[RonB]

If Denon/Marantz are the same company (Corporation) how & where does their approach to the Universal DVD player differ...why make basically the same machine at similar price points & features?-whos got the edge & why does Marantz offer a 3 year warranty & Denon only a one year?

[electricbear]

Although Denon & Marantz share the same parent company they are still run as two individual entities. They do share some techologies like their room acoustic software because it it licensed to D&M Holdings, not to either company individually. These 2 companies do not share the same design philosophies. Marantz has a very strong focus on the sound quality and build quality while Denon seems to have more of a focus on features per dollar. Both are good brands but I believe Marantz have a slightly more refined product.

[RonB]

Thank You

[Sesha]

While I respect Marantz, they can't be considered better than Denon. In fact, Denon consistently wins more hi-fii awards.  They won't be able to do that if they don't put a lot of effort into excellent sound redproduction and solid build.  Denon knows their stuff.  After all, they've been in the business for close to a century.

[Wayner]

I've made the mistake of buying Denon mid-fi when I was young and poor. What total pieces of crap! Everything I bought broke down from CD player to cassette deck. In the mean time, I still listen to my Marantz 2220B and 1530. I also own a new Marantz CD-5400 CD player. Marantz is so superior in build quality to Denon in every way shape and form. Marantz CD and DVD players are always wining awards and are praised by all of the audio mags.

Denon and Marantz are owned by the same U.S. company, D&M Holdings. They are completely separate in design and build. They are simply joined at the hips by the parent company. I wouldn't buy a Denon with your money.

[Sesha]

I don't know about mid-fi Denons, but I'll vouch for their hi-end products.  By the way, I owned Marantz products as well.  Their KI signature stuff, tuned by Ken Ishiwata, was very good, but I liked the sound of the Denons. 

I auditioned these two recently and voted with my credit card for the Denon.  I also liked its Faroudja video scaler.

http://us.marantz.com/Products/1682.asp
http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3157.asp

[jon_010101]

I've made the mistake of buying Denon mid-fi when I was young and poor. What total pieces of crap! Everything I bought broke down from CD player to cassette deck. In the mean time, I still listen to my Marantz 2220B and 1530. I also own a new Marantz CD-5400 CD player. Marantz is so superior in build quality to Denon in every way shape and form. Marantz CD and DVD players are always wining awards and are praised by all of the audio mags.

I think the mistake was in going for the Denon mid-fi rather than the Denon  .  I've owned a lot of Denon gear, most bought used, and haven't any trouble.  Their higher-end gear is quite excellent.  I sold my DCM-560 changer (top end of mid-fi) to a fellow who owned a Marantz CD-6000 but wanted a 5-disc carousel.  He was surprised with the improvement in sound quality. 

If you doubt Denon build quality, I doubt you've ever taken apart a DCD-1650AR...  dual potted power transformers, huge capacitors, copper chassis, gorgeous circuit boards with paralleled PCM1702 DACs, in summary: 25 lbs of CD player  .
 
Also, doesn't DM Holdings own McIntosh now?

[JLM]

Don't kid yourself, most awards these days are bought and paid for.

Anyone can form a company with a cool sounding name and sell prizes like "top 100" or "highest customer satisfaction".  It's no different than the floating ducky game at the county fair where everyone who pays is promised to win a prize.

Its just the next, sleezier step up from what consumers have seen from most of the printed magazines.  In that case, at least they provide some kind of impressions and maybe some measurements (after the vendor has bought sufficient advertizing space).

Like my friend from work says, " Follow the money, and you'll find most of the answers in the world."