break-in for Marantz SA-7S1

as mr g has so eloquently stated, one person's perception of "hardness" is another 's perception of "smoothness".

i am never surprised when a component is described differently by more than one owner or listener.

such descriptions are not the truth. they are opinions based upon perception.

my friend owns a 7s1. i own an 11s2. i was advised to allow at least 500 hours before serious evaluation.

i think both players need an upgrade. both players are too focused and unantural in their presentation of timbre.
perhaps, a tube buffer stage would be advisable and/or a replacement of capacitors.

at this time my favorite cd player is the audionote cd2. i thought i liked the original lector 7, the two chassis version.

i also liked the first zanden dac, not the current version,the sony scd 1, the cal tempest and first aria player.

these are the players that come to mind. most players i audition do not impress me. i find that they annoy me because of errors in reproducing timbre and an analytical presentation.

in fact most stereo systems sound more focused than live music.

i find the marantz 7s1 and 11s2 balanced in its frequency response. however, it exhibits a level of clarity that is not heard when in the presence of live unamplified music.

these players are ruthless in their revelation of flaws in a recording. unless one listens to cds which have no "problems", the assault on one's ears may cause one to turn off either player, after a short while, or make sure it feeds a preamp and amp which is subtractive in its coloration. fortunately, i own such a preamp.

hi dgarretson:

i would welcome the opportunity to compare cd players. i own a stock 11s2. i live in nassau county. how far are you from manhattan ?

thanks.

i agree that subtraction = loss. however, a slightly out-of-focus presentation sounds more like the real thing, as compared to most stereo systems.

i have over 500 hours on my marantaz 11s2. i perceive hardness, a balanced frequency response and a very precise and focused presentation.

my player is currently advertised for sale on audiogon.

i am not alone in my perceptions of the marantz reference sacd players. there is one service which promises to eliminate the nasties by replacing the caps.

i think a tube power supply, rectifier and buffer stage would be helpful for these players.

hi kevziek:

i own a marantz 11s2. it is very focused, precise and hard sounding.
my experiences have been confirmed by other marantz owners, including one who is selling a marantz 11s1.

there is nothing smooth about the marantz 11s2. further i have heard the 7s1 several times. it bears a strong family resemblance to the 11s2.

the marantz players have no tubes and are unforgiving of poor recordings.

i suppose it may be a case of dissonant perceptions and opinions of the same component. this phenomenon is very common among audiophiles.

if you like an analytical presentation, you will like the marantz players.

by the way, i did not say there was a frequency imbalance, rather, a hardness and unrelaxed presentation. after listening to the player for about a half hour, i feel like turning it off. currently, i have mine up for sale on audiogon. would you like to buy another one ?