Quote Originally Posted by emaidel
This is not meant to disrepect the value of an external DAC in any way, but it also seems like the perfect opportunity to join in with a very interesting observation about the Marantz SA-8001. In the review in Stereophile, the reviewer (I don't remember who) stated that he couldn't hear any difference between the built in DAC in the 8001, as compared to using the 8001 as a transport coupled with the Benchmark DAC. That says an awful lot, I would think.

Add to that the fact that the Benchmark DAC is $975, and is only a DAC, but the 8001 is a transport, DAC and an SACD player as well, for $899.95. I found $900 and the term "bargain" a bit tough to swallow at first, but now it would certainly seem so, no? (Can you tell I really like my 8001?)
That's not a disrespect to external DACs but a compliment to the quality of the SA8001.. The Benchmark DAC1 is already regarded by many reviewers as being as good as digital gets... Keep in mind the reviewer also couldn't tell the difference between those 2 and the Marantz SA15S1 that he owns ($2K)... what it says is that top quality digital is available for a lot cheaper than many audiophiles claim...

Now what I'd love to see is Marantz introduce their own DAC.... but at least they added a USB input on the replacement for the 8001 (the SA8003).... so it can be used as a DAC for an ipod or hard-drive...

Also, while the Marantz 8001 is a great solution for people who want an SACD/CD player, it's useless to Music Server users... The 8003 is an improvement, as it can be used as a music server (just add an ipod/Hard Drive), but it's a wasteful solution for those who already own a Squeezebox etc... since it means you'd have to attach the Hard Drive directly to 8003 and not use the Squeezebox (which means you lose all the nice features of the Squeezebox, such as internet radio and playlists, not to mention that your $300 Squeezebox will be collecting dust in the corner)...

Glad to see you're still enjoying your 8001, but it has about as much use to a music server user as a turntable....