Marantz 8260 CD/SACD

strange how these 8260 players are so unreliable. I had a Marantz 5-disc cd changer that I paid $400 for in 1997. I stopped using it about a year ago. I gave it to my friend. And it still works. This thing hasn't had a single problem since 1997.

I demoed 8260 and a slow read times and all kinds of disc errors prevented me from buying it. At the same time I had an 8260 in my system I also borrowed Arcam CD-73T from the dealer. I thought CD-73T sounded identical to SA8260. But it costs several hundred $ less.

A combo of Sony DVP-S7700 used as a transport into Bel Canto DAC2 that I later ended up buying clearly beat out the 8260 even when the Marantz was playing SACD. So aside from the fact that its unreliable, I didn't find it to be particularly good sounding either.

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, but just my observation that the SA8260 is not the most successful Marantz piece ever made both sonically and functionally.

marantz sa 8260 -
bought this unit here on audiogon before i became educated on its predilection for problems.
when i first started haveing problems i called the seller and he said buy a cleaner cd and let it clean the unit. cleaner cd doesnt cure its ailments.
it wont play some cds, it stays stuck at #1 track - dead in the water, it frequently skips, skips and stops - so many differnt cds that it sits unused at present.
marantz.com suggests sending it to www.servicewidetech.com

servicewide phone answerer(not a tech) states repair may be around $100 to $200. the actual estimate would be determined when the service tech sees it. there is $50 charge if you decide not to repair. shipping costs additional.
i was not allowed to speak to a servicetech at servicewidetech ("they dont have time to talk on the phone")to get a feel for what degree of attentiveness they give these marantz'.
i see many 'factory refurbised' sa 8260's on ebay for $649 + $27 shipping.... . hhhmmmm
not sure what to do. if i had instructions on typical unit defect repair i would do it myself if i could.
so on my current budget it looks like risk marantz repair or find a new player for about the same as the cost of marantz repair !!!
sorry if this is a little whinney..
but i had to get it out. i feel better now.
paul (florida)

You know what's the funniest thing about this all, how you people going to sell these players with all this bad press?

I bought one the middle of last year hoping the issues would be fixed. Brand new problems out of the box. Very slow read times and disc errors galore. I just bought a new transport and stayed with Sony ES as Marantz gives me the willies now. I never knew what would play and what wouldn't.

The sound quality was excellent but I will not buy another Marantz player maybe ever. I had the 63 from the mid 90's but it took a few years to die. As much as I don't like Sony the company I've never had problems even with the inexpensive players of theirs I've used over the last 2 decades.

In my opinion after this many years of production my respect for Marantz is now pretty nil, at least for the latest products. Ones made in the 70's were very good indeed.

My 8260 started refusing to read certain SACD's, then a few more, then almost all SACD's failed.
I sent it back to Marantz and they replaced the laser and tracking mechanism.
Problem solved.