Question Marantz tt-15s1 vs Rega Planar 8

[VES]

hey, all,
I'm educating myself on what's on the market and many people recommend the Marantz tt-15s1 as the best of the best in the 2000$ range. what I don't get is when it is compared to a turntable from the Rega lineup why it is always compared to the P3 or the P6 when the Planar 8 (with Ania cartridge) is priced much closer to the Marantz tt-15s1 (a little lower even) and performs considerably better than the P3/6.
so I wonder...
is it that the Planar 8 is so much better than the the Marantz tt-15s1 that it is considered part of another league entirely and no one thinks to compare the two?
or
is it that in the around 2000$ range the Marantz tt-15s1 is unmatched and the Planar 8 doesn't give that much bang for the buck whereas the Planar 6 does and that's why it gets honorable mentions in reviews?
all opinions welcomed, thank you!

 

[Oxfordian]

Hi,

I know absolutely nothing about the Marantz but am looking to upgrade my P3 at some point in the not too distant future.

Talking last week with my friendly HiFi dealer, I asked why they didn't consider the P6 or P8 as worthy upgrades on my P3, their response was as follows;

If I had a P1 or P2 then the P6/P8 would be a substantial upgrade, but I have the P3 and other than a slightly thicker platter the P6 is all but the same deck especially when I have the Neo powering the P3.

With regard to the P8 over the P3 yes the P8 is better but not hugely noticeably so, in their eyes although the sound of the P8 would be better it would not be a good investment for my money, the store firmly believe that in order to have a substantial improvement on the P3 I need to be looking at TT's priced above the P8 + Ania Pro cart if I am going to get a WOW when the needle starts dancing in the grooves.

Now the Marantz is a very good TT, it gets good reviews and recommendations, the P6 and P8 are very good TT's and get good reviews and recommendations so which to buy, go and have a listen to each one if you can and then decide. All three in the right system will bring a smile to your face.

 

[VES]

Hi,

I know absolutely nothing about the Marantz but am looking to upgrade my P3 at some point in the not too distant future.

Talking last week with my friendly HiFi dealer, I asked why they didn't consider the P6 or P8 as worthy upgrades on my P3, their response was as follows;

If I had a P1 or P2 then the P6/P8 would be a substantial upgrade, but I have the P3 and other than a slightly thicker platter the P6 is all but the same deck especially when I have the Neo powering the P3.

With regard to the P8 over the P3 yes the P8 is better but not hugely noticeably so, in their eyes although the sound of the P8 would be better it would not be a good investment for my money, the store firmly believe that in order to have a substantial improvement on the P3 I need to be looking at TT's priced above the P8 + Ania Pro cart if I am going to get a WOW when the needle starts dancing in the grooves.

Now the Marantz is a very good TT, it gets good reviews and recommendations, the P6 and P8 are very good TT's and get good reviews and recommendations so which to buy, go and have a listen to each one if you can and then decide. All three in the right system will bring a smile to your face.

interesting...
in regards to the P6 as an upgrade for the P3, I can see why your dealer would say that, same tonearm, same plinth, I thing even the motor is virtually the same and much of the difference in performance comes from the PSU.
but I am surprised to hear that the P8 doesn't perform hugely differently than the P3. is that your personal opinion after hearing and comparing the two, or are you conveying what your dealer told you?

 

[WayneKerr]

I've got the Marantz but I have no idea how it compares against the Rega.

 

[Oxfordian]

interesting...
in regards to the P6 as an upgrade for the P3, I can see why your dealer would say that, same tonearm, same plinth, I thing even the motor is virtually the same and much of the difference in performance comes from the PSU.
but I am surprised to hear that the P8 doesn't perform hugely differently than the P3. is that your personal opinion after hearing and comparing the two, or are you conveying what your dealer told you?

Conveying dealers opinion, to me the P8 would be a big upgrade on my P3 but as yet I have not heard the P8 to support or refute the stores comments. There is no argument from me or the store that the P8 would be a better deck over the P3, the issue comes down to 'bangs for bucks', I would spend a lot but not get a big jump up in performance/sound quality.

Their recommendation for my next TT would be a Gyro SE, a pricey bit of kit but one that in their eyes I would never want to change and one that can be tweaked, adapted and improved over the years I own it, they believe that it will give me the wow factor that a P8 would not, again I haven't heard the Gyro so am basing the comments on the feedback that they have given me.

The key thing is that you get to hear whatever it is that you want to buy, my P3 is a great sounding deck and will please many many people for the rest of time. But if you want a Rega P6/8 over a Marantz or a Marantz over a Rega P6/8 just make sure that you listen to all your options before you buy.

 

[Al ears]

In this price range it is going to come down to the quality of the cartridge fitted. There are many other options but there is nothing at all wrong with the Marantz which is basically a rebadged / modified Clearaudio

 

[nopiano]

hey, all,
I'm educating myself on what's on the market and many people recommend the Marantz tt-15s1 as the best of the best in the 2000$ range. what I don't get is when it is compared to a turntable from the Rega lineup why it is always compared to the P3 or the P6 when the Planar 8 (with Ania cartridge) is priced much closer to the Marantz tt-15s1 (a little lower even) and performs considerably better than the P3/6.
so I wonder...
is it that the Planar 8 is so much better than the the Marantz tt-15s1 that it is considered part of another league entirely and no one thinks to compare the two?
or
is it that in the around 2000$ range the Marantz tt-15s1 is unmatched and the Planar 8 doesn't give that much bang for the buck whereas the Planar 6 does and that's why it gets honorable mentions in reviews?
all opinions welcomed, thank you!

The biggest factor might be given away by your use of the $ dollar sign. Where are you?

In the USA I believe Rega is pretty costly, as it has a local distributor who presumably takes a handsome margin. Marantz, however, is imported to both the UK and the US, so maybe the pricing is more comparable?

Here in the the UK the Marantz turntable - now shown as £2100 by Marantz themselves - was often discounted to around £1000 which was a bargain. That was around Planar 6 price, and the Rega looks a bit plain by comparison. (There is B stock Marantz for £999 as of today too. A P6 with cartridge is around £1350).

I therefore think the location of your purchase will influence perceptions of value.

 

[Al ears]

The biggest factor might be given away by your use of the $ dollar sign. Where are you?

In the USA I believe Rega is pretty costly, as it has a local distributor who presumably takes a handsome margin. Marantz, however, is imported to both the UK and the US, so maybe the pricing is more comparable?

Here in the the UK the Marantz turntable - now shown as £2100 by Marantz themselves - was often discounted to around £1000 which was a bargain. That was around Planar 6 price, and the Rega looks a bit plain by comparison. (There is B stock Marantz for £999 as of today too. A P6 with cartridge is around £1350).

I therefore think the location of your purchase will influence perceptions of value.

It would seem, wherever in the world he is that the Rega Planar 8 and the Marantz are similarly priced....

 

[VES]

The biggest factor might be given away by your use of the $ dollar sign. Where are you?

In the USA I believe Rega is pretty costly, as it has a local distributor who presumably takes a handsome margin. Marantz, however, is imported to both the UK and the US, so maybe the pricing is more comparable?

Here in the the UK the Marantz turntable - now shown as £2100 by Marantz themselves - was often discounted to around £1000 which was a bargain. That was around Planar 6 price, and the Rega looks a bit plain by comparison. (There is B stock Marantz for £999 as of today too. A P6 with cartridge is around £1350).

I therefore think the location of your purchase will influence perceptions of value.

true.

I am in Bulgaria and here I can get the Marantz tt-15s1 for about 2050€ and the Planar 8 for 1900€ to 3000€ depending on the cartridge, both new.

 

[twinkletoes]

I was looking at the marantz and the one thing that stopped me from buying it was the motor, when I had a play at the dealers the motor would move when being turned on which gave me the ick a little.

But deal breaker for me was having to move the belt for different speeds, I just couldn’t live with that on a personal front and just want to press a button for different speeds which is pure preference. Also I don’t think it has a lid.

So I went with a 1200gr and took the belt out of equation for better or worst.

 

[VES]

In this price range it is going to come down to the quality of the cartridge fitted. There are many other options but there is nothing at all wrong with the Marantz which is basically a rebadged / modified Clearaudio

here we come to a different question...

in similar budget, with the Marantz tt-15s1, a big percentage of that budget goes in the cartridge. whereas, with the Planar 8, you get a much cheaper cartridge, but that same budget has been invested in everything else in the TT, so that the cartridge performs at its best, and there is even room for upgrade down the road.

from that perspective, it seems to me the Planar 8 should be a worthy competitor for the Marantz yet nowhere do I find a review with them both side by side.

 

[VES]

I was looking at the marantz and the one thing that stopped me from buying it was the motor, when I had a play at the dealers the motor would move when being turned on which gave me the ick a little.

But deal breaker for me was having to move the belt for different speeds, I just couldn’t live with that on a personal front and just want to press a button for different speeds which is pure preference. Also I don’t think it has a lid.

So I went with a 1200gr and took the belt out of equation for better or worst.

very interesting, thank you for sharing.

I personally wouldn't mind having to change speed by hand but what you are saying about the motor seems to me a big deal. if you could visibly notice it moving you would definitely be able to hear it.

 

[twinkletoes]

very interesting, thank you for sharing.

I personally wouldn't mind having to change speed by hand but what you are saying about the motor seems to me a big deal. if you could visibly notice it moving you would definitely be able to hear it.

There are some reviews on line that talk about it. So worth reading up to see if it’s something would both you. Let me clarify though it would only move when being turned on and the switch is a bit fiddly to get to.

 

[Al ears]

here we come to a different question...

in similar budget, with the Marantz tt-15s1, a big percentage of that budget goes in the cartridge. whereas, with the Planar 8, you get a much cheaper cartridge, but that same budget has been invested in everything else in the TT, so that the cartridge performs at its best, and there is even room for upgrade down the road.

from that perspective, it seems to me the Planar 8 should be a worthy competitor for the Marantz yet nowhere do I find a review with them both side by side.

In the UK, and if that Marantz is fitted with the Clearaudio Virtuoso, the cartridge pricing is very similar.
What is the Marantz fitted with where you are?
You may also note one is a Moving Magnet and the other a high output moving coil......
As to which turntable is best you really going to have to audition for yourself as nobody here can tell you.

 

[VES]

In the UK, and if that Marantz is fitted with the Clearaudio Virtuoso, the cartridge pricing is very similar.
What is the Marantz fitted with where you are?
You may also note one is a Moving Magnet and the other a high output moving coil......
As to which turntable is best you really going to have to audition for yourself as nobody here can tell you.

doesn't the Marantz always come with the Clearaudio Virtuoso V2? here in Bulgaria it comes with that cartridge and the cartridge itself goes for 1000€ on it's own. with a budget of 2000€ for the entire turntable is seems to me there must be something amiss.

and yes, I did wonder how come the MC is not considered a big point in favor of the P8 over the MM cartridge of the tt-15s1, but I thought a high end MM may be better than an average MC. but I honestly don't know...

I really need to hear them both to form a valid opinion.

 

[VES]

There are some reviews on line that talk about it. So worth reading up to see if it’s something would both you. Let me clarify though it would only move when being turned on and the switch is a bit fiddly to get to.

will do, thanks

 

[Oxfordian]

doesn't the Marantz always come with the Clearaudio Virtuoso V2? here in Bulgaria it comes with that cartridge and the cartridge itself goes for 1000€ on it's own. with a budget of 2000€ for the entire turntable is seems to me there must be something amiss.

and yes, I did wonder how come the MC is not considered a big point in favor of the P8 over the MM cartridge of the tt-15s1, but I thought a high end MM may be better than an average MC. but I honestly don't know...

I really need to hear them both to form a valid opinion.

Let your ears do the listening, ideally in your system at home if you can.

 

[VES]

Let your ears do the listening, ideally in your system at home if you can.

it always comes down to that advice, doesn't it. whatever we all read or know, it is always the turntable that sounds best to a person that is the best for them.

 

[plastic penguin]

As the Marantz is based on a Clearaudio Emotion turntable, I would look at a Clearaudio Concept MM turntable if possible. Clearaudio are made in Germany so the OP should be able to source one in his country.

Not heard the Marantz or Rega but both come with good owner and mag reviews.

Ultimately, a home demo of either will decide the outcome.

 

[VES]

In this price range it is going to come down to the quality of the cartridge fitted. There are many other options but there is nothing at all wrong with the Marantz which is basically a rebadged / modified Clearaudio

btw do you mean a particular Clearaudio model or just in general that Marantz gets a lot of their know how from Clearaudio? at a glance the tt-15s1 does look a lot like the Clearaudio Emotion SE

 

[plastic penguin]

it always comes down to that advice, doesn't it. whatever we all read or know, it is always the turntable that sounds best to a person that is the best for them.

That's purely because hi-fi is so personal, otherwise we would all be buying the same brands.

 

[VES]

btw do you mean a particular Clearaudio model or just in general that Marantz gets a lot of their know how from Clearaudio? at a glance the tt-15s1 does look a lot like the Clearaudio Emotion SE

nevermind, Plastic penguin answered my question

 

[Al ears]

doesn't the Marantz always come with the Clearaudio Virtuoso V2? here in Bulgaria it comes with that cartridge and the cartridge itself goes for 1000€ on it's own. with a budget of 2000€ for the entire turntable is seems to me there must be something amiss.

and yes, I did wonder how come the MC is not considered a big point in favor of the P8 over the MM cartridge of the tt-15s1, but I thought a high end MM may be better than an average MC. but I honestly don't know...

I really need to hear them both to form a valid opinion.

In some parts of the world, notably US, turntables can come fitted with different cartridges to those fitted to the same deck in the UK.
To my mind a good MM will be the better buy, I never did see the point of high output moving coils whatever they cost.

 

[VES]

As the Marantz is based on a Clearaudio Emotion turntable, I would look at a Clearaudio Concept MM turntable if possible. Clearaudio are made in Germany so the OP should be able to source one in his country.

Not heard the Marantz or Rega but both come with good owner and mag reviews.

Ultimately, a home demo of either will decide the outcome.

true, I can and at a considerably lower price than both the Marantz tt-15s1 and the Planar 8.
I'll look into it, thanks.

 

[WayneKerr]

Just to put things into perspective the Marantz is equipped with a Satisfy tonearm and a Marantz badged Virtuoso V2. In the UK the tonearm retails at £1370 and the cartridge £900, making the turntable a veritable bargain.

I've had mine for years and the motor and belt issues are non-existent for me. The anti-skate/bias is very clever... but it doesn't come with a cover and is a dust magnet. It's not plug and play, some assembly is required.