Need a New CD Player


Time to buy a new CD player. Have done some research and it appears as though the Marantz has the audio properties that I want for the amount of money I would like to spend. CD 5005 and CD 6005 models are what I am looking at.

Has anyone compared these two head to head? I am wondering if there is any kind of sonic difference between the two. I noted the 5004 is not as adept at playing analog recordings as the 5005 or 6005 and I've ruled out that model.
will62
The big difference to my mind, if it is important to you and worth the $100 difference, is that the 5004/5 is made in China and the 6004/5 is made in Japan.

Rich
Will62-

if you like Marantz & enjoy its house sound- buy the model(s) made in Japan. It may cost a little more, but totally worth it!

Keep me posted & happy listening!
I just picked up the 6005 as a demo from Music Direct and replaced my 5003. It's far more detailed, better on vocals, much more overall clarity, etc. Can't compare it to the 5004. Good value for the price.
Thanks for the details.

From what I've read the Marantz sound is a little warm and detailed. I also read the new Yamaha CD players are also similar in that regard. I used to use Yamaha in the 80's and into the 90's but got away from them because they sounded a bit bright. My listening taste changed to a more neutral to warm character in the music.

If the Marantz or Yamaha units are neutral to warm then that should be fine. The Cambridge Audio I used for the last 13 years just bit the dust and from what I've read the newer models are a bit bright.
If you have opportunity, audition a TEAC CD-3000 CD/SACD player. Trouble with auditioning, even if you can do it in your own place, in your system, is that, unless the unit is a demo, it will take a good while to break in.
Can't address Yamaha, but the Marantz CD6005 is characteristic of the Marantz "house" sound ... neutral to warm. Good value, too. Good luck.
Ghosthouse. I just put a new engine into my car. No chance I will be able to spend over a grand on a CD player. No doubt the Teac is a great unit but not something I can afford in the near future.
I just returned a Marantz 5005. It did not make it to my ears even with an external DAC.
I got a Rega Apollo-R and I am very happy.
YMMV
Crwindy. Can you expound a bit about why the 5005 didn't sound right to you?

I just pulled out a Teac CD 1250 P from over a decade ago to use in place of an even older Technics which stinks until I can get a new unit. The old Teac sounds far better than the Technics. More depth to the sound stage and the instruments seem to be more distinct in most every CD I've listened to.

I've also read the latest NAD CD players are excellent and apparently the QC issues that existed when I last bought one nearly 15 years ago no longer exist. Anyone have any comments about the NAD 516BEE?
Hey Will - sorry 'bout that, didn't understand your budget. As part of the same Distinction series of which the CD3000 is a part, TEAC offers 2 lower priced models. Maybe one of those (CD1000 or CD2000) would work? Did a quick check on Amazon...looks like the 2000 is right at $1K. The CD1000 around $800. They are both CD/SACD players. The CD1000 5 star review on Amazon is worth reading as it cites some hifi publication reviews/awards (for whatever those are worth). There's a lot of great gear out there. I'm not trying to tell you TEAC is the best of the best at a given price point BUT it doesn't seem to have the high profile of other brands so might be something you had not considered recently. Good luck in your search whatever you end up getting.
I could never quite put my hand (ear) on what the problem was. I just didn't want to listen to music, and when I did, I didn't want to keep hearing more.
I tried it by itself and with my rDAC. The sound was best with the rDAC and optical output, but still not great.
I had been using an old TEAC VRDS transport with the rDAC and I was very happy.
I picked up a floor model Rega Apollo-R for $650 and I am very happy with it, both using its own DAC and the external one.
I am not great at audiophile-speak, so the only term that I can use is listener fatigue, that ill defined loss of desire to hear more, rather than disc after disc.
Cwindy. Thanks for the info. Sounds like it may have had a harsh sound then at least to your ears.