Hello,
I have a Marantz CDA-94 lurking in a corner of the workshop that might be worth selling. I've never used such a thing in my stereo system but received one from a client of mine. It needs testing so I'll be hooking it up to an old Meridan 208 to see if it at least works. Cosmetically, it has a few scratches on the wooden sides and a slight nick at the top of its front metal face. Internally it looks fine.
From initial searches in the Internet it appears that this D/A has had a good reputation in the past with at least one restorer adding improved power supply filtering and replacing the existing Philips D/A chip with a better version of the same (two-crown chip). The build is certainly solid, to say the least.
I have two questions:
1) Is there still an interest in this model and is it worth putting on the market at all?
2) Having no optical link in the workshop I am left with using a coax interconnect. For basic testing, is it reasonable to connect the coax digital output of the Meridian 208 to the digital tape input of the Marantz CDA-94? (I seem to be unable to get the user's manual)
I would be grateful for comments/suggestions
donf
I have a Marantz CDA-94 lurking in a corner of the workshop that might be worth selling. I've never used such a thing in my stereo system but received one from a client of mine. It needs testing so I'll be hooking it up to an old Meridan 208 to see if it at least works. Cosmetically, it has a few scratches on the wooden sides and a slight nick at the top of its front metal face. Internally it looks fine.
From initial searches in the Internet it appears that this D/A has had a good reputation in the past with at least one restorer adding improved power supply filtering and replacing the existing Philips D/A chip with a better version of the same (two-crown chip). The build is certainly solid, to say the least.
I have two questions:
1) Is there still an interest in this model and is it worth putting on the market at all?
2) Having no optical link in the workshop I am left with using a coax interconnect. For basic testing, is it reasonable to connect the coax digital output of the Meridian 208 to the digital tape input of the Marantz CDA-94? (I seem to be unable to get the user's manual)
I would be grateful for comments/suggestions
donf
Hello,
a lovely unit with a great DAC chip.
So, in answer to your questions..
1) Yes, the DAC chip, the TDA1541 is still very highly regarded. I suspect there would be interest in the chip alone (!) but the unit as a whole I think will sell easily. (Use it yourself, you may be amazed !!)
2) All the Inputs Optical and Coaxial will accept SPDIF. I think the unit is limited to 48kHz fS. The O/P of the Meridian will be 44.1kHz (CD) and will be recognised without problem by the Marantz.
P.
a lovely unit with a great DAC chip.
So, in answer to your questions..
1) Yes, the DAC chip, the TDA1541 is still very highly regarded. I suspect there would be interest in the chip alone (!) but the unit as a whole I think will sell easily. (Use it yourself, you may be amazed !!)
2) All the Inputs Optical and Coaxial will accept SPDIF. I think the unit is limited to 48kHz fS. The O/P of the Meridian will be 44.1kHz (CD) and will be recognised without problem by the Marantz.
P.
I see one in mint condition for more than 1500€. Be sure to offer it in Europe too, your island may be to small to get a good price. eBay takes care of any export problems, you just have to follow the guidiance very percise, do not ignore any information that has to be written on the parcel. Otherwise eBay will carge you with the extra expenses the buyer has.
Hi percival007 and Turbowatch2,
Many thanks indeed for your replies. On the chip, it does look as if it has a good reputation. I have no need for the Marantz since I'm using a NAD M33 streaming amp which digitises all inputs by some pretty decent processors prior to amplification. At the very least I'll coax-connect the Marantz digital input to the digital output of the Meridian 208 (a dreadful piece of ergonomic design but I'm still using it). Thanks for the tip percival007.
Tubowatch2 I love your crack about the small island! It's true, though, market-wise, so I may consider a wider area. On the other hand, the unit is not in mint condition. It has a few scratches here and there which I will photograph in detail for selling. Internally it does look good though. I'm less keen on eBay since they tend to charge high fees in proportion to the sale price. At least, that was my impression the last time I sold on the platform.
I wonder if there are other selling platforms that I might use such as Hi Fi Wigwam?
In any case, I have not yet prepared the unit for selling (some cleaning and polishing to do) but will be open to offers.
donf
Many thanks indeed for your replies. On the chip, it does look as if it has a good reputation. I have no need for the Marantz since I'm using a NAD M33 streaming amp which digitises all inputs by some pretty decent processors prior to amplification. At the very least I'll coax-connect the Marantz digital input to the digital output of the Meridian 208 (a dreadful piece of ergonomic design but I'm still using it). Thanks for the tip percival007.
Tubowatch2 I love your crack about the small island! It's true, though, market-wise, so I may consider a wider area. On the other hand, the unit is not in mint condition. It has a few scratches here and there which I will photograph in detail for selling. Internally it does look good though. I'm less keen on eBay since they tend to charge high fees in proportion to the sale price. At least, that was my impression the last time I sold on the platform.
I wonder if there are other selling platforms that I might use such as Hi Fi Wigwam?
In any case, I have not yet prepared the unit for selling (some cleaning and polishing to do) but will be open to offers.
donf
Spending an hour of cleaning, removing minor scratches etc. often decides not only about the price, but if you sell or not. Do very good, high res picture, from all sides. I'm sure you know that. Just imagine what you would like to see before spending a thousand Pounds.
I dislike eBay as well, for high cost and no service, but for export to Europe and the world it cares for the taxes and all paper work. At least now we have found a single company that profit's from Brexit...
If you send it by your self, British Postal Service or any other carrier, you and the buyer will have a lot of unpredicable hassle, just to proof the value and transfer of funds for import dutys.
Believe me, in this case eBay is worth it, because the merchandise will just pop up at the door of the buyer after 3-5 days if done right.
Otherwise the buyer has to travel to his customs office (mine is 30km away), get's told what paperwork to bring and, in many cases, has to collect/ print out the nonsense they want to see and drive there a second time. The alternative is (in Germany) the transporter doing the customs work and charging about twice the money eBay takes. Even more than eBay, as they do not take the value as basis for the fee.
Only thing with eBay, that is critical from your side, is to provide all the requiered information, what is very simple. Otherwise it will be taxed twice and the seller charged with the extra cost by eBay. Ask me how I know. One seller did not fill out the complete label, because in his oppinion not neccesary in GB and my problem in Germany. He was very angry to pay 30 Pounds for being too lazy to make a cross at the right position.
I dislike eBay as well, for high cost and no service, but for export to Europe and the world it cares for the taxes and all paper work. At least now we have found a single company that profit's from Brexit...
If you send it by your self, British Postal Service or any other carrier, you and the buyer will have a lot of unpredicable hassle, just to proof the value and transfer of funds for import dutys.
Believe me, in this case eBay is worth it, because the merchandise will just pop up at the door of the buyer after 3-5 days if done right.
Otherwise the buyer has to travel to his customs office (mine is 30km away), get's told what paperwork to bring and, in many cases, has to collect/ print out the nonsense they want to see and drive there a second time. The alternative is (in Germany) the transporter doing the customs work and charging about twice the money eBay takes. Even more than eBay, as they do not take the value as basis for the fee.
Only thing with eBay, that is critical from your side, is to provide all the requiered information, what is very simple. Otherwise it will be taxed twice and the seller charged with the extra cost by eBay. Ask me how I know. One seller did not fill out the complete label, because in his oppinion not neccesary in GB and my problem in Germany. He was very angry to pay 30 Pounds for being too lazy to make a cross at the right position.
@Turbowatch2
I appreciated the information you provided since I've an untouched CD-94 Mk2 unit that I'll probably want to put up for sale and I wasn't aware that eBay could provide such a service.
I appreciated the information you provided since I've an untouched CD-94 Mk2 unit that I'll probably want to put up for sale and I wasn't aware that eBay could provide such a service.
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Hi Turbwatch2,
Your comments and advice are very useful and you speak from experience so I'll certain consider eBay if I decide to sell Europe-wide.
You are right, any defects such as scratches, indentations, should be visible in any photos and I'll need to do the best I can to show them. In any case, I would invite further questions should anyone need more detail.
In the meantime, I need to think about a reasonable price for the unit once I know it is working.
donf
Your comments and advice are very useful and you speak from experience so I'll certain consider eBay if I decide to sell Europe-wide.
You are right, any defects such as scratches, indentations, should be visible in any photos and I'll need to do the best I can to show them. In any case, I would invite further questions should anyone need more detail.
In the meantime, I need to think about a reasonable price for the unit once I know it is working.
donf