Marantz Launches "Pure Basic" 2 Channel Line

[Ajani]

Marantz is launching their new "Pure Basic" line of 2 channel components in Japan and the UK by the end of this month...

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news...CD+Player.html

The line up (not all of which are listed in the article) are:

PM5003 Integrated Amp
CD5003 CD Player

PM7003 Integrated Amp
SA7003 SACD Player

PM8003 Integrated Amp
SA8003 SACD Player

I really hope they launch the entire line 'as is' in North America... based on the UK prices, they should retail for $300, $600 and $900 respectively...

EDIT: There's also the ST6003 Tuner

[bobsticks]

The ol' back-to-basics approach...kewl.

I can see pairing the PM7003 and the SA7003 with a pair of these for the best 2k office system out there.

[Ajani]

Sounds like an interesting $2K setup... I'm really interested to see whether they bring down the SA8003 with the USB input intact... Since (by translating the Marantz Japan page to English with Google)... it seems that the 8003 can read music stored on USB Storage Devices and playback, MP3, WMA, AAC & WAV formats... If it can also pull up the tag info and has a decent interface... it would mean I could just connect my 500gb external HD (or an ipod) directly to the 8003 and use it as a DAC....

http://translate.google.com.ag/trans...ial%26hs%3D1Xw

[pixelthis]

Sounds like an interesting $2K setup... I'm really interested to see whether they bring down the SA8003 with the USB input intact... Since (by translating the Marantz Japan page to English with Google)... it seems that the 8003 can read music stored on USB Storage Devices and playback, MP3, WMA, AAC & WAV formats... If it can also pull up the tag info and has a decent interface... it would mean I could just connect my 500gb external HD (or an ipod) directly to the 8003 and use it as a DAC....

http://translate.google.com.ag/trans...ial%26hs%3D1Xw

Great post, but you had better watch it...posting actual HT and AUDIO
info on this site, might get your ass tossed.
200 pounds, what is that now, with the way the dollar is going,
about TWENTY MILLION GAZILLION dollars, or twenty bags of
coca cola cans.

[Ajani]

Whoops looks like the official UK prices are going to be different from those in the initial articles.... so here are the official prices:

CD5003 / September / £199.90

· PM5003 / September / £219.90

· SA7003 / on sale Autumn 2008 / £429.90

· PM7003 / on sale Autumn 2008 / £429.90

· SA8003 / on sale Autumn 2008 / £699.90

· PM8003 / on sale Autumn 2008 / £629.90

· ST6003 (FM/AM tuner) / on sale Autumn 2008 / £179.90

Just multiply the prices by 2, to get an estimate of the US prices (assuming all models become available in the states).

http://whathifi.com/News/Marantz-con...e-up-for-2008/

[mbbuchanan]

Two Channel, ah yes, the way music should be enjoyed : )

[frenchmon]

Happy to hear about this...So now I can start getting my coin together for a purchase.

frenchmon

[tvrbob86]

Whoops looks like the official UK prices are going to be different from those in the initial articles.... so here are the official prices:

CD5003 / September / £199.90

· PM5003 / September / £219.90

· SA7003 / on sale Autumn 2008 / £429.90

· PM7003 / on sale Autumn 2008 / £429.90

· SA8003 / on sale Autumn 2008 / £699.90

· PM8003 / on sale Autumn 2008 / £629.90

· ST6003 (FM/AM tuner) / on sale Autumn 2008 / £179.90

Just multiply the prices by 2, to get an estimate of the US prices (assuming all models become available in the states).

http://whathifi.com/News/Marantz-con...e-up-for-2008/

Judging by one U.S. on-line dealer, the retail prices and availability will be:

· CD5003 / Early September / $349

· PM5003 / October / $449

· SA8003 / Late September - Early October / $999

· PM8003 / Late September / $999

· SR4023 (80W x 2 Stereo Receiver) / Available Now / $499

[Ajani]

Judging by one U.S. on-line dealer, the retail prices and availability will be:

· CD5003 / Early September / $349

· PM5003 / October / $449

· SA8003 / Late September - Early October / $999

· PM8003 / Late September / $999

· SR4023 (80W x 2 Stereo Receiver) / Available Now / $499

Wild West Electronics??? I just checked their site, saw those prices, came back to post and realized that you beat me to it by a few days... lol

Looks like they may not bring down the 7003... but that's ok since I'm really interested in the 8003 models...

[Ajani]

The first reviews are in for 2 of the new Marantz CD Players:

CD5003 - 5 Stars from WhatHiFi
http://whathifi.com/Review/Marantz-CD5003/

SA8003 - 5 Stars from Hifi Choice
http://www.techradar.com/products/au...-456022/review

Even though these are UK reviews, both products will be available in the US shortly.