Howdy from UK! [Archive] - The Art of Sound Forum

beelzebomb

07-05-2017, 13:21

I'm here to seek out Marantz champagne kit basically, and to get any opinions on whatever I'm in the hunt for!
My iPod breaking made me realise I'd drifted away from listening 'live' and being forced to play CDs other than just copying them made me realise what I'd been missing all over again. So with renewed enthusiasm I've embarked on upgrading. Some Wharfedale 10.1 speakers (beautiful looking) on Mission stands plus Marantz CD5001 and CD5000 sitting on a bomb proof Target hifi stand picked up on Gumtree for just 30 quid (including delivery!) have become a reinvigorated joy.
Now, I plan to find a Marantz CD7300 to see if it beats the 2 I've got (legendary rare Philips DAC on the CD5000? I honestly don't notice any difference, plus the display is awful!) and find a nice matching amp in champagne too.
Oh, and I'll be looking at soundproofing my living room walls too - worrying about bass disturbing the neighbours isn't so relaxing!

Ian7633

07-05-2017, 14:04

Ian7633

07-05-2017, 14:05

Hi Sean and welcome to the forum. I really like Marantz equipment and recently renovated my old SD230 cassette deck bought new back in 1984. Enjoy the forum and join in when you like.

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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170507/44423683398e3bd2a0bc571367a1d99e.jpg

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beelzebomb

07-05-2017, 16:55

Nice, there's something about vintage equipment- as long as it works!

Minstrel SE

07-05-2017, 19:26

Hi Sean

The Marantz CD7300 is a nice player. I have one and you can still get the Philips laser units for them. Its never given me a moments trouble and sounds great. You can switch the display off and its a solid, well made bit of kit

I have Marantz equipment in the black and champagne gold. I managed to find an ST6000 champagne tuner brand new in the box for £24...now thats a bargain....and the guy had met Joe Ackroyd so even more of a nice purchase.

I was trying to restore a Philips CD104 with the CDM1 mechanism but had to sell it to an expert restorer in the end

Glad to see you are into good value for money kit like me.

Watch out for the dot matrix display on certain well used Marantz items as it fades in patches. Its never happened to my carefully used equipment but Ive seen it on certain displays

Best wishes
Martin

walpurgis

08-05-2017, 08:34

Hello Sean. Welcome to AOS.

Sounds like you'll be having fun organising your new system. Good luck tracking down the bits you need.

As for soundproofing a room. That's tricky. Damping out higher frequencies is much easier than controlling bass notes, which tend to travel through most materials.

There's lots going on here, so take a look around and join in the chat.

Enjoy the forum,
Geoff.

beelzebomb

08-05-2017, 08:47

Thanks all,
Good to hear that the CD player I'm chasing holds up well - I think that once you get to know a brand (in my case Marantz) it becomes logical to stick with them, and they seem to build things to last as well. Though finding out about the timeline for anything from 2000-2007ish is pretty hard. Yes, the dot matrix display seems to be a bit hit and miss prior to the CD5001 (which I have and the display is superb - easy to read and bright compared to the poor CD5000 display).
As for soundproofing, I just want to take the edge off; my house is semi-detached and was built in the sixties before building regs forced builders to consider privacy and sound. There's a few sites out there that offer plasterboard panels which I'm looking at & luckily the chimney breast will not need doing, so it's not so much area (m2). It doesn't need to be studio/rehearsal room quality.

As for Marantz CD players from that hard to find out about period, here's what I've found out date-wise after some research:

Cd5000 - 1999
Cd6000 - 2000 ? (mid range?)
Cd6000 OSE - 2000
Cd6000 LE - ?
dr6000 - 2001 (cost new around £500) recorder
Cd7300 - 2002 (cost new around £300 - mid range - replaced cd6000)
Cd5400 - 2003 (cheaper version of cd7300 basically)
Cd5400 OSE - (cost new around £180?)
Cd4000 -2003
Cd5001 - 2005 (cost new around £160 - no champagne version)
Cd5001 OSE - (cost new around £250 - no champagne version)

Minstrel SE

09-05-2017, 11:37

Yes I know everyone goes a bit mad for the CD 63 but I feel the 7300 is every bit as good.

I had the first Marantz 63B top loader with the graph on the top :). I was forced to sell that way before time. I loved that unit which ok was based on a Philips 100/101.

I just thought Marantz had a value for money period in the early 2000s and I got them on a clearance sale so it was a no brainer. I didnt do the full auditions I should have done. I considered NAD but find them a bit plasticky. I know looks shouldnt swing it but brand loyalty and the clearance sale did.

I just find Marantz offer solid value for money in giving a good sound. I havent heard the very latest Marantz cd players.

If you ensure laser parts are still available the Marantz players should be a good buy

My last tribute to cd players may be another top loader to remind me of my entry into the cd market

All the best
Martin

beelzebomb

09-05-2017, 11:45

Yes, we shouldn't feel guilty going for looks, it has to look good. But I think we do a bit - it makes you feel a bit like you're buying a car on colour alone sometimes!

walpurgis

09-05-2017, 14:03

Yes, we shouldn't feel guilty going for looks, it has to look good. But I think we do a bit - it makes you feel a bit like you're buying a car on colour alone sometimes!

I never buy anything on looks. Capability and value are all that concern me. I don't even care what colour my cars are (but I might draw the line at lime green or pink :)).

beelzebomb

09-05-2017, 15:41

Minstrel SE

10-05-2017, 00:03

I never buy anything on looks. Capability and value are all that concern me. I don't even care what colour my cars are (but I might draw the line at lime green or pink :)).

Yes that is admirable but I must admit that when I look at a Nait 2 or a Nytech sloping 252, I am willing them to sound good. I lovingly look at the A60 and T21 and just have to have them. I do generally read all I can about new products and I will go for a demonstration at a decent hifi shop....Cornflake shop style preferred... I want to see a guy in jeans, a comfy sofa and a sparse layout of very well chosen gear.

You are right but I think looks can play a part if only subconsciously. Those NAD fascias were mighty plasticky though :)

Minstrel SE

10-05-2017, 00:17

Wel there you go, each to their own of course. I see my hi-fi as items to grace my living room and my eyes as well as reproduce sound; it's furniture too I guess!

Glad to hear good reports of the CD7300 too; they come up on eBay in the UK (in champagne) quite rarely, so I guess I'm in for a long wait potentially. I missed out on one last month (I got lost on a work visit in a godforsaken place in the countryside with no road signs - on a bike - so arrived home half an hour too late to bid - & there was only one bidder!)

A couple came up on the bay fairly recently. I would buy another but Im not in the market for one yet. I quite like my black one but I know what you mean about the champagne. My champagne tuner looks lovely and I even managed to find a brand new original remote for it.

Patience is a virtue when looking for something specific

I do love the brushed gold. I have some Teac Minidisc players in the champagne. I mix black and champagne. I have a little too much black and get new speakers and racks in wood look colours now.

I dont mind silver as long as its not that cheap spray plastic vcr silver...it needs to be brushed aluminium or a nice finish. Generally champagne wins every time over silver

All the best
Martin

walpurgis

10-05-2017, 07:56

I do love the brushed gold. I have some Teac Minidisc players in the champagne. I mix black and champagne. I have a little too much black and get new speakers and racks in wood look colours now

Oddly enough. The equipment I like generally seems to come only in black, so apart from speakers, black is the predominant colour of my system. Which I like, as even though there's a lot of it, it's less obtrusive than silver or champagne.

beelzebomb

10-05-2017, 08:45

It's a UK 'thing' too; we have traditionally preferred black hi-fi stuff, whereas champagne and silver seem to be more dominant on the continent and in Japan (you only have to look at how many turn up for sale abroad compared to the UK).

walpurgis

10-05-2017, 08:58

As far as I'm concerned, my gear is not there to be seen, let alone admired. It's for listening to music with. Although I admit, I do like the way it looks. More purposeful than pretty.

A recent shot.

http://i68.tinypic.com/aw7zic.jpg

That's only part of what I have.

Minstrel SE

10-05-2017, 12:39

Yes I agree. I like a purposeful look. I have never wanted to pay a premium for designer units or hiding controls behind flaps.

I have several five shelf racks packed with equipment and thats the way I like it. I suppose I could even hide some of it if I was bothered.

I dont mind wires, seperate dacs and headphone amps

I think it is there for a casual glance of admiration. There is something about the knowing look of valves projecting up. I dont think there is much equipment I would consider ugly. I will consider the way something looks though

I love the 252 for its functional looks