Marantz mcr 611 or not 611

[Shildondurham]

My current old set up of technics hd51 and celestion dl4 mk2s, although small and not worthy of many people on here to consider, has served me well since late 90s. But alas it is tired and im looking to upgrade and renew!!

im looking at the marantz mcr611 as for all im a cd man i have dabbled with spotify and the likes and believe like it or lump it it will only increase plus with young kids its a definite consideration.

However iv been drawn to the entry level marantz 5005 amp and cd player range. For all iv been content with my old micro system iv often wanted more umph and quality and would like anyones opinion on which route would provide the best sound.

Will the 611 and component options pair with my celestions?

does the 611 have plenty power to impress or is it more of the same?

are the 5005s a false economy???

Many questions from a bewildered novice looking for a better experience please advise!!

 

[Shildondurham]

Sorry was also going to ask if id be better off going down the 2nd hand route with my 400-500 budget?

 

[bigfish786]

For a decade or more, shop around, get the pm6005 and cd6005 to match.

 

[hybridauth_Google_112658120703314018098]

Richer Sounds has some of the previous model (the MCR-610) at £300, which I wouldn't rule out either. WHF didn't seem to think the MCR-611 was a major improvement on that one. The Celestion's are fairly sensitive and should be easy to drive.

 

[Shildondurham]

I know what your saying, for long term investment its worth going that bit higher.

So is the 6005 worth the extra over the 5005 then you think and how would they compare against the mc r611? Are we talking minor improvements or major benefits? Im not looking to blow walls down but want punch and detail.

also should i look to get some new speakers? Thats why im reluctant to blow maximum budget as the dl4s are old also or is it possible to get them refurbed to freshen them up??

thanks for any advice its very much appreciated

 

[knaithrover]

If I was you.....i'd get a 610 new with Dali Zensor 3's or Kef Q300's second hand. Lots of bang for your buck there. The MCR range are better than the 5005's and compare with the 6005's with only one box/less wires.

 

[Shildondurham]

You rate the mcr over the cheaper components then! Interesting. It does hold the most appeal so i think il have to go for a demo, and i will look into both those speaker options see what deals i can find. Thanks again

 

[knaithrover]

You rate the mcr over the cheaper components then! Interesting. It does hold the most appeal so i think il have to go for a demo, and i will look into both those speaker options see what deals i can find. Thanks again

Plenty of speakers in your price range tbh especially second hand, Q Acoustics definitely worth a look as well although I've never tried them with Marantz kit. Dali's would be my number 1 to audition.

Shildon eh? Nice to have another North Easterner on here.

 

[Shildondurham]

North east represent!!

just out of curiosity how do you judge the 611 system to be better then the 5005s? Surely the bigger dedicated technology must be better then the smaller weaker all in 1? Could someone please educate me!

has anyone any personal experience with the mc-r611 that can help. Im going to demo one but its so hard to judge in a shop exactly what your hearing (or not hearing). A real world user would be good.

and what about that speaker refurb option or am i on the wrong path??

any advice on anything mentioned above greatly appreciated

 

[robdmarsh]

Hi

I have the even older Marantz m-cr603, which I think is excellent. I have some old speakers (Celestion 3 mkii) which complement it brilliantly. I tried the modern speakers which everyone raves about, Wharfedale Diamond 220s, and didn't like their uninvolving sound. What I'm saying is that these Marantz all-in-ones (and maybe others) are pretty amazing these days and with careful speaker matching to get the sound you want, offer incredible value for money. What you won't get is room shaking bass or scale but for smaller rooms and ease of use they are the ideal solution.

Hope that helps

Rob

 

[knaithrover]

North east represent!!

just out of curiosity how do you judge the 611 system to be better then the 5005s? Surely the bigger dedicated technology must be better then the smaller weaker all in 1? Could someone please educate me!

has anyone any personal experience with the mc-r611 that can help. Im going to demo one but its so hard to judge in a shop exactly what your hearing (or not hearing). A real world user would be good.

and what about that speaker refurb option or am i on the wrong path??

any advice on anything mentioned above greatly appreciated

I can speak from the viewpoint of someone who in the past has owned a PM5004 and an MCR510 which essentially have at least the same amplification of their respective newer PM and MCR models. The MCR510 was significantly better than my PM5004 in pretty much every way - more refined, more powerful less 'entry level' with the added bonus of a smaller footprint along with the obvious extra options and connectivity. Trust your own ears though....

 

[splasher]

I have the MCR611 in our bedroom (or should that be wor bedroom) and it is a first rate piece of kit. I have all my CDs ripped so I use it to stream them, play radio (FM, DAB and Internet) and play Spotify Connect. I also play catchup radio through an iPad either plugged into the front or by AirPlay. The reason I opted for this and not the 511 is that I have two sets of speakers connected, one set in the bedroom and one in the bathroom for early morning radio or relaxing baths. It's an immensely versatile piece of kit.

As others have said, the only drawback is it won't drive a set of big speakers like a decent dedicated amp can. I haven't tried a PM5005 but I wouldn't have thought there would be a great deal of difference. I would guess the 5005 would cope better with heat if used at high volumes for prolonged periods, but I stress, that's only a guess.

 

[Shildondurham]

Spot on comments really pleased thanks. I have to admit i am 70% decided on the 611 but like i say im going to Newcastle to try it and similar options but hopefull the drive home will be with a smile!

im going to try couple of speakers but think il let the dl4s have a shot first before making any decisions. They do have a good full sound which i like iv just read about upgraded capacitors and such making big differences and didn know if that is a consideration to consider considering budget??

 

[kukulec]

Just a very subjective opinion: maybe two weekes ago I was listening a half an hour the Marantz 611 with a Dali Lektor II. This setup had a nice stereo image, a nice midrange, however I left totally unimpressed. Now I don't know if it was the fault of the amplifier or the speakers (I think the latter), howerver even increasing the volume, the sound was way too thin and dry.

 

[Shildondurham]

Aaannnndddd back down I slide!!

 

[chebby]

If you need the CD player and an FM/DAB tuner then I don't think there are any other sensibly priced alternative 'all-in-ones' until you get to the cost of a Naim UnitiLite with optional tuner module or a Uniti 2.

Pointless comparing with separates. You either want a good quality all-in-one or you don't. It's not something people compare.

If you really wanted a BMW mini, then you wouldn't be comparing with a Morgan or a Range Rover.

I replaced a Naim entry level separates system with a Marantz M-CR603 and enjoyed it for four and a half years with no regrets. Other people would (and did) consider that insane (or even heretical in one instance).

If you are going to need to seriously compare the '611 with separates, for even a minute, you need to buy separates.

 

[Shildondurham]

Ok im not expecting one to match seperates but id like to think it would be close to a lower end stack but proof of the bird is in the pie.

Thanks though found some good info off yous