Both the Bricasti M3 and the PS Audio DSD Mk1 DACs beat the SA-10 even on redbook playback. Feed those DSD and forget about it.
SA-10 is solidly built and overall exudes quality but sonically it missed the mark.
Marantz SA10 sacd player
I love this player , after 3 yrs and 2 months I purchase it. It doesn’t read single layer sacd. It’s out of waaranty.So United Radio marantz authorize won’t repair it. Is this a common issue on this expensive sacd player?
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jayctoy, Here is a link to Encompass with the needed information on the laser/traverse assembly: 991312100050S Marantz E2a022a Travers Unit Sa11s3 (encompass.com) FWIW, the SA-11S3, SA-10 and SA-KI Ruby all use this same laser/traverse assembly. |
jayctoy, Here is how you can check the Laser OutPut Level (LOP) of the lasers in the SA-10 Player needs to be fully OFF, not on standby, OFF. Everything after step 2 is done with the remote. 1. Enter Aging Mode from OFF, as stated above. The relevant number for you is the T22 number. Steve |
I purchased a SA 10 from Music Direct , open box , they assured me that it had full warranty, now a period of time went by and I had trouble reading SACD. I called MD ,explained , they said they could probably fix it , but it was under warranty , send it to an authorized service center. I did , United Radio . Guess what , same run around as this guy is getting. I going to make this short . Music Direct stood behind me and so did Marantz . I wonder what the hell happened with the one that only needed a $50 laser ?
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jayctoy , Marantz , gave me a new one through UR , UR would not work on mine , they said that my laser could not be replaced that they quit making them , after that , I ordered a laser from China , just to be safe , but Music Direct worked with Marantz and I received a disc player . A service center that doesn't service . I don't get it either . I offered to pay them also . By the way I have a PS Audio , I like the SA 10 More . |
When I visited Stereo Rehab with my brother, who needed some service on his late 1980s Panasonic turntable, Kaspar spent 45 minutes with us explaining the table and showing us in detail what he thought would fix the problem. He was completely forthright and told us his full service on the table would probably cost more than the table was worth (~$200), and he showed us what to do! All for no charge. Just remarkable service. Wait until you sit in his mood-lit waiting/delivery room surrounded by dozens of glowing Fisher receivers (his favorite). Kaspar has a very dry sense of humor. |
jayctoy, Here is something else that you can do before you take your player in that will only take you one minute and is not technical or difficult. It would be good if you could check the hours of use on each laser. 1. Enter aging mode as described yesterday - Open, Stop, and On simulataneously. 2. Once in aging mode, do 5 right clicks on the remote until the display reads TB1. 3. Press Play on the remote and read and copy the hours. The display will read whatever number of hours followed by "hrs". 4. Right click once more and the display will read TB2. 5. Press Play on the remote and again, read and copy the number. 6. TB1 is the cd laser and TB2 is the sacd laser. 7. Turn the player OFF, and that gets you out of "aging mode". I would be most interested in how many hours you have on your sacd laser. I do this check on the first of every month since I found out how to do it. It is just for reference, but interesting. I have had my player a few months longer than you have had yours. I have well over 2000 hours on each laser at present, just checked 2 days ago.
Steve
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Classerich, I think I have a good idea about your situation. Since the introduction of the SACD-M transport assemblies in the SA-7 and SA-11S2 players, Marantz Service Centers would only replace the whole SACD-M assembly, not just the laser. And since most all laser failures occurred past the warranty period, Marantz was under no real obligation to the customer. So the Service Centers told customers, and repair shops, that the needed part was not available. I have read a few instances of that happening on various forums. With your SA-10 the Service Center seems to have done the same thing and told you that the part was unavailable. Yet, the SA-10 is still a production model, and Marantz supplies the SACD-M assembly to companies like DCS and Playback Designs. What Marantz likely does not have is a number of extra SACD-M assemblies for repair/replacement. But all that is needed is just the laser mecha replacement in the assembly. And to that end, Marantz included instructions in the SA-10 Service Manual for mecha replacement. Why an authorized Service Center would refuse to do this is anybody's guess, as repairing units is the whole purpose of a Service Center. In your case, your player was under warranty so Marantz had to do something, as that is what a warranty is all about. I have a thread on a few forums asking is anyone has had a laser failure with a SA-10, Ruby, or SA11S3 player. There have been a number of views, but no posts. So I'm thinking you might be about the only one so far. Lucky for you that you were under warranty. I would also suspect that your old player got repaired and made available for sale from an authorized seller like Accessories4Less. They would sell the unit as a Factory Refurbished unit for a substantial discount from the new price. |
As a rather uneducated SA10 owner of about four years--what a horror story! Yuk! But what a lot of great information and assistance from everyone who pitched in on this one! I am keeping my fingers crossed because it looks like there are no authorized repair centers anywhere real near me. My SA10 was a factory refurb from MD for 2k off list, and after reading this thread I am thinking it must have been one of those premature failures that was sent back to MD under warranty. I hope they did a good job. |
Immatthew yes it’s not a c good feeling to have an expensive sacd player that can’t read SAcd layer. The biggest problem is the support after the warranty which is only 3 yrs. Those authorize repair center will reroute you on and on . At the end nothing.So I bought two traverse lens assembly for my Ruby and Marantz. As soon as I know they work? I will buy 2 more . |
@jayctoy , as I typed previously: great thread for SA10 owners. Please follow up and let us know however it gets (or doesn't get) resolved. I guess I should consider keeping a traverse lens assembly on hand in case mine takes a crap and the part is no longer available when it happens. |
@jayctoy , so what is your plan now? Reading through your thread I was getting the impression that you were going to bring it to a shop in Chicago? As a fellow SA10 owner, I hate to read about such bad customer service/tech support from the manufacturer. As far as my SA10, it is out of warranty. It was a factory refurb from MD and I bought it because it was 2k off of mrsp and it was really the only way I felt I could justify stepping into that price range. The telephone salesman from MD told me (and it is not that I put a whole lot of faith in what salesmen tell me, as imo they are basically paid to bend the truth or outright lie) that a factory refurb was a unit that had been a demo piece at an audio show or the like. So I bought it, and when it arrived and I opened the box, it was like it had just been tossed in the box and shipped. In other words: the Styrofoam enclosures that fit it inside the box were not even around it. There was no owners manual and no power cord. so I called MD, and the dude was like, "Wow!" He told me to check it out/make sure it played/ download a manual on the internet/and he would send me a cord. In the meantime I used a power cord from an extra component I had laying around. All of that above makes me now think that it must have been a SA10 that shot craps on someone who subsequently sent it back to MD who then sent it to a service center for repair who then sent it back to MD who then listed it as a factory refurb and sold it to me. All I can say is that if I am correct, I hope the service center did a better job of repairing it than they did at putting it back in its box. I do like it, but I am keeping my fingers crossed. |
Immatthew If it’s already out of warranty the best thing to do buy the traverse lens assembly for future use. It’s only $51. Then find a good tech. Iam waiting for the parts.TVAD gave me a guy I would like to visit once I got the parts.Out of warranty equals no help, you are on your own. Dont waste your time callling Marantz. |
immathewj, I would tend to think that your player is as it was described by MD when you bought it. MD is not like Accessories4Less. It came as it did because the previous people had obviously discarded the packing material and misplaced the power cord, both of which happen a lot. Marantz no longer ships with an Owners Manual. You have to download it. They saved about 3 cents doing that, but it adds up I guess. I would not worry. I have given everyone here the means to be able to track laser time and life. And everyone should do this from time to time. These players are very good. They were all built in Japan under the previous Marantz design team and ownership. They have unique circuitry, design and performance. The laser mechanisms are first rate. But this is electronics, so nothing lasts forever. The two corporate ownership sales in the past 4 years have really had an effect on the whole Marantz operation, especially service. Massimo has no experience in consumer audio. And it shows. |
@sharri , I appreciate all your input to OP's SA10 thread as it may help me out. I am hoping you are correct about my SA10, as imo, it does sound great. I am coming back to this thread later to study on the checks you described, and if I have any problems figuring them out (I am digitally illiterate) I'll ask you. Again, your input is appreciated! |
Sony still makes a "universal" BD/SACD/CD/DVD player that sells on Amazon in the $300-350 range. 4K UHD, began shipping 2019. Model UBP-X800M2 Related question: During the pandemic, Sound+Vision gave praise several times to a new company that seemed to be marketing Oppo-like players at a reasonable price. I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall comments about how it had purchased Oppo's intellectual property. Unfortunately, the magazine abruptly stopped covering those players after 6 or 12 months. And now, I can't find those references online & don't remember the name of the company. Does anybody have more information about the name of that company, or the model #s of the players -- or even whether they're still available?
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I have a limited collection of 5-channel SACDs and an old OPPO player which has been repaired by OPPO. I have been to live performances of concerts where some of the orchestra, or one singer, is in the balcony above and behind the ground-level seats in the concert hall. SACD should duplicate this. It would add drama for Mater Gloroisa who sings of Faust's immortal part awakening in Paradise in the Mahler 8th. |
Immersive audio accomplishes this. It has little to do with a recording’s resolution (although some say a DSD recording helps). For a comprehensive discussion of Immersive audio, read this by Chris Connaker. |
@jayctoy , who is going to install it? |