Which Marantz CD player should you choose in 2026?

Marantz, a historic hi-fi brand renowned for its signature sound and timeless design, continues to offer a particularly extensive range of CD players. From affordable models dedicated to compact disc playback to versatile electronics incorporating a network streamer, as well as high-end players compatible with CD and SACD, the Japanese manufacturer covers all uses and requirements.

But how do you find your way around all these different models? What are the specific features of each reference, and what benefits can you expect according to your listening habits? Here’s a complete overview to help you choose the Marantz player that perfectly matches your hi-fi system and your expectations.

From the legacy of the CD to the Marantz 2026 series

At Marantz, the source has never merely been regarded as a player responsible for spinning a disc or decoding a file. On the contrary, it’s a fundamental link, the true starting point of any musical reproduction. This obsession was confirmed as soon as the brand entered the digital era with the very first Marantz CD player, launched in autumn 1982, at a time when the Compact Disc was still in its infancy. Following the merger with Philips, then the majority shareholder, Marantz entrusted the now famous Ken Ishiwata with the task of revisiting the very first CD player on the market, the Philips CD100. The goal was not simply to adapt it, but to optimize it in depth in order to extract unprecedented musical potential. The result of this meticulous work was the Marantz CD-45, with its revised power supply and significantly improved converter stage, already marking a break with the purely technical approach to digital audio.

This sonic identity is closely tied to Ken Ishiwata, who was a key figure at Marantz for over 40 years. This genius engineer truly shaped the way Marantz designs its CD players, systematically seeking to produce more naturalness, coherence, and presence. His legacy is all the more inseparable from the brand’s origins, as one of the most famous pages in Marantz history concerns a CD player: the Marantz CD-63 MkII KI Signature, presented in 1996, was the first device to officially bear his initials. Building on this heritage, Marantz has never stopped refining its players, taking into account new uses without compromising the fundamentals that have made them so successful.

Read: How Ken Ishiwata revolutionized Marantz and hi-fi

Overview of the Marantz 2026 player and streamer range

Today, Marantz’s range of CD, SACD and network players reflects this continuity: each model is part of a clear logic, designed above all to suit the way the user listens to their music and build their hi-fi system.

On the one hand, Marantz continues to offer players purely dedicated to physical discs, such as the Marantz CD-6007, Marantz CD 60 and Marantz SA-10. True to the brand’s historic approach, they are aimed at music lovers attached to physical media who wish to build a tailor-made hi-fi system with separate components. Here, the goal is to provide the very best CD playback, thanks to cutting-edge mechanics and musicality in keeping with the Marantz spirit.

At the same time, the brand has developed a new generation of connected CD players, identifiable by the “n” reference. They integrate a HEOS network player and a high-level internal DAC to combine CD collections, high-resolution audio files and streaming services in a single device.

Marantz CD-6007: the entry-level bestseller

The Marantz CD6007 is the entry ticket to the Marantz hi-fi CD player range, with a resolute focus on musicality and simplicity. Designed to accompany an entry-level to mid-range hi-fi system, it is aimed at music lovers who want to enjoy their CD collection to the full without resorting to streaming or connected functions. It features efficient playback mechanics and optimized audio circuits, including the brand’s proprietary HDAM modules, guaranteeing a smooth, warm, and balanced reproduction, true to Marantz’s DNA.

The CD6007 features a wide range of connectors, with analog RCA outputs for direct connection to a hi-fi amplifier, plus optical and coaxial digital outputs for use with an external DAC to upgrade the system. A USB port is also provided for playback of audio files up to 24-bit/192kHz and 5.6MHz DSD stored on a USB stick or hard drive. The affordable CD6007 is an ideal choice for a first hi-fi system, offering consistent sound quality that stays true to the Marantz spirit.

Note from the expert
Marantz HDAM modules are based on discrete circuits rather than integrated operational amplifiers, offering faster response, reduced noise and better signal handling. They contribute directly to the warm, natural reproduction characteristic of the Marantz sound signature. 

Marantz CD 60: first steps into excellence

The Marantz CD 60 CD player builds on the foundations of the CD6007, refining it both aesthetically and musically. It features the iconic Marantz design, with a honeycombed front panel to match the latest-generation Marantz Model 30, 40n, 50 and 60n hi-fi amplifiers. The audio architecture has been redesigned, with optimized HDAM modules and components placed symmetrically on the audio board to limit interaction and create the most direct signal path possible. The result is a marked improvement in the soundstage, as well as greater micro-detail precision, while retaining Marantz’s characteristic warmth and smoothness. Still dedicated to CD or USB file playback (24-bit/192kHz and 5.6MHz DSD DAC), the Marantz CD 60 retains a traditional hi-fi philosophy, with high-quality analog RCA outputs as well as optical and coaxial digital outputs for integration into an upgradeable system with an external DAC.

Marantz CD50N: the connected CD player

The Marantz CD 50n is designed for users who want to build a modern, versatile hi-fi system without giving up their record collection. It effectively combines physical CD playback and today’s digital uses, with a comprehensive Heos-based network player. It offers direct access to streaming services, playback of audio files stored on the local network, multi-room, as well as AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth streaming, while retaining a meticulous CD playback mechanism and a reproduction that is faithful to Marantz’s sonic DNA. Its conversion section and analog circuits, enhanced by HDAM modules, ensure warm, smooth and detailed sound, from both discs and digital files up to 384kHz and 11.2MHz DSD.

The connectors are also more versatile, with a complete DAC section including optical, coaxial and USB-B inputs for connecting a computer, and even an HDMI ARC port for linking your TV and hi-fi system. This makes it an ideal solution for those who want to enjoy the convenience of streaming and digital music while continuing to listen to their CD collection.

Marantz SACD 30N: the ultimate versatile source

The Marantz SACD 30n represents the culmination of the brand’s range of CD and network players, aimed at the most discerning music lovers who want a single source without compromise. A real step up from the CD 50n, it features a distinctly more audiophile design, based on selected components, optimized internal architecture and a particularly careful power supply with a toroidal transformer, guaranteeing stability, silent operation and enhanced dynamics. Its playback mechanism is also more precise, and can now play SACDs as well as CDs.

Note from the expert
Based on 1-bit DSD encoding, SACD offers extended bandwidth and more efficient digital conversion than CD, reducing digital filtering and improving smoothness, microdynamics, and natural tonal qualities. On a high-end player, it remains one of the most advanced physical media formats in hi-fi. 

The Heos ecosystem is present for access to music shared over the local network (24-bit/192kHz and DSD files up to 11.2MHz), web radios, and the majority of streaming services such as Qobuz, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer and Spotify. Live streaming is also possible via Bluetooth or AirPlay 2. The DAC can be used to convert external sources thanks to optical and coaxial inputs and a USB-B computer port. Finally, a variable RCA output has been added to the fixed output, enabling direct connection to a power amp. Designed as a reference source, capable of competing with separate element installations, the SACD 30n is the ideal heart of a high-end hi-fi system, equally at home with physical media and Hi-Res streaming.

With its range of CD, SACD and network players, Marantz once again demonstrates its ability to combine audiophile heritage with contemporary uses. From the accessible, musical CD6007, through the more ambitious CD60, the CD50n designed for modern, connected installations, to the versatile, top-of-the-range SACD30n, each player meets a precise need and fits naturally into a coherent hi-fi system. At the very top, the SA-10 embodies the brand’s purist and most rigorous philosophy, dedicated exclusively to CD and SACD playback without compromise.

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