About the Marantz AV20
The AV20 is a 13.4-channel home theater preamp/processor — a separates-style component with no built-in amplification, designed to drive external power amps for a full Atmos setup. Every AV20 is tuned by Marantz's Sound Master with careful part selection aimed at the spacious, warm, richly detailed sound the brand is known for, and it carries the classic Marantz design language: the iconic circular porthole display, premium materials, and subtle front-panel sidelights.
Surround processing covers Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital+, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, DTS:X Pro, and DTS Virtual:X, with Audyssey room correction built in and optional Dirac Live available. Three independent zones are supported, along with a dedicated phono input for a turntable directly into the system. Balanced XLR preouts cover Front L/R, Center, Surround L/R, and Surround Back for a cleaner connection to amplifiers that accept balanced inputs, alongside 13 total XLR analog preamp outputs.
All seven HDMI inputs and both the Main and Sub outputs support the full HDMI 2.1 spec — 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz pass-through at up to 40Gbps, HDCP 2.3, BT.2020 wide color gamut, and 4:4:4 pure color sub-sampling, plus VRR, ALLM, eARC, and video upscaling to 4K and 8K. Marantz recommends an 18Gbps-rated cable for 4K/HDR sources and a 48Gbps Ultra High Speed cable for 8K; the separate Zone 2 HDMI output is capped at 4K/60Hz to keep a second-room display simple. An RJ-45 Ethernet jack handles a dependable wired network connection, while built-in Wi-Fi covers wireless setup — either way you get HEOS multi-room streaming, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Amazon Music, TuneIn internet radio, and Alexa/Google Assistant voice compatibility.
Product Highlights
- 13.4-channel preamp/processor (no built-in amplification)
- Dolby Atmos, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, DTS:X Pro, DTS Virtual:X
- Audyssey room correction built in, optional Dirac Live
- 3 independent zones, dedicated phono input
- Balanced XLR preouts, 13 total XLR analog preamp outputs
- 7 HDMI 2.1 inputs and 3 outputs (Main, Sub, Zone 2), all 4K/120Hz-capable
- 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz pass-through, VRR, ALLM, eARC, HDR10/HDR10+/HLG/Dolby Vision
- HEOS built-in, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking
- 5-year parts and labor warranty
What's in the Box
- Marantz AV20 preamp/processor
- Remote control with batteries
- AM loop antenna
- FM wire antenna
- Setup microphone (for Audyssey room correction)
- AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the AV20 have built-in amplification?
A: No, it's a preamp/processor designed to drive external power amplifiers, with no internal amp channels of its own.
Q: How many HDMI 2.1 inputs does the AV20 have?
A: Seven HDMI inputs, all supporting the full HDMI 2.1 spec including 4K/120Hz and 8K/60Hz pass-through.
Q: Does the AV20 support Dirac Live room correction?
A: Audyssey room correction is built in, and Dirac Live is available as an optional upgrade.
Q: Does the AV20 have a phono input for a turntable?
A: Yes, it includes one dedicated phono input.
Q: How many zones does the AV20 support?
A: Three independent zones, with a separate Zone 2 HDMI output capped at 4K/60Hz.
