All-in-one system at its most beautiful, if not most musical
All-in-one system | £1899 | whf.cm/Model40n
Isn’t this a beauty? The emergence of all-in-one systems in the world of hi-fi has meant more lifestyle-friendly models in both size and looks, and the Marantz Model 40n is a prime example of just how much first impressions matter. It is immediately visually appealing; all you need to do is add a pair of speakers to this unit and you’ve got a tidy hi-fi system.
The Marantz Model 40n was first unveiled in early 2022 with a launch price of £2199. That price has since come down a few hundred pounds for patient potential buyers in the UK, where it is now available for £1899.
A premium just-add-speakers system such as this Marantz has strong competition from the likes of the Cambridge Audio Evo 75 and Evo 150 and the Naim Uniti Atom, all of which are five-star products. Marantz has previous form in this category too, with the older and more affordable Marantz PM7000N (tested at £999) wowing us enough with its entertaining sound to win a 2021 What Hi-Fi? Award.
Gorgeous aesthetics
The Marantz Model 40n, however, is a different proposition. Marantz is keen to reposition itself as a luxury hi-fi brand and that intent is clear in the 40n’s gorgeous build and aesthetics.
It’s an elevated, sophisticated step above the PM7000N and the budget 6000-series models we have seen before, but still built with terrific attention to quality. The metal casing and elegant fascia are made to a high standard. We like the simplicity of the control dials being all in a row (which are a joy to use); the subtle illumination that glows around the panel; and that lovely little circular display. It all combines to create a classy unit that we can imagine will instil pride of ownership in any buyer. We have the silver gold finish for review, but the 40n also comes in black.
We also imagine many will prefer the larger, informative displays you get on the Cambridge Audio and Naim systems that show album art in full colour, but we didn’t miss it as much as we thought we might on the Marantz. The small porthole display looks nice and the input source and volume level displayed are useful for at-a-glance reading.
The dimpled effect flanking the extruded front panel gives the unit a further distinctive look, but we find it to be a plastic-feeling finish upon closer look. It seems a tad incongruous with the rest of the sturdy metal finish.
At its heart lies Class A/B amplification that outputs a decent 70 watts of power per channel (into 8 ohms). Why Class A/B
