Best Aftermarket cables for Marantz SA8001?

I think the AQ interconnects are a great match for the Marantz Cd players. The King Cobra or Jaguar should do the trick. I use AQ XLR Panthers on my Marantz SA-11 with great
results.
I've found the Nordost Shiva power cord to be a good match
also.The Shiva really opened up the sound,without being harsh or dry.

Enjoy!

I would Highly Recommend trying Virtual Dynamics Power Cords.
You can start at their entry levels,& then move up. But I will have to warn you they are addictive & you won't stop there.
There cables are some of the best out there & the customer service is some of the best I have ever experienced.
You should experiment & draw you own conclusions.
I did for a number of years & I'm sure glad I settled on Virtual Dynamics.
Good luck

Dcca "The Source" power cord.No need to look further in my opinion.Been using it on my 8001 for a while now and man what an upgrade!Read the reviews here... and also know that these cords are a real pain in the butt to use because they are so darn stiff and need support coming out of the 8001"s iec socket!

Hello Audio_girl,
Good news:
I have tried the SC Silver Resolution Reference interconnects, Audioquest King Cobra interconnects, Audioquest Diamondbacks, Kimber PBJ's, and the LAT International IC-200 Mk.2 interconnects on my SA8001, in both my reference headphone system, as well as in my home based system.
Heres what I found:
Overall, I prefer the Audioquest King Cobra with most CD's, especially brighter ones.
It is a killer all copper based interconnect, IMHO!
The SC Silver Resolution ranks a very, very close second.
The Audioquest has a very slight warmth to its sound, but has lots of organic body, black background, dynamics, detail, excellent bass, and a wonderfully smooth and detailed midrange and treble, with a great sense of space.
The SC Silver Resolution has slightly more treble detail, and a slightly wider soundstage, but does not quite have the body, dynamics, or smoothness of the Audioquest.
The SC does have a nice black background, good body, and a very nice sense of space.
The SC slightly emphasizes tape hiss, and sibilance compared to the AQ.
The LAT is good, but sounds slightly congested, and slightly emphasized in the upper bass compared to the SC or AQ. The LAT doesn't sound quite as spacious as the AQ or SC.
Treble extension on the LAT is very good, however.
The Kimber PBJ is great, especially for the price, but it does not quite have the refinement, dynamics, body, space, and detail of the SC and AQ.
The Kimber is very slightly thin in the lower mids/ upper bass compared to the AQ or SC, and is very slighly rolled-off on the top-end.
The Diamondback is also an excellent sounding interconnect.
It sounds very close to the King Cobra, but is not quite as refined, smooth, spacious, or open as the King Cobra.
There are a couple of areas where it may be slightly better than the King Cobra: Extreme top-end extension, and the width of the soundstage.
But, at the same time, it sounds slightly more veiled, more forward in the mids, less extended in the bass, and less natural, and organic compared to the King Cobra.
The differences between these cables is much more audible in my headphone system, compared to my big rig.
Keep in mind that these comparisons are made using the Marantz SA8001 as a source. I have not tried them with other sources, and therefore the sound of these interconnects may be quite different when using a different digital disc player with them.
Hope this helps!

Audio_girl, I also think it is a little difficult in absolute terms to define a set of recommended cables for a source component alone. Along with the rest of the system, your personal hearing and taste would have to be considered. Is the rest of your system the same as that posted? Is this where the 8001 is going? Those components seem to indicate a preference for speed, clarity, and musically rich playback, at least for jazz and blues. Of course, the preamp is one of the best (IMHO) in the mere mortal and human category.

Im general I can say a few things: the LAT International IC-100 MKII is pretty good and has tremendous bass performance (extended, defined), but may bring the lower treble up front a little, depending on the room/system. The Silver Streak should lend a smooth semi-warm and soft (though not lacking in detail) sound (at least the KCAG did in my sustem). Zu gede is another reasonably priced IC that may complement your system: at times it has been detailed, fast and almost neutral; perhaps spotlighting theupper mids a bit. I would not use it, however, if your system is having any tendancies to sound hard or bright.

A meaningful response is predicated on more than advice about one cable and pc for a single component, everything relates to your preference for the sound of the new Marantz in the context of your system. It's all about synergy with the rest of your equipment. I'd suggest you get your new player, let it break in with stock power cords and interconnects (or cords you have on hand that you are familiar with) and then decide how you'd like to tweak the sound. When I got a new preamp, that's how I approached it. The Signal Cable Resolutions I used were a little bright so I called up Cryo-Parts and asked them their advice. I made up new interconnects from Oyaide PA02 wire and Vampire 800CB rca's. It was just the ticket. Then I added a new Marantz SA11S1 to the mix and I ended up rotating different interconnects to the preamp and the Oyaide/Vampires to the the cd player. "One size fits all" advice about something like power cords and interconnects are usually worthless.