Alright, a few days plug & replug, quite tedious, what with the grounding and all... So really more based on "feeling" than A/B.
Still, every time, I swear I would be able to do a blind test.
The Cambridge Audio CP2 sounds good, but the Marantz' is obviously superior in that:
- it will pick up ANY speck of dust on the vinyl. I put Eagle's Hell's Freezes over, and no matter what, I would hear very soft pops and crackles I would not hear on CP, even when going back & forth
- the bass sounds richer on Marantz'. Not by much, but I in love will keep us alive, where it is loud and smooth... Well, it was louder and smoother 😂
- the real thing was a low light test, where I sat and listened to the same album through, the stage felt more natural I would say, in the sense it felt more like I was on my own with the band with the Marantz' phono than the CA.
But I would like to stress 2 points:
1. Only the static sounds (dust) were absolutely obvious. The rest? Not that much. It is difficult to say whether it was fatigue, wanting better, or whatever.
2. I already had the CA CP2, and this experience is enough to convince me that I don't need it. The Marantz' phono is at least on par with it according to my ear.
All in all, it was a very interesting process, and as npxavar said: it is interesting to see that new breed of integrated amps can foster so high quality phono stage for the money.
I think now I am fine for a while before changing any components, and I will just enjoy the music!!
Cheers!
Mrob