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Hi Fi or Not?

I don't recall seeing any Yamaha (or Marantz) gear on this forum, but they both have some pretty expensive gear that I would expect to sound excellent.  Does Yamaha (or Marantz) show up to the audio shows?  Who is their target audience since it seems like most audiophiles lean towards more boutique brands?  Here's some of the current top end gear:

Yamaha

C-5000 Preamplifier ($10,000)

M-5000 Power Amplifier ($10,000)

CD-S3000 SACD/DAC($6,000)

GT-5000 Turntable ($8,000)


Marantz

PM-10 Integrated Amplifier ($8,000)

SA-10 SACD/DAC ($7,000)

TT-15S1 Turntable ($1,500)


mceljo
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 
Flagship efforts like you listed have been very good in the past, although some pieces may be better than others and the smaller boutique manufacturers might offer a little more bang for your buck. 
deadhead1000's avatar
deadhead1000
712 posts
 
These are brands (and there are many others)  that go up and down in quality depending on their who their management/owner is and which series you are referring too. Marantz is a great example of an original American brand that was top of the line, got brought out by a Japanese firm in the 70's  and was garbage in the 80's (I sold their stuff back then so I know it well). They got their mojo back in the last few years a bit and now have a high-end series. A high price however does not mean good sound, or a sound you will like.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,259 posts
 
Yamaha has always been a step or two beyond Marantz since it sold out to the Japanese. Yamaha makes some excellent equipment.
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