I have heard several models of Esoteric players, they are a very different animal from the Marantz players, IMHO.
The Esoteric are very resolving and articulate, a bit too analytical for my tastes though.
I am a fan of vinyl, and the Marantz players allow me to listen to digital music without grinding my teeth.
The 7S1 is an older, discontinued CDP. It was the most expensive model that Marantz ever produced. It listed for $6500 - $7000 and was discontinued about 4 years ago. You can find them used for under $3K.
The top current Marantz model is the SA-11S3, which lists for $4000.
The Esoteric are very resolving and articulate, a bit too analytical for my tastes though.
I am a fan of vinyl, and the Marantz players allow me to listen to digital music without grinding my teeth.
The 7S1 is an older, discontinued CDP. It was the most expensive model that Marantz ever produced. It listed for $6500 - $7000 and was discontinued about 4 years ago. You can find them used for under $3K.
The top current Marantz model is the SA-11S3, which lists for $4000.