[THeX]

Hey guys,

after a few years of lurking, I've just recently blown some money on a new hifi (finally I sold my Bose system!) and i've only recently began playing with my CD players and stuff and have noticed something unusual.

I have recently purchased this source as a part of my new stereo:
Marantz SA15S1

Now its a lovely source, but I've been scratching my head. I mean compared to my old Pioneer PD5300, its supposed to kill it. But I listened to both with my HD590's and found the older CDP smoother, but less detailed.

Where as the Marantz, ultra detailed but with a hard edge.

Now this is with the headphone out on each respective CD player. But when comparing CD player on my proper setup (Marantz PM15S1, Jamo D830's formerly Concert 8 bookshelves), there is a huge audible difference that the SA15S1 is better than my 15 year old pioneer.

Does this mean that manufacturer's do different things to the headphone out on their PCDP?

This has led me to believe that if I got a headphone amp, and plugged the sources directly into the amp, I'd get a completely different result.

Any ideas to my thoughts?

 

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

This is just a semi-informed guess but I suspect two things:

1) The CD Player isn't properly burned in yet. With time it might come to sound ALOT better than your old one even just using the HP out.
2) The lack of a headphone amp could likely be the problem. If you listen with headphones alot it's a good idea to have a dedicated headphone amp. You can find some really decent ones fairly cheap (by audiophile standards anyway).

 

[THeX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGhostWhoWalks This is just a semi-informed guess but I suspect two things: 1) The CD Player isn't properly burned in yet. With time it might come to sound ALOT better than your old one even just using the HP out.

Argh! I'm a ****! I posted without considering the fact that I was burning it in still! (Its only 1 week old).

I hope to post a review on the source (hopefully not too biased) after I get enough money for my next purchase. A pair of HD650's and a new headphone amp.

 

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by THeX Argh! I'm a ****! I posted without considering the fact that I was burning it in still! (Its only 1 week old). I hope to post a review on the source (hopefully not too biased) after I get enough money for my next purchase. A pair of HD650's and a new headphone amp.

Sounds good. Burn it certainly effects different sources (and headphones, and amps, and everything audio) differently. I've had stuff that practically required no burn in and changed very little and stuff that required major burn in and changed drastically so you never know.

 

[zChan]

In Japanese headphone sites, the Marantz SA15S1's headphone amp is considered to be very good (on par with Yen80000 amps).

 

[THeX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zChan In Japanese headphone sites, the Marantz SA15S1's headphone amp is considered to be very good (on par with Yen80000 amps).

Yeh i'm scratching my head, I was reading that it had a supposed built-in headphone amp (look at the brochure on the australian distributor's website, http://www.qualifi.com.au).

But I was skeptical... maybe i should play it for another couple o hundred hours, or play it with some phones plugged in.

What amps were they comparing the headphone out with?

The other reason why i'm thinking is that my HD590's don't benefit much from amplification, and that i should try something that does, like a pair of HD650's

 

[zChan]

Any changes since?
A site called "Saitama Audio" compared the SA-17S1 with the Sugden Headmaster, not the best amp in the price range but respectable. The site favored SA-17S1's built-in amp. The SAー15S1 supposedly has a better amp than the SA-17S1 if we believe Marantz's Site, so I believe the SA-15S1 has a very nice amp for the money.

 

[dknightd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by THeX Does this mean that manufacturer's do different things to the headphone out on their PCDP?

yep

Quote:

Originally Posted by THeX This has led me to believe that if I got a headphone amp, and plugged the sources directly into the amp, I'd get a completely different result.

The only way to find out is give it a try.