MARANTZ SA-14 SACD PLAYER "Mint Condition"

I bought this unit in March 2002 new from an authorized Marantz dealer in Virginia Beach and have had it in my system since then.  Paired with CLASSE CA-200 amplifier, CLASSE CP-65 pre-amp and KEF Reference 205/2 speakers, it has sounded amazing and has extremely low hours (less than 1000) on it as I have been working overseas for the majority of the past 15 years.  I've taken it in twice for normal cleaning to interior components and this unit works as well, if not better than when it was new.  This unit has never displayed any of the TOC read problems common to many Sony units nor do I experience long load times...a SACD will load in approximately 9 seconds or less. CDs are ready to play just as quickly as they are on standard CD players.  This Marantz holds its own against any high-end players costing thousands more in all respects, and surpasses their sonic performance in many/most.

 The bass was a little lean when the unit was new, but this phenomenon disappeared within the first 100 hours of play to become neither too dry nor too loose. It appears as if the player's bass performance is just a shade on the light side of neutral in the lowest regions however.  The SA-14 excels in the area on acoustic instruments where quick transients are the norm. The acoustic guitar comes across delightfully liquid here, with perfect attack at the beginnings of each plucking, and harmonics that extend temporally beyond what most listeners of redbook CD would expect to hear.

 However, the SA-14's greatest gifts to its new owner will be the expanse of the sound stage throughout the audio spectrum, and the most nearly perfect high frequency performance I've heard from any digital component. High frequencies seem to extend indefinitely without the slightest hint of harshness. There is an airy quality to the sound above 1000 Hz that simply demotes Sony's to third tier performance, it's that much better.

Redbook playback is nearly as astonishing, and offers much of the same quality that the SA-14 does in SACD.

In sum, if you are looking for a quality STEREO-ONLY SACD player, it would be difficult for you to do better than this SA-14 at a fraction of the cost when it was new.  Used in a pet-free, child-free, smoke-free environment with the only blemish as a 2mm scratch on top plate as shown in photograph.  Faceplate, side plates and back are impeccable as why it is given a 8/10 rating.

Below is Stereophile review from September 2002:
Sidebar: Marantz SA-14 SACD player, from September 2002 (Vol.25 No.9):

Marantz's $2900 SA-14 SACD player has been in the queue waiting to be reviewed, so I'll just sneak in a quick comparison of it here to the Accuphase DP-85, for those enticed by SACD but not prepared to spend $16.5k. Though the SA-14, too, has balanced connections, I ran it only single-ended.

Also very well built—especially given its reasonable price—and handsome to look at, the SA-14 didn't scale the SACD sonic heights reached by the DP-85, particularly when it came to transparency, liquidity, image dimensionality, high-frequency bloom, and ease of musical flow, but it did offer outstanding detail and fine tonal balance. The SA-14 communicated SACD's attractive sonic attributes, but was somewhat drier and less generous in its presentation of air, space, and overall flow. Its physical presentation was somewhat more flat and literal—kind of like the difference between a very good $1500 phono cartridge and one of the greats costing far more.

Switching to the CD layer of SACD/CD hybrids was always a letdown—as it should be—but, surprisingly, not quite as much of one as doing same with the DP-85. But that was mostly because of the DP-85's stunning, almost overwhelming SACD performance—the best digital sound I've heard in my system. Though it had a very substantial bottom-end foundation, was very well balanced, and had no serious flaws, the SA-14's CD performance sounded more mechanical, and somewhat more closed-in on top, than the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 3D or the DP-85.

Basically, the SA-14 is a very accomplished, superbly built, $2900 CD player that tosses in SACD for an extra $500 (at street price). If you want to experience SACD's musical satisfaction, the SA-14 will give it to you without putting a sonic damper on your CD collection—unless you've already been spoiled by a far more accomplished and expensive player.—Michael Fremer

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