Marantz CD5001 CD Player

Jagat,
I have recently got myself a hi-fi setup and the process of acquiring it has certainly been an amazing experience full of FUD(fear/uncertainity/doubt) and excitement. I would try and highlight a few learnings I had in the process, they are not something new, but it is always important to bear in mind.

Know what you want: You should analyse what kind of music you listen to, at what volume-level and for what duration. Are you more of a party animal or a consider music to be very private and personal. The other very important aspect is to know what kind of sound you prefer: analytical or warm or bright.
At the end of the exercise you must have clarity on your priorities.

Research: There ain't any substitute for detailed homework. Even if someone were to state that old cliche of analysis-to-paralysis; I absolutely would recommend a long and detailed phase of analysis. My research went on for 6 months before I finalized the order. The dealers in Bangalore, I'm sure would have hated me whenever I showed up.

Reviews / Recommendations: They should be guidelines and not deciders. Use them to find out if there are any technical gliches in the product. Also use them to shortlist the products for audition.

Audition them: Trust your own ears. Listen to the tracks that you know inside out. Listen to each equipment for atleast 15-20 minutes. Only you will know what is the set that you would want.

Lay emphasis on acoustics: there are quite a few websites that should help you do that

My Preference:
I like a very warm sound that envelops me. The bass should be tight and the highs should be crisp but not piercing. The vocals should be pristine.

In the order of preference:

1. ARCAM A90 / CD192; this is out of your budget but would eliminate your upgrade woes for quite sometime
2. Cambridge Audio Azur 640(around 70% of ARCAM)
3. NAD or MARANTZ

In the order of preference:

1. ProAc Studio 110 (must listen)
2. EPOS M22
3. Monitor Audio RS-6

__________________________________________________ ____
My HT Setup:

ELECTRONICS: ARCAM: DV 137 / AVR 350
SPEAKERS: ProAC Studio 140 (Front) / ProAc CC1 (Center) / ProAc Studio 110 (Surrounds)
SUB-WOOFER: ProAc ER1
CABLES:
Front: QED Genesis Silver & QED X-Tube (Bi-Amped)
Center: QED X-Tube (Bi-Wired)
Surrounds: QED Silver Anniversary XT (Bi-Wired)
SubWoofer: QED Quenex SE-SW
INTERCONNECTS:
Audio:Merlin Choppin (both Analog & Digital)
Video: QED HDMi
PROJECTOR: Not-decided (The New Optoma HD81 looks enticing)

Thank you avexplorer for your kind suggestions.

keeping my budget in mind I have considered the following (after hearing and reviewing many products):

Cambridge Audio Azur 640c v2.0
Creek Amp A50iR integrated amp.
Epos 12.2 speakers.

I find that the creek amp mates well with the epos speakers (since they belong to the same group, they probably voice them together).

I would love to hear the ProAc speakers but unfortunately cannot get to hear them in Mumbai.

Hey avexplorer, you seem to have a very exciting setup. Would love to read a detail review of your setup or individual components. if possible please post them in the review forum.

Thanks.

I'm planning to do that soon but very quickly I respond to that question as:

5 months into my speaker research I thought I had heard the best of the best in speakers....and then I heard ProAc...
A week later I got my ARCAM (DV137/AVR350) and the ProAcs were reborn...




P.S.
I had heard them on a Primare in ABSOLUTE PHASE and honestly I beleive the ARCAMs are way ahead in what matters most SOUND & SIGHT

I agrree... the ARCAM's are definately better sounding to the cold and uninvolving Primare integrated amp. I have heard.

Hello there - well said about the marantz cd player. Though, i have question. I recently upgraded to Cd7300 from CD 4000 (quite old model). The cd 4000 had high treble and sounded very digital. The thing is it seems like the volume or sound has dropped in cd7300? is it possible or is it just me (or my ears) although the sound seems more neutral and sweet.

opinion would help :-)

cheers
Ananth

Hello Ananth,

Sorry for such a delayed response. I got it clear what you meant by the volume or sound dropping in CD7300. The CD4000 was more upfront and was made to show the details and dynamics by forward presentation...which would impress anyone the first time, but a prolonged listening session would have concluded that it indeed do not really qualify as an audiophile player. For that time..may be there weren't that good players for its price...but definitely not now. As you said, CD7300 is smooth, sweet and I add non-tiring. I own this player for an year now myself. I had a great opportunity to have the Arcam CD73T at my place for 2 days. I had an one-on-one comparision with CD7300. Ofcourse CD73T outshines CD7300 with pace and timing and it is slightly sweeter than CD7300 too, but that has never brought down my respect for this player. There was no differnce on the detailing front which means i never missed a single note on my favorite CD ever. Just that for the price i paid for this player i am slightly compromising on the pace/timing sector which is okay for the moment. I will never trade this player for anything for its ultimate flexibility in terms of disc format playability and quality/build and the sex appeal.

But i will buy the Arcam too!!! Very soon!!! Because being an audiophile...i am always hard bent on dicovering the scope of betterment in my system..CD73T demostrated that...and i am very excited about this upgrade. But CD7300 will still have its place in the system.

The best part about these players are that they sound the real high-end unlike the more cheapo models from denon/nad/cambridge stable. In the gospel of High End - i sincerely advice whoever is reading this - make sure you spend a gr8 amount on the CD player. It makes a hell lot of a difference.

You should stop worrying about what you heard earlier in CD4000 and what you are hearing now in the 7300. As long as you are not tired listening to your favorite music in "today"..your player and the system is the best! Period

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by MonitorTheAudio
Hello there - well said about the marantz cd player. Though, i have question. I recently upgraded to Cd7300 from CD 4000 (quite old model). The cd 4000 had high treble and sounded very digital. The thing is it seems like the volume or sound has dropped in cd7300? is it possible or is it just me (or my ears) although the sound seems more neutral and sweet.

opinion would help :-)

cheers
Ananth

Hello Ananth,

Sorry for such a delayed response. I got it clear what you meant by the volume or sound dropping in CD7300. The CD4000 was more upfront and was made to show the details and dynamics by forward presentation...which would impress anyone the first time, but a prolonged listening session would have concluded that it indeed do not really qualify as an audiophile player. For that time..may be there weren't that good players for its price...but definitely not now. As you said, CD7300 is smooth, sweet and I add non-tiring. I own this player for an year now myself. I had a great opportunity to have the Arcam CD73T at my place for 2 days. I had an one-on-one comparision with CD7300. Ofcourse CD73T outshines CD7300 with pace and timing and it is slightly sweeter than CD7300 too, but that has never brought down my respect for this player. There was no differnce on the detailing front which means i never missed a single note on my favorite CD ever. Just that for the price i paid for this player i am slightly compromising on the pace/timing sector which is okay for the moment. I will never trade this player for anything for its ultimate flexibility in terms of disc format playability and quality/build and the sex appeal.

But i will buy the Arcam too!!! Very soon!!! Because being an audiophile...i am always hard bent on dicovering the scope of betterment in my system..CD73T demostrated that...and i am very excited about this upgrade. But CD7300 will still have its place in the system.

The best part about these players are that they sound the real high-end unlike the more cheapo models from denon/nad/cambridge stable. In the gospel of High End - i sincerely advice whoever is reading this - make sure you spend a gr8 amount on the CD player. It makes a hell lot of a difference.

You should stop worrying about what you heard earlier in CD4000 and what you are hearing now in the 7300. As long as you are not tired listening to your favorite music in "today"..your player and the system is the best! Period

Hello there...thanks for your views. I guess i figured out the problem couple of weeks ago. Its coz of burned cd's and not original ones, seems like they dont sit correctly. n e way, i have given arnd 40-50 hrs use and looks like its stablized and sounds more mellow and sweet making it perfect for listening sessions. i am not sure of ARCAM or Cambridge CD players but will be auditioning them soon. heard the CA 540 V2 series are good, but again they are warm sounded just like the marantz or denon amps. CA although lacks in a little imaging but maintains the pace and timing.

i use a pretty mediocre amp - Denon PMA 700AE (has some decent reviews though) but sounds good to me and thats what matters end of the day. lacks a little bit imaging and headroom but i am saving for NAIM Nait 5 or something similar...

thanks again...

cheers
P

hi Prithvi i am aslo lookin for good audio cd player could you please tell me what's the price of 640Cv2 and 540C (Version 2)
anyway i heard your name quite a lot from one of my friend vinny. please pm me regarding price
regards
jang