marantz na11s1 hi-fi news review

7,/,/z'.t t t Nerwcrr-€-a: aa :J:ooard DAC vad::': uaranu. PRc Supplieo b,: Dtv Audiorisual Ltd Te €ohcne:02890 279839 \leb: frl1t.marantz.eu Price: t3500 MarantzNAllSI It's been a seriously long time coming, but at last Marantz has a network streamer to match its flagship SACD spinner in the shape of this vast, copper-clad confection Review: Nick Tate Lab: Paul Miller radition has it that companies first do statement products - the very best they can manage with the technology of the day - and then trickle it down to more affordable designs which are then expected to bask in the reflected glory of the high-end kit. So when Marantz's entry-level NA7004 streamer appeared a couple of years back, many couldn't help wondering where its high-end brother was. Finally, it's appeared, similar in functionality to its more affordable stablemate in the sense that it's effectively a DAC with streaming functionality via Ethernet. But this new high-end design introduces the latest 'Marantz Music Mastering' digital signal processing and the option to play Direct Stream Digital from a computer via USB. DSD has a loyal fan base among some audiophiles, but until very recently they've only been able to experience it via SACD. On the NA-1 151 it can be transmitted in a PCM 'wrapper'complete with metadata (telling you the name of the artist, track, etc) via a standard USB link lsee HFN Dec '121. But this is more than just a DSD- capable NA7004 in a fancy box and more than an SA- 1 1 53 SACD spinner without an optical disc drive. Marantz's Ken lshiwata emphasises that this is a 'clean sheet', ground-up design. ln addition to its rather niche DSD functionality, the unit also plays PCM at up to 24-bitll92kHz resolution (digital input and format permitting), in WAV WMA, MP3, MPEC-4, FLAC and ALAC flavours. This comes into the unit via optical (up to 96kHz), RJ-45 LAN (Ethernet) or USB Type A and B connections, where appropriate. As per the NA7004, there's also Apple AirPlay connectivity, so you can wirelessly stream music from your computer or iDevice at Apple Lossless quality. All this is controlled by an Apple or Android app called rather prosaically, the 'Marantz Remote App', or RIGHT: Mewed from above, the balanced ster€o output occupies the entire left-hand board within the lllA-l 1S1 with its multiply rcgulated PSU occupying the centre ground via good old-fashioned front panel button pressing should you prefer. AI,L TIIAT COPPER! Marantz has chosen the popular BridgeCo network platform here. Ken lshiwata says this is partly because it offers Apple AirPlay, 'which many people would use,' and also because the company is already very familiar with it, having employed it extensively in its range of AV receivers. As well as this, he adds, 'other network applications such as Spotify and vTuner are also possible.'The U5B interface is based on a Tl DSP and associated driver package, which lshiwata thinks is 'a reliable solution that just works very well.' lt proved seamless enough via Mac or PC on test, although you'll need to install the drivers for the latter from Marantz UK's website. lf you ever wondered where all the world's copper reserves had gone, then look no f urther than this machine's casework: lots of it comes inside each NA-11S1, from the plated chassis cladding to the multiple secondary windings off the beefy toroidal transformer, which itself gets a bespoke copper-coated enclosure. The power supplies, streaming board, DAC section and analogue output stages are each segregated from one another inside and the latter is f ully balanced, and sports Marantz's HDAM-SA2 and HDAM modules. The unit uses carefully selected passive componentry, as you'd expect, and this includes newly developed ELCO capacitors. Finally, there's a separate section sporting a dedicated headphone amplifier, complete with an analogue volume control. 32 | www.hifinews.co.uk I tUlv ZOtS

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Page 1: Marantz NA11S1 Hi-Fi News Review

7,/,/z'.tttNerwcrr-€-a: aa :J:ooard DAC

vad::': uaranu. PRcSupplieo b,: Dtv Audiorisual Ltd

Te €ohcne:02890 279839\leb: frl1t.marantz.eu

Price: t3500

MarantzNAllSIIt's been a seriously long time coming, but at last Marantz has a network streamer tomatch its flagship SACD spinner in the shape of this vast, copper-clad confectionReview: Nick Tate Lab: Paul Miller

radition has it that companies firstdo statement products - the verybest they can manage with thetechnology of the day - and then

trickle it down to more affordable designswhich are then expected to bask in thereflected glory of the high-end kit.

So when Marantz's entry-level NA7004streamer appeared a couple of yearsback, many couldn't help wonderingwhere its high-end brother was. Finally,it's appeared, similar in functionality to itsmore affordable stablemate in the sensethat it's effectively a DAC with streamingfunctionality via Ethernet. But this newhigh-end design introduces the latest'Marantz Music Mastering' digital signalprocessing and the option to play DirectStream Digital from a computer via USB.

DSD has a loyal fan base among someaudiophiles, but until very recently they'veonly been able to experience it via SACD.On the NA-1 151 it can be transmitted ina PCM 'wrapper'complete with metadata(telling you the name of the artist, track,etc) via a standard USB link lsee HFN Dec'121. But this is more than just a DSD-capable NA7004 in a fancy box and morethan an SA- 1 1 53 SACD spinner without anoptical disc drive. Marantz's Ken lshiwataemphasises that this is a 'clean sheet',ground-up design.

ln addition to its rather niche DSDfunctionality, the unit also plays PCM at upto 24-bitll92kHz resolution (digital inputand format permitting), in WAV WMA,MP3, MPEC-4, FLAC and ALAC flavours.This comes into the unit via optical (up to96kHz), RJ-45 LAN (Ethernet) or USB Type Aand B connections, where appropriate. As

per the NA7004, there's also Apple AirPlayconnectivity, so you can wirelessly streammusic from your computer or iDevice atApple Lossless quality. All this is controlledby an Apple or Android app called ratherprosaically, the 'Marantz Remote App', or

RIGHT: Mewed from above, the balancedster€o output occupies the entire left-handboard within the lllA-l 1S1 with its multiplyrcgulated PSU occupying the centre ground

via good old-fashioned front panel buttonpressing should you prefer.

AI,L TIIAT COPPER!Marantz has chosen the popular BridgeConetwork platform here. Ken lshiwatasays this is partly because it offers AppleAirPlay, 'which many people would use,'and also because the company is alreadyvery familiar with it, having employed itextensively in its range of AV receivers.As well as this, he adds, 'other networkapplications such as Spotify and vTunerare also possible.'The U5B interface is

based on a Tl DSP and associated driverpackage, which lshiwata thinks is 'a reliablesolution that just works very well.' lt provedseamless enough via Mac or PC on test,although you'll need to install the driversfor the latter from Marantz UK's website.

lf you ever wondered where all theworld's copper reserves had gone, thenlook no f urther than this machine'scasework: lots of it comes inside eachNA-11S1, from the plated chassis claddingto the multiple secondary windings off thebeefy toroidal transformer, which itself getsa bespoke copper-coated enclosure.

The power supplies, streaming board,DAC section and analogue output stagesare each segregated from one anotherinside and the latter is f ully balanced, andsports Marantz's HDAM-SA2 and HDAMmodules. The unit uses carefully selectedpassive componentry, as you'd expect,and this includes newly developed ELCO

capacitors. Finally, there's a separatesection sporting a dedicated headphoneamplifier, complete with an analoguevolume control.

32 | www.hifinews.co.uk I tUlv ZOtS