[ACDOAN]

After writing my very favorable review of Marantz's PM5003 integrated amplifier ($449.99) for the January 2010 issue, I began to fantasize about how it might be packaged with other components to create a dynamite entry-level system for about $1000 (excluding cables). A good place to start, I felt, was the companion model to the PM5003, Marantz's own CD5003 CD player. Since then, both have been replaced with new models, respectively the PM5004 and CD5004, so I sought out review samples of both. (To read how the PM5004 compares with the PM5003, see my "Follow-Up" on the Marantz PM5004 integrated amplifier.)
The CD5004 offers a lot of technology and features for $349.99. It incorporates "SACD-quality" Cirrus Logic CS4392 D/A converters, which Marantz claims are very linear, producing none of the distortion caused by errors in resistor matching, no performance drift over time or with temperature, and low jitter. The signal paths for the two channels are symmetrical, which Marantz claims should improve the specificity of stereo imaging. Marantz's proprietary Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Modules, used for the analog circuitry, have been trickled down from their Reference Series components, for which the HDAMs were developed. The company claims that these outperform conventional op-amps in speed and low levels of noise. The front panel's aluminum central section electrically shields the circuits inside and the parts of the front panel made of rigid, glass-reinforced resin resist impact and help isolate the CD5004 from vibrations and heat.
The CD5004 plays CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and discs containing MP3 and WMA files. With the latter, it will display the file metadata, to help identify the disc and its contents. Also included is a buffered headphone amplifier and jack, variable pitch control (designed for musician play-along), a Q Replay button on the remote control that repeats the last 10 seconds played of the current track, and an IR Flasher input to provide connectivity to other components. Coaxial and optical digital outputs are provided.
Listening
Early in my listening sessions, I decided that the CD5004's reproduction of tonal balances was beyond reproach. The player's ability to provide rich, delicate, holographic, uncolored midrange textures was clearly evident with the vocal group Sequentia's performance of Hildegard von Bingen's Canticles of Ecstasy (CD, German Harmonia Mundi 0547277320 2). The Marantz's reproduction of the high frequencies of all the CDs I played was clear, clean, and extended, with no trace of brittleness or blunting. I particularly noticed this in the sounds of the shimmering Fender Jazzmaster guitars of Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo in "Becuz," from Sonic Youth's Washing Machine (CD, Geffen DGCD-24825). At the other end of the timbral spectrum, the bass-synth blasts in "Man/Machine," from Kraftwerk's Minimum/Maximum (CD, EMI ASW 60611), were powerful and kick-ass, with no loss of timbre, detail, or speed. The CD5004's expertise in high-level dynamics also made it a good match for hard rock. The aptly named "In Your Face," from Mountain's Man's World (CD, Viceroy VIA8033-2), put Leslie West's burning shred guitar front and center.
The Marantz's ability to render transients with lightning speed made it a good match for well-recorded percussion instruments. My acid test in this regard are the rapid-fire snare pyrotechnics of drummer Chris Tomson in "Cousins," from Vampire Weekend's Contra (CD, XL XLCD429), which the Marantz reproduced without a trace of smear. Speaking of drummers, the CD5004's powers of articulating low-level dynamics made listening to Jack DeJohnette's delicate opening percussion in the title track of his Dancing with Nature Spirits (CD, ECM 1558) an enjoyable and involving experience. The player's dynamic strengths enabled me to enjoy all jazz recordings I tried, especially the "breathing" quality of the ensemble in the title track of Wynton Marsalis's Low Levee Moan (CD, Columbia CK 47975). And Jimmy Smith's Hammond B-3 in "Midnight Special," from Fourmost (CD, Milestone MCD-9484-2), had the requisite growl in the lower middle register.

Although I wouldn't expect a budget CD player to be the last word in retrieving ambience from well-recorded classical discs, the Marantz CD5004 surprised me. The sense of space, air, and decay in Aki Takahashi's performance of Morton Feldman's Illusions, from Aki Takahashi Plays Morton Feldman (CD, Mode 54), gave her solo piano a sense of immediacy and delicacy I normally would expect only from more expensive players. This went hand in hand with the Marantz's ability to unravel detail. Listening to "Top of the Hill," from Tom Waits's brilliant Real Gone (CD, Anti- 86678-2), I was able to follow every instrument buried in this track's intentionally muddy mix. The CD5004 wasn't the last word in unraveling all the detail it retrieved, however. With more expensive players, I have been able to more easily follow the individual instruments on "How Am I Different," from Aimee Mann's Bachelor No.2 or The Last Remains of the Dodo (CD, Super Ego SE002). I had a similar experience in trying to follow the individual orchestral instruments in the recording of Penderecki's Credo by Helmut Rilling and the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra and Choir (CD, HÑnssler CD 98.311).
Comparisons
It wasn't really fair to compare the CD5004 ($350) with Creek's Destiny CD player ($2495), but I thought it would be at least interesting. The Creek sounded more delicate and airy, with pristine highs. It was easier to follow subtle vocal phrasings and articulations of sibilants. The music also seemed more relaxed through the Creek, with more holographically presented bodies to voices and faster, more natural transient attacks on strings, both electric and acoustic. Being able to follow individual instrument lines was also much easier. Finally, the sound of the Marantz had a bit more of a mechanical quality, and its reproduction of percussion was at times a bit more forward and splatty.
That said, the CD5004 was nearly as uncolored as the Destiny, and with recordings containing no sustained high-level passages, such as solo piano recordings, the Marantz sounded rich and silky, with good resolution of detail and an ability to articulate low-level dynamics that were damn close to the Creek's—which costs more than seven times as much.
A kilobuck starter system
I hooked up the CD5004 to Marantz's PM5004 integrated amplifier and Paradigm's Atom v5 loudspeakers, and was taken by this inexpensive system's overall liquid and coherent balance. The sound wasn't the last word in high-frequency or bass extension, but what was there was relatively uncolored and involving, with realistic dynamic contrasts, convincing transient articulation, and decent amounts of air and ambience for such a low-cost system.
The Payoff
Even as Mikey Fremer and Stephen Mejias salivate over the resurgence of vinyl, others are hearing, or calling for, the death knell of the Compact Disc. I'm not one of them—although I own 12,000 LPs, I listen to CDs much more often than to vinyl or my iPod, and I don't think I'll ever get on the digital-server bandwagon. Young folks who want to put together an entry-level system should find the Marantz CD5004 an excellent way to start, and a gorgeous cosmetic and sonic match for the companion PM5004 integrated amplifier With components like this, we can survive the recent financial meltdown while listening to good music, and might still have some money left over for food. Well done, Marantz.
Article Continues: Specifications »

Company Info Marantz America, Inc. 100 Corporate Drive Mahwah, NJ 07430-2041 (201) 762-6500 us.marantz.com		Article Contents Page 1 Specifications Associated Equipment Measurements

I dig up an old review od the Marantz 5004.
 
You have a pretty good CDP there. Use the 30 days trial to audition all the possible above par HPs and just return the ones that are not your cup of tea.
 
For pricing, dig deep you will find 20% to 30% discount from authorized dealer that still leaves them with some 20% profit margin.
 
This economy is not getting any better soon so for me every hundred dollars saving is worth the digging for best price.
 
Best wish,

 

[catsndogs]

 
Thanks for all the replies, and sorry I haven’t gotten back to you sooner (I can only get online at lunch or at home, not during work.)
 
I think that IEMs are pretty much out of the running. No doubt it is mostly psychological, but only full-size cans feel like “real” headphones to me.
(I run into that same prejudice when listening to my Yuins, which actually sound great.)
 
The question of preferred sound signature seems straightforward, but is actually rather difficult to answer due to lack of both experience and vocabulary.
The signature of closed ATs is probably a good starting point since I like my A900s a lot of the time.
On the other hand, I sometimes find myself reaching for the HD380s which, being studio monitors, are almost totally neutral. I also like the clarity, detail, and precision of the 380s (my A900s can be a tad muddy at times, especially in the low bass.)
 
I have kicked around the idea of  higher end studio monitors, but the 380s are the best closed cans that Sennheiser makes so I would have to go to a different brand.
I have researched Shure, but none of theirs appear to be an obvious step up from the Senns (in fact, the SRH940s look identical to the HD380s and are comarable in price.)
The Sony MDR 7520s look intriguing. Anybody have experience with those?
 
If I do go the studio monitor route, I will need to be especially careful about comfort (I tried M50s once. They sounded excellent, but I couldn’t stand to wear them for more than 15 minutes at a time. My 380s are OK, but nowhere near as comfortable as A900s.)
 
The A/C bothers me with earbuds, so it would bother me with open headphones (and it did bother me when I tried HD595s.)
 
Running away might be the best option!

 

[ACDOAN]

You can run but you will not be able to hide. You will be back one day unless you find another audio related hobby.

 

[catsndogs]

An interesting thing happened a few minutes ago. After enjoying my A900s for several days, I went in and hooked up my HD380s. I listened to Metallic Spheres (The Orb with David Gilmore) and was utterly blown away! Considering how good the A900s are, it is just amazing that the Senns could be that much better, but they were.
I guess my parameters have been narrowed a bit. I am looking for something that resembles the sound of the HD380s but is the best of its type. Barring finding that, the 380s themselves may well be the end of the road for me.
Most surprising of all is that that was with my old Sony changer, I haven't even heard what the Marantz can do for them yet!
I do wish I could improve the comfort, is all. Then I think I might stand a chance of being truly satisfied.
 
(Please note: Anyone who has not heard the 380s owes it to themselves to give them a listen!)

 

[catsndogs]

An interesting thing happened a few minutes ago. After enjoying my A900s for several days, I went in and hooked up my HD380s. I listened to Metallic Spheres (The Orb with David Gilmore) and was utterly blown away! Considering how good the A900s are, it is just amazing that the Senns could be that much better, but they were.
I guess my parameters have been narrowed a bit. I am looking for something that resembles the sound of the HD380s but is the best of its type. Barring finding that, the 380s themselves may well be the end of the road for me.
Most surprising of all is that that was with my old Sony changer, I haven't even heard what the Marantz can do for them yet!
I do wish I could improve the comfort, is all. Then I think I might stand a chance of being truly satisfied.
 
(Please note: Anyone who has not heard the 380s owes it to themselves to give them a listen!)

 

[catsndogs]

Oops, double post. Not sure how that happens (nor how to delete one of them.)

 

[ACDOAN]

 
Quote:

An interesting thing happened a few minutes ago. After enjoying my A900s for several days, I went in and hooked up my HD380s. I listened to Metallic Spheres (The Orb with David Gilmore) and was utterly blown away! Considering how good the A900s are, it is just amazing that the Senns could be that much better, but they were.
I guess my parameters have been narrowed a bit. I am looking for something that resembles the sound of the HD380s but is the best of its type. Barring finding that, the 380s themselves may well be the end of the road for me.
Most surprising of all is that that was with my old Sony changer, I haven't even heard what the Marantz can do for them yet!
I do wish I could improve the comfort, is all. Then I think I might stand a chance of being truly satisfied.
 
(Please note: Anyone who has not heard the 380s owes it to themselves to give them a listen!)

If you like the HD 380, your next step up maybe the HD 558 or the HD598. Never heard or intended to buy the HD598 since I am okay with the HD558 SQ. Any thought about the HD 800 ? Their price will drop eventually once the new model coming out. Having said that, I am an audio junkie and no matter how I have been trying for so many decades, I am still an audio junkie.
 
My next purchase and hopefully my last cans will be the Denon Ah D7000 and for the price I was offered I simply cannot refuse. So much for the last cans that end my journey.

 

 

[catsndogs]

Again, I just can't abide by open phones regardless of how good they might sound. I really like the way that isolation helps me shut out the real world and just float off into the music. Even the most common household noises are a distraction that shatters the illusion of an alternate musical universe.

 

[furyagain]

if I can only own one headphone, and do have a amp.
 
I would go for a beyerdynamic T1
it is just me...
get a mint condition pair..
it will be less then 1k.

 

[Alghazanth]

Quote:

Again, I just can't abide by open phones regardless of how good they might sound. I really like the way that isolation helps me shut out the real world and just float off into the music. Even the most common household noises are a distraction that shatters the illusion of an alternate musical universe.

I used to say this too, but discovered that it's not nearly as big of a problem as you think, provided you don't listen at quiet volumes or have a very noisy household. Even my very noisy gaming rig doesn't distract me.

 

[catsndogs]

Well, all I know for sure is that before getting the HD380s I had tried  HD595s and ended up returning them to Amazon because the openness really bugged me (even though I liked the sound.)
Sometimes I can hear the A/C over the music during the quietest passages even with closed 'phones, though usually not loudly enough to be disturbing.
My ideal would be listening against a background of total silence, but I am not sure if that is possible.
 
Some models I have looked at (including the T1) claim to be "semi-open". What does that  mean, exactly? Do they offer at least some isolation?
 
Soundwise, I don't think my ears "get" the difference between open and closed. I virtually can't tell any difference between the 380s and the 595s other than maybe that the 380s have a tad stronger bass.( Not even soundstage strikes me as different, and intuitively that seems like the area where open phones would be most likely to have an advantage.)

 

[wind016]

Quote:

Well, all I know for sure is that before getting the HD380s I had tried  HD595s and ended up returning them to Amazon because the openness really bugged me (even though I liked the sound.)
Sometimes I can hear the A/C over the music during the quietest passages even with closed 'phones, though usually not loudly enough to be disturbing.
My ideal would be listening against a background of total silence, but I am not sure if that is possible.
 
Some models I have looked at (including the T1) claim to be "semi-open". What does that  mean, exactly? Do they offer at least some isolation?
 
Soundwise, I don't think my ears "get" the difference between open and closed. I virtually can't tell any difference between the 380s and the 595s other than maybe that the 380s have a tad stronger bass.( Not even soundstage strikes me as different, and intuitively that seems like the area where open phones would be most likely to have an advantage.)

Open headphones and semi-open headphones have almost equally non-existent isolation ability. The T1's isolation of background noise is identical to a completely open headphone, but I think isolation of the music playing through the headphones to external environment will be better than an open headphone and bass response may also be better.
 

 

[catsndogs]

Something else that makes any sort of decision making difficult is that I seem to be extremely fickle. Despite how much I enjoyed the HD380s yesterday, there are still times that I prefer the A900s, and even occasions (though rare ones) when I listen to mu Yuins for a change of pace.
 
Perhaps settling on one favorite is impossible. Perhaps what my ears like better than any one sound signature is change!
Is that the situation for those of you who have collected a large number of 'phones? 

 

[catsndogs]

OK, the fickleness is getting less. I think I prefer the 380s about 90% of the time now.
 
That means that whatever my "final" hedphones are, they needto be studio (closed, flat response.)
Actually, the 380s are about as expensive (ans also about as good) as tha particular variety of headphones get, with the possible exception of MDR-7520. 
About the only ones "higher" are the new closed Teslas, and I don't know if they are flat or not.
 
Any impressions of either of those?

 

[Bostonears]

"Looking for the last headphones I will ever buy."
That statement is like one of those logical impossibilities that Captain Kirk used on Star Trek to get the supposedly perfect computers to overload, with smoke coming out of the circuits boards and such.
 
One of the reasons it's a logical impossibility is because headphones are highly dependent on system synergy, that is, how well they work with the specific source, amp, cables, and potentially tubes or even opamp chips, not to mention music, in your entire audio system. Change even one of those components, and all of a sudden a system that seemed perfectly balanced may get out of balance. So unless you're willing to commit to not ever changing anything else in your system, it's a losing battle to commit to never changing one particular item.
 
Having said that, I think the only way you will ever find the perfect headphones for you is by trying a number of likely candidates. And by "trying", I don't mean plunking them on for a few minutes at a trade show or meet. I mean living with them for a few months or more, on your head, with your music, with your system, etc.
 
The most cost-effective way to do that is to buy them used (pre-owned). Purchase two, maybe three models, then after you've used them all for however long it takes you to decide, sell off the ones you deem are not right for you. Buying them used, if you are careful in what you purchase, and careful to maintain the condition of the headphones and all the packaging, you should be able to recover most if not all of what you paid for them when you go to resell them.
 
Also, if you really do plan to keep headphones for a long, long time, make sure you choose ones for which replacement parts--especially earpads--are readily available. Not a problem for the major headphone specialty companies, such as Grado or Sennheiser, but it could be an issue for the big Japanese electronics giants that might not stock spare parts for more than a year or two after a model is discontinued.