Marantz pm10 and SA10 Review
 

Here's one of the first reviews on these new Marantz Reference Gear!:banana: :music:

http://www.the-ear.net/review-hardwa...ated-amplifier

Those two are $15k total in the US. I think I will pass on those prices.

Not 15k each I imagine.

The US retail pricing is $6,999 for the SA-10 and $7,999 for the PM-10.

The SA10 is an FPGA type DSD native DAC and SACD player. I think it's a bargain.

Class D amp. That won't work for me. But, am pleased enough with my current Marantz CDP that I would throw the SA-10 into the mix when its time to upgrade.

Great Bargain? :yes: or :no: . :scratch2:

We will find out soon when they come on the market here! :banana:

bargain?:music:

https://translate.google.com/transla...10&prev=search

Has anyone had experience with the SA-10 they'd like to share? I saw a video clip of the announcement, and it looked like a fine unit priced between the two lower end Esoteric machines but with perhaps a little warmer sound.

It gathers good to excellent reviews here in Europe.

I replaced a Marantz SA11 S3 with an SA10 in my system consisting of a McIntosh C48, MC452, Bryston Mini T's and a REL Gibraltar G2. In my opinion it is the finest sounding component that I've ever bought.

duffy, any comments on the transport and its operation?

Hi duffy1212, I have the SA11S3 in one system. Regarding SACD performance I have no comments, excellent reproduction. However Red Book CD is of lower performance. How would you compare SA 10 to Sa113S on Red Book CD performance only? Many thanks

Regarding the transport, I have had no issues with it. The indentation in the disk drawer is a little shallow, so a little more care is needed to seat the CD properly. If its not quite right it will give you a "no disk" message. The performance with Red Book cd's is where I've noticed the biggest difference. PCM is up converted to DSD in a manner which I believe is similar to how the PS Audio Direct Stream DAC functions. I have to admit that I am not that knowledgeable about the particulars. I do know that it sounds fantastic.

Good to know :)

The Marantz PM 10 is a Real Game Changer! :music: :yes: This is a Class H amp!

:lurk:



https://translate.google.com/transla...25&prev=search

I'm bafled that the article described the PM10 as a digital switching amp. In the next breath it is said to have a switching power supply. This implies, to me, bridged analog amplification with a switching power supply???????????

The Marantz PM-10 incorporates switching power amplification described in more detail as follows:

"For the first time in Marantz history, the new flagship uses switching power amplification to deliver 200 watts RMS into an 8-ohm load, 400 into 4 ohms. Marantz eschews the designation of “Class D” for this amplifier because to many audiophiles that term always connotes a digital process, which simply isn’t true. The PA-10 is driven by a differential analog signal, a highly linear switching modulator operating at 450kHz. There are separate power supplies for the preamplifier section and for each of the power amp channels. With the goal of achieving the greatest possible noise rejection throughout the signal path, the topology is fully balanced from input to output. Line-level single-ended inputs are provided as well, though it’s hard to imagine many purchasers will be using them."

Sounds a bit like the PWM power supply used by Sony in their wonderful little TA-N86 amps back in the day. They used 400mHz Motorola power transistors to get 70wpc class A/B or 16wpc Class A. Sucker ran so hot that it almost always fried the 85C caps in a couple of years. Replacing with 105C rated caps solved the problems. Am guessing Marantz has solved this problem all ready.

Marantz PM-10 generates almost no heat powering Klipsch Cornwall III speakers at medium volume levels for hours at a time.

Many other manufacturers use "different kind" of power supplies now, Soulution / Devialet / Jeff Rowland to name a few.

Just bought a demo PM-10 from a dealer. Going to try on my JBL 4365...

Tom, looking forward to your impressions!

Congrats! I think you’re going to like what you hear.

Indeed. Was very pleased with the lowly SA-8004 I had so can imagine how good the PM-10 must be.

What speakers are you using your PM-10 with?

Klipsch Cornwall III speakers at this time.

I received an SA-10 last week. I have been using a Wyred4Sound DAC which has the latest update including the ESS 9038PRO chip along with the old Marantz Reference, the SA-7S1. The SA-10, however, has taken things to a much higher level. It's more musical, precise, clean, realistic. Sibilance I thought was from the music is much reduced or gone. By far the best my CD's, SACD's and music files have sounded. Very happy with it and it will stay in my system

Downsides? Not many. Though the construction is very solid, it is a step down from the SA-7S1. The buttons on the front have a decent feel to them but are not near the same quality as on the earlier unit. I rarely use them however since the remote is much more convenient. I don't judge a component on its weight, but Marantz makes a deal about the copper construction and its heft, but it weighs close to ten pounds less than the SA-7S1. The disc tray is very smooth though it doesn't seem as solidly constructed as the 7S1. I've had the 7S1 for close to 10 years and it works as well as when it was brand new. Amazing unit. I'm hoping the SA-10 proves to be as reliable.

PM-10 is sounding good on the (very) limited time I get to listen. Believe it or not, I think it will replace the McIntosh MC601/C50 combo, however, as the Marantz will accept another pre-amp on board, I will hook the C50 up to hear the differences. Hell, maybe I will bi-amp the JBL 4365 speakers down the road. Since I have the SA-11S3 sacd player, I am in no particular rush to acquire the SA-10 (although I would love to!).:thumbsup:

Good to know your initial impressions of PM-10 are favorable, didn’t think you would be disappointed.

Agree with all your points raised. My SA-7S1 is now in pastures new, as I was offered more for it than I paid (!). The SA-10 I trialled went back to the dealer.

My SA-10 is not going back to the dealer, could not be more pleased with sale price and performance.

The ND-8006 the dealer used to demo the McIntosh MA252 certainly sounded good. If the SA-10 is better then it must sound great.

I purchased a Marantz SA-10 after my dealer loaned it to me for several days.
Previously I had bought a DAC from heim and returned it as 'being no better than my current bought used for $250 DAC... So he knew I would not be pleased with some trivial upgrade.
The main thing I wanted to hear was the SA-10 DAC used with a separate transport, playing CDs.Well I bought one. The sound of CD was way better, primarily the treble. But also all music attack, and pace. And all this still using a bought used $40 five disc changer via Toslink to the Marantz SA-10.
Now, several months since purchase, I play 98% of all CDs via one of the five disc changers to the SA-10 as DAC.
The SA-10 spinner is a little better sounding directly, but not enough to get me to give up the ease of the five disc system. I also use a single disc other CD player via SPDIF. and it is a tiny bit better than the five disc via Toslink. with both using the SA-10 as the DAC.

What else do you like about the sound?
It seems like a really interesting disc spinner/dac.

I am not good as a reviewer. Sorry. I find the Marantz SA-10 really moved my system up a notch. I got it after I moved from Magnepan 3.6 to 20.7s. and it was a hint that I could go a lot further. I also got the latest powercords of my favorite brand. And then decided to try some fancy duplex outlets.
So now, the realism is far better.
It is really only in the details.. HF sound, better clarity, more "THERE" than before.
And CDs clearly now have different mastering quality. Where before they all pretty much seemed the same. Now I can notice 'superdiscs, just like some LPs are way better. So are some CDs.
ADDED: I should mention I own very few SACD, but own lots of CDs. I enjoy using various five disc changers. I was able to audition the Marantz SA-10 at home, and got to hear it with my changers connected via Toslink. I bought it based entirely on how it sounded playing CDs as a DAC, via Toslink from a CD changer.
So as a SACD player, for people who own a lot of SACDs.. I cannot say much. But for a player which raises CD playback to an entirely new level, yes.
The Marantz's own spinner, compared to my others, is better playing CDs. But so little it does not matter to me vs the convenience of the five disc changers. So I am 'saving' the SA-10 transport for critical moments.. and day to day (I listen to music about 10 hours a day) listening with the changers to the Marantz used as a DAC. (the Marantz is also nice as if the Toslink or SPDIF has a data lock, the Marantz lighting will stay off all the time. So I can leave it on 24/7 and it never has a display showing. Only a very tiny single red dot.)