# Marantz AVR Remote vs Sound Bar Controller

The clearest difference is rating: Sound Bar Controller at 4.4 against Marantz AVR Remote's 2.0. Sound Bar Controller also leads on ratings volume (7K vs 627) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sound Bar Controller holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sound Bar Controller has 7K ratings behind it against 627, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of Marantz AVR Remote's written reviews are positive against 22% of Sound Bar Controller's.

Marantz AVR Remote ships an update every 3 months, Sound Bar Controller every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Marantz AVR Remote | Sound Bar Controller |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (627 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marantz-avr-remote/id982083188/reviews) | **[4.4 (7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sound-bar-controller/id1464871680/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 627 | **7K** |
| Positive reviews | 20.9% of reviews | **22.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 72 MB | 153 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [D&M Holdings](https://appshunter.io/developer/388608883) | [Yamaha Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/353469356) |

## What reviewers say

### Marantz AVR Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marantz-avr-remote/id982083188)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient remote control
- 👍 Useful features
- 💡 Comprehensive functionality
- 🚀 Quick response
- 👍 Works well with latest iOS

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Unreliable connectivity
- 🐛 Slow and unresponsive
- 👎 Outdated design
- 🐛 Buggy after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to detect receiver
- Crashing on certain functions
- Inconsistent volume and power controls
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved media server integration
- Better Audyssey settings control
- Faster navigation and UI responsiveness


### Sound Bar Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sound-bar-controller/id1464871680)

Control select Yamaha sound bars remotely from your iOS device. Manage volume, input selection, and set up Alexa voice control. Stream audio from your phone or NAS drive over Wi-Fi.

**Highlights:** Alexa voice control setup, Volume and input control, Wi-Fi audio streaming, Wireless surround speaker control

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great sound quality
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive app
- 👍 Lots of sound settings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Unreliable Alexa integration
- 🐛 Unintuitive user interface

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to connect to sound bar
- Sound bar randomly disconnects
- Firmware updates cause issues
- Bluetooth connectivity problems

**Requested features**

- Equalizer for more sound customization
- Better volume control options
- Improved Alexa integration
- Simplified app navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Marantz AVR Remote free?

Marantz AVR Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sound Bar Controller free?

Sound Bar Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Marantz AVR Remote or Sound Bar Controller?

Sound Bar Controller is rated higher. Marantz AVR Remote averages 2.0 out of 5 from 627 ratings, while Sound Bar Controller averages 4.4 from 7K ratings.

### Do Marantz AVR Remote or Sound Bar Controller have ads?

Neither Marantz AVR Remote nor Sound Bar Controller shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Marantz AVR Remote or Sound Bar Controller?

Marantz AVR Remote ships an update every 3 months, and Sound Bar Controller every 5 months. Most recently, Marantz AVR Remote was updated on October 20, 2026 and Sound Bar Controller on October 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*