Featuring Bowers & Wilkins
In the world of artisanal spirits, every brand has a definition of their perfect serve; the absolute pinnacle of how to experience the flavour, aroma and aesthetic of their key product in a glass, how they pair their special product with others.
In Hi-Fi and Home Theater, things are a little different… afficionados have very personal tastes in building a music system for their ear, but there are times when pieces from different brands will undeniably work perfectly together, and for Marantz, the loudspeaker component in a perfect pairing would be from Bowers & Wilkins.
Jimi Hendrix and Ginger Baker. Tina Turner and David Bowie. The Traveling Wilburys. Marantz and Bowers & Wilkins. Sometimes talent from the US and UK combine, and the result is somehow greater than the sum of its parts.
“Both Marantz and Bowers & Wilkins create singular pieces that focus on musicality over measurement,” says Joel Sietsema, President of Marantz. “What we seek when creating pairings, is to combine the science and the art of making sound, enabling our customers to get the very best from their Marantz”.
“For Marantz it's about a belief in musicality over measurement - that the deciding factor is emotion - and that's hard to quantify."
“Contemporary craftsmanship is holistic for Marantz and we see this reflected in Bowers & Wilkins,” explains Sietsema. “Craft is about care, attention and expertise. Our physical craft is about selecting and tuning the Marantz sound through the choice of components as much as the detailed manufacturing and finishing of parts and materials. Of course impedance, current, distortion, proven power are all important ingredients that are measuered in huge detail – but our final measure is human. How do our products and our sound make you feel?”
“Our final measure is human. How do our products and our sound make you feel?”
Marantz makes progress in sound through tireless iteration and exhaustive R&D. Every small step makes a difference and an improvement to the sound quality, finishing and reliability of Marantz pieces. Sometimes, innovation and iteration combine to create opportunities for a leap into a space where new sound experiences can be made real, and at the quality we expect at Marantz.
For example, Marantz launched one of the first commercial CD players - the CD63. “It was a triumph of technology and design, and ushered in a new generation of digital sound.” Marantz made leaps in DSP - digital signal processing - to further optimise and tailor the sound of digital music sources. This heritage in digital sonic innovation carries through all current Marantz products including our newest home theater receivers
Progress and boldness in technology, and product category choices are also an area where Marantz sees parallels in Bowers & Wilkins. Creating new musical experiences in new product categories is in the DNA of both brands.
For both Marantz and Bowers & Wilkins everything starts with the tireless work of some of the world’s leading audio engineers whose imagination and technical wizardry are base camp in the quest for perfection. But it is the artisanal Marantz Sound Masters with their superhuman sense of tone and detail that imbues these Hi-Fi and Home Cinema pieces their je ne sais quoi, and enable an amazing Marantz experience.
Marantz pieces are easy to set up and don’t require a doctorate in audio mastery to get an amazing sound. “We make ultra-reliable products, informed by what we do with our flagship Models. For Marantz and also with Bowers & Wilkins, materials, technologies and processes trickle down into entry-level products over time. The benefit of that approach is that at many price levels, a perfect pairing can be made.
“We’ve found that the speed of response in Marantz Hyper Dynamic Amplifiers, is expressed perfectly through the accuracy and agility of Bowers & Wilkins Continuum drivers. The Marantz perfect serve is built on shared attributes like these.”
So how does a Marantz piece sound when paired with Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers? A Marantz Model 30 and SACD 30n with Bowers & Wilkins 702s2 floorstanding speakers, perhaps? “It's three-dimensional, powerful, just huge!” says Sietsema. “This pairing will bring Marantz Most Musical Sound to life in the biggest rooms. The warm, spacious sound of the latest Marantz Hi-Fi pieces is complemented perfectly by the responsive sound offered by the 700 series. Of course, you can also get an amazing sonic experience tailored for smaller spaces by pairing other Marantz pieces with Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf speakers.”
Marantz aim is to create spine-tingling experiences that connect you more deeply to whatever you choose to listen to. Marantz has selected some complementary pieces from across the Bowers & Wilkins range to build your own perfect pairing. Find a Marantz below, then see which Bowers & Wilkins speakers make for a truly special, most musical experience for home theatre, games and of course, music.
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