New CDP after many a demo.

[Stuart83]

Well as per my other two threads and comments on other forum users threads on new CDP and Transports I finally as said went and had many demonstrated at both richer sounds and Hifi sound.

As said I was wanting to upgrade past a failing old favourite Marantz cd52 mk2 despite replacing the edject wheel it's now got draw jitter from worn guide rails.
I will of course be repairing that but it got me onto wanting to replace it with something more modern and in keeping with my main hifi.

My original threads were questions on where to go next, wether it be a transport or player causing my usual much to deep research into both.
Many late night/early mornings reading up on similar threads and looking into the main advantages of both.

I got to thinking that a CDT is a way (past a certain price point of CDP) of paying more for less.
The way decent CDP are constructed with hdam etc etc and the bypassing of the internal dac via a noise free environment made me think it's just as quality a CDT using the "digital out" as a simpler priced dedicated CDT.

I of course looked at internal components with a rudemantery understanding of what's what and found players like the Marantz cd60 and musical fidelity m2 carry very good and proven mechanical parts with matching circuitry not to go to in depth.

However as the regulars will of gotten to know me a little over my time here that's not enough for me.
Literally knowledge and presumption isn't enough and I won't buy blind.

I had to listen for myself to get a handle of what's what.
I've never had a dedicated CDT only player with option to act as one so a demo of the best popular CDT's of the day and players was a must.

Side note' I took my own acram sa30 with me for a reference amp.

Off to richer sounds and up came the both audio lab CDT's the 6000 and 9000 and I liked them both.
Both sounded like the DAC (ess saber) inside the acram which I like very much.
I heard no discernable difference between the two sonically.
Ive always been too analytical to persuade myself of anything thats clearly not there to me.
I even asked for them to be played in an unknown order not knowing nor glancing over to which CDT was playing after each wire only swap.
I purposely remained aloof and didn't look over at the players to keep them unknown to me despite asking for the fronts to be covered with the box placed Infront so I couldn't cheat.

Yeah that got me a strange look from the guy at richer sounds but i like things fare and we all are guilty of expecting and/or convincing ourselves the more expensive one is best of everything.
Heck it's nearly always the case.

All was as I expected and it's the DAC I was hearing as both audio lab CDT's are of good quality so there was no weak link between the two and no difference in DAC flavouring.

After that fresh in my head using the lumineers "dead sea" as a reference track i had to go to hifi sound to demo the aforementioned musical fidelity and as soon as I heard it I liked it but kept feeling it was a little flat in comparison to my personal preference.
I know it was mentioned in a review but I don't mean flat in a bad way just not in keeping with what I like personally.

I tried it with the digital out and straight away preferred it using the acrams DAC.
That said I didn't see the point of paying extra for such a CDP that has a DAC I'm not keen on when there was a more reasonable audio lab CDT capable of the same thing.
I didn't hear anything different between the CDT and CDP using the acrams proven ess saber DAC.

That was the crucial decider to me between going the transport only route or getting another CDP capable of being a transport aswell.
I couldn't hear any sonic difference at all using a CDP with the digital out or a CDT alone played through the same DAC.
Please remember this is to my very analytical ears and mind, I'm not saying it's not there rather I couldn't hear it.

After that came the Marantz cd60 which almost straight away I liked way past the musical fidelity using its own internal DAC (with the acrams switched off if course)
I've always liked and owned Marantz cd players so I kept that in mind as not to form a brand biast.
The musicality of this player is gorgeous.
The vocals on dead sea promoted thoughts of having the singer next to me on a bar stool.

It sparked a conversation on CDT's and CDP's with the guy there and he stated he'd always preferred a good player with the option of a digital out to get the best of both worlds so to speak amongst other things.
He

Suffice to say I purchased the Marantz CD60 and it came earlier.

Please don't think I'm saying what I personally found is me saying how it is to everyone.
I had to find out as always by listening to the things in person to form a definitive answer for "myself" on what to purchase between CDT's and CDP's.

I also got to try high Res through the Marantz usb port which I also liked which is a bonus to have included in the box was both audio RCA cables and a digital coaxial so I can rig up both analogue and digital to switch between DACs.

I'd imagine it's a function I won't use much but it's there all the same.

 

[manicm]

Congratulations, it's a beautiful player, just wish they made it a bit slimmer - but they retained the size to save production costs.

But it's still a beautiful player/

 

[Messiah]

I do love the symmetry of Marantz design and these new models look superb.

 

[podknocker]

Looks superb. Get yersen a matching amp round it!!!

 

[Al ears]

Well as per my other two threads and comments on other forum users threads on new CDP and Transports I finally as said went and had many demonstrated at both richer sounds and Hifi sound.

As said I was wanting to upgrade past a failing old favourite Marantz cd52 mk2 despite replacing the edject wheel it's now got draw jitter from worn guide rails.
I will of course be repairing that but it got me onto wanting to replace it with something more modern and in keeping with my main hifi.

My original threads were questions on where to go next, wether it be a transport or player causing my usual much to deep research into both.
Many late night/early mornings reading up on similar threads and looking into the main advantages of both.

I got to thinking that a CDT is a way (past a certain price point of CDP) of paying more for less.
The way decent CDP are constructed with hdam etc etc and the bypassing of the internal dac via a noise free environment made me think it's just as quality a CDT using the "digital out" as a simpler priced dedicated CDT.

I of course looked at internal components with a rudemantery understanding of what's what and found players like the Marantz cd60 and musical fidelity m2 carry very good and proven mechanical parts with matching circuitry not to go to in depth.

However as the regulars will of gotten to know me a little over my time here that's not enough for me.
Literally knowledge and presumption isn't enough and I won't buy blind.

I had to listen for myself to get a handle of what's what.
I've never had a dedicated CDT only player with option to act as one so a demo of the best popular CDT's of the day and players was a must.

Side note' I took my own acram sa30 with me for a reference amp.

Off to richer sounds and up came the both audio lab CDT's the 6000 and 9000 and I liked them both.
Both sounded like the DAC (ess saber) inside the acram which I like very much.
I heard no discernable difference between the two sonically.
Ive always been too analytical to persuade myself of anything thats clearly not there to me.
I even asked for them to be played in an unknown order not knowing nor glancing over to which CDT was playing after each wire only swap.
I purposely remained aloof and didn't look over at the players to keep them unknown to me despite asking for the fronts to be covered with the box placed Infront so I couldn't cheat.

Yeah that got me a strange look from the guy at richer sounds but i like things fare and we all are guilty of expecting and/or convincing ourselves the more expensive one is best of everything.
Heck it's nearly always the case.

All was as I expected and it's the DAC I was hearing as both audio lab CDT's are of good quality so there was no weak link between the two and no difference in DAC flavouring.

After that fresh in my head using the lumineers "dead sea" as a reference track i had to go to hifi sound to demo the aforementioned musical fidelity and as soon as I heard it I liked it but kept feeling it was a little flat in comparison to my personal preference.
I know it was mentioned in a review but I don't mean flat in a bad way just not in keeping with what I like personally.

I tried it with the digital out and straight away preferred it using the acrams DAC.
That said I didn't see the point of paying extra for such a CDP that has a DAC I'm not keen on when there was a more reasonable audio lab CDT capable of the same thing.
I didn't hear anything different between the CDT and CDP using the acrams proven ess saber DAC.

That was the crucial decider to me between going the transport only route or getting another CDP capable of being a transport aswell.
I couldn't hear any sonic difference at all using a CDP with the digital out or a CDT alone played through the same DAC.
Please remember this is to my very analytical ears and mind, I'm not saying it's not there rather I couldn't hear it.

After that came the Marantz cd60 which almost straight away I liked way past the musical fidelity using its own internal DAC (with the acrams switched off if course)
I've always liked and owned Marantz cd players so I kept that in mind as not to form a brand biast.
The musicality of this player is gorgeous.
The vocals on dead sea promoted thoughts of having the singer next to me on a bar stool.

It sparked a conversation on CDT's and CDP's with the guy there and he stated he'd always preferred a good player with the option of a digital out to get the best of both worlds so to speak amongst other things.
He

Suffice to say I purchased the Marantz CD60 and it came earlier.

Please don't think I'm saying what I personally found is me saying how it is to everyone.
I had to find out as always by listening to the things in person to form a definitive answer for "myself" on what to purchase between CDT's and CDP's.

I also got to try high Res through the Marantz usb port which I also liked which is a bonus to have included in the box was both audio RCA cables and a digital coaxial so I can rig up both analogue and digital to switch between DACs.

I'd imagine it's a function I won't use much but it's there all the same.

It's a function I would certainly use after having ripped most of my CDs to a portable USB drive.
If my Oppo should ever go U/S I will certainly be considering one in silver.....

 

[jjbomber]

Please don't think I'm saying what I personally found is me saying how it is to everyone.

Surely that's the whole point of the forum. Everyone has to do exactly what the poster says!

 

[DougK1]

I am biased but Marantz do make some cracking gear. Sadly they are generally overlooked in favour of more 'desirable' brands.

One thing of note, I can see no CDP below this in the new Marantz range. Is the CD60 the replacement for the CD6007? If so then prices have indeed crept if this is the new entry level CDP.

 

[podknocker]

Richer Sounds have the CD60 and CD6007 and have done for a while. I think they are 2 current model ranges, but the CD6007 has crept up from £299 to £339 in recent weeks. Still a bargain.

 

[DougK1]

Richer Sounds have the CD60 and CD6007 and have done for a while. I think they are 2 current model ranges, but the CD6007 has crept up from £299 to £339 in recent weeks. Still a bargain.

Understood, but think their intention is to give the new face to the whole range and eventually phase out the old one.

 

[manicm]

I am biased but Marantz do make some cracking gear. Sadly they are generally overlooked in favour of more 'desirable' brands.

One thing of note, I can see no CDP below this in the new Marantz range. Is the CD60 the replacement for the CD6007? If so then prices have indeed crept if this is the new entry level CDP.

It remains to be seen, as if/when they'll replace the PM6007 too. Marantz want to go upstream, maybe leave Denon to fill that gap.

 

[Covenanter]

The last 3 CD players I've owned have all been Marantz. My SA8005 is 10 years old this year and is still going strong.

I have always auditioned and what I really like is that I find that Marantz kit doesn't get in the way of the music. I don't want to hear the HiFi, I want to hear the music.

PS I suppose that at 10 years old some components will be getting towards the end of their lives. So I might be auditioning again!

 

[Integralista]

Hello Stuart, very good choice!

Marantz is strong in CD players. I think this will be a keeper in your system. And is nice that you has stayed with Marantz.

 

[podknocker]

I remember in the early 1980s, looking through a Kays catalogue we'd borrowed from a neighbour and seeing all these Marantz components, in black with the gold trim etc. I was obsessed with these things, along with space lego and Scalextric and I was fascinated with HIFI from my mid teens. They were part of the Philips empire back then and I don't remember any other brand in these mainly Christmas featured mail order catalogues. Marantz have been one of the most successful and enduring brands in this sector and I can't see that changing. Until very recently, you could go to Richer Sounds and buy a CD6007 and PM6007 for about £600 and although prices have increased a little, you can't get a better sounding combo than this for the cost. I would like to see Marantz release a HIFI Rose RA520 beating streamer, with real clout and quality. The market is there and they certainly have the engineering prowess to make something spectacular.

 

[Stuart83]

I am biased but Marantz do make some cracking gear. Sadly they are generally overlooked in favour of more 'desirable' brands.

One thing of note, I can see no CDP below this in the new Marantz range. Is the CD60 the replacement for the CD6007? If so then prices have indeed crept if this is the new entry level CDP.

The cd 60 is the one above the 6007 this player offers improved HDAM circuitry and HDAM-SA2 headphone amplifier, and a high resolution DAC.

 

[DougK1]

The cd 60 is the one above the 6007 this player offers improved HDAM circuitry and HDAM-SA2 headphone amplifier, and a high resolution DAC.

I fully understand Stuart, I wasn't disputing that it's a better machine

My question is with the new faceplate design and model designation, plus the demise of the PM&CD8000 series, will the 6&7000 series be next to go? If so that will leave the CD60 as the base CDP... regardless of its attributes this constitutes a definite creep upwards in price from the previous base model - CD6007.

On the official Marantz UK site they are stating PM&SA10 and PM&SA12 are out of stock. I could be wrong but I think we have seen the last of the old faceplate design as it appears to be on run-out.

As Manicm said maybe Marantz are looking to go upstream?

 

[Messiah]

As Manicm said maybe Marantz are looking to go upstream?

I'd be very surprised if they took that route.

Whilst I am not privy to Marantz sales data, I would imagine, given the years of awards and many, many recommendations on various forums, the 600X series have probably sold bucket loads.

Unless manufacturing costs are so prohibitive that these devices are not profitable, I cannot see them turning away from something that sells.

Times will tell I guess.

 

[Stuart83]

I fully understand Stuart, I wasn't disputing that it's a better machine

My question is with the new faceplate design and model designation, plus the demise of the PM&CD8000 series, will the 6&7000 series be next to go? If so that will leave the CD60 as the base CDP... regardless of its attributes this constitutes a definite creep upwards in price from the previous base model - CD6007.

On the official Marantz UK site they are stating PM&SA10 and PM&SA12 are out of stock. I could be wrong but I think we have seen the last of the old faceplate design as it appears to be on run-out.

As Manicm said maybe Marantz are looking to go upstream?

Interesting 🤔
I'm not sure, I can't find anything written to indicate such a move but who knows.

It would seem very unwise to ditch such a successful line especially with the 6007 doing so well it's probably their "bread and butter ' player.

Marantz historically have always had a lower budget range that's done well changing a working business model isn't usually the way companies choose.

One never knows though.

 

[plastic penguin]

Well as per my other two threads and comments on other forum users threads on new CDP and Transports I finally as said went and had many demonstrated at both richer sounds and Hifi sound.

As said I was wanting to upgrade past a failing old favourite Marantz cd52 mk2 despite replacing the edject wheel it's now got draw jitter from worn guide rails.
I will of course be repairing that but it got me onto wanting to replace it with something more modern and in keeping with my main hifi.

My original threads were questions on where to go next, wether it be a transport or player causing my usual much to deep research into both.
Many late night/early mornings reading up on similar threads and looking into the main advantages of both.

I got to thinking that a CDT is a way (past a certain price point of CDP) of paying more for less.
The way decent CDP are constructed with hdam etc etc and the bypassing of the internal dac via a noise free environment made me think it's just as quality a CDT using the "digital out" as a simpler priced dedicated CDT.

I of course looked at internal components with a rudemantery understanding of what's what and found players like the Marantz cd60 and musical fidelity m2 carry very good and proven mechanical parts with matching circuitry not to go to in depth.

However as the regulars will of gotten to know me a little over my time here that's not enough for me.
Literally knowledge and presumption isn't enough and I won't buy blind.

I had to listen for myself to get a handle of what's what.
I've never had a dedicated CDT only player with option to act as one so a demo of the best popular CDT's of the day and players was a must.

Side note' I took my own acram sa30 with me for a reference amp.

Off to richer sounds and up came the both audio lab CDT's the 6000 and 9000 and I liked them both.
Both sounded like the DAC (ess saber) inside the acram which I like very much.
I heard no discernable difference between the two sonically.
Ive always been too analytical to persuade myself of anything thats clearly not there to me.
I even asked for them to be played in an unknown order not knowing nor glancing over to which CDT was playing after each wire only swap.
I purposely remained aloof and didn't look over at the players to keep them unknown to me despite asking for the fronts to be covered with the box placed Infront so I couldn't cheat.

Yeah that got me a strange look from the guy at richer sounds but i like things fare and we all are guilty of expecting and/or convincing ourselves the more expensive one is best of everything.
Heck it's nearly always the case.

All was as I expected and it's the DAC I was hearing as both audio lab CDT's are of good quality so there was no weak link between the two and no difference in DAC flavouring.

After that fresh in my head using the lumineers "dead sea" as a reference track i had to go to hifi sound to demo the aforementioned musical fidelity and as soon as I heard it I liked it but kept feeling it was a little flat in comparison to my personal preference.
I know it was mentioned in a review but I don't mean flat in a bad way just not in keeping with what I like personally.

I tried it with the digital out and straight away preferred it using the acrams DAC.
That said I didn't see the point of paying extra for such a CDP that has a DAC I'm not keen on when there was a more reasonable audio lab CDT capable of the same thing.
I didn't hear anything different between the CDT and CDP using the acrams proven ess saber DAC.

That was the crucial decider to me between going the transport only route or getting another CDP capable of being a transport aswell.
I couldn't hear any sonic difference at all using a CDP with the digital out or a CDT alone played through the same DAC.
Please remember this is to my very analytical ears and mind, I'm not saying it's not there rather I couldn't hear it.

After that came the Marantz cd60 which almost straight away I liked way past the musical fidelity using its own internal DAC (with the acrams switched off if course)
I've always liked and owned Marantz cd players so I kept that in mind as not to form a brand biast.
The musicality of this player is gorgeous.
The vocals on dead sea promoted thoughts of having the singer next to me on a bar stool.

It sparked a conversation on CDT's and CDP's with the guy there and he stated he'd always preferred a good player with the option of a digital out to get the best of both worlds so to speak amongst other things.
He

Suffice to say I purchased the Marantz CD60 and it came earlier.

Please don't think I'm saying what I personally found is me saying how it is to everyone.
I had to find out as always by listening to the things in person to form a definitive answer for "myself" on what to purchase between CDT's and CDP's.

I also got to try high Res through the Marantz usb port which I also liked which is a bonus to have included in the box was both audio RCA cables and a digital coaxial so I can rig up both analogue and digital to switch between DACs.

I'd imagine it's a function I won't use much but it's there all the same.

Cracking looking player. Having heard the CD 6007 when I demoed the Dalis, it instantly clicked with the Leema. As and when I change the Exposure the CD60 will be high on the audition list.

Enjoy your new bundle.

 

[Oxfordian]

Nothing wrong with Marantz, enjoy your new CDP.

 

[Stuart83]

Thanks for the messages 😊
Today will be set up day not that it's much to "set up".

I will be rigging both digital and analogue connections to the amp and cycle between the two at home of course this time to see what's what.

I'm showing my age as in my earlier years the CDP would of been rigged up instantly on arrival 😂 but now I waited until I'd got myself "the clash" and a few others on cd to put through it.
"Train in vain" is a must along with a few from the Beatles albums I've also gotten myself from Durham market yesterday for the princely sum of 5 £.
My partner unfortunately decided to get a record not getting the fact its s CDP in the box at home I've bought 😊
To add insult to injury it the super trouper album by abba 😫.

Unfortunately my hifi/bedroom in that order is dogged with sonic problems being an odd shape with windows all along one side and stuffed as you might know with soft furnishings etc and now shelves 😭

I will let you know how I get on and what dac I think is best in my room as I'm hoping it's the Marantz's own as I found at the demo room if only to further justify the purchase of a player more to myself.

I don't know why but I feel a tad guilty taking the old Marantz cd52 mk2 out of the setup after it's been so good and reliable.
I feel like I'm shoving it off to a nursing home or being disrespectful 😊

After owning many including newer more expensive players it's always the one I've liked the most suffice to say I'm hunting down a new draw to repair the jitter then it will take it's earned place back with the pioneer a400 it originally sat with all those yrs ago when bought.

 

[DougK1]

To add insult to injury it the super trouper album by abba 😫.

Think she may have bought that for herself Nowt wrong with a bit of ABBA, very partial myself.

 

[Oxfordian]

Think she may have bought that for herself Nowt wrong with a bit of ABBA, very partial myself.

Definitely nowt wrong with ABBA, there always seem to be a good number of people who turn their noses up when you mention their name, only to later find out they have a copy of ABBA Gold in their collection.

 

[Al ears]

Definitely nowt wrong with ABBA, there always seem to be a good number of people who turn their noses up when you mention their name, only to later find out they have a copy of ABBA Gold in their collection.

Yeh, I have got that one but only because it's my wifes.....

 

[Gray]

To add insult to injury it the super trouper album by abba 😫.

Sorry Stu, but I'll take Abba over The Clash every time 😉

 

[Integralista]

Well as per my other two threads and comments on other forum users threads on new CDP and Transports I finally as said went and had many demonstrated at both richer sounds and Hifi sound.

As said I was wanting to upgrade past a failing old favourite Marantz cd52 mk2 despite replacing the edject wheel it's now got draw jitter from worn guide rails.
I will of course be repairing that but it got me onto wanting to replace it with something more modern and in keeping with my main hifi.

My original threads were questions on where to go next, wether it be a transport or player causing my usual much to deep research into both.
Many late night/early mornings reading up on similar threads and looking into the main advantages of both.

I got to thinking that a CDT is a way (past a certain price point of CDP) of paying more for less.
The way decent CDP are constructed with hdam etc etc and the bypassing of the internal dac via a noise free environment made me think it's just as quality a CDT using the "digital out" as a simpler priced dedicated CDT.

I of course looked at internal components with a rudemantery understanding of what's what and found players like the Marantz cd60 and musical fidelity m2 carry very good and proven mechanical parts with matching circuitry not to go to in depth.

However as the regulars will of gotten to know me a little over my time here that's not enough for me.
Literally knowledge and presumption isn't enough and I won't buy blind.

I had to listen for myself to get a handle of what's what.
I've never had a dedicated CDT only player with option to act as one so a demo of the best popular CDT's of the day and players was a must.

Side note' I took my own acram sa30 with me for a reference amp.

Off to richer sounds and up came the both audio lab CDT's the 6000 and 9000 and I liked them both.
Both sounded like the DAC (ess saber) inside the acram which I like very much.
I heard no discernable difference between the two sonically.
Ive always been too analytical to persuade myself of anything thats clearly not there to me.
I even asked for them to be played in an unknown order not knowing nor glancing over to which CDT was playing after each wire only swap.
I purposely remained aloof and didn't look over at the players to keep them unknown to me despite asking for the fronts to be covered with the box placed Infront so I couldn't cheat.

Yeah that got me a strange look from the guy at richer sounds but i like things fare and we all are guilty of expecting and/or convincing ourselves the more expensive one is best of everything.
Heck it's nearly always the case.

All was as I expected and it's the DAC I was hearing as both audio lab CDT's are of good quality so there was no weak link between the two and no difference in DAC flavouring.

After that fresh in my head using the lumineers "dead sea" as a reference track i had to go to hifi sound to demo the aforementioned musical fidelity and as soon as I heard it I liked it but kept feeling it was a little flat in comparison to my personal preference.
I know it was mentioned in a review but I don't mean flat in a bad way just not in keeping with what I like personally.

I tried it with the digital out and straight away preferred it using the acrams DAC.
That said I didn't see the point of paying extra for such a CDP that has a DAC I'm not keen on when there was a more reasonable audio lab CDT capable of the same thing.
I didn't hear anything different between the CDT and CDP using the acrams proven ess saber DAC.

That was the crucial decider to me between going the transport only route or getting another CDP capable of being a transport aswell.
I couldn't hear any sonic difference at all using a CDP with the digital out or a CDT alone played through the same DAC.
Please remember this is to my very analytical ears and mind, I'm not saying it's not there rather I couldn't hear it.

After that came the Marantz cd60 which almost straight away I liked way past the musical fidelity using its own internal DAC (with the acrams switched off if course)
I've always liked and owned Marantz cd players so I kept that in mind as not to form a brand biast.
The musicality of this player is gorgeous.
The vocals on dead sea promoted thoughts of having the singer next to me on a bar stool.

It sparked a conversation on CDT's and CDP's with the guy there and he stated he'd always preferred a good player with the option of a digital out to get the best of both worlds so to speak amongst other things.
He

Suffice to say I purchased the Marantz CD60 and it came earlier.

Please don't think I'm saying what I personally found is me saying how it is to everyone.
I had to find out as always by listening to the things in person to form a definitive answer for "myself" on what to purchase between CDT's and CDP's.

I also got to try high Res through the Marantz usb port which I also liked which is a bonus to have included in the box was both audio RCA cables and a digital coaxial so I can rig up both analogue and digital to switch between DACs.

I'd imagine it's a function I won't use much but it's there all the same.

Well as per my other two threads and comments on other forum users threads on new CDP and Transports I finally as said went and had many demonstrated at both richer sounds and Hifi sound.

As said I was wanting to upgrade past a failing old favourite Marantz cd52 mk2 despite replacing the edject wheel it's now got draw jitter from worn guide rails.
I will of course be repairing that but it got me onto wanting to replace it with something more modern and in keeping with my main hifi.

My original threads were questions on where to go next, wether it be a transport or player causing my usual much to deep research into both.
Many late night/early mornings reading up on similar threads and looking into the main advantages of both.

I got to thinking that a CDT is a way (past a certain price point of CDP) of paying more for less.
The way decent CDP are constructed with hdam etc etc and the bypassing of the internal dac via a noise free environment made me think it's just as quality a CDT using the "digital out" as a simpler priced dedicated CDT.

I of course looked at internal components with a rudemantery understanding of what's what and found players like the Marantz cd60 and musical fidelity m2 carry very good and proven mechanical parts with matching circuitry not to go to in depth.

However as the regulars will of gotten to know me a little over my time here that's not enough for me.
Literally knowledge and presumption isn't enough and I won't buy blind.

I had to listen for myself to get a handle of what's what.
I've never had a dedicated CDT only player with option to act as one so a demo of the best popular CDT's of the day and players was a must.

Side note' I took my own acram sa30 with me for a reference amp.

Off to richer sounds and up came the both audio lab CDT's the 6000 and 9000 and I liked them both.
Both sounded like the DAC (ess saber) inside the acram which I like very much.
I heard no discernable difference between the two sonically.
Ive always been too analytical to persuade myself of anything thats clearly not there to me.
I even asked for them to be played in an unknown order not knowing nor glancing over to which CDT was playing after each wire only swap.
I purposely remained aloof and didn't look over at the players to keep them unknown to me despite asking for the fronts to be covered with the box placed Infront so I couldn't cheat.

Yeah that got me a strange look from the guy at richer sounds but i like things fare and we all are guilty of expecting and/or convincing ourselves the more expensive one is best of everything.
Heck it's nearly always the case.

All was as I expected and it's the DAC I was hearing as both audio lab CDT's are of good quality so there was no weak link between the two and no difference in DAC flavouring.

After that fresh in my head using the lumineers "dead sea" as a reference track i had to go to hifi sound to demo the aforementioned musical fidelity and as soon as I heard it I liked it but kept feeling it was a little flat in comparison to my personal preference.
I know it was mentioned in a review but I don't mean flat in a bad way just not in keeping with what I like personally.

I tried it with the digital out and straight away preferred it using the acrams DAC.
That said I didn't see the point of paying extra for such a CDP that has a DAC I'm not keen on when there was a more reasonable audio lab CDT capable of the same thing.
I didn't hear anything different between the CDT and CDP using the acrams proven ess saber DAC.

That was the crucial decider to me between going the transport only route or getting another CDP capable of being a transport aswell.
I couldn't hear any sonic difference at all using a CDP with the digital out or a CDT alone played through the same DAC.
Please remember this is to my very analytical ears and mind, I'm not saying it's not there rather I couldn't hear it.

After that came the Marantz cd60 which almost straight away I liked way past the musical fidelity using its own internal DAC (with the acrams switched off if course)
I've always liked and owned Marantz cd players so I kept that in mind as not to form a brand biast.
The musicality of this player is gorgeous.
The vocals on dead sea promoted thoughts of having the singer next to me on a bar stool.

It sparked a conversation on CDT's and CDP's with the guy there and he stated he'd always preferred a good player with the option of a digital out to get the best of both worlds so to speak amongst other things.
He

Suffice to say I purchased the Marantz CD60 and it came earlier.

Please don't think I'm saying what I personally found is me saying how it is to everyone.
I had to find out as always by listening to the things in person to form a definitive answer for "myself" on what to purchase between CDT's and CDP's.

I also got to try high Res through the Marantz usb port which I also liked which is a bonus to have included in the box was both audio RCA cables and a digital coaxial so I can rig up both analogue and digital to switch between DACs.

I'd imagine it's a function I won't use much but it's there all the same.

Hello Stuart, Marantz CD 60 is a very good choice. Which amp, cables, speakers do you use? Juraj