After adding a couple more 'devices' to the TV setup I decided I needed another amp with HDMI switching to handle video routing to the TV. The Marantz doesn't do HDMI as it is a basic 2-ch stereo amp. I confirmed what I was hearing in the Marantz (soft, dark, veiled) when I replaced it with a cheap [< $200] Sony AV receiver from Amazon. It's a 5.1 ch receiver but we use it only in stereo mode. It sounds so much better than the Marantz. Go figure.
I can't comment on higher-end Marantz amps but their $1000 class PM8003 wasn't very good.
