John Darko
Is it a leak or is it official? The Darkophone’s social media feed is running hot this morning with a new CD player from Marantz – called the CD50n – which isn’t yet listed on Marantz’s website but is listed on Tokyo retailer Fujiya Avic’s.
The headline here is that the CD50n is much more than ‘just a CD player’. The giveaway is the ‘n’ in the product name: that’s Marantz shorthand for ‘network’. The CD50n comes loaded with a HEOS-based hi-res-capable network streamer that additionally supports Apple AirPlay 2 (useful for Roon folk) and Spotify Connect. One look at the back panel and we see that we have the choice of Ethernet or wi-fi connectivity.
The CD50n’s internal DAC can also be accessed via a Bluetooth input (which is SBC only) plus rear panel hard-wired socketry: USB-B for PC and Macs; USB-A to stream for directly attached storage devices; coaxial and TOSLINK.
However, the star of this show is CD50n’s HDMI ARC input. It can be hooked into a TV to have its volume up/down controlled by the TV’s remote (and not just the IR wand supplied by Marantz). HDMI e/ARC is a 21st-century convenience feature that’s easy to poo-poo until you actually try it; but to properly benefit from its convenience factor, the HDMI ARC-loaded device needs to serve as a volume-attenuating pre-amplifier. The C50n’s back panel has that covered: next to the line-level RCA outputs is a pair of variable-output RCA sockets for direct connection to a power amplifier.
With all that said, it’s easy to forget that the CD50n plays CDs with its rear-panel coaxial and TOSLINK outputs permitting CD transport functionality. A front panel 6.4mm headphone socket rounds out the feature set.
Pricing? Fujiya Avic says ¥197,505, which Google converts to approximately US$1320. UK pricing has been set at £1600. Your choice of black or silver.
And from Stereo Sound’s video below, it looks like a new Model 50 integrated amplifier is soon to come down the pike.
Further information: Marantz
