Cambridge Audio CXA 60 or Marantz PM7005

[Bromiley]

I'm thinking about the Cambridge Audio CXA 60 or Marantz PM7005 to go with my B&W 685 S2 speakers. Has anyone heard these amps with the 685S2's?

Almost all of my music (CDs) have been imported on my MacBook Pro, so this will the the source. If I go with the Marantz, I would have both USB-B and optical connection options. I'm not sure which is the better option for sound quality and have heard differing opinions. If I went with the Cambridge CXA 60, I would have to connect the Mac via optical.

My main priority is music, but I also need the digital connections so that I can watch movies from my Bluray player attached to the TV.

I'll be taking my Mac to my local HiFi store in Cologne this week to listen to the Marantz. Unfortunately, I haven't found a dealer with the Cambridge CXA 60 in my area yet.

Any thoughts you have would be welcome.

 

[nopiano]

You could use any amp with your MacBook if you were to use an Audioquest Dragonfly to carry the audio. It will probably outperform the alternatives too, though obviously you should audition it for yourself.

As to amplifiers, the magazine often suggests the Arcam A19 with these speakers, though I'm not sure of your local availability or price. The Rega Brio would be another to consider.

 

[Bromiley]

I’ve read about the Dragonfly USB DAC, but surely the Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC in the Marantz PM7005 is superior.

I’ve also read about the Arcam A19 being a good partner with the B&W 685S2s but it doesn’t offer any digital inputs. I still need to connect my bluray player (via my TV) to the amp. for movies.

The Rega Brio R is about the same price as the Marantz PM7005 here in Germany and I would still need an external DAC for USB and optical, so that pushes it over budget.

I had some feedback from a Dutch HiFi dealer recently who is familiar with my speakers and both amps. He has tested:

– B&W 685S2s with the Marantz PM7005 connected to a Mac via USB

and

– B&W 685S2s with the Cambridge CXA 60 connected to a Mac via optical

His conclusion was that the PM7005 via USB was better as the Mac’s sound card is totally bypassed and resulted in a better sound. He mentioned that the optical connection still utilises the Mac’s onboard sound card rather than using the superior CS4398 DAC found in the Marantz.

I guess I’m off to test the PM7005 with my Mac and see for myself.