WTD - Marantz CD65 MKII KI

[Mikeandvan]

CD 63 MKII KI wanted in excellent condition.

[mad-moon]

:scratch:

[Mikeandvan]

To confirm cd63.

[Mikeandvan]

:scratch:

One like this :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marantz-CD-65-Compact-Disc-Player-Black/174454600514?hash=item289e4df342:g:VTUAAOSwTptfQkX e

[Mikeandvan]

Or another cd player, that would beat the Marantz, or rather sound better, not necessarily drag up more detail, rega ?

[Filterlab]

To confirm cd63.

There’s a couple on eBay currently:

Bidding https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303710342572

Buy it now: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184467456237

In fact, there’s currently ten for sale on eBay in the UK. :D

[sailor]

You don't mention your budget? The Marantz 63 garnered some good reviews, became very popular and so the second-hand price shot up. There are many Philips/Marantz players which use the same board (as in identical) and use the now famous but obsolete TDA1541 chip which can be found cheaply.

You can find a Marantz CD40 for about 25 pounds or less which sounds great and if you can DIY mod this as per Lampizator you have a killer player, or the identical CD60 which has an anodised front plate and looks smarter. Details are on the Lampizator site, or were. I modded a bunch of these about 12 years ago. Easy to do as there is ample space inside to add a small transformer, power supply and 2 X ECC88 valves. Snip 2 traces to convert to NOS and after damping the resonant top panel and perhaps swap out the output RCA terminals for something better and prepare to be amazed.

https://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/the_complete_d_a_dac_converter_list/#P

The above link provides a comprehensive list of DAC chips and transport mechanisms used. If you wish to go up a level look at players like Marantz CD85, 94, 94Mk2 or the equivalent and even cheaper Philips units, like the CD880. These use the excellent CDM-1 transports which employ a cast alloy and not plastic mechanism.

I suggest you visit the Lampizator site and look at Lukasz' list of decent players for suggestions. There are many players of great quality now lying around unloved and unused that you could find cheaper than the Marantz 63 that will outperform it.

The Marantz CD85 I mentioned uses the TDA1541A-S1 (single crown), a special selection, exactly the same chip used in the Sugden Masterclass but the Marantz uses the superior Philips CDM-1 MkII transport.

Refer to the link and if you come across any player using the outstanding Burr Brown PCM 63, 1702 or 1704 then snap them up. Like the TDA1541 the PCM's are R2R ladder architecture and were used in the very high end.

[Mikeandvan]

You don't mention your budget? The Marantz 63 garnered some good reviews, became very popular and so the second-hand price shot up. There are many Philips/Marantz players which use the same board (as in identical) and use the now famous but obsolete TDA1541 chip which can be found cheaply.

Many thanks for this Charles, I can't diy though, may'be someone else can.

[Lawrence001]

You don't mention your budget? The Marantz 63 garnered some good reviews, became very popular and so the second-hand price shot up. There are many Philips/Marantz players which use the same board (as in identical) and use the now famous but obsolete TDA1541 chip which can be found cheaply.


The CD63 was bitstream as far as I can remember. This is from What Hifi:

The KI had a great platform to build from. The basic CD-63 was already a class leader at its sub-£300 price. It used Philips’s slim CDM-12.1 transport mechanism and a single bit DAC from NPC called the SM5872.

Sent from my HRY-LX1 using Tapatalk

[sailor]

Sure Mike, no problem.

I see hifishark has a few Philips CD880's for sale at very reasonable prices. These units do not need any mods to shine. It has digital output so can be hitched up to a separate DAC if you should ever need. Has an assertive musical sound.

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=philips+cd880

Good luck with your hunting.

[Lawrence001]

That one has the TDA1541 as well, I'm not sure the 63 KI could be described as "assertive". Of that period the 850mkii (which is an early bitstream player) is probably nearer the 63 in sound.

[Mikeandvan]

Sure Mike, no problem.

I see hifishark has a few Philips CD880's for sale at very reasonable prices. These units do not need any mods to shine. It has digital output so can be hitched up to a separate DAC if you should ever need. Has an assertive musical sound.

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=philips+cd880

Good luck with your hunting.

Ended up getting a CD 63 se off ebay for £50! Not a ki version.

[Alex_UK]

I loved the KI CD players - but the CD63 KI is still my fave (I also still have the CD6000 and SA 7001). If you can get one for reasonable money it is a worthwhile upgrade over the standard, which you can probably sell on for what you paid for it. Unfortunately these days I only really stream (or play vinyl occasionally) but I can see a time when nostalgia will kick in and the silver disk and decent players will be sought after again! (maybe!)

[Mikeandvan]

Sure Mike, no problem.

I see hifishark has a few Philips CD880's for sale at very reasonable prices. These units do not need any mods to shine. It has digital output so can be hitched up to a separate DAC if you should ever need. Has an assertive musical sound.

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=philips+cd880

Good luck with your hunting.
I should have said, I currently use an old Mission pcm 7000, which after looking at the link you provided has the following inside:

Philips TDA1541-S1
Philips CDM-2/10

So there we go, may'be I should get this one modded? I quite like the sound actually, but for a 30 years old player it surely needs a service.

[Mikeandvan]

I loved the KI CD players - but the CD63 KI is still my fave (I also still have the CD6000 and SA 7001). If you can get one for reasonable money it is a worthwhile upgrade over the standard, which you can probably sell on for what you paid for it. Unfortunately these days I only really stream (or play vinyl occasionally) but I can see a time when nostalgia will kick in and the silver disk and decent players will be sought after again! (maybe!)

Aye, I couldn't resist the original box and promise that it's 'hardly used'! Streaming is something I just cannot get into, or even attempt to get into, even though I have had a Topping dac 01 and google thingy sat in my drawer for over a year now.