Thoughts on the Marantz CD5004

One quick note here regarding various DACs.

I got them all them DACs! ...AKM, Wolfson, Burr-Brown (various ones), Cirrus Logic, ...except for the Reference ESS Sabre32 DAC.

And it all depends of their implementation, op-amps, complementary digital filters, dual differential balanced mode, etc.
- Wolfson: smooth DAC and non-fatiguing.
- AKM: detailed DAC and pleasing with great bass.
- Burr-Brown: smooth DAC as well, and you have so many of them. ...From few pennies to $50 per DAC!
- Cirrus Logic: again, many of them (biased on the mids and highs), and some are better than others (normally the latest ones).
- ESS Sabre32: I've heard excellent words from them. ...Not cheap.
- RING: from Arcam, Linn, ... very reputable DAC with a right "ring" to it. ;) ...Used by Lord of the Rings.
 
cmalak said:
Eric...don't look now but it seems to me that you are quite the audiophile no matter your protestations to the contrary :D
Click to expand...

:DWell, I don't know about that, but my ears do overcompensate for my eyes and being involved in music at various capacities over the years will train your ears whether you want it to or not. By the true definition I could be an Audiophile, but it's not confirmed. by todays definition, I'm not even close by any stretch of the imagination. That said, I don't like to use the term to describe myself publically as it gives a false image of me I feel. I just know what I hear and that's all subjective anyway.
 
NorthStar said:
One quick note here regarding various DACs.

I got them all them DACs! ...AKM, Wolfson, Burr-Brown (various ones), Cirrus Logic, ...except for the Reference ESS Sabre32 DAC.

And it all depends of their implementation, op-amps, complementary digital filters, dual differential balanced mode, etc.
- Wolfson: smooth DAC and non-fatiguing.
- AKM: detailed DAC and pleasing with great bass.
- Burr-Brown: smooth DAC as well, and you have so many of them. ...From few pennies to $50 per DAC!
- Cirrus Logic: again, many of them (biased on the mids and highs), and some are better than others (normally the latest ones).
- ESS Sabre32: I've heard excellent words from them. ...Not cheap.
- RING: from Arcam, Linn, ... very reputable DAC with a right "ring" to it. ;) ...Used by Lord of the Rings.
Click to expand...

Yes, "implementation", that's the word I was looking for. (Sometimes I think somebody comes in and mixes up the pages in my inner lexicon. I am slightly dyslexic, so maybe I'm not paranoid:D). Anyway, my guess is that any one of those DACs can sound extremely good if done right. Obviously, the implementation on my Onkyo is far different from the Marantz. I don't know anything about all that other stuff like Op-amps, complementary filters (to me a complementary filter is like those things next to a coffee pot in a hotel room. Ok, so it's been 20 years since I've been in a hotel room) and a dual differential balanced mode (don't I have one of those on my car?). Before getting the Marantz I thought there were huge native differences in DACs, I've learned that there really is not much difference at all. However the huge differences in performance come from the method of implementation and all that other stuff you listed. Also the Marantz has a few little crumbs thrown into the 5004 from their High-end series of stuff. I guess the high-end Marantz items are kind of like AudioShark, they like to share.:D
 
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