Marantz CD60 & Denon DCD-900NE CD Players – Quick Look
Marantz CD60
This latest Compact Disc player is the lower cost offering by Marantz. It features an appealing industrial design and front panel USB-A port that gives you access to your digital media files supporting the playback of MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, DSD (DISF / DSF), with PCM up to 24 bits/192kHz and DSD up to 5.6-MHz from a connected USB drive. The player supports plastic discs for; CD / CD-R / CD-RW / WMA / MP3 and AAC but it does not play super audio compact discs (SACD’s).
Digital-to-analog conversion is carried out using a new 24bit DAC, the ES9016K2M, that provides the choice of two filter roll-off’s, one gentle, one sharp. The main analog audio output board that features Marantz’s proprietary Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module (HDAM), has been reworked improving high frequency distortion and supports a high-performance HDAM-SA2 headphone amp with three gain settings to match different headphones.
Finally the high current power supply uses separate analog and digital supplies with the analog supply using high speed, high-current Schottky barrier diodes, higher value current storage capacitors and improved voltage regulators. This power supply design is said to “improve current stability and reduce noise during highly demanding listening sessions”.
Connectivity includes:
Front Panel:
- USB-A
- Headphones
- IR – for remote
Rear panel:
- Stereo RCA
- Optical out
- Coaxial out
- Remote control
- IR flasher input
Availability: June 2022
MSRP: $999.00 (colors – black, silver)
Denon DCD-900NE
This new compact disc player is built on a vibration-resistant chassis and incorporates Denon’s AL32 Processing Plus that utilizes data interpolation algorithms, up-sampling, and bit-extension to support high-resolution analog audio. It features a USB-A front port that gives you access to your digital media files supporting the playback of MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, DSD (DISF / DSF), with PCM up to 24 bits/192kHz and DSD up to 5.6-MHz from a connected USB drive. The player supports plastic discs for; CD / CD-R / CD-RW / WMA / MP3 and AAC but it does not play super audio compact discs (SACD’s).
Digital-to-analog conversion is carried out using a 24bit DAC, the ES9018K2M, that uses an Asynchronous Sample Rate Conversion (ARSC) Master Clock design that is located immediately adjacent to the DAC that quote; “perfectly synchronizes digital circuits, ensuring unaltered audio”. Additional features include; Pure Direct mode that turns both the display and digital outputs off in order to minimize interference, a purpose designed transformer and a vibration resistant chassis design to reduce interference.
Finally the power supply uses separate analog and digital supplies in order to minimize interference.
Connectivity includes:
Front Panel:
- USB-A
- IR – for remote
Rear panel:
- Stereo RCA
- Optical out
- Coaxial out
- Remote control
Availability: June 2022
MSRP: $549.00 (colors: black, silver)
Both Denon and Marantz are owned by Sound United and are part of their stable of iconic audio brands that includes; Bowers & Wilkins, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Boston Acoustics, and Classe.
Sound United itself was recently acquired by the Masimo Corporation of Irvine, California.
For more information on the Marantz CD60 see the Marantz web site.
For more information on the Denon DCD-900NE see the Denon web site.
For more information of the flagship McIntosh MCD12000 SACD/CD player see this post.
