This time of two similar purpose devices, and that is to be full spectrum digital all purpose CD players with network streamers.
So while we prepare to go to this sonic analysis of both devices, please if you can support this channel by liking and subscribing. If you don’t like what you see and hear you can always unsubscribe and unlike.
Read the review of Marantz Model 50 that goes with Marantz CD50:
But why these two devices?
Primare CD15 is an older device, certainly older than new Marantz CD50n.And as I said earlier it is a similar purpose device. When Primare was released it costed almost the same as how much does Marantz cost now, While now there is 500 euros gap between them as Primare is on discount. It is obviously battel of generations, the old vs new. And how much value does both of them bring on the table in their respective prices.
But first let me do short reviews of both device, before I compare their Sound, Features and Build Quality, Upgrade Path and in the end Value.
Primare CD15 Prisma Review
Priamre CD 15 Prisma is a great device. I think it is one of the devices if you still have one leg in the physical world of CDs but other looking in future with streaming and listening digital files.
Ther are USB, Digital and Coaxial inputs and outputs. Making it have decent amount of ports for connecting to external dacs, amplifiers, avrs etc. Dac is interestingly enough AKM, not my favorite among DACs for its clinical, almost colorless sound but none the less very utilizing and capable dac with almost always great soundstage.
For optical drive it is very common Philips load mechanism, but unfortunately it is a slot mechanism and not a trey, or top loading.
Prisma as a streaming technology is also good and versatile, maybe only lacking in Tidal connect. As it has Spotify connect and Air Play 2. You can stream up to 24bit, including USB hard drives, so no 32bit playback. DSD is up to 128.
That is a short recap of device this device features and functionality. And few words on sound. Like many sources, many companies prefer that their devices be more a bridge in synergy, using it to finely organize, extract and enhance details and dynamic range rather to have a character of their own and to color a sound. It is a really colorless sound as it is really balanced presentation.
There is nothing wrong with that, some people actually prefer that that Cd does what it needs to be done while staying in background to other devices. But that raises those stupid comments that every cd player sounds the same.
While this is one for those patient listeners who does not want to be wowed immediately with first note. Especially if your other gear, your amp and speakers are also balanced it will create very calming laid back presentation, where you look at sound as a spectator rather to be I the middle of orchestra.
But it does extract a lot of details, there is certain clarity and separation,
it helps a lot of speakers that are great resolvers. It sends that well organized and structured information to them, to open that soundstage and feel how every layer is being structured upon each other.
It allows texture to be defined and present on soundstage. As in that soundstage is really great, just pair this with capable device that will truly unlock your cd player.
My surprise here lies in the bass for such a balanced device there where bass presence in production. Now it is not something that will wow you or floor you with command and strength.
But there where a definition, push and details in lower end. Usually this balanced devices always create dull bass, but not the case here it is serviceable.
Streaming is an interesting thing. With files that are 16bit it obviously had a little less soundstage, and dynamic expression. It is primarily cd player, but streaming experience was great too. It is a tad bit worser, but still it is a great music streamer with great clarity, separation and transparency. I know a lot of way how to pair this sound with other gear, to get some fantastic results.
It lacks so rot greater reach, richness and expression of cd player reproduction. But something interesting happened when I listen to some 24bit music including DSD, sound got improved little bit.
Soundstage become wider, almost like cd but not quite yet. But it is n how much sound expands on dynamic scale, actually shocked me. Longevity of decay, breath and in that bass and treble there where a bit more information. It was such a lovely experience to listen something which opens so much, as it sounded fantastic to my audiophile ears to listen and analyze those details.
There where a lot of joy on those listening sessions.
And than you realize that this is a capable and CD player and Streamer. There is no fault that it will bring a lot of joy in long listening sessions. Just carefully pair this with other devices, as sound can get dull really fast and without that lively live feeling.
Marantz CD50n Review
Marantz CD50n is an amazing device. I love everything from sound to its looks.
The new model series of Marnatzes is one of my favorite designer looks wise. But this devices are mor than just pretty faces.
It is a capable feature rich device. With USB a and B, with few different digital, optical and Coaxial inpuits and outputs…. And incredible HDMI ARC output. It can even be used to connect to preamplifier. Incredible versatility regarding that.
But DAC is also full of mini surprises. It can create gapless 24bit 192 khz streaming, and DSD up to all the way of 11.2 MHZ256. It truly allows via streaming or via usb a lot of flexibility if you have or are in possession of that elite musical data files to truly reap al the benefits from those glamorous files. It is incredible future fi device.
Including very good HEOS technology behind it. It is a nice application companion
It is intuitive and nice to use, and you can control other HEOS devices with it including usb playback, and other stored music including from otherr streaming services. Still no Tidal direct for gapless streaming from Tidal, but usual suspects from apple and Spotify are there.
Now sound is a very interesting “Marantz” sound, as it is a smooth warm sound. Not like the amp, that warmth is more drawn back to balanced nature. But you can feel that in upper bass and lower treble, sound is a bit rounded and enhanced. Creating that signature Marantz sound. But it is a still balanced sound, with that Marantz colorations.
Marantz calls it a masterful tuning, and it is also part of their hyper dynamic amplifier modules, that circuitry says Marantz makes all the difference.
What I can tell you is that it colors a sound a little bit, but beside that the sound it reproduces is magnificent. It is certainly setup up from Marnatz CD60, which is a great cd player in its own right, but maybe a bit more expensive that what it bring on the table.
The sound is smooth and rich. Sometimes when sound is warm it too achieve that rich full big sound, but sacrifice details. And I can say that 50n is a wonderful device that brings details to the table, even thou the sound have a bit weight to it.
And it truly is, everything in midrange is warm, smooth and lushes. It brings that feeling of midrange presence and it is rounded so well. This again is CD player so it heavily dictate how the sound is going to be by your pairing choices, but detail extract is great there is a detail and texture In soundstage which feels big and weighty.
I love how vocals feels lush and expensive, and female vocalists have this certain sweetness to it but yet they are not lean rather have weight to it.
I completely see why Marantz is a favorite for people that prefer more simpler, acoustics music, singer songwriters… it truly sound majestic with a lot of Marantz gear I tested.
But this will even more enhanced that sound, if you pair it with great Marantz amps.
It is elegant, sound that even thou it is sweet and pretty comes with a bag full of details and expressions that you will be quite satisfied with its clinical listening.
Same like Primare, CD reproduction is still much better than streaming for 16bit music. Where streaming catches up on cd is its 24bit reproduction, and DSD. Obviously as dynamic range of those files are much more bigger, if your system can resolve and is transparent you will be able to hear more details in that way.
Then the music truly unravels all its secret to you, and shows a back door to storage where more information is stored. It is not night and day, but for those consumers of this elite data files of sound, there is a lot that Marantz can offer here.
I still a little bit prefer cd reproduction to how lush, rich and defined it is.
Features and Pairing
Let`s first speak about Features and Functionality and Pairing. Regarding Features and Functionality It`s rather simple here, it is Marantz who comes better equipped with far more inputs and outputs.
Big plus in arsenal of Marantz is how it comes with HDMI ARC which gives more flexibility how it can work as a transport for some other devise and audio video receivers.
Otherwise Marantz brings versatility in great in and out inputs, that Primare beside USB have none. Marantz have fixed and variable out which is still where useful depending what speakers you connect them. It is in reality newer device with newer specs so it is what it is.
Now with paring it is a bit different story. I think it is easier to pair with other devices Primare as it is more neutral, balanced sound. So therefore if you have a system whish is more punchy, or bassy it should really good fit inside that synergy.
While Marantz colors a little bit in how it delivers organized sound. Which gives more emphasis on upper bass and midrange.
Now this is not a big problem, as this are CD Players, they don’t color as much as amps and of course speakers. So it is not that they can fundamentally change the color of sound.
They can make it more richer and open. But that being said I have to say that Primare is more easier to pair and create synergy.
This is a half half, but Marantz just kills it in features part, will paring is not hard on any of them. I have to give it to Marantz.
Upgrade Path
Now both of this devices can be upgraded, with addition of external DAC. They can become purely transports and just read and extract information, not organize and enhance it.
But in my opinion here Marantz is a better choice as it is a better transport.
They both are high quality Philips transports, but Primare is a slot in CDM-M10,
while Marantz is a trey also Philips. I can not understand such a choice by Primare here.
This is a 1000+ cd player and it uses clot in mechanism, which is far less reliable, but also far less shields cd player from internal vibrations of motor and electricity, providing less clean static and reproduction.
It is not awful transport by no means, but it could be more premium device if they invested little bit more there. I think as laser quality goes, Marantz should have a newer generation for more information extraction.
Which is in listening situation marginal and can be felt sometimes. But it is a new generation of laser and it should be better.
In that regard you will not have a bottleneck of weaker transport when you upgrade dac for better sound. So obviously this one goes to Marantz.
As a Streamer
This is more regarding functionality and features rather than sound quality which will be a next section.
Now HEOS is a more modern looking implementation, and there are many devices from Marantz but also Denon that uses HEOS. So you can easily create big chain of synergy and multi room operation here.
Prisma on the other hand is quite simple, and it offers enough functionality to be functional but nothing special worth mentioning. Heos is better feature wise and look wise here, and definitely in that apartment it is a better choice.
But their internal DACs collide here to show how much flexibility with files you have. And Marantz and Primare is able to resolve and read files differently. Marantz have far better DAC inside, that resolved at higher rate. But not just that.
IT is also a battle of AKM and I think ES Saber. The way they organize sound, is a bit different. AKM is more open and clinal, while ES Saber is more warm and rich. As it will dictate same like CD player how the sound is being reproduce. But it reflects on streamer even more as it is more depended on DAC than CD Player.
I think Primare music streamer NP5 is the one they used inside Primare CD15, and it is an awesome music streamer. You can watch my review to how much I love the little music streamer. So if you want in more details of how this sound you can check my review it will be linked in description of this video.
But the way it separates, and creates great soundscapes with a lot of insight is little bit more my preference than what streamer in Marantz does. It feels more focused and to have more sonic elegancies.
I think with that approach there is a great benefit when you go up in the scale of quality music files, that more open sound offers more to me. Now it still can not resolve as much as Marantz with its DAC going up to DSD 256, but if you don`t have equipment that resolves as hell 128 or 256 will bring marginal difference.
Look wise and feature it goes to Marantz, but sound wise here it goes to Primare. But because I apricate more sound than anything else this goes to Primare.
Sound Quality
Here is a bit tricky one.
I think at length we spoke in this video about different characteristics of sound of both devices. How Primare is more balanced, neutral, even a bit lean in comparison to Marantz. How Marantz is a bit warm, fuller and weightier sound.
But how does that translate in sound, which one have a better sonic qualities listening wise.
Both of them are great, they do extract as much as details. They both open the soundstage greatly. Primare is a better spatter it allows the details to be more clear and transparent.
But there is more richness in Marantz, it does details that have more feeling, a texture to them. They are more rounded and comes with a bit weight.
Vocals are really clean on Primer, they are especially very treble rich. They are more foreword and present, and even the imaging is a tad bit better. But Marantz have vocals that sound lush, and sweet. But also rich with timber.
There are more richness in sound overall on Marantz, in mid and bass. The details feel more rounded, more expressive. I don’t know is it because of its more weightier approach, but they feel more present than on Primare.
Which again on the other side Primare is also capable machine to extrapolate details, it is just I liked it little bit more on Marantz.
Bass is great on both devices but different. Primare have more attack, while Marantz had better size and definition. Primare you feel in your gut, while Marantz completely surround you from all sizes.
It is all as I said many many times how this review heavily depended from the rest of your gear. But this Players add a bit of spice in overall sonic cocktail.
This was all regarding CD players, as streamers they always feel as their second nature
as it unless, feed with fantastic file, have little less reach, richness in and they open less.
Is it because of dynamic range of files give to them, maybe yes maybe no.
But to me they feel more like CD Players with added streaming abilities. But as far as streaming sound goes I prefer little bit more Prisma to HEOS. And I think it has a lot to do with how it resolves this files give to them. As the better dynamic range of files, they start to open more and separate more, and as they are balanced transparent you can appreciate more those new additional details you get.
Heos is great also, but they are compared to quality of CD player of a tad worse. It gets better with of course feeding it with better files. But the sound is always a little bit less lush, and rich. Not that it sounds worser always, at many times it sounded identical to CD. Maybe to summaries in the end like this.
I overall prefer sound of Marantz a little bit more, but it can all be a preference. Especially as a CD sound quality. Marantz streaming is great, only a tad worser from it`s CD reproduction.
But the way that Primare streamer resolves and present sound to me, is a little bit my favorite to say that Primare is better as a streamer.
So Sound quality overall Marantz, but somewhat close to Primare... and Primare for streamer sound quality.
Conclusion/Value
I think I can without a doubt say that Marantz is a better device. It has better upgrade path, better functionality and inputs, better sound etc. But the question of the day is it 500e better?
And that is so tricky to answer. There is a simple answer; if lean balanced sound of Primare is not for you, you like more rich weightier, warmer sound of Marantz... then the choice is obvious as I have seen some people just don’t prefer sound of Primare.
If you think about longevity, also the obvious is choice is Marantz, you pay more but it will be trusty companion that can be better upgrader over time with better transport and laser.
But to me most important aspect of any HIFI gear is its sound. It is always make or brake for a device. And listening to this review you get that I prefer sound of Marantz.
But I don’t prefer it 500e more. I think the sound of Primare is excellent enough for you to keep 500e to yourself and invest in better dac, amp or speakers.
Especially if you have a system that is punchy and treble rich, I completely see this cd player streamer integrate super easy. And I am saying 500e less, while this device is old and you can find it second hand even cheaper than that.
I know I did.
So I think as value Primare wins.
I was going back and forth in my hand does it truly wins or not. Marantz is a better device, and overall better package, and if you want the better of this two you go for Marantz obviously.
Overall I think Primare CD15 is a great device, but Marantz is excellent. I would definitely recommend checking them both, as they hold great value both.
I pitted this two together which are bot awesome devices, and while reviewing them there was always certain sadness and sorrow to how to explain that one thing is better than other,
without downgrading the other. But in reality both are awesome devise.
But it is the reviewer’s job to review, and here it is finally done and completed.
Thank you for watching this review, if you like this content please like and subscribe and support me in any way you can. Keep daydreaming and see you soon.
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