The Return to Reference
Meet Marantz's new 10 Series
"There is no plastic in sight."
When a storied audio company decides to go all out on a reference-class product line, it's hard to imagine something more beautiful and cogent than Marantz Series 10. With a design and engineering language that perfectly balances form and function across all three products, Series 10 is all about brushed aluminum, heavy knobs on bearings, copper-plated innards, and no plastic in sight. The front-panel "meter" is a high-resolution color display intended to show a variety of user information, yes, but also functions as a VU meter.
The Power Amp
Over 85% of the components in the Model 10 integrated amp are new to Marantz. Instead of just dropping in an Eigentakt module, as is all the rage for high-end class-D amplification, Marantz worked with Purifi to develop its own switching power module, specially made in Japan. It offers a dynamic, detailed, high-bandwidth class-D sound infused with Marantz's characteristic warmth and spaciousness.
Each output module gets its own speedy switching power supply, with the preamp operating off a traditional toroidal transformer. The Model 10 can also be used as a power amp in monoblock mode, and the Series 10 system can handle four separate amps for a totally active setup.
The SACD Player
Imagine an SACD player that weighs 73 lb. This sums up the blue-check, blank-sky freedom that Marantz's engineers were given on Series 10. And don't forget, Marantz was part of Philips during development of the CD, and made the first commercial CD player in 1982. This means the Marantz team has the resources and engineering to design and build the most intricate and challenging part of a disc player: the transport.
Custom laser reading is backed by dual-toroidal PSUs for the analog and digital circuits, and there are no off-the-shelf DAC chips in here. It's all Marantz-specific technology, voiced and matched resistor by resistor for the perfect sound.
The Network Player
Is this a streaming DAC with analog inputs, or an analog preamp with a streamer and DAC? Marantz balances both by giving you a network source loaded with high-quality analog circuitry, including a fully balanced preamp and an MM/MC phonostage. With HDMI ARC, sub out, and more, the Link 10n is destined to be the digital heart of all of your high-fidelity entertainment.
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Marantz SACD10 Reference SACD/CD Player $12,000 |
Marantz LINK 10n Reference Network Audio Player / Preamplifier $12,000 |
Marantz Model 10 Reference Integrated Amplifier $15,000 |
Kevin's Museum of Marantz
Marantz was founded in 1953, and its early products are extremely collectible. Kevin Deal, owner and founder of Upscale Audio, has a little stash of vintage Marantz.
In fact, as we talked to him for this story, he had just landed two new additions to the collection: a Model 1 Consolette preamp (much like the one pictured above), and Model 2 power amp, both like-new in box. The find was thanks to the kindness of a YouTube fan, and Kevin will be making a video on this heartwarming story very soon.
Kevin started collecting vintage Marantz in the late 80s. "I like old McIntosh too, but Marantz really rings my bell," he says. His collection includes a Model 7 preamp, Model 8 power amp, and a pair of the stunning Model 9 amps, introduced in 1960. His most prized Marantz is the receiver that sits on his desk at work, a Model 2600 that he describes as "the rarest receiver they ever made, and the most sought after."
Many of us know Marantz from its mass-market products of the later years, so it's easy to forget that this is one of hi-fi's most beloved brands, with a long, venerable history. Kevin is thrilled to see that this storied past is well-represented in the new Model 10, and that Marantz continues to make products that any hi-fi enthusiast would be proud to own.
To hear a little more about Kevin's early days and how he got into audio, read his recent interview with Neil Gader in the July/August 2024 issue of The Absolute Sound.
New Video: Audiophile Integrated Amplifiers Under $6,000
Jake Spencer and Jordan Perez of Upscale Audio explore three amazing integrated amps near the $6,000 price point. Hear all about the PrimaLuna EVO 400, Pathos Logos MkII, and Rega Aethos.