Scott_N

Marantz SA8260?

Anybody here have the Marantz SA8260? I was thinking about replacing my Sony SCD-333ES with a SACD player in the $1000-1500 range and the Marantz looks like a good value.

Phil A

The Marantz is a good value at its price point and a good CD player as well. 2 of my friends have one and I've heard it many times. Another friend took it home to evaluate it and compared it to his Linn Ikemi and it was not as good on CD. I did take it home and plug it into my system just to compare. I have a Modwright fully modded XA-777ES and brought over my friend's Linn Ikemi as well.

The Marantz has no level controls for multi-channel SACD so that if that is something you are looking for then you might want to look elsewhere. I found it to be a very good $1k CD player and a decent SACD player. I do have a Pioneer Elite DV-47A which is in the bedroom system on the other side of the wall to the main system and it is hooked into the main system. I also have had the Marantz 8300 (universal player) in my system for testing which is based on the DV-47A. The Marantz 8260 is clearly head and shoulders above both in terms of CD and SACD playback.

Scott_N

Well I have Cary 308T for CD's so it would just be for SACD playback. I don't think DVD players are built well enough for extended playing that's why i'm interested in a SACD CDP.I also might try and find a used Marantz SA-14.

DaveLenhert

Scott-

I'm in the same boat you are in...I'm looking for a $1000-$2000 SACD/CDP and have looked into the Marantz SA-8260 & SA-14. In my case, I'm looking for a top notch CDP and a very good SACD player mostly for 2 channel classical CD/SACDs. The real dilemma is do you want ONLY 2 channel or do you want at least the ability to do an occasional MCH. I have hunted quite hard for a SA-14 [Version 1, as it was designed for 120V use and have no desire to mod a Ver2 to 120V, which is fairly easy to find] and haven't really been entirely successful. Thus, I'm almost tempted to get the SA-8260 except for two relatively major problems, first you can't set the SACD to default to Stereo, and second, there have been quite a few complaints about Table of Contents (TOC) errors/failures. I’m hoping that Marantz will release the SA-14 Version 2 in the US, but I’m afraid that Marantz will look at all of the “Joe Schmo Consumers” and say “All they want is MCH, so why release the SA-14 Ver 2 into that market”

Good luck, at let us know how your hunt turns out…..

-Dave

I think I’m addicted to placebos!

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Scott_N

Dave

I have no interest in MCH. Whatever player I get will go in my 2-channel system. I thought about the Marantz players because I heard they were warmer than the sony players. Good luck to you also.

Phil A

Some of the early Marantz SA-14s also had problems. The 8260 comes pretty close to the quality level of the SA-14. I've also heard good thinks about the Xindak players. There are posts about them at Audio Ayslum and other places on the web. Some into can be found at:

http://www.bertrandaudio.com/Products/XINDAK/Xindak.htm

http://www.xindakaudio.com/

KeithH

Anyone looking for an SACD player for around $2000 really should look at the Sony SCD-XA777ES. It can be had for around $2000 through Oade Bros. (1-229-228-0093 or 1-229-228-4480). I'm not saying that one should ignore the Marantz players. Just don't overlook the Sony.

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