Denon dcd 110 or Marantz saki Ruby?

Over on YouTube there's a Norwegian reviewer who says the new Denon DCD110 is more energetic, punchy and dynamic, compared to the Marantz model 30 SACD player.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ5KTvBVrp4&t=590s

As for the Ruby, I would assume that it would have the Marantz house sound, like the model 30. 

Only one way you're gonna know and that is to try it out in the context of your system.

All the best,
Nonoise

I own a Ruby, purchased in July this year. If sacd is prominent in your listening, like mine, I highly recommend the Ruby, if you can find one. I have a collection of around 2000 discs, 70% sacd. The Ruby is lights out good.

I have the Ruby as well and SACD's sound great but the really cool aspect of this player is that CD's sound better than I have ever heard them before. There is a "solidity" and dynamic swing to the sound of music through this player. This is Ken Ishawata's swan song.  I great end to a marvelous audio designing career!

Thank you for your comments, I will keep looking for a Ruby.

Hi there,
I have a Ruby and the Service repair manual.
You can buy a SA-KI Ruby, SA-12 SE, SA-12, or SA-12 OSE.
They are all the same except for the copper plating on Ruby and SA12 OSE. The filter settings are restricted on the Ruby and the SA.-12 SE.
I think the SA-12 and the SA-12 OSE are for Japan only.

@sericoli 
Just curious...do you have a black or gold Ruby SA-KI?

I have a black Ruby SA-KI number 819/999
At first I was very disappointed, the sound was not good at all.
My old Sony XA5ES(modified) sounded much better.
What have I wasted money on? Expensive crap.
I thought burn-in may make it sound a little better.
I gave it a chance before I decided if I should sell it for half price.
I used Audacity and an online tone generator to make a mix of frequency sweep (5hz-20124hz at 0db(full signal volume) and used a usb mem-stick as source.
It played for 100+ hours (my tube-amp turned off but connected)
I waited and waited and finally I dared to sit down and listened.
WOW what a difference.
After this treatment the sound is SO much better.
Now it sounds BETTER than the Sony, smoother and more life-like.
This player is in need of some serious burn-in.
My Ruby is a keeper.

@sericolo

So glad it worked out for you. The sound has a dynamic drive unlike any disc spinner I’ve had. A musical authority! It’ plays music. Not about treble, midrange, bass etc. just the music. It is as if I went to a more powerful amplifier.

Hi all,
Now my Marantz sa-ki ruby has been on for, 12400 hours.
Almost all is playing from a USB stick.
I have not noticed any change in sound quality after about 3000 hours. 
My SACD laser still has zero hours, and the CD laser has 256 hours.
So far I like the sound very much. However, at about 5000 hours I turned it off to let it cool down for 23 hours and the sound became harsh and unpleasant. It took at least 48 hours to get the good sound back, so I decided to leave it on all the time.

I have measured the temperature inside the player by sticking a probe through a screw hole, and it’s always around 37°C. So, according to an online electrolytic capacitor aging calculator, the electrolytic capacitors should last at least another 5 years if I never turn the player off. 

How many hours do you have on yours?
 
(1)While holding down buttons "stop" and "open tray" simultaneously, press the power button to turn on the power.
The tray opens automatically.
(2) Insert a CD and press the "close tray" button to close the tray.
(wait until reading the disc.)
(3)Make sure that "Aging Mode" is displayed. Use the skip buttons to go to laser on time TB1 or TB2 then press play to get the time.

 

 

Interested in this thread also. Surprised how little info there seems to be on the Denon. Ruby looks like it might be gone, I realize this thread is 2 years old.

Sericolo,

Where did you obtain the Service Manual for your Ruby player?

Steve

Sericolo,

Another question.

I have accessed Aging Mode per your directions above. TB1 is which laser? I would then presume TB2 would be the other.

There is also a T21 and a T22. What are they? I presume the numbers are hours.

How did you find the number of player hours ON?

Thanks, Steve

Hi,
The total time is from when I first turned it on OCT 1 2020. 
 https://www.timeanddate.com/date/durationresult.html?d1=01&m1=10&y1=2020&d2=16&m2=3&y2=2022&ti=on

Then I just subtracted two events, once when I forgot to set repeat (-7h) and once when I tested the sound after a cooldown. (-23h)
TB1=CD,  TB2=SACD(DVD)
T21 and T22 is Laser check mode. (for laser adjustments)

The service manual from:  https://www.service-manual.net/?download=69238-marantz-sa12-fn-sa-ki-ruby-series-service-manual 

How many laser hours do you have?

Thanks so much for all of this. I now have the Service Manual.

I have had my player since August 2020. I only play discs. I have about 2000 hours on each laser. Now I can keep track of this, which is good.

I live in Australia and have a full 4 year warranty on everything in the player. With players, the only real worry is the laser unit.

The laser will most likely last a long time. A laser life is normally between 25000 and 50000 hours, that’s what I have read.

Also, the laser can be adjusted if there is a problem.

With the service manual as an "instructor" there are no worries.

Spare parts for DIY.

https://encompass.com/item/11039994/MARANTZ/991312100050S/

https://www.partstown.com/marantz/mrtz991312100050s

https://www.brelect.fr/index.php?page=produits.inc.php&lib=MECANIQUE+TRAVERSE+UNIT+

DENON%2FMARANTZ&code=991312100050S

or call your local Marantz service center for parts availability and price.

The electrolytic capacitors will not last forever, either.

I’m looking forward to putting even higher quality Elna in my Ruby when the sound starts to degrade.