Marantz NA8005 Or...

[Flac2Dac]

So...I've decided I would like to at least try and replace my 2 boxes (CAPS and SBT), with 1.

 

My needs are:

 

- FLAC and DSD support (ideally both over network)

- S/PDIF out

- decent remote app and UI

- around $1k, on the street

 

So far, the new Marantz...checks most of these boxes; but I hear, it's a little kludgy...which I not exactly surprising.

 

Any other contenders I should be looking at, before I pull the trigger?

[jtm]

What about Pioneer N-70a, which was shown at IFA Berlin last month and is about to hit market in november, EU retail is 1299 EUR.

Most info on the web is japanese and german at this time, but I guess its worth checking it out.

ESS Sabre DACs, DSD and all other file support, USB DAC, rear USB port for direct hook-up of local HDDs, new designed controlapp in iOS7 design.

 

I am currently using a Pioneer N-50 (since nearly 3 years) and will switch to the new model when it becomes available.

[Audio_ELF]

Are you looking for a device with inbuilt DAC and therefore analogue outputs; or purely digital output? If the latter how about the Auralic Aries?

[Kelly]

Bluesound Node? (Toslink only)

[Flac2Dac]

What about Pioneer N-70a, which was shown at IFA Berlin last month and is about to hit market in november, EU retail is 1299 EUR.

Most info on the web is japanese and german at this time, but I guess its worth checking it out.

ESS Sabre DACs, DSD and all other file support, USB DAC, rear USB port for direct hook-up of local HDDs, new designed controlapp in iOS7 design.

 

I am currently using a Pioneer N-50 (since nearly 3 years) and will switch to the new model when it becomes available.

 

Ooh; ESS Sabre got my attention. Thanks for the heads-up! (EDIT-Or...the NP-01)

 

Are you looking for a device with inbuilt DAC and therefore analogue outputs; or purely digital output? If the latter how about the Auralic Aries?

 

Just digital out is fine; not giving up, outboard DACs Looked at the Aries; isn't it $1500 or better?

[Ned Kelly]

Given that I cant find a single professional review of the 8005, I'm wondering if the OP is basing his 'kludgy' comment on the single Amazon review from someone who hadn't even downloaded the drivers before rushing off to post a 'review'. I dont even know where to start with the crap he posted but it's clear that monkeys shouldn't be given access to a keyboard. Hopefully we'll get a review from someone who actually knows what they're talking about in the near future.

[Audio_ELF]

Just digital out is fine; not giving up, outboard DACs Looked at the Aries; isn't it $1500 or better?

Isn't the LE version $999?

[Flac2Dac]

Given that I cant find a single professional review of the 8005, I'm wondering if the OP is basing his 'kludgy' comment on the single Amazon review from someone who hadn't even downloaded the drivers before rushing off to post a 'review'. I dont even know where to start with the crap he posted but it's clear that monkeys shouldn't be given access to a keyboard. Hopefully we'll get a review from someone who actually knows what they're talking about in the near future.

 

Nope; I hear it from an owner...who's tried several all-in-one devices. He said it sounds great; interface is a little "kludgy".

 

You seem surprised? I wouldn't expect anything, all-in-one...to match 3rd-party like JRiver, et al.

[Flac2Dac]

Isn't the LE version $999?

 

Ah...so it appears to be. Might have to look more-closely!

 

EDIT-Hmm...WiMP (Tidal) and Qobuz might be substitutes for my current services; but I haven't used them yet. Sounds like US access is hit and miss.

 

I'm also not crazy, about being restricted to Minimserver. But what I'm really missing here...are services like Spotify and Pandora.

 

Sounds like some of this stuff is coming...as is a wider support of media servers; but might not fit my needs right now.

[Ned Kelly]

Nope; I hear it from an owner...who's tried several all-in-one devices. He said it sounds great; interface is a little "kludgy".

 

You seem surprised? I wouldn't expect anything, all-in-one...to match 3rd-party like JRiver, et al.

 

 

Not sure that you can compare JRMC19 on my Core i7 MBP with whatever firmware Marantz are using to control the NA8005,not to mention the 15" display on said laptop vs the relatively tiny screen on the Marantz. I know there are browser-based management apps for most of the network players, but on paper I dont know that you are comparing apples with apples. That said, I appreciate any feedback I can get on this and the HD-DAC1 : Ken Ishiwata openly admitted in the NA-11S1 review that 'Sales' doesnt always wait for engineering to give them specs before issuing a press release.

[Hiro]

What about Pioneer N-70a, which was shown at IFA Berlin last month and is about to hit market in november, EU retail is 1299 EUR.

Most info on the web is japanese and german at this time, but I guess its worth checking it out.

ESS Sabre DACs, DSD and all other file support, USB DAC, rear USB port for direct hook-up of local HDDs, new designed controlapp in iOS7 design.

 

I am currently using a Pioneer N-50 (since nearly 3 years) and will switch to the new model when it becomes available.

 

One advantage of the Pioneer N-70A over the Marantz NA-8005 is its ability to playback files from an HDD connected via USB (although the disk must be formatted in FAT32), whereas the NA-8005, I'm not so sure...

[Hiro]

Are you looking for a device with inbuilt DAC and therefore analogue outputs; or purely digital output? If the latter how about the Auralic Aries?

 

It must be the DAC section that gives the Pioneer its impressive weight of 12.5kg. For comparison, the Aries weighs only 0.8kg.

[realhifi]

Ah...so it appears to be. Might have to look more-closely!

 

EDIT-Hmm...WiMP (Tidal) and Qobuz might be substitutes for my current services; but I haven't used them yet. Sounds like US access is hit and miss.

 

I'm also not crazy, about being restricted to Minimserver. But what I'm really missing here...are services like Spotify and Pandora.

 

Sounds like some of this stuff is coming...as is a wider support of media servers; but might not fit my needs right now.

 

The Marantz control interface is decent in my opinion. I'll put some screen shots of it in use with another Marantz unit below. Both Spotify and Pandora are accessed through the Marantz app also in addition you can simply AirPlay anything you want from your iPad making it easy to use Beats or whatever other service you wish to use. The NA-8005 is a great sounding device from what I hear from other dealers and if the past is any indication they will keep refining the interface with updates and new improvements to the app as time goes on. From your posts and needs this piece really should be a near perfect fit for you.

[Cebolla]

Goodness, haven't Marantz et al learnt anything from their previous disastrous attempts in that having a decent user interface which delivers all that the hardware has potential for, is key? It's definitely not all about sound quality and we as end users really shouldn't need to just hope that a firmware and/or control app update will eventually sort things out! How many years is it since the old Maranatz NA7004 has been around and they still can't come up with a decent user experience for the later models out of the box - shame on them!

[jtm]

Here are some screenshots from the control app I took when being able to play with a Pioneer N-70 ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pioneer app is for vertical view only, no horizontal landscape view or screen rotation is possible.

I could run it from both my iPhone and the iPad.

[Mike Mcsweeney]

excuse my ignorance, but why can't you just get a $200 receiver that supports DSD over DLNA and use jriver or similar, and then use preouts to your amplifier?

[realhifi]

excuse my ignorance, but why can't you just get a $200 receiver that supports DSD over DLNA and use jriver or similar, and then use preouts to your amplifier?

 

Unfortunately it does not sound nearly as good as the same companies dedicated streamer. Example being the older Marantz NA-7004 and the latest crop of their A/V receivers utilizing them as you are suggesting. The 7004 is much better in a role of a streaming dac than the receivers are using their streaming capabilities into the pre outs and into a better amplifier.

[Ned Kelly]

excuse my ignorance, but why can't you just get a $200 receiver that supports DSD over DLNA and use jriver or similar, and then use preouts to your amplifier?

 

Dont go all cheap charlie on us Mike - we're busy lathering ourselves up to spend thousands here, my man

 

If you look at the Pioneer N-30, it's clear that a large corporation CAN deliver a network streamer at a reasonable price but as realhifi pointed out the sound quality differs from one model to the next. Personally, my experience with cheap HT receivers hasnt been good - I can only assume that their digital and analog outputs are built to a price point and the end result has always been a disappointment for me, much like the Roku and WD TV media streamers.

[jtm]

if you compare the Pioneer N-30 with, say Pioneer AVR with same streaming functions, you will see that the AVr is packed with other, for audio streaming non-necessary parts, like HDMI video boards etc.

Like with the discussions here on how to strip down the OS of your music computer and lowering e.g. fan noise, the ingredients of an AVR create much more noise and distortion to the audio signal so that the dedicated audio streamer will always outperform the AVR.

(keep in my mind this is a theoretical comparison)

[Mike Mcsweeney]

he said he just wanted digital out...i am not sure there is distortion in a binary bit stream.

Anyway, it's all "hoopla" to me....unless advertised with engineering measurement deltas.

[Audio_ELF]

he said he just wanted digital out...i am not sure there is distortion in a binary bit stream.

Anyway, it's all "hoopla" to me....unless advertised with engineering measurement deltas.

Most AV amplifiers wouldn't offer a digital output from it's streamer in my experience.

[Mike Mcsweeney]

Most AV amplifiers wouldn't offer a digital output from it's streamer in my experience.

 

that was response to the guy talking about distortion...

 

its still not clear to me what the original poster wants to spend $1000 just to stream if he's not using the dac or the amplifier of the marantz. If he just wants the digital stream to a different dac why not just use a nas with a control point? I am missing something? Maybe i need to go back and read the thread. I am still learning this stuff and trying to figure out what is best for me.

 

Something just doesn't sound right to spend $1000 to stream binary bits.

[Ned Kelly]

Something just doesn't sound right to spend $1000 to stream binary bits.

 

Aaah, the 'bits is bits' debate - extensively waged here and elsewhere and - other than jitter measurements - you're unlikely to find an objective reason why an expensive audiophile streamer will sound better as a source than the truckload of consumer devices with digital outputs, but if everything I've read about the current crop of purpose-built network players is correct they do. And I think you'll find that folk have been spending a lot more than 1K for these devices since Linn and Naim decided this was a better choice than disc spinning devices.

[wappinghigh]

Can someone with one of these NA8005's test Spotify Connect for me..

 

When you throw the track form the Spotify app:> does this streamer just start playing the track form standby?.. No matter what other input/prev setting its been on?

 

Cheers

 

Wap...

[wappinghigh]

Bluesound Node? (Toslink only)

 

Well yes exactly...

 

Been shopping around waiting for years for a streamer that does DSD and 24/192...At around the 1K mark...Years! LOL...

 

And here we have 2. Both with Spotify connect..(which I where i see streaming heading)_..but both with ONE deficiency:

 

Marantz NA8005... Can't do multiroom SYNC... (aka Party mode) Otherwise ticks all the boxes

 

Bluestone can to multiroom SYNC (Party mode)... but not DSD....

 

See my other thread on getting it to stream DSD via the DoP workaround... but I can't get the file out to my DSD DAC because it doesn't have Toslink LOL!!

 

So it's back to the drawing board hahahahahhaha