Marantz


Guys-

anyone here using a Marantz SACD player? Specifically, the special or limited editions?
jafant
The lower the first number, the higher up it is on the Marantz food chain.
The SA (Super Audio) 1 was their top model about 15 years ago. It listed for $7500. Then the SA-7S1, which came out about 8 years ago, and list for $6500. Then the SA-11S1, which came out about 10 years ago and listed for $3500. It was followed up by the S2 version, and currently is in the SA-11 S3 version listing for $4000.

Look through the Audiogon Bluebook, you don't have to have a subscription. It will tell you model numbers, their release date, and original list price.


I had an SA-1, and it was a fantastic unit. Sold it in favor of a Goldmund player. Boy, was that a mistake. 
FWIW, whether you like a high end Marantz CD player or not may more depend on the rest of your system than anything else. I have a Wadia 302 and a Raysonic 128 CDP. I tuned my system (using tubes in my integrated amps) to a give me a sound with a bit of warmth in the lower mid-range/upper bass. I then bought a Marantz SA11SA3 for SACD playback.

In my system the Marantz sound was bloated in the bass/lower mid range. This was particularly notable in a lot of new orchestral (classical) recordings including both formats. Interestingly  a lot of old, somewhat sterile CD's, such as DG's for example, were much more listenable. I found that solo piano music this player was excellent. This probably has more to do with nature of the piano sound which just presents a warmer lower frequency sound, not a bloated or congested sound as it might  when made by a large orchestra in a big hall. 

What this suggests to me is that the Marantz probably works best when it is used in a more linear system where it's bass emphasis will be nothing more than that, i.e. a bit of added warmth.

Re, the Redbook vs CD issue. I find that the difference in recording format is far below the importance of the performance - once the CD starts to spin I really don't hear all of the benefits of the SACD format. The only thing I have noticed is that frequently on new SACD's, which seem to have some additional warmth built in, these SACD's actually sound better on my Wadia. Go figure.

Hope that helps a bit.....:-)