Denon DCD-1700 CD/SACD Player, $1500
(5 5/16h, 17 1/8w, 15 3/16d, 20 lbs)
I’ve written at length that Marantz’s SACD30n is my favorite disc player on the market, all things considered. It plays CDs and SACDs. It has a state of the art MMM (Marantz Music Mastering) DAC built in- that doesn’t employ a DAC chip. The DAC is all Marantz’s secret sauce. You can even run your streamer into SACD30n and listen to its DAC, rather than what’s in your streamer. Further, SACD30n is made in Japan where, let’s face it, there is a lot more TLC done than in China or Malaysia. SACD30n runs $3k, it weighs 31 lbs and has a 5 year warranty.
Well, what if your price range is half that? Which disc player is your best option? For my money, I want something made with TLC in Japan, instead of somewhere else over there.
First of all, DCD-1700 is made in Japan. This is no small factor. The hearty build and TLC coming out of Japan is undeniably superior to the rest of the far east. Precious few disc players sub $3k are made in Japan. They’re invariably made in China or Viet Nam. It doesn’t mean they’re no good. But seriously, being made in Japan is a huge advantage for a machine you expect to own for a couple decades. Japan even has a big edge on the English companies that buy cheap Chinese drives and assemble a product around them. Make no mistake, Japanese pride and precision build is worth stretching to- compared to something LESS.
Marantz and Denon have been owned by Masimo for a number of years. Marantz is the higher end line of the family. Denon is used to hit lower price points. Yet Denon has a rich history and Masimo has opted to throw a few bouquets its way, witness DCD-1700.
DCD-1700 plays CDs and SACDs. It has a sturdy transport mechanism featuring Denon’s SVH (suppress vibration hybrid) technology. Hence DCD-1700 starts with an excellent tracking, reliable transport and weighs 20 pounds. Marantz/Denon sleds are simply the best we’ve encountered in almost 50 years of being in business. Yep, they’re better than Linns, Naims and Regas that we’ve dealt with in years past.
DCD-1700 uses a Texas Instruments PCM1795 (32b) DAC. No, it isn’t MMM like SACD30n above. But you can’t expect to get that for $1500. The TI DAC upsamples to 32b/384kHz. Denon runs short signal paths. They put their master clock adjacent to the DAC to suppress jitter. It runs two power transformers that are near the feet to funnel any vibration away from the PCB. It has a Pure Direct mode that turns off its display. It runs single ended outputs, as well as coax & opt.
DCD-1700 gives you the best sounding CD/SACD player south of SACD30n! It’s a cut above Marantz’s own CD60 that sells for a grand. How does Denon offer this much player for $1500? Denon gives you a one year warranty. Marantz gives you five.
If you’re open to the $3k price point, Marantz’s SACD30n does indeed have a more transparent sound with superior detailing and tighter bass.
Oh, and about SACD, please don’t ignore it. It’s going to be your favorite source for listening to music after you’ve had a solid taste. I don’t expect you to buy hundreds of SACDS- though I have. I suggest you buy a handful of your favorite albums in the SACD format. You’ll keep playing those over and over due to their superior dynamic range and 3D soundstage.
If someone tells you the silver disc format is extinct…politely ignore them. These are the same guys telling us vinyl was dead in the 80s. CDs and SACDs are still plentiful, affordable (man I luv box sets!) and sound great. There’s no hassling with wi-fi, computer functions or record cleaning. It couldn’t be easier. Silver discs of fastidious implementation are absolutely AWESOME!
