General HIFI > Other DACs
Marantz CD12
stevenvalve:
Picked this Marantz CD12 up and not via eBay. Its one of 2 CD players Ken Kessler still uses today and considers to be one the best of 100s of cd players he has reviewed. This one is mint and deliciously immaculate and all original except for Danny Digital replacing the sockets for the TDA1541A double crown and for the big A and B chips in the transport. He also went all over this machine with loving attention because he wants it badly and will eventually pry it of me because he just loves the quality vintage Marantz stuff and it does not come much more sought after than this. It sounds amazingly good in standard form and one wonders what it could be with some modifications, but i will leave it as is, because it is like new and i can not bring myself to butcher its originality. Only 5 where ever brought into Australia and i know where 2 others are today and of cause one is right here with me. Nice indeed
stevenvalve:
More pictures of the juicey little toy. The copper inner covers are of cause off because i am trying TDA1541 S2 chips including the A and B chips in the transport. Believe me they also have a big effect on the sound of this player. I ended up using a made for Studer TDA1541A S2 1994 chip. It really annihilated the standard S1 Crown.
Tweedle12:
Steven, à lovely machine indeed - what DAC chip was fitted as standard? Mine has a single crown 8805 and I have never seen a double crown as standard, but perhaps late production models benefitted from this?
stevenvalve:
--- Quote from: Tweedle12 on July 03, 2018, 08:28:48 AM ---Steven, à lovely machine indeed - what DAC chip was fitted as standard? Mine has a single crown 8805 and I have never seen a double crown as standard, but perhaps late production models benefitted from this?
--- End quote ---
I do not know if these players ever had S2 chips. Here is a picture of the chip that came out of this player. I also put up a picture of the Studer Double Crown i dropped in, interestingly it too is made in Holland. The Studer is a fabulous sounding chip almost a cross between a 1988 Holland and a Taiwan 1997 chip. The best of both worlds. Have you modified your CD12 if so pictures please.
Tweedle12:
Hi Steven, my CD12 is completely original. Un did contact Ken Ishiwatta about having the KI upgrade, but the cost was significant. I prefer to mess around with several CD94 / CD94II and keep the CD12 as a reference. The CD12 is still to be surpassed in my system for imaging and beautifully pitched treble. I can only dream what a Studer S2 would add to the mix. I have used one in another player and also highly rated it.
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