(November 3, 2023) At first glance, the arrival of another new CD player may seem a bit head-scratching, if not mundane. Disc sales have dropped like a rock in the last two decades, with sales during 2022 having fallen nearly 96% since 2002 according to data gathered by statistica.com. As a fan of physical media, that's a tough number to reconcile, but...I get it. When it comes to Hi-Res music, there are plenty of affordable streaming services that deliver CD quality or better sound with a level of convenience that physical discs simply can't match.
The announcement of Marantz's CD 50n (buy now at B&H Photo) came across my desk several weeks ago, and I can't say I was entirely enthused. After all, the market has plenty of transport and player options. Could we possibly need another?
From an aesthetic perspective, the CD 50n aligns perfectly with other products released by Marantz since its self-proclaimed rebirth. Its faceplate, clad with a carbon-fiber baselayer overlaid with a modern control panel and Marantz's iconic gold logo, is truly eye-catching. So, all good on the looks front. But what about functionality? Is this just another "insert disc and press play" component? The answer to that question tells you exactly why Marantz found it worthwhile to cook up the CD 50n in the first place.
The CD 50n features a 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC married to custom Musical Digital Filters, which Marantz says lends to a clear and detailed sound with all forms of digital audio. Of course, one of those forms is the disc-based variety, accessed by the player's front-loading single tray. But here's where the CD 50n strikes a bit more intrigue than your typical transport – you can feed it loads of other digital media. Thanks to the provision of multiple digital inputs (coax, optical, USB, and USB-DAC) plus network access via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, the CD 50n can also support high-resolution music files (up to 384 kHz/32 bit and DSD 256) sent either directly via digital audio connections or streamed over your home network using the built-in HEOS music streaming platform.
You can also stream music to the player using Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, and, yes, Apple's popular AirPlay2. And for an extra bit of fun and flexibility, you can source audio directly from your TV using the player's onboard HDMI ARC connection.
So, when you want to rock your 'old-school' discs, you have that option... but when you want to shift modern streaming territory or spice up your TV audio experience, you can do that too!
Unless you're dumping output to powered speakers, you'll need to mate the CD 50n with soem sort of amplification to enjoy playback. Here's where the all-new Marantz MODEL 50 (buy now at B&H Photo) slides into the picture. This integrated-style amplifier takes inspiration from the proven platform of its sibling, the Marantz MODEL 40n, and is a visual match to the physicality of the CD 50n. With 70w per channel of high-current Class A/B power, it carries enough punch to drive most speakers, and its internals – which include Marantz's Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module or HDAM technology and a pure analog design – are intended to minimize distortion for a transparent sound.
Being an integrated component, you can feed audio to the MODEL 50 in multiple ways. Its backside offers six analog inputs plus a MM Phono stage for use with vinyl sources. And for flexibility, stereo pre-outs allow you to bring beefier amplification into your rack down the road.
Both models, the Marantz CD 50n and Marantz MODEL 50, are available for purchase now for $1800 each.
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