MARANTZ - SA8004 SACD - CD PLAYER

A New Standard for Music Reproduction – From CD, SACD, iPod, Even a USB Stick

Winner of the Prestigious Golden Ear and Product of the Year Awards from The Absolute Sound

The SA8004 is far more than just a Super Audio-CD/CD player; it is a superbly flexible D/A converter as well. USB, coaxial and optical digital inputs guarantee virtually unlimited access to your music. The SA8004 also accepts data from any USB stick or USB hard drive storage device. This unprecedented flexibility combines with best-in-class analog circuitry to deliver Marantz sound quality with digital media of virtually any description. Now you can enjoy your favorite music in more ways than ever, with the clarity that’s made Marantz an audiophile legend since 1954.

“So if your Red Book player is a bit long in the tooth, this new two-channel-only, musically authoritative Marantz model, with outstanding SACD performance in addition, is a music lover’s dream at a price that feels like theft. It’s hard to imagine anyone who know what real music sounds like not being seduced. I bought the review sample!”
– Paul Seydor, The Absolute Sound, Golden Ear Award 2011

Part of the magic lies in a new disc mechanism; featuring a Xyron disc tray, this precision engineered drive virtually eliminates micro-vibrations to allow the digital circuitry to process a more accurate data stream. This, in turn, translates directly into a more coherent and pleasing sonic experience. The Marantz SA8004 extracts extraordinary performance from all your discs – SA-CDs, CDs, even MP3- and WMA-encoded CD-Rs and –RWs are delivered with fresh perspective.

"If you are looking for a SACD/CD player that does not break the bank for a high quality stereo system the SA8004 deserves your close attention. Likewise if you are looking for a DAC or USB DAC, the SA8004 deserves your close attention as well. If you are looking for both a player and a DAC, the above applies even more. At $999 the SA8004 is a steal."
– Brian Kahn, Home Theater Review

You’ll find high quality parts throughout the SA8004. Chosen only after extensive listening tests, they each contribute exceptional performance levels to critical circuits. In the analog section, Marantz-proprietary HDAM SA2 circuits handle critical buffering and stage-to-stage signal transition. Symmetrical signal traces help maintain perfect synchronization between Left and Right channels for rock-stable imaging and a convincing soundstage. An impedance-matching copper plate inside the rear panel just behind the analog outputs improves signal-to-noise performance and channel separation to preserve the SA8004’s outstanding imaging capabilities.

"It's my kind of machine: classy, unpretentious, well-built, pedigreed and enjoyable day in, day out for what should be a very long time. I can picture a retired doctor buying this to match his classic, vintage Marantz gear. I can picture a spoiled college kid asking for one as a gift and perching it next to his iMac. Then again, I can picture almost anyone who values music buying and enjoying this—myself included."
– Ed Kobesky, Positive Feedback

A New Standard for Music Reproduction – From CD, SACD, iPod, Even a USB Stick

Winner of the Prestigious Golden Ear and Product of the Year Awards from The Absolute Sound

The SA8004 is far more than just a Super Audio-CD/CD player; it is a superbly flexible D/A converter as well. USB, coaxial and optical digital inputs guarantee virtually unlimited access to your music. The SA8004 also accepts data from any USB stick or USB hard drive storage device. This unprecedented flexibility combines with best-in-class analog circuitry to deliver Marantz sound quality with digital media of virtually any description. Now you can enjoy your favorite music in more ways than ever, with the clarity that’s made Marantz an audiophile legend since 1954.

“So if your Red Book player is a bit long in the tooth, this new two-channel-only, musically authoritative Marantz model, with outstanding SACD performance in addition, is a music lover’s dream at a price that feels like theft. It’s hard to imagine anyone who know what real music sounds like not being seduced. I bought the review sample!”
– Paul Seydor, The Absolute Sound, Golden Ear Award 2011

Eliminating Vibration Equals Better Sound
Part of the magic lies in a new disc mechanism; featuring a Xyron disc tray, this precision engineered drive virtually eliminates micro-vibrations to allow the digital circuitry to process a more accurate data stream. This, in turn, translates directly into a more coherent and pleasing sonic experience. The Marantz SA8004 extracts extraordinary performance from all your discs – SA-CDs, CDs, even MP3- and WMA-encoded CD-Rs and –RWs are delivered with fresh perspective.

"It's my kind of machine: classy, unpretentious, well-built, pedigreed and enjoyable day in, day out for what should be a very long time. I can picture a retired doctor buying this to match his classic, vintage Marantz gear. I can picture a spoiled college kid asking for one as a gift and perching it next to his iMac. Then again, I can picture almost anyone who values music buying and enjoying this—myself included."
– Ed Kobesky, Positive Feedback

Hard disc and Web-based Media
Front and rear panel USB inputs expand your musical horizons as never before. Now you can enjoy your iPhone and iPod audio files via a digital connection and hear them anew though your audio system courtesy of the SA8004’s advanced circuitry. You’ll appreciate the fact that both USB inputs support up to 24/96kHz for high fidelity playback of all your on-the-go music. The front panel is a USB “Type A” input and the rear panel USB is a “Type B” input. In addition to your iPod and iPhone files, you can “push” high definition digital music files from your computer to the SA8004. Both the coaxial and optical rear panel digital inputs handle up to 24/192kHz PCM files.

"If you are looking for a SACD/CD player that does not break the bank for a high quality stereo system the SA8004 deserves your close attention. Likewise if you are looking for a DAC or USB DAC, the SA8004 deserves your close attention as well. If you are looking for both a player and a DAC, the above applies even more. At $999 the SA8004 is a steal."
– Brian Kahn, Home Theater Review

Flexible Digital Outputs
The SA8004 includes two rear-panel digital outputs. These outputs provide an S/PDIF signal even when the USB input is receiving iTunes music files.

Extraordinary Sound Quality
You’ll find high quality parts throughout the SA8004. Chosen only after extensive listening tests, they each contribute exceptional performance levels to critical circuits. In the analog section, Marantz-proprietary HDAM SA2 circuits handle critical buffering and stage-to-stage signal transition. Symmetrical signal traces help maintain perfect synchronization between Left and Right channels for rock-stable imaging and a convincing soundstage.

An impedance-matching copper plate inside the rear panel just behind the analog outputs improves signal-to-noise performance and channel separation to preserve the SA8004’s outstanding imaging capabilities.

A shield around the digital outputs is but a further detail in Marantz’s quest for quieter operation as it prevents digital noise from affecting sensitive analog circuits. Known to produce less stray magnetic leakage that can otherwise increase noise in analog circuits, Marantz engineers chose a high capacity toroid transformer for the SA8004’s power supply. To suppress the noise even further, Marantz engineers specified an exterior casing with large non-conductive brass mounting screw to hold the transformer in place.

While it meets the digital-convenience demands of today’s music lover the SA8004 also delivers sound quality that speaks to Marantz’ leading position in the world of high end audio. Indeed, the SA8004 represents a rare marriage of current feature-set with high performance audio circuitry

The D/A Converter
The Cirrus CS4398 D/A Converter offers many advantages. For SA-CD playback, the Cirrus chip accepts SACD’s 2.8224 MHz sampling rate directly without the need for any preconditioning and the integral 50 kHz low-pass filter protects subsequent circuitry from potential oscillation.

Better Headphone Listening
The headphone output includes a high-speed current buffer circuit for minimal interference with the main audio output circuit, maximum articulation, stability, and fatigue-free listening.

Analog output
   Channels: Stereo
   Playable frequency range: 2 Hz – 100kHz / 2 Hz – 20 kHz
   Playable frequency response: 2 Hz – 50 kHz (–3 dB) / 2 Hz – 20 kHz
   S/N: 112 dB (Audible range) / 110 dB
   Dynamic range: 110 dB (Audible range) / 100 dB
   Harmonic distortion: 0.001 % (1 kHz, Audible range) / 0.002 % (1 kHz)
   Wow & flutter: Crystal accuracy / Crystal accuracy
   Output level
     Unbalanced: 1.8V RMS stereo / 2.4V RMS stereo
     Headphone output: 43mW (variable maximum)

Digital output
   output level (75 Ω RCA): 0.5Vp-p
   output level (TosLINK): -19 dBm

Optical Readout System
   Laser: AlGaAs
   Wave length: 650nm / 780nm
   Signal type: 1-bit DSD / 16-bit linear PCM
   Sampling frequency: 2.822 MHz / 44.1 kHz

The Absolute Sound