electronicsme - Electronics / Audio Components made easy

Print this page

Marantz SA8003 Stereo SACD / CD Player review

Posted to Audio Components 2010-05-11

The Marantz SA8003 is a new high-end SA- (Super Audio) CD player from Marantz. The unit can play SA-CD, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA and MP3 formats. The unit features a new rigid Xyron disc tray, a front panel USB input for playback of music stored on flash cards or your iPod, and a headphone jack with a buffered output.

Input/Output (I/O) includes analog stereo outputs, remote control input and output and coaxial and optical digital output. Other features include separate circuit boards for the power supply and audio processing circuitry, a high performance Cirrus Logic D/A Converter CS4398 and a double layer bottom chassis. The unit also features a new aluminum reinforced resin front panel, a copper shielded digital output circuit and a remote control that can be used with other Marantz components.

Rating:

4.4 out of 5

Quality

The SA8003 features quality construction and materials throughout. Marantz actually developed a new material, called Xyron, for the disc tray, which reduces vibrations. The separate circuit boards separating the power supply from the audio processing circuitry is another quality feature, as is the double layer bottom chassis. The various outputs on the back panel are well separated from each other and shielded, and even the power supply transformer is housed in its own metal casing.

Performance

The SA8003 is pricey, but for the true audiophile the performance matches the price. The unit uses a 2.8224MHz sampling rate to sample SA-CDs, which is 5 times the sampling rate of regular CDs. Dynamic range is an extremely high 112dB, and the frequency response is a studio quality 2Hz-50KHz. THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) is a negligible 0.002% at 1KHz and power consumption is a low 25W (0.25W in standby mode.

Summary

If you're an audiophile in the market for a new SA-CD player, it's hard to go wrong with the SA8003. It's performance specs meet or exceed many higher priced players, and it's built with the usual fanatical quality construction that Marantz is famous for. Whether you're listening to SA-CDs, CDs, MP3s or WMA files, this unit delivers the truest sound possible from the media. All in all an excellent unit if it's within your budget.

Pros

2Hz-50KHz frequency response
112dB dynamic range at 1KHz
Quality materials and construction throughout
Remote compatible with other Marantz devices
2,8224MZ sampling rate for SA-CDs

Cons

There are no cons for this product

Recommended accessory:

Monster Cable I300MKII-2M : Solid Core Technology Audio Interconnect (2 meter/ 6.56 ft)