08-30-12: Sonance
I checked out the Marantz, seems like a nice component, although my first impression of the brand is mid-fi, but that may be just preconception.
DO NOT make that assumption about this Marantz amp. Marantz makes quality mid-fi stuff in China. They have a skunkworks factory in Japan for their Reference series, which includes SACD/CD players, integrated amps, preamps, and power amps that run into several thousand dollars. The PM8004 is practically a gift. It is the top line integrated amp from their standard line, but is made in the Reference factory with reference quality components. The PM8004 and its companion SA8004 disc player are the only stereo components from the standard line that use their extraordinary HDAM ultrawide bandwidth, high gain, extremely low noise gain stages.
It's a TAS Editor's Choice component. Here's their
rave review. I first took notice of the PM8004 when I was auditioning a $10K pair of Sonus Faber Cremona Ms. They sounded fantastic--musical, articulate, smooth. The bass was particularly tight and articulate; the overall presentation had "you are there" detail I hadn't been aware of on the demo recording that I knew well. It didn't surprise me too much that the Cremona Ms sounded fantastic. What blew me away was that the PM8004 was powering them as though it was a $6K stack of separates.