[fatcat28037]

Quote:

Originally Posted by McPanse /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm actually seeing $199 when I follow the link. Still, a pretty good deal.

Sorry for the confusion, I didn't make myself very clear. You stated the 5001 was $50 less than the 5003 ($299 vs. $349). I was trying to point out you could purchase the 5001 for $150 less than the 5003 if you didn't mind a refurbed 5001.

 

[McPanse]

My bad.

 

[daltonlanny]

Hey guys,
From what I have been able to dig up so far, the differences between the Marantz CD5003 and the CD5001 are:
The 5003 has:
1. A newly designed metal/fiberglass chassis.
2. A slightly different drive mechanism.
3. A detachable power cord.
4. HDAM S2 modules. [The 5001 does NOT use HDAM modules at all].
[It will be interesting to see if the HDAM S2 modules will make the 5003 sound any better than the 5001].

The CD5003 still uses the same Cirrus Logic CS4392 DAC as the 5001, which is sort of a disappointment, considering that the CD6002, [available in Europe], uses the latest Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC.
I would like to see Marantz design an "all out" CD ONLY player that uses the same technology as the upcoming SA8003 SACD/CD player, such as:
Rigid design with double-layered bottom chassis, Zero impedance copper ground plate, audiophile grade power supply with toroidal transformer, Zylon Loader, and Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC, and STILL include the HDAM S2 modules...Dream on!
Update:
I bought and received another Marantz CD5001 from Crutchfield last week.
Wow, I forgot just how good this little CD player sounds!
For some reason, I think this new 5001 unit sounds better than the one I had last year! It does not sound as bright or as thin as that unit did, and sounds closer to my 8001. The numbers on the display are also a tad bit smaller than the unit I had 14 months ago.
My 8001 still sounds slightly more refined, with slightly better resolution, has a tad more sense of space, and is alittle warmer than the 5001, and maybe has better bass using cd's, but I STILL think the 5001 is slightly more extended on top, and sounds slightly livelier than the 8001.
But overall, I feel that the differences are relatively small, and the 5001 is a much better bargain, especially if you listen almost exclusively to CD's like I do.
The main reason I bought the 5001 again, was so I could compare it head-to-head with the CD5003.
I also preordered a Marantz CD5003 from Onecall last night.
They said they did not know for sure when their first shipment of these players would arrive.
I will post impressions of the CD5003, and how it compares to the CD5001, whenever I do receive it.
I will also compare their headphone jacks with a pair of Sennheiser HD650's, to see if the headphone jack output on the 5003 is worse, the same, or better than the one on the 5001.

 

[McPanse]

Can Man,

Looking forward to that comparison!

In the meantime, are you running these players through an external DAC or using the analog outputs?

 

[daltonlanny]

Hi McPanse,
Through the analog outs only, and through the headphone jacks.
I have never tried an external DAC with any of them.
Believe it or not, the headphone jacks on both the 5001 and on the 8001 drive my Sennheiser HD650's to excellent levels, and sound really good.
I could actually live with just the headphone jacks and my 650's.
The jacks do not have enough grunt for AKG K701's, or Beyer Dynamics, however, IMHO.

 

[Jo6Pak]

Crutchfield is now showing the 5003 as in stock on their website:

Marantz CD5003 CD player at Crutchfield.com

 

[Navyblue]

I compared the CD5001, CD6002 and SA7001. They all share similar sound signature. Though I find the SA7001 has more active treble than the other two.

CD5001 sounded good, until I heard the CD6002, which sounded good, until I heard the SA7001.

IMHO, the CD6002 has best value among the three. It is a bit better than the CD5001 and price difference is quite minimal. Whereas from CD6002 upward there is a big jump in price.

And yes, all three headphone out drives my K501 well too. The CD6002 is a tiny tad weaker in volume than the other two, but still pretty good.

 

[kingmajix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by McPanse /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm actually seeing $199 when I follow the link. Still, a pretty good deal.

I couldn't pass this up. My 5001 will be here this week and I'm looking forward to comparing the difference in SQ to my current setup.

Scott

 

[daltonlanny]

Update:
Ordered a Marantz CD5003 from Crutchfield yesterday [Sunday].
Should have it by the end of this week.
Can't wait...

 

[McPanse]

Don't forget to post your impressions!

 

[kingmajix]

I know this is the 5003 thread but I just had to post about the 5001.

I received mine from Accessories4Less and it has no visible flaws and works perfectly. After doing a quick comparison tonight, I realized that the crossfeed on my Corda 2 Move is so smooth that it makes everything else sound harsh in comparison. So while the headphone out on the Marantz seems good, I can't use it.

So apples to apples, I compared my two setups: the Marantz -> Corda vs. the PS3 -> Denon receiver -> Corda. The Marantz definitely wins. The bass is tighter and, more importantly, not over emphasized when it shouldn't be. It hits tight and hard when necessary and doesn't overpower the recording when it shouldn't. The soundstage didn't seem any wider to me but definitely felt deeper than my previous setup.

Overall the differences were subtle but noticeable. For anyone starting out or looking for a solid entry level source, I'd say you can't pass up the 5001 for $199.

Scott

 

[McPanse]

Appreciate the post, your majesty. One follow up question: the disc tray. How would you describe its operation?

 

[sound and music]

The tray works smoothly. The only annoying thing is that it closes automatically after 20-30 seconds.

I own CD5001 and hugely impressed by its headphone amp quality.

I have compared it with some dedicated HP amps such as Zero and others, still they cannot beat 5001.

So getting 5001 alongwith HP amp at such a low price is a true bargain...

I am looking forward to hear what the owners of 5003 have to say about the CD player and its HP amp.

 

[McPanse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sound and music /img/forum/go_quote.gif I own CD5001 and hugely impressed by its headphone amp quality. I have compared it with some dedicated HP amps such as Zero and others, still they cannot beat 5001. So getting 5001 alongwith HP amp at such a low price is a true bargain... I am looking forward to hear what the owners of 5003 have to say about the CD player and its HP amp.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well the headphone jack on my nearly 10 year old DENON AVR drove my DT880s and HD600s.

I would guess many folks* would be quite satisfied listening to, say, the Grado SR-60s straight out of the 5001 or 5003.

* Many normal folks that is. Certainly not this crowd.

 

[sound and music]

Absolutely true.

I count myself in the normal "crowd"