[esteban]

The short of it: I will never buy a Marantz product in my life again.

The long: My SR-5005 receiver started to act up after less than a year or so of being in use. A faint hissing sound could be heard from the left channel when using any of the surround codecs, but at first it was very subtle, so I didn't obsess over it. Lately, the problem got severely worse. The noise was unbearable and impossible to ignore, and some other glitches started to make themselves known. The unit went in for service at my local authorized Marantz service repair center in Pompano Beach, FL.

About 10 days later I get a call saying that my unit had a defective HDMI board and that they no longer have any replacement parts for this particular model. Big red flag right there. A model that is less than 3 years old, and something as basic and vital as an HDMI board is no longer available... Unbelievable.

However, the folks at the repair center (not the friendliest nor most helpful, to make matters worse) tell me that I will be getting "a new unit, an SR5007 instead"). Great. Or so I thought...

As you folks know, when it comes to receivers, newer is not always better. Case in point: the 5007 is lacking two features that, at least to me, are CRUCIAL:
- no backlit remote (try making sense of the new remote and its trillion tiny buttons in the dark...)
- no full frontal display (a small, rounded "port" that Marantz calls "classic" and I call "useless" is there instead, forcing one to use a TV or monitor to set up and calibrate the unit, or to be able to read any other type of information, for that matter)...

Another big problem:
- I was never given a choice! I was told I could not get my 5005 back, and that it wasn't my call. This in itself was extremely frustrating. Basically, they made a decision for me and never consulted me. By the time I was informed of this and requested my unit back, it was too late.

It doesn't end there.

By the time I drive (one hour) to the repair center to pick up my supposedly "new unit", I am instead informed that I will be getting a "refurbished" unit. No brand new model, after all. I make it very clear that that is not was I was promised nor what any sane person would expect out of a supposedly premium brand, but, on the one hand, I realize this is not the repair center's call nor fault, and that they are simply following Marantz (objectionable) rules.

I inspect the unit, and I see it has some cosmetic blemishes. There's even a red sticker/warning saying so, but other than that "the unit is in working condition". "Oh, by the way, you are not getting a box, either", they tell me.

In other words, I no longer can get my own unit back, I got a new model that is, however, much worse than the one I left there to be serviced, AND it's a refurbished unit that has been through who knows how many hands before...

This was about a week ago. I spent the entire week wasting my time with Marantz' pathetic excuse for costumer service. They first promised me a REALLY "new" unit, and then, after ignoring my e-mails and calls, ended telling me that I would need to pay $200 + SHIPPING (!) if I wanted a new 5007... The nerve!

Boggles the mind!

Marantz charges premium prices for poorly designed and built units, and offers subpar (or worse!) service.

Never again.