Question Next step up from Denon DM39DAB?

Dignaty

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Dec 25, 2020
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Hello everyone,

I am considering to upgrade my listening experience and wonder what is my best shot if I am to spend £400 at most.

I listen primarily to jazz and classics with a bit of French chansons on low volumes.

At present, I have Denon DM39DAB with B&W606.

I am thinking about:
Marantz CRM412
Marantz 5005 amp + cd
And dream about Rotel a11 and cd11 Tribute

Is it worth saving up for the latter or buy one of the first two options? Will th difference with denon be noticeable?

Any advice will be appreciated.
 

rainsoothe

Well-known member
Hello everyone,

I am considering to upgrade my listening experience and wonder what is my best shot if I am to spend £400 at most.

I listen primarily to jazz and classics with a bit of French chansons on low volumes.

At present, I have Denon DM39DAB with B&W606.

I am thinking about:
Marantz CRM412
Marantz 5005 amp + cd
And dream about Rotel a11 and cd11 Tribute

Is it worth saving up for the latter or buy one of the first two options? Will th difference with denon be noticeable?

Any advice will be appreciated.
Hi. I, for one, would save up for the Rotel. What you can do, however, is get the amp and use a dvd player or something (maybe one that has a digital output, so you can run it through the A11 DAC) as a temporary CD player until you can budget for the matching one. Also, unless you got a ton of CDs, you might wanna look into a streamer, such as the Yamaha wxad 10, and be done with it.
 

Dignaty

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Dec 25, 2020
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Thank you for your prompt response, @rainsoothe

That's quite a straightforward response. So do I deduce from it correctly that all in one systems are never as good enough as separates full stop?

Re CDs: I am actually gradually building my collection of CDs, I enjoy the ritual of choosing the one to listen to, then putting it in and then just knowing that I don't have to pay annual subscriptions ever is somehow appealing to me. So a good CD player is essential.
 
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matthewpiano

Well-known member
I agree with @rainsoothe regarding a more gradual upgrade, and the Rotel is a good choice. I would, however, also suggest the Marantz PM6007 and Rega IO as alternative amplifiers.

I know from experience that the Marantz actually pairs better with the 606s than the Rotel does, and I can imagine from my previous experience of Rega amps that the IO would also make a strong match.

My choice would be the Marantz amp, then add the CD6007 when you have saved up for it. It's a great pairing and sounds superb with 606s.
 
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Wil

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May 8, 2020
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It hasn't inputs for Digital Coax nor Optical, only Bluetooth with apt-X and AAC:
A11 Tribute Back.jpg

What you can do, however, is get the amp and use a dvd player or something (maybe one that has a digital output, so you can run it through the A11 DAC) as a temporary CD player until you can budget for the matching one. Also, unless you got a ton of CDs, you might wanna look into a streamer, such as the Yamaha wxad 10, and be done with it.
 
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rainsoothe

Well-known member
For what it's worth I'd also go with a Rega Io, which should pair just great with the BW, and a Marantz CDP - doesn't have to be the 6007, even a 5005 would perform just great if you don't need the frills of an upper scale model, like digital connectivity.
 

Wil

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Not at all, you were only being helpful. No one should mind.

Oh, just in time, I made an assumption, therefore an a** of myself and "umption". I stand corrected, thank you.

Concerning M-CR series, I actually still own a 611, which I incidentally used to initially run-in my stacked Concept 20 speakers, playing Netflix for a fortnight, Speaker A for tweeters, B for bass:
DSC05637.JPG
 

Dignaty

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Dec 25, 2020
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Thank you all!

I am still agonising on my decsion and this morning the shop I hoped to buy from (Harrow Audio) have thrown in one more option - Denon 600 series. Somehow I believed (perhaps wrongly?) that Marantz and Rotel are a step up, not Denon? Or shall I consider it? With a bit of luck I could find an ex-display model which would bring it well within my budget...
 

Wil

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Somehow I believed (perhaps wrongly?) that Marantz and Rotel are a step up, not Denon?

Coincidentally, last week, I noticed D+M are now depicted by owner with this "audio pyramid, especially if you consider price [and performance]":
sound united audio pyramid.jpg
View: https://youtu.be/BG9Be5xVxHU?t=159

I don't have time to dissect the video and dispute their presentation. For questions, someone else may…
 
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Dignaty

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Dec 25, 2020
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Coincidentally, last week, I noticed D+M are now depicted by owner with this "audio pyramid, especially if you consider price [and performance]":
View attachment 1955
View: https://youtu.be/BG9Be5xVxHU?t=159

I don't have time to dissect the video and dispute their presentation. For questions, someone else may…
Oh, these are very helpful videos - planning to watch them in full tonight! Thank you for sharing
 

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