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Arcam CD72 vs Marantz CD5003?

post #1 of 17
4/19/09 at 12:27pm
Thread Starter 
Looking to get a "decent" CD player to connect its analog outs to my Integra 9.8.

Can get an older, used Arcam CD72 (not the 72t, not sure what the diff is?) for about the same as a new Marantz CD5003?

Has anyone heard the two to compare? Have read some good reviews of the CD72, but it's quite an old product now.

Regards.
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post #2 of 17
4/19/09 at 3:53pm
Thread Starter 
Oh, and I will likely be purchasing the Oppo bluray player, not sure if the DACs the Oppo uses would be better than the DACs of my Integra 9.8 (which aren't that great for analog).

Currently output HDMI from my Samsung BD1400 bluray player into my Integra. Find that CD's sound somewhat "mushed" and lacking.

Rest of the system is comprised of the as mentioned Integra 9.8, Sunfire Cinema Grand 200w x 7, Mirage OM9's for fronts. Usually listen to music in "Direct mode" on the Integra and switch the OM9's to full band.

Tx
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post #3 of 17
4/21/09 at 2:02pm
Thread Starter 
bump!
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post #4 of 17
4/21/09 at 2:28pm
If you are outputting HDMI from the Samsung, then it's the 9.8 that sounds "mushy", not the player. I sold my 885 (same as 9.8) because I was not happy with it's stereo performance at all.
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post #5 of 17
4/21/09 at 5:37pm
Thread Starter 
I guess what I'm wondering is if I hook up the Arcam via RCA cables into the Integra and play via "Direct" mode (no processing) will that use the DACs in the Arcam and therefore should sound considerably better then the Samsung being run via HDMI and using the DACs of the Integra?
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post #6 of 17
4/21/09 at 6:36pm
Not sure about the marantz but I currently own the 62t and am quite happy with it. I am planning to connect it to an external dac and see how it improves it. The t stands for the enriched text function as some cd have text scrolling for songs title on the display.
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post #7 of 17
4/21/09 at 7:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by james57 View Post

Not sure about the marantz but I currently own the 62t and am quite happy with it. I am planning to connect it to an external dac and see how it improves it. The t stands for the enriched text function as some cd have text scrolling for songs title on the display.

Beat me to it, the "T" version was a mod made between new product lines to allow for the enriched text feature. In the FMJ series it went CD-23, CD23T and CD-33.
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post #8 of 17
4/22/09 at 5:04am
Thread Starter 
So would running the CD72 (or any CD player) via RCA into my Integra result in the DACs of the CD player being used instead of the preamp DAC's, or am I missing something?
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post #9 of 17
4/22/09 at 5:05am
Thread Starter 
Would love to find a CD92 or a FMJ CD23 in black. Those Ring DACs seem pretty well reviewed!
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post #10 of 17
4/22/09 at 6:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pbc View Post

So would running the CD72 (or any CD player) via RCA into my Integra result in the DACs of the CD player being used instead of the preamp DAC's, or am I missing something?


Depends. If you use the 7.1 analog inputs it will be using the 72's DAC's. If you use any of the other analog inputs, the signal will be run through the Integra's A/D converter, DSP, and then the Integra's D/A converter, so it will use both.
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post #11 of 17
4/22/09 at 9:36am
Thread Starter 
I'll definitely use the 7.1's then (don't currently use them). Thanks for the clarification, I knew there was a step I was missing so as to not use the DACs in the Integra.
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post #12 of 17
4/22/09 at 9:54am
the integra should also have a direct or pure direct for two channel which will bypass the inrernal DACs and use the ones from the CD player. I would also recommend going with a new player such as the Marantz. Great DAC's only reason I didn't buy was I wanted 5 CD changer. And you get three years. Can't speak for the Arcam so I will not try to compare them. Besides if the Integra is that bad why not get rid of it.
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post #13 of 17
4/22/09 at 2:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigbare View Post

the integra should also have a direct or pure direct for two channel which will bypass the inrernal DACs and use the ones from the CD player. I would also recommend going with a new player such as the Marantz. Great DAC's only reason I didn't buy was I wanted 5 CD changer. And you get three years. Can't speak for the Arcam so I will not try to compare them. Besides if the Integra is that bad why not get rid of it.

No "Pure Audio" on thre Integra's, only "Direct", which still allows bass management, so it's still passing through the DAC's. The Onkyo 885 does have the "Pure Audio" mode, which bypasses all video and DSP, but I'm not sure about the DAC's, since you can still use a digital input.

The 7.1 input will do what he wants, as long as he doesn't need sub output.
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post #14 of 17
4/22/09 at 5:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigbare View Post

the integra should also have a direct or pure direct for two channel which will bypass the inrernal DACs and use the ones from the CD player. I would also recommend going with a new player such as the Marantz. Great DAC's only reason I didn't buy was I wanted 5 CD changer. And you get three years. Can't speak for the Arcam so I will not try to compare them. Besides if the Integra is that bad why not get rid of it.

When you say Great DACs, is that for the CD series of Marantz as well? E.g. I can actually get a new Marantz CD5003 cheaper than the Arcam CD72 used.
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post #15 of 17
4/28/09 at 5:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by WilliamZX11 View Post

No "Pure Audio" on thre Integra's, only "Direct", which still allows bass management, so it's still passing through the DAC's. The Onkyo 885 does have the "Pure Audio" mode, which bypasses all video and DSP, but I'm not sure about the DAC's, since you can still use a digital input.

The 7.1 input will do what he wants, as long as he doesn't need sub output.

William, I've tried hooking up the Azue 640c v2 which I picked up to the Analogue 7.1 inputs (just the L/R ones obviously), but get no sound at all from the Integra. Think I set it up correct according to the manual, but no luck at all. Did you ever try setting up a CD player using the analogue inputs?

I get sound fine if I use the L/R CD input, but nothing from the Analogue?

Tx
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post #16 of 17
4/28/09 at 10:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pbc View Post

William, I've tried hooking up the Azue 640c v2 which I picked up to the Analogue 7.1 inputs (just the L/R ones obviously), but get no sound at all from the Integra. Think I set it up correct according to the manual, but no luck at all. Did you ever try setting up a CD player using the analogue inputs?

I get sound fine if I use the L/R CD input, but nothing from the Analogue?

Tx

I had the 885, not the 9.8, but they should be the same. I had my SACD player hooked up to the 7.1 inputs (only 5.1 though), and it worked fine. You have to set the input you are trying to use to "multi-channel" if I recall. Or maybe a setting you are missing in the 640?
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post #17 of 17
4/29/09 at 5:23am
Thread Starter 
Hi William,

That is what I did ...

After hooking up the L/R RCA cable, I went into Setup, then Input/Output then Analogue Input, then under both MultiCh and Balance selected "CD".

There are not setup options on the CD player that I know of, and since it's outputting fine into the analog CD inputs of the Integra I don't see why it wouldn't on the 7.1 Analog inputs unless there is something I've missed!?


Oh, another poster seems to think that Direct mode does in fact bypass the DACs of the Integra.

Quote:
Originally Posted by fyzziks View Post

Actually, connecting the L/R analogue outputs to the L and R CD input of the 9.8 does bypass the digital section if you use "Direct". I measured the lag through the 9.8, and under all other modes, the lag is about 60-80mSec, but in Direct, the lag is 0. No processing.

Are you certain that Direct on the Integra does not bypass its DACs?

Thanks!
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