Thoroughly Modern Marantz: The CD 60 CD Spinner Sampled

Рет қаралды 14,125

Жыл бұрын

This episode sees Mike and David discussing Marantz's affordable new CD 60 silver disc spinner. In many ways it's a masterpiece, but the guys still reckon that it's not quite perfect...
That's because, in other respects, the guys prefer the classic, thirty year old CD 63 KI Signature - but certainly not all. So it's time for another heated hi-fi debate!
Each episode of Hi-Fi Riff features the guys' unedited, unexpurgated views about all manner of weird and wonderful hi-fi designs.
Business executive Mike has a wealth of knowledge from his earlier hi-fi retail years, and David has written about hi-fi for thirty years. Now Editor-in-Chief of StereoNET, he's picked up a few things along the way.
So brew up a cuppa or crack open a can, and relax and enjoy some one-take hi-fi riffing - and please leave your comments below. Oh, and don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button, this one goes up to eleven!
The eighties-tastic title tune is called ‘UFO/Mike’s Jumper’, and used with the express permission of our old pal and rights holder Simon Lythe.
To read David's StereoNET review of this swish new CD player, click on:
www.stereonet.com/uk/reviews/marantz-cd-60-review

Пікірлер: 42

@jackbarnard1781 Жыл бұрын

Wow great video!!! I'm getting one next week. Can't wait. Its going into my vintage system. An 1979 onkyo tx4500 mkll & bowers & wilkins 500 series loudspeakers. Mix of old & new. I'll be playing mostly classical music & british 1970's progressive rock. All remastered to sound 100% cheers from Arizona USA 🇺🇸

@geoffadams590 Жыл бұрын

I've only just found this excellent channel - well done chaps! I remember back in the 90's being an avid reader of Hi Fi World magazine, and amazingly won one of their competitions around '96 or something like that. A Kenwood minidisc player, an integrated amp which I forget the name of, and a pair of Castle standmounters. Great days.

@chutgowdingo-loon3212 Жыл бұрын

I still have the CD 67SE which I got in '97 and it still performs superbly. These days I use it as a transport and compared to the Audiolab 6000 CDT which I also have, it is more dynamic, more drive and impact. Not bad for a 26 yo machine.

@justinparkman3585 11 ай бұрын

The 6000cdt is overrated just a sells scam with all the reviews i had one with a rega dac and my Arcam alpha 7se is way better.

@oliverbeard7912 Жыл бұрын

Back in the 90's,I held a preference for the Rotel RCD 965 ,Arcam "Alpha" and Micromega "stage" players over the Marantz. Although there were some reliability issues with the Micromega transports at the time.I felt that the 90's was a very good decade for the format,with many players making some great strides forward in performance.

@christopherrigby2798 Жыл бұрын

Ones RCD 965LEDE circa 1994 still plays a treat being used with a SMSL 9 dac.

@MrVinylista Жыл бұрын

All of the above were good. I was quite beguiled by the Arcam CD92, with the shoehorned-in dCS Ring DAC implementation from the FMJ CD23!

@oliverbeard7912 Жыл бұрын

@@MrVinylista I started my HiFi separates journey with a Rotel RCD 865,latterly changing for the Arcam Delta 270 using a hybrid DAC.I had it modded with a Trichord clock 2 and psu,which really gave it a lift in performance. Just to add,knowing that Mike is a Rush fan,has he had the pleasure of checking out a young drummer called "Caleb H "? .He's just turned 8 and has a great video of him hitting the skins to "subdivisions ".No easy task.

@timothyfreeseha4056 Жыл бұрын

Super tramp acid test! This is why I almost sense that you are here! Awesome points &, as always, entertaining & instructive.

@jackbarnard1781 Жыл бұрын

Outstanding video fellas. I would love to hear it on my vintage system. My 1979 onkyo receiver. 1989 bowers & wilkins d560 compacts. I think the marantz cd60 would sound fantastic that way. Cheers from Arizona USA 🇺🇸

@artemborisov3098 Жыл бұрын

Good afternoon! Can you please tell me which RCA cable you are using?

@tengkukamil3951 Жыл бұрын

The second cdp I bought was the Micromega Logic which was on sale from Sound Organisation in London way back in 1993 whilst on holiday.A few years later,I had to go for the top loading Micromega Duo 2.1 transport and dac.The soundstage was wide and highly musical.The 90s was a period where you can find many excellent cd players.

@MrVinylista Жыл бұрын

Agreed. The 1990s saw some really great CD spinners and haven't really been comprehensively bettered, even now, except in the high end. In the Hi-Fi World listening room circa 1994, we had a Pink Triangle Cardinal/Da Capo transport/DAC combo as our in-house reference, and as a dyed-in-the-grain vinyl fan, I was depressed because it sounded so good and was a real threat to my prized format! This is not something you could say about any 1980s machines, in my view!

@tengkukamil3951 Жыл бұрын

David, sorry to digress but I got hold of a Nytech CA252 amplifier recently purely for nostalgic reason and perhaps, you could revisit this ancient amplifier and become part of your retro review.I had good experience with Nytech products in 1984 esp. the CPA602 power amplifier and it was hooked up to a Meridian Audio 101 Control unit driving a pair of Mission 770 floorstanding speakers.

@mikeyevs Жыл бұрын

@@tengkukamil3951 we both love the CA252. I would love to do a riff on one! Mike

@tengkukamil3951 Жыл бұрын

@@mikeyevs Good day,Mike.I wish to know what speaker cables and interconnects do you use for your Exposure pre power set up.Currently,I have a 17 and a 21rc preamps and either one being hooked up to the Super 18 monoblock power amps.I am presently using the NVA rca SSC interconnects between the preamp and the monoblock amps and either the DNM interconnect or Gotham interconnect between the preamp to the dac.Speaker cables are the Chord Legend cables driving the tweeters and the midrange drivers and the (original) Exposure cables driving the woofers.Incidentally , Tony Brady of Exposure Electronics informed me a few years ago that the has been using the Gotham rca ic for almost 20 years.

@MrVinylista Жыл бұрын

@@tengkukamil3951 Sure. I actually have a CTA252 XD II which is currently being serviced. As soon as I get it back we'll do a riff on it. The Nytech story is a long and quite complex one, meaning I might have to go off on a long rant (again). One for insomniacs, perhaps!

@paylnyles Жыл бұрын

Got one, running it through a NAD370 and Tanoy 611m2s and it's an amazing player x.

@mikecoshan3752 11 ай бұрын

Great video, I loved my Marantz CD63SE KI signature back in the 80’s but I’m looking at the CD60 now, though will have to stick with the onboard DAC for now as I don’t think my topping D50s DAC would be an improvement over the Marantz’s onboard DAC

@aarthoor Жыл бұрын

Interesting. I like mine, I have it plugged into the matching Model 40 amp and think it was a bargain for the money. I've compared the DAC in the amp with the CD player and the CD 60 is smoother but more detailed, especially in the bass. It seems musical enough for me but I have heard better and have been thinking about a new outboard DAC to getthe max. Glad you recommend the Chord ones as I was wondering if they might do the job. Can I ask, are they musical passion or is it all detail and soundstaging etc?

@MrVinylista Жыл бұрын

Without a doubt, the Chord Qutest is a great companion for the CD 60. We tried it with a Hugo TT2 and that was a lot better still, but obviously it's silly money for a £750 CD player. Whatever, any Chord DAC brings a more musical, sinewy, expressive and tactile sound - less hi-fi, less processed, less 'digital'. They still do detail and sound staging very well, but the emotional boost is what makes the upgrade worthwhile.

@aarthoor Жыл бұрын

@@MrVinylista That's what I like to hear, thanks!

@mrt6349 Жыл бұрын

Whats a good cd player in your views? I run a cambridge cxc transport to a bluesound node n130.

@MrVinylista Жыл бұрын

If I were you, I'd invest in a Chord Qutest DAC and keep your existing transport - that would be a big upgrade in sound over your Bluesound.

@pittaloaf1 Жыл бұрын

Hi I have been looking at the CD60 I’m on a relatively tight budget. Would an audio lab 6000cdt and a DAC such as a schist midi 3 or ifi zen v2 be a better option for me? Around the same price.

@MrVinylista Жыл бұрын

Yes. The best sounding combo at that price is the Audiolab 6000CDT with Chord Mojo2 - if you can possibly afford that, then do so!

@pittaloaf1 Жыл бұрын

@@MrVinylista Any other recommendations for a DAC the Chord is out of my budget

@justinparkman3585 11 ай бұрын

No it wouldn't they are overrated sells tactics with lots of KZfaq reviews I had one with a rega dac my Arcam alpha 7se is way better.

@xcvbxcvb2179 10 ай бұрын

Chord is massively over priced. I'm not sold on Audiolab either.

@NaveedKhan-bs1sc 4 ай бұрын

The ifi has no digital out as far as i know.

@nickevans3190 Жыл бұрын

Another fantastic review from you guys

@artemborisov3098 Жыл бұрын

H i everbody! how do you likeRotel DT-6000?

@MrVinylista Жыл бұрын

Yes, it's a poor man's Michi!

@robertzisner9170 Жыл бұрын

I agree with your evaluation. Had a CD 60 for a week before returning it. I was very disappointed with the sound. I believe part of the reason is they are using an older ESS chip. The newer chips are suppose to sound much better. I am trying to replace a 30 year old Meridian CD player that I feel sounds better than a lot of newer player that I have tried. Do you have any suggestions?

@MrVinylista Жыл бұрын

I think it's probably a combination of things, but ESS DACs don't float my boat personally. As ever with digital, it's as much about how you implement a chip as what chip you choose. Which model Meridian have you got?

@robertzisner9170 Жыл бұрын

@@MrVinylista I have A Meridian 506.20. My other thought is to find a dac with a similar sound to the Meridian and buy a transport, and then get into streaming which seems to be the future. Any ideas are appreciated.

@MrVinylista Жыл бұрын

@@robertzisner9170 That was a very decent CD spinner in its day, and if memory serves had a Philips CDM12 mech with a Crystal Semiconductors 20-bit DAC. If still working okay it would make a perfectly good transport, ready to pair up with a modern DAC. This would be my chosen course of action, as later on you could then feed a streamer (such as a dCS Network Bridge) into it, with great results. I don't know your budget but a Chord Hugo TT2 would be my choice if you can stretch to it - otherwise the Qutest. Both will give a more gripping, musical sound, with better detail, than the Meridian's DAC. The TT2 brings even more of everything, with a bigger and more powerful sound that's quite stunning to hear if you've not heard a top-tier modern DAC. Sorry folks if I keep banging on about Chord DACs but right now they're the class of the field from around £400 to £15,000 - after this dCS comes into play and its DACs are superb too, just different. I'm reviewing the dCS Bartok 2.0 at the moment, so watch out for a Riff on that.

@robertzisner9170 Жыл бұрын

@@MrVinylista Thanks for the information. Will look into the Qutest.

@mikeyevs Жыл бұрын

@@robertzisner9170 it's a top bit of kit 👍👍