Marantz SA8004 SACD Player - Playing Music Files With A USB Drive

I tried doing some research on this model and am a bit confused.

If you put Flac or Wave files on a USB flash drive, are you able to simply plug it into the front of the player and play them? Also, would the Beatles USB drive play on this model? Thanks

 

I have an older Marantz universal player UD5005 and it will play WAV files from a USB thumb drive inserted in the front panel USB port but not FLAC. I would check the owner's manual for more details. You can download the manual in PDF format from Marantz's website.

 

The SA8004 plays USB stored wave files via the front input.

 

Thanks guys.

 

no FLAC support.

 

If you have not already bought the SA8004 I would suggest spending $200 more and get the Oppo 105. The 105 has flac support and many additional features that the SA8004 does not have.

Bill

 

According to the manual (page 14 and following), the SA8004 plays WAV, MP3, WMA, AAC. The files must not have a resolution higher than 48kHz.

http://us.marantz.com/DocumentMaster/US/SA8004_U_EN_UG_v01_new.pdf

This makes the file playback function pretty much useless, as FLAC is now the dominant lossless format, and hi-rez downloads get more important.

It could be that Marantz limits the file playback functionality of their disc players so that they don't compete with their streaming clients.

 

You can input files with resolution above 48khz using either the coaxial or optical inputs on the back of the unit. The manual documents this option. You are correct that the front USB input only supports files up to 48khz. Disagree with your Assumptions.

 

I remember that it doesn't play gapless either.

 

I was recently looking into this player and it had a ton of limitations for a name brand machine. You couldn't pass multichannel DSD surround to your pre/pro, because it does not have an HDMI connection.

 

The SA8004 is a stereo only player so I'm not sure how it could pass MCH DSD or any other MCH source. To me this player is very limited for its cost.

Bill

 

My remarks were only about the file playback function, not the DAC.

BTW, the indications on the website and the manual contradict each other.

http://us.marantz.com/us/products/pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=hificomponents&ProductId=SA8004

 

Yes, but the SACD player market is now clearly divided between stereo-only SACD/CD players and multichannel universal players for video and audio formats, so you need to choose between those two product categories.

 

Very true. If one can chose between two players with similar cost and SQ I do not understand why one would not go with the universal player. Even if one only has two channel playback capability. With the universal player they can then take advantage of two channel audio on DVD-As and Blu-Rays.

Bill

 

Ok, so this player will play files directly from a USB hard drive storage device. But if you have 100s of folders in said USB hard drive storage device, how do you navigate through them?

 

Anybody able to answer this?

 

Please read the manual - http://us.marantz.com/us/Products/P...=DocumentMaster/US/SA8004_U_EN_UG_v01_new.pdf

The 8004 directly reads USB flash drives. I use a 32gb flash drive. You probably need a computer to use an external hard drive that requires power. Regarding, navigating through the files: Use the remote to scroll through folders and songs. The unit's display lists the needed information.

 

So you would need the external hard drive hooked to CPU using a USB cord then another USB cord from computer to unit. Any loss of quality expected from having to run two cables?

 

Yes, that's how I interpret the manual. Regarding loss of quality: Computer-based systems use two cables when an external hard drive is used. Suggest you try and tell us your findings. Maybe, I'll dig out the son's old Sony Windows 2000 computer and give it a try. Of course, navigation is via the mouse and monitor. Thanks.

 

It's not going to work like that, at all. You can connect a USB drive, but you'll have no way to visually know how your navigating around it. This player might be useful if you load up a single song or album via USB and want to hear it. The minute you try to access more than one music folder you're pretty much doomed.

Look elsewhere if you need file or computer playback.

 

I have no problem navigating through a 32gb USB drive on my SA 8004. I can scroll through folders and songs using the SA 8004's remote. The display is large enough for me to read from 10 feet away. I keep two drives on the shelf loaded with 100 CDs of music, in Wav format.

 

Which is good, but unless you can read the front panel display, you're stuck. Even when you can read it, navigating through 500+ folders/albums has got to be maddening.

 

I have a 4 TB hard drive! So a lot more files than a 32G USB Drive. (eventual goal is to rip entire CD collection and only keep out 1000 or less of my favorites).

And I never actually pulled trigger on buying this system. Was going back and forth between SA8005 and Oppo BDP-105. Didn't pull the trigger on either yet. Hopefully by the end of the year. High quality (#1) and easy (close #2) USB playback from an external hard drive would be a huge bonus though, so I'm curious to learn other's experiences with Marantz/Oppo. And I will dig up this and other threads I've posted questions on and share my own opinions once I make the upgrade.

 

There's a new SA8005 model now.

 

I intend to buy the new Mac Mini and a small monitor this November to use as the foundation for a music server for my TBs of ripped music. I'll run it through the Marantz DAC. I'm stereo and not multi-channel.

Update us as you proceed. I'll do the same.

Thanks,

T