Classic Marantz CD player timeline
Christiaan Punter
CD63
CDM0/CDM1, TDA1540
Marantz version of the Philips CD100 which was the very first commercial cd player.
CD73
CDM1, TDA1540
A real cult classic
CD84MKII
CDM1, TDA1540
Rare version of the CD84 with digital output. Front panel model is "CD84" (no MKII) (Picture is of the CD84MK1)
CD85
CDM1MKII, TDA1541S1
Simplified build inside compared to CD94 but transport-wise (digital out) still very good.
CD80
CDM1MKII, 2x TDA1541S1
Successor to the CD94MKII but different circuitboard layout and a different sound.
CD15
CDM4MD, TDA1547
Can be regarded as a CD16 with balanced outputs and better build.
CD95
Improved CD94 with 2 TDA1541S1 DACs and alu sidepanels. Difference from CD94MKII unknown.
CD16 SE
CDM4?, TDA1547?
Toroidal transformer, FL display noise filter and new HDAM style modules
CD16 Exclusive
CDM4?, TDA1547?
Rainer Finck tweaked version for the German market. Very limited (300pc) edition.
CD11LE
CDM4MD, TDA1547 (DAC7)
Due to bad reception of the original, updated quickly and successfully by Ken Ishiwata.
CD12/DA12 LE
CDM1, TDA1541S1
1989? I'm unsure about the technical difference between CD12 and CD12LE. The frontpanel displays do differ: lighter blue and simpler/clearer on the LE. Apparently even today still one of Ken Kessler's favourites for its shimmer and near-analogueness, albeit reportedly he used a special KI-tweaked version.
CD17
VAM1201?, TDA1547
CD17KI
1995?
VAM1201?, TDA1547?
CD17MKII
1996?
VAM1201, TDA1547
CD17MKIII
1999?
CD34
CDM1, TDA1540
Marantz version of the Philips CD104
CD60
CDM4/19, TDA1541A
CD7
CDM12, TDA1541A S2
The last Marantz player with (some) classic components. Sadly the swing arm mech is gone but used here once more is the TDA1541 Golden Crown DAC (a long time after it was superseded by bitstream alternatives), but this time with digital filtering in DSP.
CD14
1998?
CD10
1992?
CDM4/D36, TDA1547
Sort of CD11-lite: no copper chassis, no balanced outputs, no torodial transformer. According to German Stereoplay still very smooth but less powerful, as well as more diffuse than the CD11.
CD72MKII
1990?
CDM4/19 or CDM4/19, TDA1547
CD72MKII SE
1992?
CDM4/19 or CDM4/19, TDA1547 (HDAM)
CD54
Derivate from or alternative to the CD34, which is based on the Philips CD104
CD95DR
Drive-only version of the CD95: no dacs on board but 2 digital coaxial outputs.
CD99SE
Improved version of the CD95 (but in what way is unknown to me).
CD99DR
Drive only version of the CD99SE (no analog outputs).
CD99SE Limited Edition
Special version of the CD99SE (but in what way is unknown to me).
CD72
CDM4/19, SAA7350 (Bitstream)
CD72SE
1990?
CD17D
VAM1201?, TDA1547?
1994? - Like CD17 but with digital inputs
1982
1984
1985
1986
1989
1990
1992
1993
1994
1996
1998
1999
1991
The most important classic 80's and 90's Marantz Swing Arm CD players, ordered by year of introduction. The dates are mostly accurate but in the case when there's a questionmark behind the year, I could be off by a year or two. Therefore, please correct me if I'm wrong.
CD75
CDM2/160 or CDM4/25, DAC unknown (16bits)
1987
CD94 Limited
CDM1, TDA1541, wooden cheeks instead of the usual diecast aluminum cheeks with other champagne-coloured players.
1988
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