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marantz nd8006 vs Ruby vs n30

I'm at a dilemma point... I can get either the Marantz Ruby amp or perhaps the Accuphase e-480 (and be "done").  So... I'm lucky if my hearing makes it to 12k hz, so there's that; however, everything up to 10hz or so is crystal clear on my endpoint ears... But I'm not a "golden ear" able to discern subtleties in the 15-20hz range which is beyond my imperfect hearing. I have no intent of getting into sacds, so there's that, too.  However I do have many cds and enjoy browsing thriftstores and picking 'em up at a dollar or two. 

OK, so... the Marantz nd8006 gives me two optical (TV and legacy 5-disc changer for those days when I just want background) and optical in dacs... one more optical than either the Ruby sacd and n30 sacd players...  

The 8006 also has HEOS, while not as great as Blue perhaps, Heos should get me basic Pandora and Tidal, right?  So why not the nd8006 instead of the n30 or even the Ruby?  I can get an 8006 for about $1100, new w warranty.  The Ruby and n30 are about triple the price, have one less optical in, and the Ruby doesn't even have a streamer.  Thoughts? 

curtdr
mahler123
3,305 posts
 

Marantz Customer Service is terrible.  Just sayin.  Perhaps look at other brands?

curtdr OP
348 posts
 

$1100 is what I mean for the Open Box one, yes...

Update:  I went with the Ruby amp, and snagged a deal on the matching Ruby cd player so I went for it, ... for system 1.  So, it'll be Ruby amp + cd, and a the updated BlueSound Node 130 for my streamer... pretty clean setup in terms of components. 

The Ruby CD has a supposedly great dac to run the Blue through the Ruby coax in dac, and my legacy disc changer for when I just want to spin it all day in the background can go in through the optical dac input on the Ruby CD. To hook it into the TV for 2.1 audio,  I'll toss either an HDMI in extractor - RCA out into RCA on the Ruby amp or just get a Modi 3 dac and run optical to the Modi3 then to the Ruby amp.  Yes, the BlueSound also has HDMI in (and optical) so I could go that route w the TV too

I got the Ruby CD player over the 8006 just to match the Ruby amp plus I snagged an open box deal on it.  

It's a tough call though for me, as the 8006 does have the more full hookup options and streamer and it does have consistently excellent reviews.  I'm still thinking about the 8006 for my other system... 

As for Marantz customer service, on the other hand their products have good durability in the first place usually, and being a large brand it is not difficult to find service centers should that become necessary.  But the build quality of the 8006 is good, and likewise w the Ruby.

I didn't go Accuphase amp because the one I was looking at cost more than my entire system that I just described, and I'm confident the Ruby amp is going to really be nice, would likely to MY ears, with their limitations, just as good or better than the Accuphase with my speakers (Klipsch Heresy IV and EPI 100 updated w Human Speakers parts) and take care of me for a long time...  

 

mcstin
21 posts
 

Nice system! Marantz Ruby is a sweet setup! Congrats!

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