expertise here to build good software. So as much as I have to fiddle with more steps, to go to artist, play songs, find songs, I just gave up. I started using Tidal mostly for this. It has decent UI, but UX still needs more work.
And that can lead to a bigger problem for me with this amp. It does not have remote. No, the amp does not have many physical buttons except play, pause, forward and backward. So to turn on the amp, or turn off, to raise the volume, to change the channels, you all have to do via application.
That personally was hell for me. When I listen to music, I confine myself in my own world, with music and myself. Usually phone is in another room, just to detach myself from the world around me and all the stress I have. But this amp forces me to be glued to my phone, and to use this application with questionable quality. I hated that so much, I know this might be really subjective, but still. Give us remote Marantz please.
The other thing is that this amp costs 1000$, and comparing it with some competition it might lack a bit of details up top. It might lack that really open grand sound, that declutters superbly. It is not that M1 does that badly, no it does not. But M1 does everything just great, never quite excelling from others, even from cheaper amps. It is a sound that is honed to be good for everyone, and that is how it behaves. Some people coming from some other certain sound signature might be a bit disappointed here. Even though it is an excellent sounding amp. It is not the one I can tell easily that it dominates sound-wise its competition. But how much you get with this amp, and how great it sounds, maybe it does not need to, to justify its 1000$ price range. To me it is justified, and I would gladly take this amp in most scenarios.
vs. Wiim Amp Ultra
While I think Marantz M1 is one of the most important amps of past 10 years, there is one that I think, but I have to think about that, is the most important amp in past 10 years. And that is Wiim Amp Ultra. It is an amazing amount of features, quality, amplification, and streaming for 530$. So almost half of the price of Marantz M1. There is a lot in common with these two devices. Amplification is the same in 8 ohms, but 200W in 4 ohms is just a lot more to drive your 4 ohm speakers. They are both missing coaxial, but Wiim gives you a remote. Something that in any other review I would not highlight as plus, but here I have to.
But otherwise very similar inputs and outputs. But also Wiim comes with a beautiful screen. Therefore far easier to interact with a device than Marantz. Its software is better than HEOS. Wiim also adds fancy Dolby codecs and immersive presets and acts as mini AVR via HDMI ARC. You also get Wiim streamer inside, which already has great pedigree of quality.
And you may ask yourself wait, Wiim Amp Ultra has more than Marantz M1 and it costs half the price. Well… yes, that is correct. It is astonishing value.
So you should absolutely buy Wiim Amp Ultra. Well yes, if you have 500$ and you want all in one, with future proof connections, absolutely. But what if you have 1000$? Well, you might want to consider Marantz M1. Still you want absolute value, it is absolutely in Wiim’s courtyard, I cannot tell you different and I will not try. As everything that Marantz does better is certainly not worth 500 dollars more.
But I just enjoyed listening to music more from Marantz M1 than from Wiim Amp Ultra. It managed to be clear as Wiim, but it also managed to have more musicality and fun to it. Every kick made more impact, vocals were smoother and yet equally separated and important on soundstage. And I can say that detail retrieval was on the same level. But with complex classical compositions, or even fast rock songs, it managed to control highs to become unproblematic and yet textured, and better than Wiim.
So now will this be 500$ worth it? I don’t know, maybe. It would to me who enjoys Marantz sounds so much, but it is not like Marantz kills Wiim, Wiim is still good sounding amp streamer. One more thing that goes into favour of Marantz is year and a half older. It did all of that at beginning of 2024. And it proves that it is built in Japan and that is immaculately built, and it can last a long, long time. There is common issue with companies that offer cheaper devices, about people complaining that they often failed them in 2–3 years. But I cannot say that for Wiim Amp Ultra, but Marantz have a track record of lasting for a long, long time no problem.
vs. Audiolab 6000a Play
There is also an alternative with Audiolab 6000A Play. It is equally priced alternative. And it is more traditional amp/streamer. With more inputs and outputs, I mean a lot more, traditional bigger box, small screen etc. But lacking something like HDMI ARC, or any movie-going codecs or add-ons. Now you have my full review of this device on my channel, I will link it down in description. Now I think Marantz M1 is a better product overall. But there is a scenario where I think someone might gravitate towards 6000A, and that is scope and size of soundstage. Pair Audiolab with some Focals, and you will get sound that Marantz cannot replicate. Just large soundstage, that has everything so neatly organised and compartmentalised that everything can be easily seen and observed. It is very airy presentation, and pairing with equally airy and detailed speaker you get amp that delivers soundstage size and insight to it.
But everything else is just in Marantz favour. From features, functionality, size, much, much more power output. And clear and a bit warm sound that is a bit more musical and engaging, and weightier. But this might be more into personal favour one or other, but reality is that Marantz will easier drive many more speakers.
vs. Bluesound Powernode 2025
Another interesting alternative is Bluesound Powernode 2025. This is really an interesting choice. Powernode is kind of the only amp, like integrated amp, that allows you to connect central speaker. It has 3.1 connection, so it does not need an application feature to emulate sound of central speaker like Wiim and Marantz, no this one gives you real way to add central speaker and subwoofer. Making this amp real ideal for movie and music lovers. 3.1 is a serious movie setup.
But also unlike Marantz, you get really decent headphone output on this amp, that is THX AAA certified. Which is a big plus. It also has streaming, and useful touch controls, that is better than Marantz no screen, but loses to Wiim’s real screen. It also has 100W in 8 ohms. And all of that for 100 dollars more than Marantz.
Now this is a new device, released recently, and probably I am going to try to review it soon, so I will be brief. But will you go with Marantz or Bluesound will be preferences. I feel that Marantz is more clear, transparent and has a bit edge in warmth or lower mids, and upper bass. But Powernode adds great insight at top, with details and textures. Allowing rhythmically to be more coherent and better amp. Also it allows more chance to see into production qualities of production, mastering and room where it was recorded. But also it has great clarity and good bass. So it has to be side by side to really choose which one is for you.
vs. Marantz Stereo 70s
Few more short words for those who think about buying this or Marantz Stereo 70s. In description of this video I will give my review of that device where I obviously go into more details. But if you primarily listen to music, and sometimes movies then M1 is a better choice. If you primarily need device to watch movies, but also to listen music then Stereo 70s is better choice. It just has this more warmer sound, more emphasis on bass, and larger scope of soundstage, bigger and weightier bass. It has bunch of inputs and outputs meant for easier connecting movie devices. It has more advanced Dolby codecs inside, and more advanced HDMI protocol. So absolutely much, much better choice for movies. While M1 is more clear and transparent, gives you more insight into details and production, just a better way to listen to music.
Marantz M2 Could be legendary/Conclusion
So Class D in modern Marantz device that delivers on promise of great sonics, and great features at great value. The Marantz Model M1 manages an impressive balancing act: elegant simplicity without sonic compromise. Its sound is detailed, warm, and musical; its feature set bridges music streaming and TV audio seamlessly; and its compact design belies surprising power and finesse.
There is a lot of great alternatives with NAD C700 and Primare Prisma amps, showing that this idea and Class D is going to be mainstay in future and that landscape of hi-fi is changing, and many companies, especially legacy ones, are standing at crossroads how they will adapt to new market and new trends.
But I think Marantz M2, whenever it is released, is going to be legendary. If they can learn from problems I mentioned earlier, to add screen, remote, improve software. To add phono and more inputs. And add even more details in treble and bass, therefore opening the soundstage more while remaining clear. To have this form, beautiful looks, this idea of all in one with lot of power. And we might get something which I don’t believe ever would be there and that is a perfect device. Of course while retaining a reasonable price.
Who knows, man can dream, and I will be there waiting to review it.
Thanks for watching my review, if you enjoy this review, please consider liking, subscribing or donating via Patreon.
Keep daydreaming and see you on the next video,
bye
Pros
Strong, Musical Sound Performance
Warm yet articulate tuning with good balance between musicality and clarity.
Controlled, punchy bass with good extension and impact.
Rich, forward, and textured vocals — especially strong with jazz and singer-songwriter material.
Smooth treble with no artificial brightness or fatigue.
Open, uncluttered soundstage with good instrument separation.
Handles complex music (jazz, orchestral, IDM) with good compositional awareness.
Feels more musical and engaging than many Class D competitors.
Retains clarity and low noise advantages of Class D while avoiding thin/digital sound.
Powerful & Efficient Amplification
100W into 8 ohms, 125W into 4 ohms.
Drives a wide range of speakers confidently.
More powerful than several other Marantz models in similar price brackets.
Compact 2kg chassis thanks to Class D design.
Runs cooler and more efficient than Class A/B designs.
Excellent Feature Set
Built-in DAC with filter options.
Built-in streamer (HEOS platform).
Supports major streaming services (Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, etc.).
HDMI ARC for TV/console integration.
Subwoofer output (2.1 setup capability).
Dolby decoding and virtual surround features.
Dirac Live room correction support.
Bluetooth connectivity.
Acts as a mini-AVR alternative.
All-in-one solution: amp + DAC + streamer + TV hub.
Design & Build
Compact, minimalist, premium-looking design.
Matte finish with bronze/gold accents.
Unique mesh cooling design.
Easy to place in small spaces.
Built in Japan with strong brand reliability reputation.
Synergy Friendly
Works well with warm, neutral, and bright speakers.
Especially enjoyable with slightly warmer speakers.
Flexible tuning via EQ and filters in app.
Value (Contextual)
Strong value considering features + sound + brand.
Competitive within legacy hi-fi brands.
More refined and musical than some cheaper all-in-one competitors.
❌ Cons
No Remote Control (Major Complaint)
No physical remote included.
Very few physical controls on the unit.
Power, volume, input changes require app usage.
Forces reliance on phone — frustrating for distraction-free listening.
HEOS App Weakness
HEOS software UX/UI is not great.
Clunky navigation.
Makes daily usage less enjoyable.
Software quality feels behind competitors.
Missing Inputs
No coaxial digital input.
No phono input.
Limits versatility for vinyl users.
Could have been a true “complete hub” with those additions.
Sound Character Limitations
Not as warm as classic Marantz Class A/B amps — may disappoint longtime fans.
Does everything well, but rarely dominates competitors sonically.
Slightly less open and grand in upper treble compared to some rivals.
Lacks that ultra-airy, massive soundstage some competitors offer.
Not the absolute best in detail retrieval for the price.
Price vs Competition
At $1000, faces very strong competition.
Some competitors offer more features for less money.
Improvements over cheaper rivals may not justify $500 premium for some buyers.
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