Cary CD 306 SACD player vs newer Marantz SA 10 CD/SACD player

I would simply buy from someone that accepts returns, try/keep/return

Here is an Open Box that popped up

I don't know the seller, but they have 30 day returns. Use payment methods that protect you.

Cameras, if open box, the receipt is the initial date of sale, and you get maker's full factory warranty. I would clarify that with the seller.

another, seller, 100% rating, says comes with 3 yr factory warranty, takes returns

your Cary, IF you keep it, you might keep your eye out for parts, belts, lasers, ....seems not much is available worldwide now

My Sony, belts aplenty, and a few seller's have the entire laser assembly available, one of the reasons I chose it

If your Cary is in good working order you'd be better off getting a new separate DAC.

Looking at the guts of the Marantz it doesn't look impressive.

@dilatante 

I believe that @elliottbnewcombjr presented some excellent options for you. 30 days return policy is plenty of time for a relaxed snd thorough home audition. Ideal opportunity to compare to your Cary directly and just listen then decide. There’s no better scenario than to hear the components yourself.

Charles

True. Thank you everyone for sharing your thoughts, advises and suggestions.

@elliottbnewcombjr

The picture of the laser or disc transport assembly that you posted here was that of the older CD 306 that does not play SACD, it plays only Redbook CD. Mine is the latest model of the CD 306 SACD player that plays both Redbook CD & SACD and has completely different transport than the earlier models of the CD 306 that can only play Redbook CD shown in your picture attachment. These two players are completely different design internally, they are totally different machines.

Cary Audio does not repair or service or replace the laser assembly of the older CD 306 models like the one shown in your picture attachment due to the age of the unit and they no longer stock up the laser assembly for those earlier models. However, Cary Audio still stock up on the laser assembly of the CD 306 SACD like the one I have (the latest 306 model). As a matter of fact, I have sent my player in to Cary last year to get a new laser assembly.

I know it can be very confusing and confuses a lot of people regarding the CD 306 earlier and older models that can only play Redbook CD (earlier and older model) and the latest model of the CD 306 SACD (both non pro and pro versions) that play both Redbook CD and SACD like the one I have. The earlier 306 models and the latest 306 SACD like mine are completely different machines and different design and engineering internally. They look different too aesthetically and different build quality. The perform differently too. The latest model like the one I have sounded much better than the earlier and older 306 models.

I will try to get a take home demo or audition of the Marantz SA 10 player and compare it directly to my Cary in my own setup. However, there’s a dealer here in my city that happens to be Marantz and Cary dealers and according to him that my Cary would still sound better and more musical than the Marantz SA 10. He said sure the SA 10 has newer DAC chip but that doesn’t mean anything when it comes to overall sonic quality of the player.

My Cary CD 306 SACD player runs kinda hot or warm due to its class A analog output stage design. That’s the only complain I have.

Wonder if the Marantz SA 10 runs hot too?

You certainly know what you have inside and out, and the maker still works on it, that's a bit of luck.

Despite the words of someone else, even someone you respect, I would get a Marantz I could return at home and compare them myself.

Marantz has had a House Sound that gets the mid range right but tends to roll the treble off  and be a bit I’ll defined in the bass.

Thank you all for responding. I’m currently using Cary power amp with Classe preamp that will soon to be replaced with the Cary SLP-05 vacuum tube preamp. So I’m not sure if the Marantz will have a good synergy with my other Cary components. But I will give it a shot and try to get the marantz SA 10 with a 30 day return policy so that I can return it if I found my current Cary CD 306 SACD player to be a better sounding or a better match with my other Cary components in my setup. I believe in system synergy.

The SA 10 currently retails for $7500 brand new after all this crazy inflation but its original retail was $7k before this crazy inflation, whereas my older Cary CD 306 SACD player (non professional version) did retail for $7k when it was still in production back in around 2006 to 2008. But then when the professional version of this CD 306 SACD player was introduced in 2008 to replace the non-professional version of this CD 306 SACD its retail price got bumped up to $8k, and the professional version of this player got discontinued in around 2015 or 2016.

The Marantz SA 10 is a much newer disc player and is a current model. I have been looking for the professional version of the Cary CD 306 SACD player but so far have no luck finding a used one in used markets. The professional version sounded better than the non-professional version like the one I have but is a marginal improvement and it isn’t like night and day difference according to reviewers and users who have heard both players and compared them side-by-side in the same setup.

Like I said, before, I have been very happy with the sound quality of my Cary CD 306 SACD player, it is a great sounding and highly musical sounding unit but it’s getting old so just in case if someday it stops working so I will have a back up and know which one to get to replace it but sonically the new one will have to better my current Cary CD 306 SACD player or at least performs on the same level as my current CD 306 SACD player sound quality wise.

dilatante

Excellent follow up. I agree that the SA-10 would be a nice upgrade from the older Cary Audio 306 player. I look forward in reading more about your impressions and thoughts.

Happy Listening!

@jafant 

I’m not so sure if the Marantz SA 10 would be a nice upgrade sonically from my current older Cary CD 306 SACD. The SA 10 might be an upgrade sonically from the earlier and even older models of Cary CD 306 that can only play Redbook CD but not SACD. Mine is the 306 SACD non pro version which is the latter model in the CD 306 iteration and is a completely different machines and different design internally then the earlier and even older models of the CD 306. My CD 306 SACD shares nothing in common internally and topoly design wise with the earlier and even older of CD 306 that does not play SACD. Not only Cary added the SACD playback with the 306 SACD like the one I have but they completely redesigned internally. These are completely different machines, the only thing they share in common was the name of the 306 iteration. 

dilatante

I have always enjoyed the presentation and sound of Cary Audio players, 303T, 306 SACD and 308.

Happy Listening!

I faced the quandary you faced. MY Cary CD 306 SACD Pro stopped working after 16 wonderful years. Here on Audiogon I bought a used Marantz SA 10 CD/SACD. The Marantz was so superior to the Cary I never even bothered to take the trouble  to A/B them. The highs with the Marantz were sweeter and less harsh. It wasn't clear to me till I got the Marantz, but there is a sort of undefined hole in the lower midrange in the Cary that was fixed in the Marantz. Overall the Marantz had a more sophisticated sound than the rough and gruff Cary CD 306 Pro. The Marantz is most definitely an upgrade. 

@silverlakejim

I own the Cary CD 306 SACD pro in my living room setup with the Cary SLP-05 tube preamp and a pair of Cary monoblock tube power amps. Couple yrs ago my audiophile buddy brought over his Marantz SA 10 SACD player and hooked it up in my all Cary system (Cary tube pre and tube power amps). The Cary 306 SACD pro still sounds better in my all Cary setup with Cary tube preamp and tube amps. My speakers are also on the warmer side. The Marantz SA 10 lacks detail, resolution, air, transparency, scale, authority and dimensionality compared to the 306 Pro. The SA 10 sounded way too warm in my all Cary system setup, which is already sounding warm to begin with. It’s all about system synergy. I bet the Marantz SA 10 will sound better and will be a better match in all solid state or neutral sounding system setups.

In my all Cary setup I don’t find my 306 SACD Pro sound bright or harsh, it’s quite the opposite actually. The whole system sound perfect with the Cary 306 SACD Pro in the chain, it’s a perfect match. When I inserted my friend’s Marantz SA 10 the entire system sounded too recessed too warm too syrupy warm. The SA 10 isn’t a good match for this system. All Marantz gears are always voiced warm, smooth to begin with, too recessed at times depending on your system setup.

Your experience makes sense. The Cary 306 SACD Pro, i'm sure, was developed to be used with Cary amplification, which I have owned, which is lovely sounding and  indeed on the warm side. I'm using a Line Magnetic LM 845 Premium tube integrated amp & Dali Epicon 6 speakers. My system is on the neutral to bright side; the Marantz made sense in my system. So much of our impression of sound is system dependent. 

Yup, couldn’t agree more. It’s all about system synergy and system dependent. My all Cary system that consists of the 306 SACD Pro, Cary SLP-05 tube preamp & Cary tube monoblock amps sounding smooth, very musical, warm fully fleshed out full body with sweet highs and smooth midrange bloom. I have no doubt that the CD 306 SACD Pro was voiced together using all Cary amplifications (pre and power amps). 
 

When I inserted my friend’s Marantz SA 10 SACD player in my all Cary setup it didn’t sound right to me. The whole system is somewhat obscuring or masking details a bit and sounding too slow lacking speed, attacks, slam, dynamic, scale and authority. The system sounded less dimensional compared to when I have the CD 306 SACD Pro in the chain. 

That's interesting.  I upgraded  to the SA10 a few years ago (I've lost track) in fron of a modded Cary SLP90 and a Cary V12.  A couple of years later (I've lost track of time on this also, which is a bad sign) I replaced the SLP 90 with a SLP05 with "the ultimate upgrade" and to my ears the sound is now a bit on the cool side and I could actually stand it to be a tad warmer.

As far as the SA10, I love it, but I have to remember that I had never heard SACDs before, and they sound great, and the digital front end I was using was 3 separate pieces from back in the '90s, so I am thinking that it was obsolete.

Is the Cary CD 306 SACD a tubed CDP?