Marantz CD 60 CD Player/DAC Lab Report

Lab Report

Although the CD 60 is not equipped with balanced XLR outputs, Marantz's proprietary HDAM op-amps are capable of superb performance, offering a 2.2V maximum output from a ~92ohm source impedance with an excellent 110dB A-wtd S/N ratio. Few other players or (headphone) DACs employing this 'low consumption' version of the ES9016 converter have achieved quite such low noise in single-ended guise. In practice there's very little benefit offered by 24-bit media plugged into the front USB-A port over dithered 16-bit CD data. Naturally, 96kHz+ files have a more extended response: from –0.8dB/20kHz, to –3.0dB/45kHz and –5.3dB/90kHz with 48kHz, 96kHz and 192kHz media, respectively, but there's arguably as much subjective difference brought about by your choice of digital filter.

Filter 1 is a very slow roll-off linear phase type with barely perceptible pre/post ringing but very poor 7dB stopband rejection, rolling away to –4.2dB/20kHz, while Filter 2 is a hybrid type with less pre- than post-ringing, a superior 50dB stopband rejection and –0.8dB/20kHz response with CD. Filter 1 is possibly better suited to 96kHz+ media while Filter 2 will give optimum results with CD/48kHz files. Distortion is a very low 0.00014% through bass and midrange at 0dBFs, increasing to 0.00045% at 20kHz, while 24-bit data has a mere 1-4dB advantage over CD at lower digital levels [see Graph 1]. The jitter test is inevitably limited by the encoded data pattern (16-bit for CD and 24-bit for USB-A media) so the former's 115psec is a function of the test itself while the mere 8psec revealed with 24-bit data [see Graph 2] is perhaps a truer reflection of the CD 60's potential. PM

1022mar.lab1

Distortion versus digital level over a 120dBFs dynamic range for CD (dashed trace) and USB-A (solid infill; 1kHz, black; 20kHz, blue)

1022mar.lab2

High res. jitter plots comparing 16-bit CD (red) with 48kHz/24-bit data over USB-A (black, w. mkrs)

Maximum output level / Impedance 2.17Vrms / 91-94ohm
A-wtd S/N ratio (USB-A / CD) 110.0dB / 109.9dB
Distortion (1kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.00014% / 0.0011%
Distortion & Noise (20kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.00045% / 0.0045%
Freq. resp. (20Hz-20kHz/45kHz/90kHz) +0.0 to –0.8dB/–3.0dB/–5.3dB
Digital jitter (USB-A / CD) 8psec / 115psec
Resolution @ –100dB (USB-A / CD) ±0.1dB / ±0.2dB
Power consumption 17W (1W standby)
Dimensions (WHD) / Weight 442x129x396mm / 7.5kg
Price £749

COMPANY INFO
Sound United/D&M Holdings
Kanagawa, Japan
Supplied by: D&M Audiovisual Ltd, UK
02890 279830
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