Marantz Launches 4 Cinema Series 2 Receivers Starting at $1,500

Q: Could Marantz's choice of FreeSync over standard HDMI VRR secretly bottleneck your next-gen console gaming experience?

Potentially yes—but only if Marantz’s FreeSync support is standing in for, rather than alongside, standard HDMI Forum VRR. For console gaming, the safer and more widely compatible path is HDMI Forum VRR, the HDMI-standard variable refresh system used by current consoles. FreeSync can work well, especially with Xbox and some displays, but it is a branded adaptive-sync implementation whose behavior depends on the entire HDMI chain: console, AVR, display, firmware, and cable. A device can advertise FreeSync yet still fail to expose the exact VRR mode a PlayStation 5 or some TVs and monitors expect. That matters because Marantz’s announcement highlights AMD FreeSync and 1440p/120Hz pass-through, but does not explicitly say HDMI Forum VRR. If the receivers support both, there is little reason to worry. If they support only FreeSync, buyers could see reduced compatibility, particularly with PS5 setups, since Sony’s VRR support is tied to HDMI 2.1 VRR rather than FreeSync branding. The practical risk is not usually a total loss of gaming performance, but feature mismatch: 120Hz may work while VRR does not, or VRR may work only on certain displays, resolutions, or refresh rates. That would feel like a bottleneck in a premium AVR. The key detail Marantz still needs to clarify is whether these Cinema Series 2 models pass through HDMI Forum VRR in addition to FreeSync. Until that is confirmed, next-gen console buyers should treat the FreeSync claim as promising but not definitive.

3 articles · Updated · What Hi-Fi? · Aug 6

Four new Marantz AV receivers — Cinema 50, 60, 60 DAB and 70s Series 2 — add 32-bit eight-channel DACs, gaming upgrades and optional Dirac room correction across the lineup.
The flagship Cinema 50 Series 2 packs nine amplified channels and 11.4-channel processing, plus Dolby Atmos Channel Expander and Centre Bi-Amp Mode aimed at fuller surround use and clearer dialogue.
Three lower-tier models carry seven channels of amplification: the Cinema 60 and 60 DAB deliver 100W per channel, while the slimline Cinema 70s outputs 50W for smaller spaces.
1440p passthrough, AMD FreeSync and HDMI 2.1 target gamers, while a later firmware update will add low-latency Bluetooth LE Audio alongside HEOS multi-room streaming and standard Bluetooth.
August availability covers most models, with the Cinema 70s arriving in September; pricing runs from £950/$1,500/AU$1,800 to £1,850/$3,000/AU$3,500, with some models limited to specific regions.