That's a great question a few of us on the boards have. Anthem comes to mind. Note I am not saying your Marantz is no good. When you look at the specs for Anthem though, you will see they are more transparent than the Marantz. That doesn't necessarily make the Anthem better because the Marantz may have the same specs but they are not published. Also there is also the question of what is audible and what is not. Generally, the lower the THD+N, the higher the channel separation, and dynamic capability, the better. I am sure though there is a point of diminishing returns. One thing I can tell you though is that low noise is under-rated. There is nothing like sound coming from a totally black background. Of course how quiet your listening environment is also plays a big role.
When you get your M100s and set them up right, you will for the first time in your life understand what you have been missing all your life. Then you will be looking for ways to further improve an already incredible experience that the vast majority on this planet will never witness.
