Marantz SACD 30n

My hands-on experience with the Marantz SACD 30n

I was given an opportunity to demo this player at home, and I decided it was a perfect time to purchase my first Super Audio CD and see how it sounded in my own space. I knew I wanted to choose an album I am intimately familiar with, and had heard in many formats. I bought Dire Straits' 1986 album Brothers in Arms on cassette when it first came out, and have heard it on vinyl and high-res streaming, so when it popped up as an SACD best-seller in my research, I knew it was the logical choice.

I paired the 30n with the Rotel RA-1592 MkII integrated amplifier, and listened through my trusty pair of Wharfedale Diamond 11.1 bookshelf speakers. I live in an apartment, and the Wharfedales have always done an excellent job of providing clarity and accuracy at moderate volume levels, so I don't feel like I'm disturbing the neighbors.

Before I get into the music, I want to spare a moment to discuss the SACD-M3L transport mechanism, which features a very smooth, gliding open/close action. I often worry about the durability of this part of a disc player, but those fears were allayed. I've also had the experience where a disc almost rattles around in the CD tray in lesser machines — this one felt like it was almost gripping the disc when I placed it in the center, which was reassuring.

Now, the music was exceptional, full stop. I enjoy Mark Knopfler's precision as a guitar player, and each familiar note rang out pure and clear as I listened. This album won a Grammy award for its engineering in 1986, and I could really hear why. Each member of the band could be heard clearly when I engaged in critical listening, and producer's touches like chirring insects and rolling thunder added to the atmospheric effect. I was duly impressed with my first SACD experience.

What really makes this player a slam-dunk for me is its versatility. I was able to connect it to my home Wi-Fi to stream Spotify Connect and Qobuz, and it has Type-A and Type-B USB inputs so you can stream files stored on a thumb drive or computer. If I had a larger living space, you can bet I'd make good use of the multi-room HEOS properties, too. And the individual volume control for headphone listening was a nice touch.

That's a lot of functionality for a single component. Add in its exceptional performance and good looks, and it's definitely designed to appeal to a music lover like me.