Marantz CD650 (1987–1990)
The Marantz CD650 is a player collectors and DIYers still talk about decades on. The record is scattered across forums, databases and a few period notices, but it agrees on the core parts. The player uses Philips' CDM-1 swing-arm mechanism and the TDA1541 16-bit DAC with 4× oversampling, a combination many listeners found unusually musical for its era. The Vintage Knob called it "very original" for its two-piece internal construction. The transport sat on its own chassis, physically separated from the main PCB, to isolate the mechanism from the drive electronics. The cabinet was deep and heavy for a CD player of its day - roughly 440 × 96 × 295mm and around 6kg, depending on whose scales you trust.
The production run is usually given as 1987 to 1990. At least one Japanese database lists a 1985 release, though. The sources conflict, and no official Marantz literature has settled it.
The sonic reputation is strong. The Vintage Knob's editor wrote that the CD-650 was "one of the CD players that made me the most excited in years," and described it as very smooth, non-fatiguing, and comparable to a high-end transport feeding a quality outboard DAC. That smoothness comes up again and again in owner reports. So does the caveat that these players are now old enough to need attention. The power supply is widely described as undersized, the drawer mechanism can stick from dried grease, and the CDM-1 laser is no longer manufactured, so if it dies the player is essentially scrap. A recapped, serviced example is the one to buy.
Known specs: dynamic range 96dB; frequency response 2Hz–20kHz; THD 0.0025%; S/N 110dB; channel separation 100dB; line output 2V; headphone output 8mW; digital outputs coaxial and optical; power consumption 18W. Used prices have been running roughly $150–$600 depending on condition and completeness.
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