Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Beautiful 'cooky-jar' looks. Rock-solid build quality. A bargain if bought 2nd hand at trade prices. Very distinct Marantz family sound - slightly recessed soundstage, well defined midrange(its greatest sell), warm bass, and slightly subdued high frequency presentation. Overall sound plays on safe/conservative side of neutral rather than being too forward. Dynamics shares similar traits as other high-end japanese cds-players with a leaner sound opting for absolute clarity, detail and communication. This makes for great in-depth/analyitical listening, but can rob the sound of its musicality.

Strengths:
Very good soundstaging. Clear and taught midbass. Midrange is communicative, detailed and pleasing to the ear. Micro dynamics are good. Impressive with accoustic, vocal and slow jazz music.

Weaknesses:
Missing those very low bass notes. High frequency can sound punishingly harsh with poor system matching. Needs a neutral/musical sounding amp. Can sound dry and unrewarding for rock music. Lack of parts for repairs if damaged.

Similar Products Used:
Marantz CD63KI Signiture Marantz CD 17 MarkII Wadia 16i Sony XA2ES Amps used in listening: Accuphase E208 Arcam D290 Hafler DH200 Pre/Power

Price Paid:  $250.00

Summary:
Suitable for female vocal and chamber music.
Philips CDM-9 pro installed.
Wonderful operating feeling (like playing with LP.)

But it never produces deep and hard punch (ie, Jazz and big band sound.)

Strengths:
Smooth and soft.
Wonderful outlook and size !
Like playing with LP.

Weaknesses:
Lack of punch, clear and definition

Similar Products Used:
Wadia CD23

Summary:
This is the 'Music Link' series of Marantz audiophile product.It is relatively small in size but big in drawing attention!
Trust me, I had placed it among the big muscles like YBA CD-3 Alpha, Wadia 830 & Musical Fidelity X-Ray...& it gained the most attention from us!
This baby is Marantz but does not look like any typical boxy Marantz ... its top loading design came with a heavy glass cover which makes it looks like a rice cooker more than a CD player.
However, it will cook no rice but sweet music instead.(Pardon me but has anyone seen any rice cooker which costs S$3000...???)

I shall not touch on the technical aspects of this baby because many new CD players of this price range are equipped with more more 'bits' conversion & complicated features.
'Because Music Matters'...quoted by Marantz, so we shall leave all the misleading technical specifications aside & concentrate on the sound reproduction alone.

Various AB tests allow me to conclude that it is a very smooth & sweet sounding player, especially in the midrange.
A little over smooth on the higher frequencies but lots of creamy & expressive details in the mid & bass is pleasingly fulsome.
Vocal is extemely sweet when matching it with valve amplifier & LS 3/5A speakers.
Separation between instruments is highly credible & good soundstage.
Music playback is involving though not able to cope well with the dynamics of a big orchestra work.
String instruments sounded superbly crisp, sweet & controlled.

In short, with careful matching, it sings very well & musically involving. Your wife & kids will love its cute 'cooker' design & certainly it will blends in with your gorgeous furniture perfectly!

Hints: Tape the micro-switch on the top panel & try playing it without the glass cover... the soundstage will opens further. Vocal will be brighter & the higher musical notes more extended!
It is a norm that by opening the cover of most top loading CD players may actually improve the sound quality, thus definitely worth trying.

On the whole, 4.5 stars sonically & 5 stars if including its most adorable looks!