a while ago, i "upgraded" from a b&k avr 202 (rated at 105w/ch) to a pricey, gimmicky denon avr (rated at 140w/ch) and always regretted it--although lacking the (mostly unnecessary) bells and whistles, the b&k was vastly better sounding--a more natural, less "digital" presentation; it also had the best universal remote i've ever used. subjectively, at least, the b&k sounded more powerful--we all know how nebulous/inaccurate the claimed power ratings of avrs can be. now, i don't know what specific marantz model you're considering, but from my experience b&k (or alternatively, arcam) is a considerable step-up from the mass market fare, esp. for music.
