Video: Marantz 40n Review
Client Name
Living Entertainment
Date
March 2025
Category
Video
One of the best parts of working in hi-fi, at least as far as I’m concerned, is the opportunity to find system synergies, to match speakers with amplifiers. You just never really know what you're going to get when you pair things together in terms of characteristics and sound signatures.
Today's video is exactly about that, with the Marantz 40n.
Now, the Marantz 40n has been out for a little while, and there are some key elements of this particular system worth discussing before we dive into the actual speaker pairings.
This is a Class AB amplifier delivering 70 watts at 8 ohms and 100 watts at 4 ohms. The 40n also features Marantz’s third-generation HDAM-SA power amplifier circuit. The idea behind this circuit is to improve the stability and speed at which sound is delivered.
In terms of phono input, you get access to a moving magnet phono stage, and this of course leverages Marantz’s Musical Phono EQ system.
Something we always love to see here at Living Entertainment is the inclusion of a low-pass filter on the subwoofer output, so that’s a big thumbs up from us.
And lastly, something we've been asking for on these amplifiers for years, we finally get access to an HDMI ARC input. So if this is your one system in the living room, you’re completely catered for.
Now, let’s talk about the speakers we paired with the Marantz 40n.
First up was the KEF R3 Meta.
This is a true three-way design, leveraging KEF’s Meta Material Absorption Technology. Interestingly, it shares the same drivers found in the much more expensive KEF R11 Meta.
Next, we tried it with the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3.
This is a two-way speaker with their famous decoupled carbon fibre dome tweeter. What makes these particularly interesting compared to previous Bowers & Wilkins speakers is the move to their new Continuum Cone technology. This promises, at least according to B&W, an improved midrange, a response to past criticisms of their midrange presentation.
Lastly, the big boy of the group: the Wharfedale Aura 2.
This is a three-way standmount speaker. What makes it unique compared to the other two is that it features an Air Motion Transformer (AMT) tweeter and a slot-loaded bass port mechanism, a very different approach to bass management. For those unfamiliar, a slot-loaded port aims to keep the air pressure from the speaker in alignment with the room’s air pressure.
Listening Impressions:
This was a very simple experiment, three speakers and five songs. I wrote down the qualities that stood out during each track. Some differences were more pronounced than others, and of course production quality plays a big role too. That’s why it’s important to listen across a wide range of recordings, you can learn a lot even from bad ones.
KEF R3 Meta
There were a few consistent qualities that stood out across all tracks. KEF speakers always offer sharp imaging, not necessarily pinpoint precise, but with great definition.
They also highlight decay really well, which I’m weirdly obsessed with. On tracks like David Bowie’s Station to Station, the drums tailed off beautifully.
Midrange elements, like vocals, tend to be slightly forward, more than you might expect.
The bass had a punchy little kick, not gut-punching, but enough to be fun and engaging.
However, there were a few downsides:
Despite good imaging, the soundstage felt a bit congested, it lacked space around individual instruments.
There was also a lack of texture, which for me robs music of emotional weight. It was fun and energetic, but not particularly deep or evocative.
At low volumes, it lacked life, you had to turn it up to really enjoy it.
Overall, I’d describe this combo as a fun, rowdy listening experience, more casual than immersive.
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3
Immediately, this was a very different experience. The congestion from the KEFs vanished, the soundstage blew wide open.
Billy Idol’s Bitter Taste really highlighted this, with wide, airy instrument placement.
The midrange was textured yet clean, two qualities you don’t often get together. This brought the emotional connection back. Tex Perkins’ Blissfully Blind was a standout here.
More detail came through, little flourishes that were previously buried.
But this came with trade-offs:
The sense of depth found in the KEFs was missing.
Bass wasn’t as snappy or dynamic.
However, the 705s performed better at low volumes, their core qualities remained intact even at background listening levels.
Wharfedale Aura 2
This might be the most cohesive listen of the three.
I had no prior experience with the Aura 2, and I came away seriously impressed.
It revealed subtle details that neither the KEFs nor the Bowers managed to bring forward, until I went back and specifically listened for them.
This was the fullest-sounding speaker of the three.
The midrange was lush, bold, and full of texture.
I was initially worried it would sound overly warm, Wharfedale and Marantz both have that reputation, but thankfully, it didn’t come across as woolly or veiled.
An interesting test track was Everything Everything’s Pizza Boy, an electronic piece that sounded surprisingly natural through the Aura 2, thanks in part to the AMT tweeter. Decay was sublime, and this was the first speaker to get my foot tapping.
Tyler, The Creator’s Are We Still Friends really highlighted the massive soundstage.
Depth wasn’t quite at KEF levels but was miles ahead of B&W.
Dynamic range was more apparent with this combo.
Overall, the Aura 2 offered the most naturalistic and organic sound of the bunch.
Not perfect, though:
Imaging wasn’t as precise. This is common with Wharfedale, they tend to be a bit vague in that regard.
Some instruments, like pianos and synths, popped forward unexpectedly in the mix, possibly due to the AMT tweeter. It’s not bad, just... unusual. It changes how you perceive the 3D layout of the music.
Conclusion:
That was my experience trying the KEF R3 Meta, Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3, and Wharfedale Aura 2 with the Marantz 40n. Again, this isn’t about saying one speaker or amp is better than another, it’s about synergy. The only way to find your sound is to try different combinations. That’s what Living Entertainment is all about, we’re here to help guide you through that journey.
My personal favourite this time? The Wharfedale Aura 2.
But that’s based on my tastes and my music. You might listen to the same three and come away with completely different conclusions, and that’s a good thing. We're all individuals with different preferences, and that’s something we can’t overstate.
