Name: Marantz SA-12SE SA CD Player W/ DAC, Gold
SKU: YXYUY 84065
Availability: InStock

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Full Description

At the heart of the new Marantz SA-12SE CD Player is an innovative SACDM-3 transport mechanism, engineered solely for the best possible performance when playing SA-CDs, CDs and music stored on data discs. This new mechanism promises exceptional sound quality from conventional CD and SA-CD discs and allows listeners to create their own high-resolution audio compilation discs using a computer DVD burner. The SA-12SE supports FLAC files from 44.1kHz to 192kHz and up to 24-bit resolution, DSD2.8MHz and DSD 5.6MHz, ALAC (Apple Lossless), AIFF and MP3 files. Creating and playing hi-res disc compilations is as simple as it is enjoyable.

Marantz was in at the start of CD, launching its first player — the original CD-63 — in 1982. In the following years, Marantz became well known as the CD-Player specialist. Drawing on the development process for the flagship SA-10, and designed by the same team, the SA-12 Special Edition was created to celebrate the love of music and exalt the mastery and emotion of music.

Marantz Musical Mastering Stream

The Marantz Musical Mastering Stream transforms all PCM file formats to DSD format, using advanced filtering and proprietary processing before the Marantz Musical Mastering Conversion converts the 1-bit data stream directly into an analogue signal without the use of a conventional D/A converter. The Marantz engineering team created this player to deliver the kind of sound able to bring you closer than ever to your favourite music. The reason is simple, and central to everything Marantz does — because music matters.

Marantz Special Edition

Marantz Special Editions are the Marantz way to celebrate the love of music that runs deep in the veins of Marantz sound masters and engineers, exhibited in the artistry and craftsmanship of those special components. Sound Masters will occasionally identify a product with a higher potential than expected and master it with extra unwavering attention to detail, component selection and listening sessions. The original SA-12 was solely created for the Japanese market, and quickly proved to be the next chosen one. European sound engineers combined it with achievements made developing the famous SA-KI Ruby, and thus the SA-12 Special Edition was born.

CDs, SA-CDs and Beyond

The SA-12SE is a fully functional digital-to-analogue converter for music stored on a home computer via USB-B and features optical and coaxial digital inputs for existing source components. These inputs support files up to 192kHz/24bit. The USB-B asynchronous input for direct connection with a computer is compatible with PCM and DXD music files at up to 384kHz/32bit, as well as DSD2.8MHz, DSD5.6MHz and DSD11.2MHz.

Marantz HDAM Technology

Marantz developed its own discrete circuit boards called Hyper-Dynamic Amplifier Modules, or HDAMs, to replace the chip-based amps used elsewhere. Using discrete surface mount components with short mirror-image left and right signal paths, HDAMs outperform the regular integrated Op-amps dramatically in Slew Rate and noise level. The result is much more dynamic, accurate and detailed sound. Over the years, Marantz has developed different HDAMs to fit the requirements of players and amplifiers. The SA-12SE uses the latest high-grade SA3 version. Combined with optimized circuit design layout and carefully selected components, the SA-12SE provides exceptional sound quality and performance.

At the heart of the SA-12SE is an innovative SACDM-3 transport mechanism, engineered solely for the best possible performance when playing SA-CDs, CDs and music stored on data discs. This new mechanism promises exceptional sound quality from conventional CD and SA-CD discs and allows listeners to create their own high-resolution audio compilation discs using a computer DVD burner. The SA-12SE supports FLAC files from 44.1kHz to 192kHz and up to 24-bit resolution, DSD2.8MHz and DSD 5.6MHz, ALAC (Apple Lossless), AIFF and MP3 files. Creating and playing hi-res disc compilations is as simple as it is enjoyable.

Marantz Musical Mastering is at the heart of digital audio in the SA-12SE lies DSD. PCM signals are up-converted to DSD at 11.2MHz using the proprietary MMM-Stream converter within the player. The high-frequency signal produced is processed by the unique MMM-Conversion stage, used in place of a conventional DAC, to produce the analogue output. The MMM-Stream section of the process replaces the oversampling filters normally used in digital to analogue conversion and allows the implementation of the Marantz Musical Mastering filtering. Two system clocks of 44.1kHz and 48kHz ensure the most accurate up-conversion of the incoming signal, whether it is from disc or the digital inputs. All available digital signal formats are a multiple of either 44.1 or 48, hence any processing is done without rounding, preventing the loss of important information or creating failures. Sigma Delta Modulation allows a pure DSD-standard signal, a 1-bit stream, to be passed to the conversion section in the form of a very high-frequency stream of pulses. The design of the DSD-to-analogue filter feeds the audio signal into the familiar Marantz HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Modules) in the output stage for optimal sound quality.

The power supply of the SA-12SE features a large high current toroidal power transformer with OFC (oxygen-free copper) secondary wires, along with high speed, high current Schottky Barrier Diodes in the rectifier stage for the purest DC voltage output. There are independent power supplies for the analogue and digital circuitry to reduce interference to a minimum

Engineered and extensively tuned by a team drawing on more than 35 years of Marantz expertise in CD players
Innovative Marantz Musical Mastering ‘MMM-Stream’ up-sampling to DSD and filtering
Custom-designed 1-bit direct ‘MMM–Conversion’ from DSD to analogue
High quality analogue output stage with Marantz HDAM-SA3 technology and low impedance output
In-house developed Marantz SACD/CD mechanism ‘SACDM-3’ designed purely for audio
Playback of SACD/CD playback and of compilations on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM (audio)
Asynchronous USB input for hi-res audio up to PCM/DXD 384kHz/32bit and DSD11.2MHz
Isolation of USB and digital inputs to block noise from connected sources
Power supply using toroidal transformer
Dedicated headphone amplifier with all-discrete construction featuring HDAM-SA2

Mechanism	SACD-M3 (METAL)
D/A Conversion	Marantz Musical Mastering Conversion + Stream
DAC IC	Marantz Musical Mastering Conversion + Stream
Digital Filter	DSP (Marantz)
Noise Shaper	DSP (Marantz)
Low Pass Filter Stage	HDAM-SA2, SA3 current feedback
Output Buffer	HDAM SA3
Headphone Amp	HDAM-SA2 current feedback
Frequency Response (Cust.)	2 Hz – 50 kHz
Dynamic Range (SA)	109dB
Signal to Noise Ratio (SA)	112dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (SA)	0.0008%
Channel Separation (SA)	No
Frequency Response	2 Hz – 20 kHz
Dynamic Range	98 dB
Signal to Noise Ratio	104 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion	0.000015
Channel Separation	No