Marantz CD 60 CD Player - Silver with Gold

A Disc Player, Deliberately

The CD 60 sits in the middle of the Marantz range and takes the opposite path from the network players above it. No streaming, no app, no network. What it spends the budget on instead is playing discs and driving headphones.

Conversion runs on an ES9016K2M, with Marantz's own HDAM-SA2 discrete modules in the output stage. Those modules are why the company's players sound like each other rather than like whatever chip is inside them.

A USB port on the front takes a drive. It plays FLAC, WAV, AIFF and ALAC up to 192kHz and 24 bits, DSD to 5.6MHz, and the usual compressed formats. Discs and files share the same converter and the same output stage.

The Headphone Stage Is Not an Afterthought

The headphone output delivers 28mW into 32 ohms and offers three gain settings, low, mid and high. That range lets sensitive in-ears and demanding full-size headphones both sit at a sensible point on the dial.

Round the back are gold-plated analog RCA outputs, with coaxial and optical digital outputs beside them. Those digital sockets are outputs only, which keeps the signal path in one direction and the design simple. Nothing feeds in.

The case measures 442mm wide, 396 deep and 129 tall, and weighs 7.5kg. Power draw is 38 watts in use and 0.3 on standby. Silver-gold and black finishes are offered.

Who Is This CD Player Best For?

• You listen on headphones as much as speakers — 28mW into 32 ohms with three gain settings means the CD 60 drives a real pair properly rather than offering a socket as a courtesy.
• You want the disc handled by Marantz circuitry — an ES9016K2M feeding HDAM-SA2 discrete output modules is the arrangement the company uses across its serious players.
• You keep files on a stick — the front USB port plays FLAC, WAV, AIFF and ALAC to 192kHz and DSD to 5.6MHz, using the same converter as your discs.
• You have no interest in streaming — there is no network stack absorbing the budget, so more of the price went into the parts that touch the music.
• You may add a converter later — coaxial and optical digital outputs let the CD 60 work as a transport whenever you want it to. See our digital-to-analog converters for the other half.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the gold-plated RCA outputs to a line input on your amplifier. The converter inside the CD 60 does the work, and that is all most systems will ever ask of it.

If you own a separate converter, take coaxial or optical to it instead. For files, put a drive in the front USB port and browse it from the display and remote.

Pairs Well With

Building around the CD 60? Here are some great companions:

• Integrated Amplifier: The natural partner — see our Integrated Amplifiers.
• Headphones: The output here deserves a proper pair — see our Headphones.
• Bookshelf Speakers: Finish the system — see our Bookshelf Speakers.
• Interconnects: A clean run from the analog outputs — see our Interconnect Cables.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which converter does it use?

An ES9016K2M, feeding Marantz's own HDAM-SA2 discrete modules in the output stage.

What can the USB port play?

FLAC, WAV, AIFF and ALAC to 192kHz and 24 bits, DSD to 5.6MHz, plus MP3, WMA and AAC from a front-panel drive.

What does the headphone output deliver?

28mW into 32 ohms, with low, mid and high gain settings so different headphones sit sensibly on the volume control.

What outputs does it have?

Gold-plated analog RCA, plus coaxial and optical digital outputs for use with an external converter.

How does it differ from the CD 50n?

The CD 50n adds network streaming, HDMI ARC and digital inputs. The CD 60 concentrates on disc playback and headphones.

How big is it, and what is the warranty?

442 by 396 by 129mm and 7.5kg. Five years on parts and labor for the original purchaser, when bought new from an authorized dealer. It does not transfer if the unit is sold on.

See It in Action

Audio Arkitekts asks whether the CD 60 earns its price:

And Witczak Audio compares it directly with the CD6007:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about CD players, matching headphones to a source, or adding a converter? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.