SA12SE
Marantz was in at the start of CD, launching its first player — the original CD-63 — in 1982. In the following years, Marantz became well known as the CD-Player specialist. Drawing on the development process for the flagship SA-10, and designed by the same team, the SA-12 Special Edition was created to celebrate the love of music and exalt the mastery and emotion of music.
Marantz Musical Mastering technology defines new standards in the digital and analogue audio processing. A disc mechanism built purely for audio, the “SACDM-3” is able to play SACDs, CDs, and compilations on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. It also has an asynchronous USB input, able to handle formats all the way up to PCM/DXD 384kHz/32bit and DSD11.2MHz. The Marantz Musical Mastering Stream transforms all PCM file formats to DSD format, using advanced filtering and proprietary processing before the Marantz Musical Mastering Conversion converts the 1-bit data stream directly into an analogue signal without the use of a conventional D/A converter.
The Marantz engineering team created this player to deliver the kind of sound able to bring you closer than ever to your favourite music. The reason is simple, and central to everything Marantz does — because music matters.
- Engineered and extensively tuned by a team drawing on more than 35 years of Marantz expertise in CD players
- Innovative Marantz Musical Mastering “MMM-Stream” up-sampling to DSD and filtering
- Custom-designed 1-bit direct “MMM–Conversion” from DSD to analogue
- High quality analogue output stage with Marantz HDAM-SA3 technology and low impedance output
- In-house developed Marantz SACD/CD mechanism “SACDM-3” designed purely for audio
- Playback of SACD/CD playback and of compilations on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM (audio)
- Asynchronous USB input for hi-res audio up to PCM/DXD 384kHz/32bit and DSD11.2MHz
- Isolation of USB and digital inputs to block noise from connected sources
- Power supply using toroidal transformer
- Dedicated headphone amplifier with all-discrete construction featuring HDAM-SA2
Marantz Special Edition
Marantz Special Editions are the Marantz way to celebrate the love of music that runs deep in the veins of Marantz sound masters and engineers, exhibited in the artistry and craftsmanship of those special components. Sound Masters will occasionally identify a product with a higher potential than expected and master it with extra unwavering attention to detail, component selection and listening sessions. The original SA-12 was solely created for the Japanese market, and quickly proved to be the next chosen one. European sound engineers combined it with achievements made developing the famous SA-KI Ruby, and thus the SA-12 Special Edition was born.
The power supply of the SA-12SE features a large high current toroidal power transformer with OFC (oxygen-free copper) secondary wires, along with high speed, high current Schottky Barrier Diodes in the rectifier stage for the purest DC voltage output. There are independent power supplies for the analogue and digital circuitry to reduce interference to a minimum.
The elegant aluminum top remote control features an intuitive ergonomic layout and is equipped with amplifier control functions to operate both the SA-12SE and the complementary PM-12SE reference class integrated stereo amplifier. Use the integrated remote control input and output jacks to connect the SA-12SE to other compatible Marantz components. An internal/external switch on the rear panel provides additional system control flexibility.
Like the complementary PM-12SE integrated amplifier, the SA-12SE Super Audio CD player is constructed to the highest standards, with a front panel made from thick, heavy, non-magnetic aluminum to eliminate interference. Single layer nickel-plated matching copper RCA terminals in the SA-12SE outperform the terminals of competitors and offer an exemplary listening experience.
Connect your favorite headphones directly to the SA-12SE via the convenient front panel headphone jack, which also features its own selectable gain control. The headphone circuit is compatible with the widest range of headphone types and lower impedance headphones.
The deluxe low noise LC display features clear, easy to read alpha-numeric characters and is compatible with CD Text encoded music discs. Display can be turned off via the display control button on the remote. For enhanced user experience, bit depth of the input signal is now available on the front display of the SA-12SE.
Founded in 1953, Marantz has a long and rich history of designing audio components embraced by music lovers and critical listeners around the world. Because Music Matters, the SA-12SE carries on the tradition of delivering a best-in-class listening experience for music and cinema.