One is a streaming all-in-one and the other is an amplifier. Judge them on how many boxes you want and what you already own, not on the spec sheet alone.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Power | evenly matched | Effectively the same output - 60W against 72W into 8 ohms is under 1dB, which is not an audible difference in loudness. |
| Room size | depends | We rate Marantz PM7000N the better fit for desk or near-field listening and a small room, and Rega Elex-R for a mid-size room, a large room and a very large room. Match the amplifier to the room you actually have, not the one you want. |
| Built-in DAC | A | Marantz PM7000N has a DAC on board; the other needs an external one, which is another box, another power lead and another purchase. |
| Streaming | A | Only Marantz PM7000N has AirPlay 2, Roon and HEOS. |
| Analogue inputs | B | Rega Elex-R takes more analogue sources - 4 against 3. |
| Room to grow | evenly matched | The same expansion options on both. |
| Shelf space | depends | Rega Elex-R takes up about 18% less shelf area (1376cm² against 1684cm²), and it is 61mm shallower, which is the measurement that decides whether a rack door shuts. |
| Price | A | Marantz PM7000N costs less - $1,299 against $1,395 at list. |
A Marantz PM7000N B Rega Elex-R
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both amplifiers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Marantz PM7000N has the edge on paper, though not by much. The rows marked "depends" are more likely to decide this than the score is. If you already own a DAC or a streamer, the built-in one is money you are paying twice for, and Rega Elex-R becomes the more rational buy.
What a spec sheet cannot show: how either sounds with your speakers, how the controls feel day to day, and what the app is like to live with - which is where most all-in-one amplifiers are actually won or lost. Power figures are the manufacturers' own and are not measured to a common standard, so treat small differences as noise. If you can hear both, that will tell you more than any row above.