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Shocker - CAL CL 15 vs Marantz KI Pearl SACD

I have recently auditioned the new Marantz SACD player and I was shocked when I hooked my old CL -15 back up to my system. There was no comparison in my humble opinion in my system. The CAL was so much better at doing things that I like that the Marantz is back in the box. WOW. I never knew the CL-15 was so good. It is much more emotionally satisfying. I do not have many SACD's. The SACD player in the Marantz is very good. Boy am I glad I listened to both. I saved myself 3 grand. The Marantz sounded great, but it did not do the little things as well. The Timbre of the instruments, sense of air, and bass is better on the Cal to my ears at least. Call me crazy but I will not be buying a new player anytime soon. I just learned because a CD player is older does not necessarily mean it is not as good as the new technology. I found that out.
tzh21y
9 responses Add your response
snopro
385 posts
 
Tzh21y,
Does the Marantz have a few hundred hours on it?
My SA-7s1 sounded much better after break-in.
bulldogger
262 posts
 
Cal was way ahead of it's time. My friend made the same observation with his Cal player and sold a Marantz SA-11s2.
tzh21y OP
1,654 posts
 
It is a fairly newer unit. That is for sure. The break in period is definitely not even close to complete. I was very suprised. The CAL is more liquid in my opinion. Maybe I will listen to the unit after it has been broken in. It is very new in all fairness. but the Cal player is stunning to say the least. I am going to buy the interconnects they gave me to use. They sound wonderful. JPS Labs Alluminata. I guess the difference is this: when I have Celine Dion on with the Cal, i get goose bumps, that is not the case with the Marantz. But maybe I have to give it a chance to break in. I still think that it will never sound as rich and liquid, and involving as the CAL. This already the 5th player I have tried. Maybe my Cal is trying to tell me something.
jylee
306 posts
 
I owned CL-15 before, and I agree it's a great sounding CD player. Modern CD players are more neutral sounding. You won't find one that sounds warm and rich like CL-15 easily, unless you go for exotic design.
steveaudio
331 posts
 
I had a CL-15 I bought used years ago. Really liked it; should'a kept it. I made the mistake of trading it for a CL-25, that broke a couple of years later, & by then CAL had gone out of business, or been bought out.

I now have a Cary 303-200 that I love, esp in it's price range used. I suspect it's roughly on the same level as the CL-15 (well I hope it's better of course), but hard to compare with a player I sold 10 years ago.
tzh21y OP
1,654 posts
 
I have heard that the Cary pieces are quite the value. Unfortunately, nobody sells the stuff locally. I would love to hear it someday.
winoguy17
1,082 posts
 
Celine Dion?
tzh21y OP
1,654 posts
 
lol, I was waiting for somebody to say something. It even brings me goosebumps with Celine Dion.
tzh21y OP
1,654 posts
 
Now I am Listening to Eva Cassidy, Live at Blues Alley, Bridge Over Troubled Water. Goosebumps
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