CDP upgrade: Marantz SA8005 or Arcam CDS27?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Liquid Len, May 4, 2015.

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  1. Liquid Len

    Liquid Len Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Yorkshire, UK
    I've recently found myself in a position to upgrade my digital front-end (Marantz CD6000KI signature through Musical Fidelity V-DAC/V-PSU) and would value some advice.

    I have whittled my list of potential replacements down to the Marantz SA8005 and the fairly recently released Arcam CDS27. The Marantz is a well reviewed SACD player with digital inputs and the Arcam plays SACD too but also has a built-in music streamer. I have a good collection of CDs at the moment with no intention of getting rid of this just yet, but no SACDs. I also have a fairly large collection of digital music stored on my iMac - mostly MP3 but with a growing number of files stored in FLAC format.

    The pros and cons are as follows:

    The Marantz: plays SACD but is also a great CD spinner; know and like the Marantz house sound; handles 24/192 hi-res files including DSD, via its inbuilt DAC which uses the Cirrus Logic CS4398 chip ; also plays files via a front-mounted USB input but won't play FLAC files this way; can be had for £200 GBP less than the Arcam.

    The Arcam is British-built, also plays SACD; uses the highly regarded TI/Burr Brown PCM1794 chip; has UPnP and CIFS compatibility which allows it to connect to home networks for streaming stored content. Arcam is £200 GBP more than the Marantz. Very few reviews available.

    Dilemma: which is the best option given the ways that I currently listen to music? Is the 'future-proofing' streaming ability of the Arcam worth the £200 difference? The rest of my listening chain is Arcam Diva A85 amp and Monitor Audio Silver 5i floorstanders.

    Also, are there any other suitable contenders that I haven't considered?

    Any advice/suggestions appreciated.
     
  2. vinylman

    vinylman Senior Member

    Location:
    Leeds, U.K.
    I'm hopelessly biased, but I'd go for the Arcam. They have detachable power cords, so you can upgrade that, too, if you wanted. Around five years ago, I went from a £200 Marantz player to a secondhand (but almost mint) Arcam CD72 for £120 delivered (should have been around £450). The difference was - and still is - jaw-dropping. It gave me a new CD collection.
     
  3. dat56

    dat56 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    SW Missouri
    Both are very good choices but given that (a) you already have an Arcam amp, (b) you have no SACD's and (c) you do have digital files, I think the Arcam is the way to go.
     
    joelee likes this.
  4. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    I've read the Arcam's DAC doesn't do native DSD and converts to PCM (unlike their previous models). On that basis I would favour Marantz if SACD is important to you.
     
  5. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    I'm biased towards Marantz because I've owned several of their CD players and now a SACD player.
     
  6. Liquid Len

    Liquid Len Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Yorkshire, UK
    Many thanks for taking the time to respond guys but your wisdom hasn't taken me much further forward decision-wise I'm afraid! I was a bit miffed by the Arcam's 'pseudo' DSD too Classicrock. Which Marantz SACD do you have ssmith3046, just out of interest? How does it perform; any particularly good/bad points?
     
  7. Lonson

    Lonson I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues

    I have an Arcam CD37 and it's a great sounding player. It's sitting in a closet now but that's just because I have so many great players and was on a buying frenzy a few years ago. The sound is warm and dynamic and the build is very solid. . . I can recommend Arcam based on my experience with this player.
     
  8. joelee

    joelee Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Houston
    I also have the Arcam CD37 and love it(both for SACD and Redbook playback).
    From what I've heard (CD/SACD player) in its price range there's no comparison!
     
    scobb likes this.
  9. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    I have a SA8003 and love it. I'm primarily a record person but enjoy SACDs and CDs too and can find no fault the Marantz deck. If I ever decide to upgrade to a newer model it would be with another Marantz SACD player. I doubt if I ever will buy a newer model because the 8003 still works and sounds great.
     
  10. Linto

    Linto Mayor of Simpleton

    I would always recommend looking for a used Linn Ikemi, killer transport and sounds much better
    than my M-Dac
     
  11. ls35a

    ls35a Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, Idaho
    If SACD is a priority go with the Marantz.
     
    ssmith3046 likes this.
  12. randy9700

    randy9700 Indian MC Rider!

    I can't do a direct comparison because I don't have the Arcam but I have been in love with my Marantz SA-8004 since I hooked it up. The flexibility of having the digital inputs put it over the top for me (please no Oppo comparisons as I use this strictly in a two channel environment). The Ipod/USB front input is nice but the lack of playing FLAC is a bit disappointing. That said, I plan to use my backup laptop as a music server though the PC USB input on the back whenever I get time to work on that. I could then play FLAC from JRiver MC or Foobar2000. I have also hooked up my NAD C542 fed through the Marantz with an digital optical cable. I keep the NAD in my chain since it decodes HDCD wheras the Marantz does not. I bought the Marantz since I was actually buying some SACD's (mostly Hybrid but some strictly with an SACD layer) and wanted to hear what some of the fuss was about and also to appreciate the Sinatra SacDees coming from Mofi at the time. I have never regretted spending the money on this piece of gear. If the SA8005 played FLAC files from the front USB I would seriously entertain upgrading....

    One thing I have done that I do like is use the front USB for an IPOD Classic 160 GB player. I load everything ALAC and a few of the files are 24/48 which iTunes handles and the Ipod plays. You control you player through the remote and the front display of the Marantz.
     
  13. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Cambridge Audio 752BD. Twin Wolfson WM8740 DACs. SACD, DVD-A, HDCD, BR-Audio and great redbook. £800 but you might find a deal in Richer Sounds. Bought mine blind, haven't regretted it one minute. It's played to death, load times are great and I can't think of a bad thing to say of it. This isn't just owner pride, I also have an AVI Lab Series player that retailed for £1500 and also has the same DAC. Hasn't been powered up bar when I try out my SMSL mini amp.
     
  14. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I have an SA8004 as well. I explicitly needed a CD player/DAC combo, so it fit the bill. If I was looking for just a CD player, I'd get whatever was best with redbook CDs and ignore all other considerations. I sort of sense that's the Arcam, but I can't say for sure.
     
  15. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Update: Just checked Richer Sounds website and they're doing the 752 as a bank holiday special for £599 (£200 off).

    http://www.richersounds.com/product/blu-ray/cambridge-audio/azur-752bd/camb-752bd-blk
     
  16. Liquid Len

    Liquid Len Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Yorkshire, UK
    Much more to think about now thanks to all, including the option of a UDP, which I hadn't considered at all previously. I'm wary of this as it introduces the possibility of a 'jack of all trades ...' scenario where individual functions are compromised slightly by the need to accommodate everything in one box; in theory a dedicated CDP should do the job better?! The CA 752BD sounds very good, but there are some pretty stinking appraisals of its audio performance in a small number of user reviews. Its heartening though to read that the video circuits can be completely disabled if not required which, in my case, they wouldn't be. The playback of 24/192 FLAC files and HDCD decoding (I have a number of 40th Anniversary King Crimson disks that I'm currently not hearing the best from) is also an attraction with this machine. Just one question Brother_Rael: does the 752BD require connection to a TV for audio setup, or can it be done without? I suppose I could try to have a listen to all three (SA8005, CDS27 & 752BD) and take advantage of home demos if available.

    Thanks again; I'll let you know how I get on.
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2015
  17. Robert C

    Robert C Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Assuming you have a computer attached to your hifi, why not rip the HDCDs and play them from there?
     
  18. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    This idea makes sense. After all, designers have to ration budgets, and paying for video processing, netflix app engineering, etc should in theory subtract from things that could go into superior CD playback. This was the logic I followed buying my Marantz over the flagship Oppo (I already own a BDP-93 NuForce edition), but I'm not entirely sure its actually that linear. I like the Marantz but I'm not sure if I'd consider it objectively better then the Oppo (it does have features I desire the Oppo doesn't) One thing I was hoping for at the minimum was speedy load times, but even having to decide if the disc is redbook or SACD slows things down quite a bit. Just food for though on the dedicated vs. multi-function thing.
     
  19. Linger63

    Linger63 Forum Resident

    Location:
    AUSTRALIA
    Highly recommend listening to an OPPO BDP 105

    Does it all..........Does it well!!!!!!!!

    A modded one will match a $10K CDP.......IMHO
     
    Pancat likes this.
  20. Dave Marshall

    Dave Marshall Forum Resident

    +1 on the CA 752BD, I much prefer the sound to my previous Oppo 95. I've modded the 752 with a Linear PSU from Oppomods and it sounds glorious. I only have to use the tv for the initial setup and when playing DVD-A, SACD's and CD's don't need a display to play. I also control my audio files from my connected NAS via BubbleUPnp (paid version 5$) with zero issues. I'm using a Rogue Audio Cronuis Magnum as my integrated connected to Solk Song Towers.
     
  21. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member


    Hi Len, you'd need to set it up to tweak it, but then you can let it go and play independently of a monitor. I use it for both movies and music though, but it's a music player first and foremost. Most of my films I stream from Netflix or Prime.

    I happen to love the Wolfson sound, or at least, players with Wolfson DACs. I use the standard 752, no mods, although I do use a Russ Andrews Powerkord with it and my cables are Atlas Navigator, so that's £300 worth of accessories on it.

    If you can demo all three side by side, then that's obviously ideal. I have a wide range of discs and the 752 does them all but sound quality was always first for me. It replaced a Marantz UD7007 before it and is a much better machine, especially in operation. At £600, it's a top deal, but I suspect that price won't last long. Then again, there's a new Cambridge range out soon so it might come down more yet.

    EDIT: And I read a stack of reviews before committing to buying this. I could've happily stayed with my AVI Lab Series player, but it's never been used since I bought the 752. There may well be reviewers out there that don't like this player, but God knows, they must've had cloth ears.

    My biggest worry was that this might be a sterile sounding player, as Cambridge used to have this reputation a few years ago. Not a bit of it. Sure, it matters what you partner it with, but "stinking" sound quality? They're talking baloney!
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2015
  22. Steve Douglas

    Steve Douglas Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, England
    Hello, I'm in a similar position to the OP. I'm looking for a new CD/SACD player, and am currently also looking at the Marantz SA8005 or the Arcam CDS27. I have a small collection of SACDs (about 15), and am building a collection of Hi-Res 24/192 FLAC files, and have my whole CD collection also in FLAC (as well as the physical discs).

    So, the plus point for the Marantz is the native DSD for SACD playback, whilst the Arcam has the advantage of the Hi-Res streaming. At the price points for SACDs, my collection is unlikely to grow significantly, whereas the prices of HD downloads means I'll probably buying far more of these in the future.

    Ideally I'd like something that plays SACDs and DSD excellently, plus also I'd like to be able to stream digital files up to 24/192 and be able to control it either from the machine's remote, or preferably an iPod or iPad remote function.

    Also to throw into the mix, I own a 1TB Vortexbox cd player and Squeezebox Receiver, however I'm not sure if these can output true 24/192.

    Many Thanks
     
  23. Linger63

    Linger63 Forum Resident

    Location:
    AUSTRALIA

    See post #19 :)
     
  24. Steve Douglas

    Steve Douglas Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, England
    I have absolutely no use (or desire) for BD functions, Netflix, 5.1 Sound etc., so don't really want to be paying for things I will not use.
     
  25. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
    You are already introducing the jack of all trades scenario by looking at CD/SACD players.
     
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