emcc_3 said:
would the arcam be a much warmer presentation than the Marantz?
TBH, really don't know - haven't heard the latest Marantz incarnations. There's an awful lot of myths about Arcam gear, especially on this forum.
Arcam stuff is warm? Yes their CDPs have a slight warm edge to them. Paired with the right speakers and amp, however, they can sound wonderful.
Arcam's strength is their treble and midrange. Their weakness (Alpha and DIVA range in particular) or achilles heel used to be the bass. Far from bad, they could be slightly sluggish, and as a consequence, they don't grab you by the throat and say: "Hear's Jonny!" They are a slow burning product and which means they are deemed as not great with rock. That's rubbish in my book...
Audition the CD17 and make up your own mind. The bass has been improved on my CD73 and has better clarity than the old DIVA range.
Hope this helps.