Revel Ultima 2's and Amplification

JC1 monos may not something you would want if you are not spending lot of time listening critically. Having said that not sure at what levels you are watching movies. For movies most of the heavy lifting for mid range is done by center channel, if I am not mistaken. Getting a good amp for that could make an improvement that you might notice.

I have the same speaker setup you do, but in addition have revel four c583 in ceiling and a pair of jl fathom f212v2 subs.   This is all running off of a marantz 8802a and a pair of lexicon rx-7 amps. Front three channels are all biamped.  For my money the upgrading of the subs from Svs pb1000 made all the difference in the world.  Given my room layout and some other constraints I’m not sure if I’d notice what may be small differences in two channel playback.  When I don get my room reconfigured I plan on keeping my marantz but rather than trying to fix the one size fits all processor I’ll be looking for a two channel preamp setup and will run it through a jl cr1 crossover. Conceptually this will let me use the same speakers subs and amps while letting the base management of the processor flow through while then adding base management to the two channel preamp since most don’t have any. It’s something to consider anyhow as it lets one pursue each path independently. 

Hey thanks much for the extensive and detailed reply, it is appreciated.  I didn't think the Marantz was that bad as it was a top of the line receiver that was $2200 when new but that is why I asked the question.  I have the emotiva XPA-1 gen 2 monoblocks for the revel studios and I want to try something different there one day too.  I am hoping a shop will let me plop in a JC-1 or something like that just to see if the upgrade is worthwhile.  I do mainly watch movies with this and the newest audio formats along with full 4K/HDR is important to me.  I hope to get some Revel ceiling speakers in the future so I can have Atmos.  Thanks again, I will be sure to keep my eyes peeled at my local used stereo shops in Portland for some of the units you have recommended.

Add to your av preamp processor list is a Cary Audio Cinema 12 retails for $5k new. Does not support latest formats. Great sounding for both stereo and surrounds, especially for stereo music playbacks. Very musical. But I have to warn you that the HDMI switching or board is buggy and starts failing after few years. Most units would have failing HDMI boards after few years of use. But otherwise it is a musical sounding preamp processor for stereo music playbacks. 

First of all, your Revel Ultima Studio 2 are great speakers and your matching Revel Voice 2 center and surrounds are great as well. Overall you have great speaker surround system and deserve much better electronics than your Marantz SR7011 av receiver. I wouldn’t use av receiver even as your preamp processor for your Revel Ultima. At this level of speaker performance you will want to get AV separates that consist of really good quality AV preamp surround processor (pre pro) and high quality power amps to properly drive your Revel Ultima speaker system and in order to do your speakers justice. The Marantz SR7011 is suitable for budget speaker systems.

First, what kind of monoblock amps are you using right now? Since you mentioned about Parasound Halo A31 3ch amp earlier I highly recommend the Parasound Halo JC1 monoblock amps for your front speakers (Revel Ultima Studio 2). And since you’re doing 7 channel setup I highly recommend the Parasound Halo A51 five-channel amp to power the center and surround speakers.

And as for an AV preamp processor choices I would highly recommend the following av preamp processors :

* Classe SSP 800 (discontinued). Originally retailed for $9500 but nowaday can be had for around $3500ish used in used markets. Great sounding pre pro for both stereo music and surround movies (HT). It does not support 4k pass through or Dolby Atmos etc though. But it does decode DTS-HD Master Audio & Dolby True-HD. Highly recommended!

* Classe Sigma SSP (original version) original retail price was $5k and nowaday can be found in used markets for around $2500ish used. This model has been replaced by the Sigma SSP Mk2, which supports 4k Dolby Atmos and stuff. But the original version of the Sigma SSP does not support 4k or Dolby Atmos etc. The Mk2 version retails for $6 new.
This Classe Sigma SSP is optimized for stereo and its stereo performance is superb even slightly better than the SSP 800 and its surround performance for movies is also very good but the SSP 800 is better when used for surrounds.
Highly recommended! 

* Lyngdorf MP-50 retails for $10k new and is current model and supports all new latest formats & codecs. Equipped with Room Perfect room correction, which is one of top notch room correction calibration and is much superior to any Auddysey. Great for surround movies (HT) and its stereo performance for 2ch music playbacks is also very good but both Classe (SSP 800 & Sigma SSP) are better when used for stereo music playbacks. Highly recommended!

* Audio Control Maestro M9 retails for $9k new and is current model. Equipped with superb Dirac Live room correction which is on par with Room Perfect and ARC2 (Anthem Room Correction). Its surround performance is superb. Very well built. Supports all new latest formats. Highly recommended!

* Krell Foundation series retails for around $6500 to $7k new. Very good sounding for both surrounds and stereo.
It uses Krell own proprietary room correction. Supports 4k but not sure if it supports Dolby Atmos, DTS-X or Auro-3D.

* Arcam AV860 retails for $5500 new and is current model. Very good sounding unit. Equipped with superb Dirac Live room correction. It shares the same platform and HDMI audio video boards with the Audio Control Maestro M9.
Supports all latest formats.

* McIntosh MX122 retails for $6500 or $7k new and is current model. Equipped with Auddssey Advance Pro. It shares the same platform and HDMI boards with the Marantz AV8802 processor. Great sounding unit for surrounds. It supports all latest formats.

* Bryston SP4 retails for $13k new and is current model. Equipped with superb Room Perfect and supports all latest formats. Spectacular sounding for both stereo and surrounds (HT). Highly recommended!

* Bryston SP3 retails for $10k new and is still in production. Does not support latest formats. Not equipped with any room correction at all. But great sounding unit especially when used as an analog stereo preamp in bypass mode.

* McIntosh MX160 retails for $14k new and is current model. Equipped with superb Room Perfect room correction. It shares the same platform, HDMI audio video board and some circuitry with the Lyngdorf MP-50. Excellent sounding for both surrounds and stereo, especially for surrounds. Supports all latest formats.
Highly recommended!

* NAD M17 or M17 v2 both retail for $5500 new. The v1 is equipped with Auddssey and the v2 is equipped with Dirac Live. The v2 supports all latest formats while the v1 does not. Very good sounding for both surrounds and stereo.
I would get the v2 if I were you since the v2 uses superior room correction (Dirac Live).

* Marantz AV8805 retails for $4500 new and is current model. Equipped with the most advanced Auddysey version and supports all latest formats. Great sounding for surround movies (HT) but its stereo performance for 2ch music playbacks isn’t on the same level as the Classe or the Bryston or the Lyngdorf or the Krell Or the Audio Control M9 or the Arcam AV860 or the McIntosh MX160. But the AV8805 stereo performance is still pretty good especially considering its asking price. But the AV8805 is great when used strictly for surround movies (HT). Highly recommended! At modest retail price the AV8805 is offers great value.

* Anthem AVM60 retails for $3k and is current model. Supports all latest formats. Equipped with superb ARC2 (Anthem Room Correction), which is Anthem’s own proprietary room correction calibration. Great sounding for surround movies (HT) but its stereo performance for 2ch music playbacks isn’t on the same level as the Classe or Bryston or McIntosh MX160 or the Lyngdorf or the Krell, etc, etc.
Highly recommended! Especially with its ARC2 properly set up and calibrated it would perform great for surround movies. And at $3k new retail price I think it’s a steal.

Pair any of these av preamp surround processors with the Parasound Halo JC1 monoblock amps for your front speakers and the Halo A51 five-channel amp for the rest of the speakers and you will have yourself a great setup / system.

Out of these preamp processors mentioned above I think the Classe Sigma SSP or a discontinued Classe SSP 800 would be your first consideration especially at the used prices that these units can be had in used markets as long as you don’t care about 4k Dolby Atmos and stuff.