Marantz AVR Remote vs KEF Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Marantz AVR Remote
Control your compatible Marantz AV receiver with your iOS device. Manage power, volume, inputs, and settings. Seamlessly integrate with HEOS for network browsing and control.
- Control power, volume, and inputs
- Access Smart Select and Surround Modes
- Network browsing with HEOS integration
- ECO Mode settings
- Option settings (Sleep Tone, Channel Level)
- Marantz CD Player control
- View user manuals
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The “Marantz AVR Remote” app for iPhone and iPad will give you an unprecedented level of command and control over the latest generation of Marantz AV Receivers (due to hardware differences, older models are not supported with this app. Please check the model compatibility list below). A wide portfolio of useful features, nicely designed graphics and easy to operate user interface do make the app a useful tool to control your AVR. Control the basic functions of your Marantz product with power, volume, input and settings. Have direct access to Smart Select and Surround Modes. Network browsing is either done within the Marantz AVR Remote app or depending on model by selecting HEOS network as input which opens the HEOS app automatically. With the new Marantz AVR Remote, your iOS device just became an integral part of your home entertainment experience. "Because Music Matters" Compatible Marantz Models (*1, *2) 2026 New Models Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV 30 Network AV Receiver: CINEMA 50 SERIES 2, CINEMA 60 SERIES 2, CINEMA 70s SERIES 2 2025 Model Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV 20 2024 Model Network AV Receiver: CINEMA 30 2023 Model Network AV Receiver: STEREO 70s 2022 Models Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV 10 Network AV Receiver: CINEMA 40, CINEMA 50, CINEMA 60, CINEMA 70s 2021 Model Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV8805A 2020 Models Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV7706 Network AV Receiver: SR8015, SR7015, SR6015, SR5015, NR1711 2019 Models Network AV Receiver: SR6014, SR5014, NR1710, NR1510, NR1200 2018 Models Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV7705 Network AV Receiver: SR7013, SR6013, SR5013, NR1609, NR1509 2017 Models Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV8805, AV7704 Network AV Receiver: SR8012, SR7012, SR6012, SR5012, NR1608, NR1508 2016 Models Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV7703 Network AV Receiver: SR7011, SR6011, SR5011, NR1607 2015 Models Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV7702mkII Network AV Receiver: SR7010, SR6010, SR5010, NR1606, NR1506 2014 Models Network AV Pre-Amplifier: AV8802, AV8802A *Not compatible with Marantz models other than the above models. Main feature: •On the fly HEOS app switching for network browsing and control for HEOS built-in AVR and AVP •ECO Mode setting •Option settings (Sleep Tone, Channel Level etc.) and Selected Setup Features •Marantz CD Control when your Marantz AVR is connected to Marantz CD Player with a remote cable •Viewing User manuals •Multi-Language Support (English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Russian and Polish.) (*3) Notes: *1: A firmware update for your Marantz product is may be needed, please update the firmware via the system setup menu. (General > Firmware) If the App doesn't work well, please try to reboot your mobile device, unplug the power cord of the main unit and reinsert into the power outlet or check your home network. *2: Please set "Network Control" to "ON" in your product via the system setup menu to use this app. (Network > Network Control) *3: The OS language setting is automatically detected; when not available, English is selected.
KEF Control
This app offers comprehensive remote control for specific wireless speakers, allowing users to manage volume, switch sources, and customize sound profiles. It enhances the user experience by providing detailed control over speaker settings and can be used independently or with another streaming app.
- Speaker onboarding
- Volume adjustment
- Source switching
- Customizable sound profiles
- Auto-standby settings
- Volume step customization
- Max volume limitation
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Comprehensive remote control functionalities for LS50 Wireless and LSX This app provides comprehensive remote control functionalities for LS50 Wireless and LSX, further enhancing the user experience. It can be used as a stand-alone app or in combination with the existing KEF Stream app. Key Features: • Onboarding of speaker • Adjust volume • Switch between sources • Create, save, edit Speaker sound profiles • Set different Auto-Standby time • Customize volume steps • Maximum volume limitation • Inverse Left/Right speaker channels Note: To use this app, make sure you are running the latest firmware. If you experience any issues with the app, please "Send logs & feedback" in Settings > with a short description of the issue you are encountering.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Marantz AVR Remote at 2.0 against KEF Control's 1.2. Marantz AVR Remote also leads on review sentiment (21% vs 7%). KEF Control's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Marantz AVR Remote holds the better App Store score, 2.0 against 1.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 627 and 242 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of Marantz AVR Remote's written reviews are positive against 7% of KEF Control's.
Marantz AVR Remote ships an update every 3 months, KEF Control every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Marantz AVR Remote | KEF Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.0 (627 ratings) — better | 1.2 (242 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 20.9% of reviews — better | 7.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 627 — better | 242 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 72 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | D&M Holdings | GP Acoustics International Limited |
Customer experience
Marantz AVR Remote
KEF Control
User reviews
Marantz AVR Remote
From 627 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Convenient remote control
- 👍 Useful features
- 💡 Comprehensive functionality
- 🚀 Quick response
- 👍 Works well with latest iOS
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Unreliable connectivity
- 🐛 Slow and unresponsive
- 👎 Outdated design
- 🐛 Buggy after updates
KEF Control
From 242 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Speakers sound great
- ✨ Seamless setup experience for some users
- 📚 Useful app for basic controls
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
- 🔁 Unstable, buggy, and unreliable app
- 🤯 Extremely frustrating user experience
- 🚫 App doesn't work as expected
- ⚠️ App crashes and freezes often
Bugs and requests
Marantz AVR Remote
Reported bugs
4 issues- Inability to detect receiver
- Crashing on certain functions
- Inconsistent volume and power controls
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
Requested features
4 requests- Dark mode option
- Improved media server integration
- Better Audyssey settings control
- Faster navigation and UI responsiveness
KEF Control
Reported bugs
3 issues- App can't find or connect to speakers
- Speakers randomly disconnect from network
- Volume controls and source switching don't work
Requested features
3 requests- Improve app stability and reliability
- Add more control options and customization
- Provide better support and firmware updates
In-app purchases
Marantz AVR Remote
No in-app purchases
KEF Control
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Marantz AVR Remote free?
Is KEF Control free?
Which has better reviews, Marantz AVR Remote or KEF Control?
Do Marantz AVR Remote or KEF Control have ads?
Which is updated more often, Marantz AVR Remote or KEF Control?
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