Official Press Release:
Marantz*Introduces Its Vision for The Future with Next-Generation
MODEL 30 Integrated Amplifier and SACD 30n Network Audio Streamer & SACD Player
Your Music Always Sounds Better on a Marantz
Eindhoven. (Sept. 1, 2020) - Marantz® today announced two products signifying a new era for
the brand, the MODEL 30 Integrated Amplifier and SACD 30n Network Audio Streamer & SACD
Player. Born out of the founding mission of Saul Marantz, whose aim was getting the listener as
close to the original recording as possible, the MODEL 30 and SACD 30n were expertly
designed and precisely tuned over the last three years. Meticulously manufactured in
Shirakawa, Japan, they are also the first Marantz products to launch with the brand’s new
industrial design language, celebrating and modernizing signature design elements from
legendary Marantz products of the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s.
In 2017, Marantz set out on a mission to reposition its future in the world of high-end audio. By
looking to its storied history, the team modernized all aspects of the brand. Taking inspiration
from legendary products like the original Audio Consolette, Model 30, Model 2250, and Model 9
amplifier, the new MODEL 30 and SACD 30n embrace elements of classic Marantz design and
marry them with a thoroughly modern approach to construction and materials. Both new
products offer the first look at the future for Marantz.
“Our main goal in updating Marantz was to effectively capture the timelessness, musicality and
passion the brand has brought to the world for nearly 70 years,” said Joel Sietsema, President
Classé and Marantz. “This is why we dove into the brand’s history first to design the MODEL 30
and SACD 30n. We knew these new products and their successors had to continue refining that
classic Marantz sound, but also deliver fresh new aesthetics and build quality that contemporary
enthusiasts could love. The result is a familiar, yet entirely new Marantz ID and an exciting
listening experience that delivers on the Marantz promise of the most musical sound.”
The MODEL 30 Integrated Amplifier
Led by meticulous Marantz Sound Masters and an approach to sound passed down through
generations of experts, contemporary technical innovation and Hi-Fi tradition are combined to
create MODEL 30. The all-analogue design features a fully discrete two-stage build, with
independent power supplies for the pre-amplifier and power amplifier. The power supply circuit,
designed exclusively for the preamplifier, enables a stable power supply unaffected by
fluctuations from power demanded by the power amplifier stage. An oversized toroidal
transformer is dedicated exclusively for the preamp to ensure high purity while a double shield
steel case is mounted around the transformer to suppress the leakage flux that could generate
noise in peripheral circuits.
The power supply for the power amplifier stage delivers high current instantaneously to the
switching mode amplifier. This ensures maximum control over any connected speakers to follow
even the hardest bass attacks and provides clean power for the reproduction of the finest
details. The result is absolute signal purity and exceptional audio quality.
The amplifier also features a moving coil and moving magnet phono stage—complete with
Marantz Musical Premium Phono EQ circuit and Marantz HDAM technology—for top-of-the-line
performance. The Phono EQ stage in the MODEL 30 amplifier can be used with both moving
magnet and low-output moving coil cartridges, thanks to a built-in MC head amplifier. Distortion
is reduced using two-stage amplification in the phono stage, and Marantz HDAMs are combined
with JFETs (junction field effect transistors) in the input stage, giving high input impedance. The
exclusion of coupling capacitors further simplifies the design, reducing signal distortion and
enhancing signal purity. Further, MODEL 30 is equipped with an input impedance selector,
which can be adjusted to three different settings “MC Low (33 Ohm), MC MID (100 ohm) and
MC HIGH (390 ohm),” which further optimizes sound performance when using a moving coil or
magnetic moving cartridge.
MODEL 30 continues Marantz’s tradition of using its proprietary discrete circuit design
boards—Hyper-Dynamic Amplifier Modules (HDAMs)—to replace chip-based amps and offer
the most musical, accurate and detailed sound possible. Leveraging curated discrete surface
mount components with short mirror-image left and right signal paths, the HDAMs dramatically
outperform regular integrated Op-amps to achieve exceptional sound quality and performance.
The SACD 30n Network Audio Streamer & SACD Player
The new SACD 30n draws on the Marantz proprietary SACDM-3L transport mechanism,
engineered solely for the best possible performance when playing SACDs, CDs and music
stored on data discs. It is also built to meet the requirements of the modern music enthusiast
who wants access to existing file collections or to the leading streaming services. Leveraging
the HEOS Built-in platform, SACD 30n combines a premium CD/SACD player with a modern
digital source’s hub, a USB-DAC and a built-in preamplifier.
With HEOS Built-in, SACD 30n can stream FLAC files from 44.1kHz to 192kHz at up to 24-bit
resolution, DSD 2.8MHz and DSD 5.6MHz, ALAC (Apple Lossless) and MP3 files from major
streaming providers, including Amazon Music HD, Tidal and others. HEOS Built-in also allows
for greater listening flexibility and access, including a variety of voice-enabled technologies,
including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri to easily play music, skip tracks and
more. 1
1 Degree of functionality is platform dependent, external device needed to operate voice functionality.
SACD 30n relies on Marantz’s proprietary Marantz Musical Mastering (MMM-Stream converter
and MMM-Conversion stage) for optimal digital audio conversion. PCM inputs are up-converted
to DSD at 11.2MHz using the MMM-Stream converter within the player. The high-frequency
signal produced is processed by the MMM-Conversion stage (used in place of a conventional
DAC) to produce the analogue output. Two system clocks ensure the most accurate up-
conversion of the incoming signal, whether it’s from the disc or digital inputs, ranging from
44.1kHz to 384kHz.The design of the DSD-to-analogue converter feeds into the familiar
Marantz HDAM in the output stage for optimal sound quality.
In addition, the headphone amplifier used in the SACD 30n features a dedicated amplifier
module using exclusive Marantz HDAM-SA2 circuitry with exceptional signal-to-noise ratio. To
work with a wider variety of headphones, the gain factor can be adjusted to three established
presets—low, mid and high—making it possible to drive high impedance headphones.
The Marantz MODEL 30 Integrated Amplifier (€2999/£2700) and SACD 30n Network Audio
Streamer & SACD Player (€2999/£2700) will be available at authorized Marantz retailers early
September 2020.
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