Marantz PM-10S1 Integrated Amplifier

Marantz PM-10
integrated amplifier

New integrated amplifier of the reference class
Four power amplifier channels in bridged mode (two switch amplifier modules per channel) for maximum power and loudspeaker control
Balanced concept from input to speaker for ungrounded signal management
High power: 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 400 watts per channel into 4 ohms
Effortlessly drive many different speaker types
Very wide dynamic range thanks to a power supply that can provide huge amounts of current at lightning speed
Fully symmetrical structure of all sections in the pre-amp and power amp
Marantz Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module (HDAM) in the preamp stage
Dual mono power amp configuration
Separate power supplies for preamp and volume control as well as for the individual power amp channels
Discrete phono stage for MC and MM cartridges, separate shielded housing
High-quality mechanical construction with double-layer chassis, five-millimeter thick aluminum top cover, solid aluminum front, copper-coated chassis and high-purity copper speaker terminals
Particularly strong copper circuit boards for the output stage and the main power supplies
Available from February 2017
Amplifiers are at the heart of the Marantz story:
The company's very first product was a high quality preamp designed to get the best possible sound out of the then emerging LPs. Looking at the company's history, which began with the groundbreaking "Audio Consolette" - produced by Saul B. Marantz from 1952 and soon evolved into the first true Marantz product, the "Model 1" preamp - can be seen It is hardly surprising that the latest model in the Premium series, the PM-10 integrated amplifier, aims to set new standards for all music formats known today.
In fact, this extremely powerful integrated amplifier is more like a separate high-end preamplifier combined with a pair of monoblock power amps in its construction. However, this technology is housed in an elegant housing, which on the one hand enables top audio performance and on the other hand gives a strong independent optical signal.

Streamlined design

In order to achieve such quality while delivering superior performance, all sections of the amplifier must be optimized for their purpose, just as would be the case with a separate preamp and monoblock power amp design.
Typically, amplifiers use a single transformer and separately regulated power supplies for the preamplifier and power amplifier. With the PM-10 we went much further.

With the dual-mono design used here, separate power supplies are used for the preamp and for the individual power amp channels. The preamplifier has its own transformer so that the sensitive signals passing through this section are not affected by interference from the high-performance power amplifiers. There is another separate power pack for the microprocessor, which controls the volume control and the source selection, among other things, so that no interference signals from the control unit can get into the audio path.

Pure analog signal

Another important aspect of noise reduction is the fact that the PM-10 is a pure analog amplifier. Many competing designs today use a DAC or digital amplification and volume control. Marantz, on the other hand, uses a sophisticated and fully analogue design to keep all operations as clean and simple as possible.
Why analogue? While an in-amp D/A converter is an extremely practical solution, digital circuitry creates a noise floor and can interfere with the delicate analog signals passing through the amplifier. That's why Marantz has chosen to do all the digital-to-analogue conversions in its SACD/CD players or network players on its Premium series, and to keep the amplifiers free.
To maximize the potential of this approach, the PM-10 also features "Pure Mode": In this mode, all unnecessary circuitry is disabled to keep interference to the absolute minimum. There is also a Power Amp Direct input, where the signal is routed directly from the input section to the power amp for the best sound quality. So this unit works as a pure amplifier.

Fully balanced from input to output

The advantages of the symmetrical layout have been known for a long time. In conventional layouts, half of the signal path resides in the ground plane of the amplifier or cable. Balanced operation uses two conductors or paths - one positive, the other negative - and a completely separate ground to protect the two.
The advantage of cables is that external noise affects both the positive and negative conductors. Because the transmitted signals are mirror images, all effects cancel each other out. This is why such cables are common in professional audio and studio applications where there are many sources of hum and where there is a risk of picking up interference signals simply because of the greater cable lengths.
The same applies when using the symmetrical structure on audio circuits. The mirrored layout, where identical components handle the positive and negative signal paths, not only eliminates potential spurious signals, but also noise and errors within the circuit itself.
An additional advantage is that the balanced approach also uses stronger signals because both halves of the circuit are active. Here, half is not drive and half is mass, but a "push-pull" operation is implemented. Stronger signals are generally less sensitive to external interference signals. The larger the signal, the less noticeable the noise.

Balanced power amplification with bridging

With the PM-10, Marantz wanted to achieve the purest sound possible, as well as the power and dynamics necessary to drive and control some of the world's most demanding loudspeakers. To achieve this, the symmetrical design was not only applied in the preamp stage, but also continued through the power amp and all the way to the speaker outputs. “Bridging” achieves the required performance.
What makes a bridging amplifier? With conventional amplifiers, the loudspeaker is driven by the positive or negative part of the output stage per channel. Bridging amplifiers work differently. With them, the same loudspeaker is controlled with two separate amplifier stages. To put it simply, the loudspeaker membranes are “pushed” by one of the amplifier channels and “pulled” by the other.
This enables significantly better control of the connected loudspeakers. The amp can start and stop their movements far more precisely. This is an important factor in the definition and "speed" of the system. Music can be played back with significantly better rhythm and spatial control, voices and instruments sound more realistic.
This ensures not only enough power to drive large, power-hungry speakers at high levels and with clean, distortion-free sound, but also the control to ensure those speakers do exactly what the music demands. This is all made possible by the use of the latest switching amplifier technology, which enables a compact integrated amplifier design while still meeting Marantz performance requirements.
Carefully selected components

Marantz has long had a reputation for selecting the best possible components for its premium products. If a required component cannot be found, it is designed and manufactured in-house.
This approach led to the development of the Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module (HDAM). Not satisfied with the audio quality of the available amplifier chips, the company developed their own alternative in the form of a miniature amplifier module made entirely of discrete components. As with all such design decisions, engineers selected and optimized the HDAM through extensive listening sessions at dedicated Marantz laboratories in Europe and Japan. Since its introduction, these components have been further developed on the one hand and incorporated into more and more products on the other.

The latest generation HDAM SA3 is used in the PM-10. It is part of a current feedback topology that was developed for the widest possible frequency and dynamic ranges - and thus fits perfectly with modern high-resolution audio formats. In addition, ultra-fast, specially manufactured block capacitors are used, which can react as quickly as possible to high current requirements.
The same current feedback design is employed in the PM-10's phono stage. This can be configured for MC and MM cartridges to reproduce LPs in the best possible way. Marantz is by no means chasing after the current “vinyl revival”. On the contrary: in all the years that the company has built up and refined its digital competence, it has never lost sight of the excellent sound that is possible with LPs and singles. It has always equipped its products with high-quality phono stages - long before records became "fashion" again.

Focused on performance

Like the SA-10 SACD player and D/A converter, the PM-10 is also designed to meet the highest demands. It has a double-walled chassis with copper coating that rejects mechanical and electromagnetic interference. The case is made of thick, heavy, non-magnetic aluminum plates. Both products have die-cast aluminum feet.

Like all other design and engineering decisions behind this new reference-class amplifier, the choice of these clamps has one simple reason:
Because Music Matters.

Extension of the guarantee to 5 years possible.

You can find more information about the warranty extension at:

https://5yearswarranty.marantz.eu/owners-club.aspx?lang=de-de