I can't stand my Marantz SA8004 anymore ... too slow, too boring ... can I tweak it? any suggestions?

Timing cannot be rectified. If it times bad you can *maybe* smooth over the cracks a little...

Considering you have a Naim amp I would say the CD5i-2 would be the ideal partner. Alternatively Rega Apollo would match well with Naim and will retain some of the warmth but should add a little va-va-voom to the proceedings.

Can you not just keep the Pioneer ?

or demo stuff alongside your Marantz, in your own system. 

Like PP, I'd recommend Rega, but if budget could stretch to Saturn, even better!

Mac

Thanks, a lot! I was suspecting timing issues were hard or, either, impossible to fix, and was really thinking of a Rega CD Player.

As to my Pioneer PD-65, I will certainly keep it, i just love it, but it doesn't have the refinement new machines have. After all, digital has evolved a lot since the ninities.

Thanks, again, you helped a lot!

How about your Pioneer with a decent DAC? Have you tried that?

In some ways it has, but to be honest, CD replay had reached maturity before the end of the millenium.

If you really like the sound of your Pioneer but you want to improve it, I'd try it with a separate DAC. Remember that newer isn't necessarily better. I know that's a difficult concept to accept when magazine's like What HiFi have a vested business-interest in convincing you otherwise.

I think you can improve the SQ but at a cost.  Someone can do it for you  if you don't want to change the player.

http://www.fidelityaudio.co.uk/marantz_sa7003.html

Doubt the Marantz has "timing" issues.  I have the SA7001-KI, and it's a very fine player.  Very neutral.  If a different DAC didn't do the difference, the underlying transport certainly isn't to blame.

BigH and MajorFubar, the PD65 usually goes with the Moon 100D Dac, which in fact gives the sound extra refinement. I mentioned that above to point out I prefer the PD65 even with its normal sound to the SA8004.

So, not only do will I keep the Pioneer, but also will die before it does ... perhaps even be buried with it

My problem is that I need another player to the main system, provided that the Pioneer belongs to the bedroom stereo, capishe?

As to the upgrade suggested, I don't love the Marantz enough to take such a leap. But thanks!

I guess I will sell it and buy a Rega or something.

Has someone own, like or already listened to the Arcam CD37?

Thanks

Thanks for the support. I myself took long to get to such a radical conclusion, but the fact is that I tried it with two different systems, and the sensation is always one of sluggishness. Not that the instruments and other elements of the music don't gel together, but one that the music doesn't get up and go, that it goes slower in tempo, that every musician is playing too relaxed.

But after all, it might be due to the lack of synergy with the other components ... or perhaps I am too accelerated, which would make everything else feel slower

I really believe your Marantz doesn't have those issues, but mine does ... unfortunately. I belive also that's because your machine is a far better one, after all, it's an KI, a noble, an ambassador creature, belonging to another league. The comparison isn't fair.

Cheers.

Too true - just because one model doesn't have timing issues that isn't necessarily a trait with all models from one maker. Some Arcams have timing issues while others are fine. Issues with timing is probably the most tricky to box around. You can't make a product that times bad become good.

Seeing as the 8004 is what would have been the KI model had Marantz not changed their numbering convention - the Pearl range being different as that line celebrated Ken Ishiwata's time with the company - the models stack up favourably.  What they don't have in some systems is a lot of bass, but that's offset by speaker or amp choices. I'd suggest the OP heard that first time round. The new DAC would've made little difference as the 8004 already has an excellent one.  The second time round I think the OP was influenced heavily by what he heard previously.

The timing thing is a red herring I believe. The transport may even be the same add the 7001-KI, not sure. Try a Harman HD990 or one of the early Exposure 2010s.  They'll carry more bass weight in their playback. Either that our change your speakers to really get the benefit of the 8004.

Thanks again. But I insist, this machine does have pace problems. It's not the bass it offers, which, in fact, is articulated and very well defined. It's a lack of flow, and the problem is not with the rest of the system, provided it  doesn't occur with tha other sources, not even with my old vintage tuner, which happens to be a Marantz.

Problably they intended to do this SACD as a mere taste of what the higher end can to, namely, the reference series, SA11, etc, but, doing so, they had to compromise something, and that something happened to be the rhythmic department.

Some people definetly don't find attack and rhythm precision and flow so important, but I do, I'm kind of rhythm freak.

So, the Marantz goes! I'm decided to sell it.

Thank you for all the opinions and support, you people helped me a lot to make a decision!

Cheers for all!

As I originally suggested - given you have the Nait 5i amp the obvious choice would be Naim's own CD5i-2.