Marantz Melody X All-in-One System Review & Comments

Do we still have names for these sectors like the old days.

I suppose this would be a micro system? not a mini or midi.
Midi is a bit 80's
 
I have a 611. Cracking little system. Have it paired with some Wharfedale 9.1's, i use it on my xbox setup to play music and tv audio through. Always surprises me how well it sounds for such a compact unit. As the review of the newer model says it has alsorts of options for connectivity. Just a note on the review the 611 doesn't just come in two tone finish. The model I have is all black just like the 612.
 
Not at all convinced by its power output, especially for six hundred quid.

Still, it will make a good preamp/dac/streamer for active speakers when the price drops to around the £400 or less point.
 
I have the previous incarnation and it’s a decent wee unit. It’s in my open plan area of the house wired to Kef ceiling speakers and uses its Wi-fi for network.

I have noticed that it can be a tad glitchy at times it nothing than a simple power out for a few moments tends to get things going again. Use mine for cd, music server, airplay and internet radio. Decent bit of kit
 
Its available for £480 now. Think i bought my 611 about 6 months after release and paid £360 for it. So the price does drop quite quickly
 
Have one in bedroom with Def Tech D7 excellent system & very compact
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I have noticed that it can be a tad glitchy at times it nothing than a simple power out for a few moments tends to get things going again. Use mine for cd, music server, airplay and internet radio. Decent bit of kit

I have 2, the 603 & 610 and found the same with 610 - glitchy. Usually after i've been streaming music from my NAS or USB, i get issues with internet radio. Can select a station but does not play. Power/off/on and we're good to go. Other than that, they are cracking little units with plenty of useful connectivity.
Have the 610 paired with Cambridge Audio SX50 in the bedroom and admittedly i'm astonished by the sound quality that pairing brings to the table. A gamble that paid off handsomely as i never heard CA speakers before and took a punt as they are small and going cheap.

The 603 is paired with wharfe 9.1s in the manhut and is the hub for all audio. Tv, dvd, internet, ipad/tablets, laptop etc
 
This looks incredibly similar to the Denon CEOL 10 which is much cheaper - or am I missing something? Sound quality on the CEOL is very nice by the way
 
I've constantly sung the praises of the mcr-603 and am not about to stop now. The build quality and design is so much nicer than the 61X series after that and I suspect that the earlier model is the diamond of the bunch in terms of sound quality. It has a sound which is never bright but gives in spades with the right combination of speakers and now with my Yamaha wxc-50 streamer (before that I had an ipod classic connected via USB). Technologically speaking it's definitely long in the tooth but the streamer gets round that. Recently I got tempted by the Audiolab 6000a picked one up for a lot less than rrp. Well, with bluetooth streaming Amazon music HD, I prefered the mcr603 and Yamaha combination, and the Yamaha can't even do aptx bluetooth. I'm not saying the 6000A is not a good amp, it's just that if you have a system which is well matched and has very good synergy, buying the latest and greatest will not necessarily beat it.
 
What spe
I've constantly sung the praises of the mcr-603 and am not about to stop now. The build quality and design is so much nicer than the 61X series after that and I suspect that the earlier model is the diamond of the bunch in terms of sound quality. It has a sound which is never bright but gives in spades with the right combination of speakers and now with my Yamaha wxc-50 streamer (before that I had an ipod classic connected via USB). Technologically speaking it's definitely long in the tooth but the streamer gets round that. Recently I got tempted by the Audiolab 6000a picked one up for a lot less than rrp. Well, with bluetooth streaming Amazon music HD, I prefered the mcr603 and Yamaha combination, and the Yamaha can't even do aptx bluetooth. I'm not saying the 6000A is not a good amp, it's just that if you have a system which is well matched and has very good synergy, buying the latest and greatest will not necessarily beat it.

what speakers do you use sir?
 
Is there anything else similar to this unit feature wise that anyone could recommend to look at maybe up to £1500. I intend to sell my separate cd & amp and want an all in one unit to go with my TDL Studio 1 speakers. This unit looks good by the way. Thanks for any info.
 
Elac debut b5 (mki), I love these speakers so much I think I must be biased! I've tried Monitor Audio silver 1, Rega rs1, Dali z3 and some Wharfedale Denton 80th anniversary and none of them got close to their sound. Mind you I didn't like the debut 5.2 either, too bright, so I suppose these (the mki) are my goldilocks sound. I've still got the Audiolab if anyone is interested. Might get it out tonight to do another AB comparison to make sure my ears were not deceiving me first time round.
 
Is there anything else similar to this unit feature wise that anyone could recommend to look at maybe up to £1500. I intend to sell my separate cd & amp and want an all in one unit to go with my TDL Studio 1 speakers. This unit looks good by the way. Thanks for any info.
 
This is exactly the question I have been asking myself over the last couple of years but I don't have an answer for you. I really don't like the idea of separates anymore, either... too much hassle and spaghetti! One box I think might be pretty good is the Quad Artera solus. Trouble is, can't remember if it includes a CD player. Anyway, a lot cheaper than Naim uniti atom and the like!
 
Is there anything else similar to this unit feature wise that anyone could recommend to look at maybe up to £1500. I intend to sell my separate cd & amp and want an all in one unit to go with my TDL Studio 1 speakers. This unit looks good by the way. Thanks for any info.
Project DS2 well under £1500 + add matching CD transport if you wish to play CDs
Powerful 135 watts per channel (2 ohms drive capability)
Dual mono design principle
Built-in phono pre-amplifier with MM & MC capability
Other inputs: 3x analogue, 5x digital including USB 2.0
XMOS asynchronous USB 24bit/192kHz
DSD capability (DSD64, DSD128; DSD256)
Superb dual 24bit/192kHz D/A converter PCM1796
4th generation Bluetooth with aptX capability & antenna
Volume control with motor driven potentiometer
Headphone output with dedicated amplifier stage
Fixed & variable outputs for subwoofer or second zone amp
IR remote & Built-in App Remote Control via Bluetooth
Free Box Control App controls this + other IR equipment
Optional wooden side panels available

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I have a great stereo set-up but my friend has the melody and his old speakers from when he was in high school and it always amazes me how good his music sounds, absolutely amazing. So jealous every time.
 
I freely confess there’s something to the notion of just getting a very competent, well made thing like the Marantz and adding good inexpensive speakers like, say, a pair of the modern Missions or MAs and simply enjoy the simplicity of it all with the music foremost.

Once you get on the track of ever improving, it can become ridiculous.

Having said all that... I would never get rid of my excellent Adams and room correction. It’s much harder to dispense with great quality than saving hard for ’better’ stuff.

And, if this is the best I ever get, then it’s more than good enough to keep me delighted.
 
I bought this amp last year when it was £469. It's paired with some Monitor Audio Bronze 5s and is hooked up for all TV related sound duties as well as with an Echo Dot for voice control.

I went for this as we needed a new CD player and while we had a Google Chromecast Audio hooked up to the old amp, the family was struggling to get to grips using it and various streaming apps.

With the Alexa voice integration, Spotify Connect and Heos app this means we are generally listening to more music than before and of course it is in daily use with the TV/games consoles.

Going from a 2 box amp and CD player setup also left a space that needed filling so that was duly filled with a Nintendo Switch which is getting a lot of time spent on it these days!

For us this all in one works really well so I'm glad we went for it. :smashin:
 
I had a mcr-603 and upgraded to a 611. Far from the A/B speaker capability been rarely used, this was essential as I have speakers in the kitchen extension that were wired in by the previous house owner. Coupled with a split-up Ruark surround sound set of speakers it all sounds great. Only slight issue is that the unit sometimes loses its connection so the (pretty poor) Marantz app and AirPlay stop working. In the tried-and-tested IT Help Desk manner, switching it off and on again resets everything OK. Doesn't happen too frequently and not enough to detract from its musical abilities.
 
Was this tested using the parallel BTL amplifier mode, bi-amp or standard connection?
 
Hello. Just bought it.
I do have a problem: how to connect via bluetooth a pair of Bose Ultra headphones?
 
Last edited:
Hello. Just bought it.
I do have a problem: how to connect via bluetooth a pair of Bose Ultra headphones?
This system doesn't do any "Bluetooth out". In order words it doesn't send out any Bluetooth signals but only receives them (i.e. from smartphones).
 
This system doesn't do any "Bluetooth out". In order words it doesn't send out any Bluetooth signals but only receives them (i.e. from smartphones).
Yes, I notice that, unfortunately.
BTW, do you know if it receives the BT from a turntable equiped with it?
Thanks for your reply.
 

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