Marantz Model 30

[dougi]

I like the idea of the digital transport. A pity the Bluetooth only supports as far as Apt-x. When all else fails and in-built streaming clients are discontinued (i'm looking at my Marantz NA-7004 here and the discontinuance of Pandora in Australia) Bluetooth will always be an option. A pity there is no way, other than with a PC, to be able to add a processor to do room correction or the like with this pair of devices.

 

[GXAlan]

I'm just curious what these numbers would need to be before you would say that no further improvement would make any difference.

I am with you on this. We are well past the point of audibility and I really enjoy the sound out of my JBL SA600 from the Apollo era. My main system runs a classic Class A 30W/ch Accuphase amp with JBL S/2600 (Baby Everest).

I was just thinking that if I was going to get something from Denon, Classe, or Marantz, I would still choose the product with the highest measured performance even if the difference is not audible.

That said, I do like the sound of modern DACs. Whether it’s placebo or I am somehow hearing a difference in the digital filter is another story.

I am drawn to the recent Yamaha products because they have brought back the variable loudness control which is something I have been missing these past twenty-five years.

I also have a cosmetically poor, but electronically excellent Kenwood L-08C and L-08M pair in a mythical 110-220V configuration. Surprisingly, if I put my ear to a high efficiency tweeter, I can tell that the SNR is not as good as my Accuphase setup. At the listening position, I don’t hear any noise.

Kenwood was a big proponent of variable loudness and they actually had two dials to control the loudness; the frequency and the strength.

 

[Koeitje]

According to Hypex's specifications of the NC500 OEM 02xx it does hit 100W per channel RMS.
View attachment 81241

Link to the entire datasheet:
https://www.hypex.nl/img/upload/doc/ncore/nc500/Documentation/NC500_OEM_02xx_R11.pdf

It seems weird that Marantz would lie about it in their specifications:
View attachment 81242
Link:
https://us.marantz.com/shop/amplifier/model30

Ah the Dutch site didn't mention the module and mentioned 200W@4ohm. Which is higher than the RMS value from the data sheet. Hence my confusion.

 

[Mnyb]

Hmm there is 0.05% distorsion somewhere in the spec ? but they are all over the place , we have to wait for independent testing .

HDAM will for sure destroy measured performance , but is it even audible .

ALpha processing seems to be yet another take on " i dont understand the sample theorem at all and think that there are stare steps in my music "

https://xiph.org/video/vid1.shtml and https://xiph.org/video/vid2.shtml

 

[Rizzle]

Aparantly, the Marantz PM-10 also uses the Hypex NC500 module, four to be exact. And the PM-KI Ruby uses the same set-up as the Model 30.

Here are some measurements I found of the KI Ruby:
https://www.hifinews.com/content/marantz-sa-kipm-ki-ruby-sacd-playeramplifier-lab-report

 

[anmpr1]

PS The hipster video ad for it is just garbage.

Paired with the matching streamer, Marantz is asking 6500 USD. The guy on the bus and Mr. Telecaster probably can't afford them. LOL.

 

[Mnyb]

Paired with the matching streamer, Marantz is asking 6500 USD. The guy on the bus and Mr. Telecaster probably can't afford them. LOL.

Yes like sportscar adds , you cant have portly boomers in the add the ones that's actually bying this (or the middleaged sligthly overwigth guy , like me, maybe the son of a boomer )

 

[anmpr1]

Yes like sportscar adds...

Took the family truckster in for service yesterday. Here's waifu in the latest and greatest. Like high-end audio, if you have to ask the price...

 

[VintageFlanker]

I just come back from some store in Paris where I'd a chance to put my hands on this:

I confirm that both front plate and knobs are made of plastic. Barely acceptable for some 3000€ product...

 

[a2lowvw]

I confirm that both front plate and knobs are made of plastic. Barely acceptable for some 3000€ product...

That's too bad. Other than the Porthole it's a neat looking piece, I just wish they would have used higher quality materials.

 

[Kegemusha]

At that price plastic is not ok IMO. I do not like the design anyways, Marantz can do better in that matter.

 

[TankTop]

Looks nice. The white one is definitely looks like a "lifestyle" product. [but what about the speakers and speaker cable?]

But only 107 dB SNR?
$2500 is also a bit pricey in my opinion without integrated HEOS/DAC.

The SACD 30 specifications match the SA-KI
112 dB SNR and 109dB Dynamic Range in SACD mode (presumably DAC mode also)

But that's not as good as
Denon DCD-SX1
122 dB and 118 dB

or even the DCD-1600NE
117dB and 112dB

And the Denon's have AL32 Processing Plus.

View attachment 80883

I’m curious to see how the SA-KI SACD measures, I thought it was supposed to have a very unique DAC

 

[Wes]

I'm just glad it doesn't have a volume control in the center of the panel

 

[LostArk]

Aparantly, the Marantz PM-10 also uses the Hypex NC500 module, four to be exact. And the PM-KI Ruby uses the same set-up as the Model 30.

Here are some measurements I found of the KI Ruby:
https://www.hifinews.com/content/marantz-sa-kipm-ki-ruby-sacd-playeramplifier-lab-report

A-wtd S/N ratio of only 79.6db? Isn't this awfully low? The PM8006 (class A/B) has been measured between 85-90db.

 

[Sal1950]

Am I the only one who thinks that the styling is ugly and contrived?

Yep

 

[Sal1950]

I confirm that both front plate and knobs are made of plastic. Barely acceptable for some 3000€ product...

How disappointing, I was just about to comment that it was about time they made a product with a panel that wasn't plastic.

 

[kfscoll]

How disappointing, I was just about to comment that it was about time they made a product with a panel that wasn't plastic.

At a $2500 MSRP and 13.7kg any plastic is definitely not acceptable. Good thing it’s not plastic. Check out the specs on the Marantz website and scroll down to the “Cosmetics” section.

*Update* - Now that I look at pictures of the unit from the top down with its top cover removed, it looks like the part of the front panel with the “swirls” on it might indeed be plastic. Marantz does this with their AVRs and other equipment - the center of the front panel is metal, but the curved sides are plastic. Regardless, plastic on the front panel of a $2000+ product is unacceptable.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Good thing it’s not plastic. Check out the specs on the Marantz website and scroll down to the “Cosmetics” section.

Sounds kind of weird. It didn't look nor feel like aluminium at all when I touched it.
Both Alpha-Audio and Zero Fidelity found the same.

 

[TimF]

I get annoyed by those automobiles with a big centered exhaust pipe. It reminds me of an ****. Is the word **** allowed on this web site?

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

Now that I look at pictures of the unit from the top down with its top cover removed, it looks like the part of the front panel with the “swirls” on it might indeed be plastic. Marantz does this with their AVRs and other equipment - the center of the front panel is metal, but the curved sides are plastic. Regardless, plastic on the front panel of a $2000+ product is unacceptable.

Plastic does not belong on an audio product, nor on a proper motorcycle.