Ayre Cx-7e MP or Marantz SA-11s2 SACD - anyone?

For me, the Ayre is the one I would go with. Its a much better match for your equipment. You already have an Ayre preamp. Also, getting the Cx-7 will make all of your components 0 feedback and fully balanced. That's when you really notice the difference those features bring. The build quality is as good as anything else and Ayre offers regular upgrades. You just can't go wrong with it.

Keep us posted on which spinner you buy R0817.

I have an Ayre 5exMP that just got the MP upgrade. It sounds amazing, but the thing I like best is it will play anything except a Blu-ray. DVD-A, SACD, standard DVD sound only, and it is a solid bit of kit. I believe Marantz is good, but I feel Ayre is a step up from there. While there some argument as to which Ayre is better, I cannot imagine hearing something much better than this unit. I had a Cambridge Audio CD player, 840W, and I thought it was great, now I couldn't stand to hear it. These super discs really do sound great, and I can easily hear the improvements compared with standard ones. Either way, you will discover a new level of delight! I also support the other comment, and one more thing. You can call Ayre and speak to people and set up repairs if needed. Who will you turn to if the Marantz needs help?