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Comments pls.: TEAC vs Marantz CD/SACD players

Would appreciate your thoughts on the TEAC Distinction Series CD-3000 vs Marantz SA-11S3- especially from any that have heard or own either. I'm in the process of reading as much as I can find about them. Have searched the forums here as well. Both are audio only, can do CD & SACD and offer balanced XLR out. Both accommodate a range of digital inputs (up to 192 kHz?) including USB.

I'd hope to be able to do in-house auditioning. Goal would be to replace an Upgrade Factory mod'd. Denon DVD2910.

The TEAC is very attractive at a $1000 lower price and has dual DACs - but relatively little info to be found on it. While generally favorable, I'm not entirely sure how to interpret the Feb 2012 HiFi Choice review.

Thanks in advance for your time and comments.
128x128ghosthouse
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse OP
3,718 posts
 
Willand - apologies. I messed up. TEAC pricing that I've seen makes it $2000
less than the Marantz. TEAC pricing for the CD-3000 is around $2K (not $3K as
I mistakenly remembered). The Marantz is right at $4K. Sorry for the confusion.

That refurbed unit you found for $1000 is sure tempting.

Good luck in your hunt.

BTW - the HiFi Choice review indicates that while Esoteric engineers were
consulted in the TEAC Distinction Series design process, there is no Esoteric
hardware in the TEAC products. Oh well...
willland's avatar
willland
750 posts
 
"That refurbed unit you found for $1000 is sure tempting."

Isn't it though.

"Good luck in your hunt."

Thanks, but my second 840C was just delivered last week.

"BTW - the HiFi Choice review indicates that while Esoteric engineers were
consulted in the TEAC Distinction Series design process, there is no Esoteric
hardware in the TEAC products. Oh well..."

Wishful thinking. The fact that Teac consulted with Esoteric engineers is not a bad thing either.

Good luck with your decision,
Bill

stereo5's avatar
stereo5
2,766 posts
 
The player uses a Cirrus Logic dac chip. It looks to be the same one as in the Esoteric SA-10 which I had for about a week. Didn't care for the sound at all, quite forward. I traded in my SA-10 and bought a UX-3 which uses 4 Burr Brown 1704 dac chips. The presentation is much more to my liking now.
jafant
10,525 posts
 
Stereo5 -

me as well, I wanted to 'like' the Esoteric player but found its sound too dry & thin.
tom6897's avatar
tom6897
1,029 posts
 
I am a huge fan of designers and manufacturers who use Burr-Brown DAC's in their products. Second choice would be Wolfson.
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