Post by ajski2fly on Nov 29, 2022 11:40:26 GMT
Some of you may have noticed that recently I have been listening to CDs as apposed to my usual fair of Vinyl. Up to yesterday it was with my Audiolab 8300CDQ, as many have stated for the price it renders CDs very, very well, much as do the Audiolab 6000CD or 8300CD players, which are all astonishing good value for their cost. I have been doing so as I wanted to imbed on my brain how CD sounded in my system, prior to taking delivery of yet another piece of kit.
I have missed my Meridian 507 (24 bit) for several years, not a perfect CDP and a little long in the tooth technology wise, but at the time well up there with the best, and still sounds very respectable. A few months ago a very good friend who is also an audio buff decided to upgrade his CDP to the current MARANTZ SA12-SE SACD, he had found one at a very good price, this meant his prized Marantz KI Pearl was going to become available, I discounted this at first.
Since June the months went by and I thought about the Marantz KI Pearl a great deal, and having heard it in his system I new it was very good. In the end I could not resist and asked my friend how much he wanted for it, he purchased it about 5 years ago and was the second owner and it is pristine, very kindly he offered it to me for less than current market value. My intention was to visit him and collect it last month, but family issues for him meant that was unlikely to happen till after Christmas, so he shipped it by UPS and it arrived safely yesterday, along with a couple of RCA leads to try out with it.
I simply was not prepared for just how good this CDP is, I connected it with Terrelium Q Ultra Black II RCAs, powered up and put on a CD and sat back. I got quite a shock the 3D imaging is easily as good as vinyl, a lovely control and revealing bottom end with smooth mids, top end is a detailed and crisp as anyone could want. Well produced recordings with real instruments sound natural and realistic, first I listened to Diana Krall - 'When I Look In Your Eyes'(CD), the detail and clarity was the best I had heard it. Piano rendition has that difficult to achieve depth with harmonics and power that are unique to a piano, Diana Krall's vocal is as natural and pure as I have heard it, the double bass has lovely overtones and I can pick out the detail of the playing, drums are a treat with sharp and precise top-hat/cymbals, overall lovely.
I have since listened to Donald Fagen - 'Morph the Cat'(CD), Pink Floyd - 'Atom Heart Mother' (MFSL CD), and Norah Jones - 'Come Away With Me" (SACD), and some of Bob Dylan - 'Blonde on Blonde' (SACD), and have not been dissappointed in anything thus far.
The depth and clarity from a digital source the Marantz KI Pearl achieves is to my ears quite astounding, I had quite given up on CDs, but with the Marantz KI Pearl it makes it a very enjoyable medium and I will be revisiting my CDs. I think CDs will equally sit alongside the vinyl collection from now on, plus I will be browsing those 2nd hand CD shelves in charity and music shops.
If you get chance to purchase one of these Marantz KI Pearl rarities then do not hesitate, I cannot vouch for the lite version, in my honest opinion I think that you could spend a great deal more to equal it or get much better SQ out of a CDP.
I have missed my Meridian 507 (24 bit) for several years, not a perfect CDP and a little long in the tooth technology wise, but at the time well up there with the best, and still sounds very respectable. A few months ago a very good friend who is also an audio buff decided to upgrade his CDP to the current MARANTZ SA12-SE SACD, he had found one at a very good price, this meant his prized Marantz KI Pearl was going to become available, I discounted this at first.
Since June the months went by and I thought about the Marantz KI Pearl a great deal, and having heard it in his system I new it was very good. In the end I could not resist and asked my friend how much he wanted for it, he purchased it about 5 years ago and was the second owner and it is pristine, very kindly he offered it to me for less than current market value. My intention was to visit him and collect it last month, but family issues for him meant that was unlikely to happen till after Christmas, so he shipped it by UPS and it arrived safely yesterday, along with a couple of RCA leads to try out with it.
I simply was not prepared for just how good this CDP is, I connected it with Terrelium Q Ultra Black II RCAs, powered up and put on a CD and sat back. I got quite a shock the 3D imaging is easily as good as vinyl, a lovely control and revealing bottom end with smooth mids, top end is a detailed and crisp as anyone could want. Well produced recordings with real instruments sound natural and realistic, first I listened to Diana Krall - 'When I Look In Your Eyes'(CD), the detail and clarity was the best I had heard it. Piano rendition has that difficult to achieve depth with harmonics and power that are unique to a piano, Diana Krall's vocal is as natural and pure as I have heard it, the double bass has lovely overtones and I can pick out the detail of the playing, drums are a treat with sharp and precise top-hat/cymbals, overall lovely.
I have since listened to Donald Fagen - 'Morph the Cat'(CD), Pink Floyd - 'Atom Heart Mother' (MFSL CD), and Norah Jones - 'Come Away With Me" (SACD), and some of Bob Dylan - 'Blonde on Blonde' (SACD), and have not been dissappointed in anything thus far.
The depth and clarity from a digital source the Marantz KI Pearl achieves is to my ears quite astounding, I had quite given up on CDs, but with the Marantz KI Pearl it makes it a very enjoyable medium and I will be revisiting my CDs. I think CDs will equally sit alongside the vinyl collection from now on, plus I will be browsing those 2nd hand CD shelves in charity and music shops.
If you get chance to purchase one of these Marantz KI Pearl rarities then do not hesitate, I cannot vouch for the lite version, in my honest opinion I think that you could spend a great deal more to equal it or get much better SQ out of a CDP.
