Marantz CD - 6005 vs KI Pearl Lite vs SA8005

[Entrigo]

Update: just got my "new" SA8005CD and it's definitely better than the CD6005. More detailed but also has definitely more bite and a very satisfying bass. I am not a massive fan of big fat bass but this delivers a fine balance of fat and tight, if that makes sense.

Pretty pleased with it so far. Thanks all for the advice.

P.s. Don't have any SACDs and doubt I'll buy any, although I am curious - the seller was meant to throw one in for free but he obviously forgot (as he forgot the power cable haha).

 

[nopiano]

Update: just got my "new" SA8005CD and it's definitely better than the CD6005. More detailed but also has definitely more bite and a very satisfying bass. I am not a massive fan of big fat bass but this delivers a fine balance of fat and tight, if that makes sense.

Pretty pleased with it so far. Thanks all for the advice.

P.s. Don't have any SACDs and doubt I'll buy any, although I am curious - the seller was meant to throw one in for free but he obviously forgot (as he forgot the power cable haha).

I don’t know your musical tastes, but many audiophile favourites like DSOTM, Hotel California, Love Over Gold, etc are available on SACD. And several classical labels release regularly on SACD, like Channel Classics and BIS

 

[Entrigo]

I don’t know your musical tastes, but many audiophile favourites like DSOTM, Hotel California, Love Over Gold, etc are available of SACD. And several classical labels release regularly on SACD, like Channel Classics and BIS

Ha. Ordered DSOTM last night from Ebay as well as a Nick Drake compilation, both for £11 with delivery. But that is it. Everything else is really quite expensive.

I am mostly into alternative rock - I wouldn't mind Hotel California and Love Over Gold (of which I have a noisy vinyl) but at the same price as the aforementioned - not £50 or above!

DSOTM I would have been happy to pay more for - paid considerably more for a 1st pressing LP after all... But even for other of my favourites - like Depeche Mode or Dead Can Dance - the very few available in the UK are all well above £50/60. Hmmm. Nope. But I will keep looking on eBay and similar, especially in shops like MusicMagpie.

 

[Entrigo]

I don’t know your musical tastes, but many audiophile favourites like DSOTM, Hotel California, Love Over Gold, etc are available of SACD. And several classical labels release regularly on SACD, like Channel Classics and BIS

P.s. Classical I also wouldn't mind but same principles apply - not at those prices. Still mean to pin down 20ish key recordings and find the best versions on vinyl and buy those.

 

[Revolutions]

Wait til you play your first sacd. Interested in what your thoughts will be 🙂

 

[Entrigo]

Wait til you play your first sacd. Interested in what your thoughts will be 🙂

Yes pretty curious... As much as I love vinyl, hi res digital music can be glorious..

I listened to 192khz DSOTM through Apple Music (finally managed to stream in hi-res) and it was amazing. Better than my solid blue LP I have to say (though haven't listened to it since upgrading cart, amp and adding a phono stage so who knows?).

I read that you can't really distinguish between 96 and 192khz but either way it was really nice.

Anyway, once my SACD comes, I will have to do a A-B-C of DSOTM LP, hi-res stream and SACD 🤣

 

[Revolutions]

Yes pretty curious... As much as I love vinyl, hi res digital music can be glorious..

I listened to 192khz DSOTM through Apple Music (finally managed to stream in hi-res) and it was amazing. Better than my solid blue LP I have to say (though haven't listened to it since upgrading cart, amp and adding a phono stage so who knows?).

I read that you can't really distinguish between 96 and 192khz but either way it was really nice.

Anyway, once my SACD comes, I will have to do a A-B-C of DSOTM LP, hi-res stream and SACD 🤣

Please do share your thoughts here, would love to know how they compare for you, It’s going back 20 odd years now, but I still remember SACD taking my breath away.

I’ve got a nice little collection of DSD256 for my Linn Organik dac & it sounds brilliant. Dire Straits, Paul Simon, Carpenters & Rage Against The Machine sound sublime.

 

[Entrigo]

Please do share your thoughts here, would love to know how they compare for you, It’s going back 20 odd years now, but I still remember SACD taking my breath away.

I’ve got a nice little collection of DSD256 for my Linn Organik dac & it sounds brilliant. Dire Straits, Paul Simon, Carpenters & Rage Against The Machine sound sublime.

Will do. Really quite curious. But might have to do with my brother in tow - apart from the fact that he's a sound guy, I have absolutely abysmal short term memory, so by the time B is playing, I will likely have no clear recollection how A was and whether it was better or worse haha

 

[DougK1]

SACDs do sound nice but not worth paying silly money for. I've got about a dozen or so SACDs and can say that a really well recorded CD can come very close. As is so often stated on here the most important aspect is the recording quality, not the format.

 

[Revolutions]

SACDs do sound nice but not worth paying silly money for. I've got about a dozen or so SACDs and can say that a really well recorded CD can come very close. As is so often stated on here the most important aspect is the recording quality, not the format.

That’s some solid wisdom there, Doug 👍🏻

 

[nopiano]

P.s. Classical I also wouldn't mind but same principles apply - not at those prices. Still mean to pin down 20ish key recordings and find the best versions on vinyl and buy those.

The classical labels I mentioned are standard full price, not inflated ‘audiophile’ prices. And there are loads of secondhand ones on eBay, for example.

The expensive “luxury” editions tend to be of particularly famous recordings, repackaged at a premium price.

 

[Entrigo]

The classical labels I mentioned are standard full price, not inflated ‘audiophile’ prices. And there are loads of secondhand ones on eBay, for example.

The expensive “luxury” editions tend to be of particularly famous recordings, repackaged at a premium price.

Yes just seen an auction on ebay a seller who has 52 SACDs, about 25 of which seem to be the same Mozart BIS recording haha.

but good to know, will look at them. Just got Beethoven's 9th Symphony recording by the London Symphonic Orchestra for £6. Happy with that.

In the meanwhile, streaming AM from my iPhone through the USB port, which is good as well.

 

[Entrigo]

The classical labels I mentioned are standard full price, not inflated ‘audiophile’ prices. And there are loads of secondhand ones on eBay, for example.

The expensive “luxury” editions tend to be of particularly famous recordings, repackaged at a premium price.

P.s. excellent tip, thanks! There's loads of BIS SACDs on eBay and all going at reasonable prices.

Have had on my to do lost to find the best "affordable" classical pressings on LP for ages, but never got around to. Might just buy SACDs instead if they are all under a tenner...

 

[Entrigo]

Well. Listening to the SACD of DSOTM and it's great.

Did an initial A-B-C, on.the first minute of Us and Them -
A - vinyl 1973 "solid blue"
B - Tidal Max at 192khz
C - SACD (2003 30th anniversary hybrid)

Sadly, the vinyl is my least favourite of the three... The SACD getting top spot.

But

But.. I feel the SA8005CD has unnaturally accentuated - and slightly too "fat" bass. I did notice playing Pearl Jam Ten the other day and it was quite obvious now.

It was actually very nice in the quieter parts of DSOTM, you get to hear textures which don't come through as much normally but... Not really audiophile is it?

It feels like my wife's Bluetooth speakers - using which I normally use bass resucer EQ. And I guess a lot of mass market speakers /headphones.

Apart from that, and apart from the SACD, the Marantz sounds really good. But..

But.

That bass does not entirely convince me.

 

[Jasonovich]

Yes pretty curious... As much as I love vinyl, hi res digital music can be glorious..

I listened to 192khz DSOTM through Apple Music (finally managed to stream in hi-res) and it was amazing. Better than my solid blue LP I have to say (though haven't listened to it since upgrading cart, amp and adding a phono stage so who knows?).

I read that you can't really distinguish between 96 and 192khz but either way it was really nice.

Anyway, once my SACD comes, I will have to do a A-B-C of DSOTM LP, hi-res stream and SACD 🤣

I believe you can play on the Marantz up to DSD128 using USB. ( check the manual, just going top off my head)

This may not be your thing but check this out below, listen to the samples at 44kHz and if you like it, you can download, relatively cheap 🙂

Audiophile Masters Volume X [Pure DSD] - NativeDSD Music

Save 20% when you buy 4 or more albums from the Audiophile Masters series! The Audiophile Masters series has been one of our most loved projects at Octave Records. To celebrate Audiophile Masters Volume X, the 10th album in this series, we’ve recorded a special edition Covers Collection...

www.nativedsd.com

Below album is my quilty pleasure, I know I just love those old songs, the vocals are esquisite, especially in glorious DSD512

Audiophile Masters Volume XI [Pure DSD] - NativeDSD Music

Save 20% when you buy 4 or more albums from the Audiophile Masters series! Audiophile Masters X, our first edition of Audiophile Masters Covers Collection was so well-received, we just had to make another one. We are excited to announce Audiophile Masters Volume XI Covers Collection 2. With...

www.nativedsd.com

 

[Entrigo]

I believe you can play on the Marantz up to DSD128 using USB. ( check the manual, just going top off my head)

This may not be your thing but check this out below, listen to the samples at 44kHz and if you like it, you can download, relatively cheap 🙂

Audiophile Masters Volume X [Pure DSD] - NativeDSD Music

Save 20% when you buy 4 or more albums from the Audiophile Masters series! The Audiophile Masters series has been one of our most loved projects at Octave Records. To celebrate Audiophile Masters Volume X, the 10th album in this series, we’ve recorded a special edition Covers Collection...

www.nativedsd.com

Below album is my quilty pleasure, I know I just love those old songs, the vocals are esquisite, especially in glorious DSD512

Audiophile Masters Volume XI [Pure DSD] - NativeDSD Music

Save 20% when you buy 4 or more albums from the Audiophile Masters series! Audiophile Masters X, our first edition of Audiophile Masters Covers Collection was so well-received, we just had to make another one. We are excited to announce Audiophile Masters Volume XI Covers Collection 2. With...

www.nativedsd.com

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Well... I misread the specs of the Marantz - which said the front USB ia compatibile with iPhone and iPad - and didn't realise I could plug my Mac in the back of the unit. Long story, I bought an external DAC so I could stream Apple Music lossleess. Which I did...

But now of course I have multiple options. Tbh I don't really know what DSD 128 or 256 is but will definitely have a look at it and nativedsd. In any case I believe DAC (a humble Topping E30) supports up.to 32 bit 768khz. I didn't even know you could get above 24bit 192khz. I am not fully sure how the 24bit or the khz actually work etc and how it relates to DSD (very - very - much a digital music beginner).... But definitely interested as what I have been hearing in the past couple of days has seriously intrigued me.

 

[Entrigo]

Wait til you play your first sacd. Interested in what your thoughts will be 🙂

Well... As per the other comment - the fat bass of the 8005 notwithstanding, sublime. My favourite of the three. Sure I am aware that to get the real best out of a record I will probably need an MC cart but then - the CD player is not a top of the range one - so it should be a fairly even comparison and the SACD was much more detailed, dynamic and lively.

It really pains me to say this as a vinyl lover but there it is....