My Marantz SA-11S3 SACD Player/DAC review is live!

[Andre Marc]

How much does the cheaper Playback Designs machine cost?

They also have an $8500 DAC with a CD only transport.

 

[NorthStar]

But Bob, it PLAYS SACDs......pure DSD. I don't understand this manic drive to separate music from media.

Oh, I thought that it can't from a PC?

 

[Andre Marc]

Oh, I thought that it can't from a PC?

It does NOT stream DSD from a PC. It is a SACD player with 3 digital inputs, including USB 2.0, 192 Khz PCM capable. It can play physical SACDs and CDs.

 

[NorthStar]

It does NOT stream DSD from a PC. It is a SACD player with 3 digital inputs, including USB 2.0, 192 Khz PCM capable. It can play physical SACDs and CDs.

Yeah, that's what I got from your review, and I don't have any problem with that.
But Mark is more fussy than I.

 

[Andre Marc]

Yeah, that's what I got from your review, and I don't have any problem with that.
But Mark is more fussy than I.

Thanks Bob. The first few production runs are sold out...DSD from a PC is a NON ISSUE.

 

[Andre Marc]

I auditioned this player not long ago. I enjoyed it. I was not nearly as impressed with it's SACD playback, but that may very well have been software related. Certainly, it's CD performance was quite revealing, tonally darker and a tad thicker sounding than what it was compared against. To my ears, it's one of those "very musical mid-range" type players, considering I didn't find it's frequency extreme resolution as well defined/reaching/extended (esp the top end) as some. Although it had decent dimensionality, it wasn't one of those "pin-drop" types that clinically defined venue structure as if recently surveyed, nor did it separate band members and their instruments as independents, rather it manages to convince on a musical whole.

That said, it's level of "musicality" maybe a matter of tonal taste, and system synergy must be considered ... but it's certainly a worthy audition.

tb1

Nice interview...Audio Fidelity head honcho..

http://www.musictap.net/2013/02/21/audio-fidelitys-marshall-blonstein-talks-music/