What's going on with Marantz?

My beloved Marantz CD 5004 is beginning to act up and presumably in the final stages of its 10 year run. Wanting to replace it with the newest model, I headed over to an official online Marantz retailer.

It looks like Marantz discontinued the 5000 series as there is ZERO internet presence.

So, I looked at the CD 6007. Out of stock. I checked back about a month later. The expected date was pushed back even further. Strange.

At some point, I'd like to invest in a nice integrated amp and the Marantz PM 8006 fits the bill. I checked availability online. THAT was out of stock too. BUT, it wasn't JUST the PM8006. Practically EVERY amplifier made by Marantz is out of stock. You literally CAN'T BUY THEIR PRODUCTS.

I've heard that Dennon is owned by the same people that own Marantz so I looked at their CD players. Both affordable models are out of stock and the ship date for one is "unknown."

Does anyone know what's happening over at Marantz? Sure, I can understand a product being backordered but practically their entire product line is unavailable. It's all very odd.

 

I ran into the same issue when trying to buy a Marantz AVR back in December. The salesman told it would take 30 - 40 days to get one - Marantz was having Covid related supply chain issues. On the other hand I had no problem getting a Denon which is what I did.

 

Due to the devastating fire that AKM had last October at the only manufacturing facility that produced the AK4490 DAC, the CD6007 may no longer be available once Marantz depletes their on-hand stock of AK4490s! Apparently, AKM had some very precise equipment used to produce these DACs that were destroyed in the fire, and because these machines were unique as far as their level of precision (someone please correct me if I'm mistaken), they're unable to farm out production to another manufacturer. Thus, AKM may not be able to produce that line of DACs for some time to come, as it appears it may take much longer than the 6 months they originally estimated in order to bring the production line back up. As a result, we may be waiting for some time before the CD6007 becomes available again, if at all!

That being said, they seem to be showing up sporadically from time to time, so you never know when one will turn up!

 

Wow, that's incredibly bad news. I guess it's time to start exploring alternatives to Marantz. It's all very disheartening. I can't begin to explain how much I love the CD 5004.

 

Seems like CD 6007 is available here. No?

Marantz USA Store | Receivers, Stereo Systems, and Components

shipping in March

 

Once you click on the product it says "Usually ships in 6-8 weeks."

 

I see now that's listed as a "pre-order." I thought this product had been released already.

 

There are also worldwide chip shortages.

 

As soon as I had read about the fire back in November, I called my local dealer who said their first shipment of CD6007s would be arriving in a few weeks, so he put one aside for me. The shipment arrived just before Christmas and, lo and behold, he only got one! I snagged it, and he hasn't gotten any more in since then.

They now appear to be popping up for sale sporadically. I was checking out Amazon last week and there appeared to be a few avaiable from a couple of sellers. And they hadn't inflated the price! So, keep looking, and be ready to pounce when you find one. Believe me, your patience will be rewarded!

 

Marantz is funny about their warranty. Unless you buy from an authorized retailer, the warranty won't be covered.

https://www.ca.marantz.com/en-ca/support/warranty

 

What’s funny bout that?

 

Maybe funny is the wrong word.

Let's say someone buys a brand new, factory sealed CD player from Amazon. A few months later, there is a mechanical issue. Marantz refuses to honor the warranty despite the consumer paying full price and ordering from a legitimate retailer. It seems wrong to me.

 

What makes you think the legitimate retailer that partnered with Amazon to sell you the Marantz wasn't an authorized dealer? I think basically the only issue is buying used or grey market.

 

Try ordering a race bike these days !
What's going on with Specialized ?
What's going on with Shimano ?
.....
Covid rules the economy !

 

Dumbbells are also very scarce and expensive still. Tragically too, as now is the time when people need to exercise at home and stay in shape.

 

This should be true. I know all Rega turntables listed on Amazon are through 3rd party sellers. I think sellers like using Amazon because of the exposure and the availability to park their goods in Amazon's distribution centers to provide Prime delivery.

 

my local hi-fi dealer told me that he was having a hard time getting any equipment due to shortages of chips etc... I read that the car industry is having major problems sourcing chips too.
As far as bikes and weights are concerned most if not all are made in china and they shut down last year and are probably back logged like crazy... right when all the gyms
closed so every body bought up all the weights, bikes etc.. just check out what rusty old plates dragged out of someones garage are going for on Craigslist... the kind you couldn't
have given away a couple of years ago. My local bike shop is out of almost everything except $14000 downhill bikes.

 

Let’s say, hypothetically some of your praised possessions are obtained by a party and sold through means not approved by yourself after you warned, outside your approval, you won’t stand behind product. Would you then honor what you forbid? Marantz and any would have that right?

 

I had a similar problem finding a Cambridge CXA81 amp late last year. My local dealer had a long wait time, as did most of the major online retailers.

 

I worked in the semiconductor field for many years with the last 17 at one of the country's national labs.
It takes a lot of repeated processes and a lot of time to fabricate a semiconductor. The equipment used, diffusion furnaces, reactive ion etchers, chem benches, lithography equipment and other good stuff, has to be maintained to rigid process tolerances. A lot measurements we do are measured in angstroms. I've been part of bringing up a new fab and even after the building is built and the necessary equipment is installed to facilitate the equipment used to make the chip extensive qualification tests have to done.
I don't see how AKM can be back in a year even. I think that they'll probably outsource their production if possible while rebuilding. The fire was truly devastating and I was sorry to read about it.

 

Amazon is aware of warranty issues of the product from the illegitiment supplier. So are other sellers as well. Therefore the seller can stand behind the product and offer a warranty if it desires.

 

I currently am a manager in a GaAs wafer Fab and there is no way they will bring the line back in 6 months after a fire. It will take a year or more. Will take many months to just dial in the recipes on the new equipment.

 

Audio Advisor states that the CD6007 will be available to purchase 3/28/21. Crutchfield will have them 4/30.

 

Exactly. Just to qual the tools will take 6 months. That's why I'm guessing they outsource as fast as possible if they can find a fab that can even schedule that.

 

We got a new back side wafer grinder middle of last year and it is still not running properly. This is a million dollar tool including installation. They are about to give up on it and buy another similar tool from a different manufacturer. Also we are required to have a back up fab by our main customers just for situations like this.