Marantz CD880J (circa 1988)
The CD880J was essentially Marantz's version of the Philips CD880. It had added wooden side panels and a grid-style top shell. The player was built around the Philips CDM-1MK2 mechanism - the same family as the drive in the reference-grade Philips LHH1000. It had a die-cast frame for weight and rigidity, and a single-beam swing-arm pickup.
Inside, the CD880J used the Philips TDA1541A ("A version") D/A converter. It ran in a 16-bit, 4× oversampling, dual-DAC configuration with the SAA7220P/B digital filter. The "A version" chips were selected for their low-level linearity below -70 dB. The chassis was die-cast aluminum with large insulators and wood side panels to control resonance. The digital, audio, servo, and display circuits were kept electrically independent, with separately wound transformer windings for the digital and analog sections. The top cover used Marantz's ARC (Aluminum Raft Ceiling) structure - a two-piece aluminum design with raft-like cut-outs intended to diffuse vibration modes.
Outputs included a fixed 2 Vrms analog output and a variable output tied to the master volume, for bi-amping setups. There were also coaxial and optical digital outs. A remote control was included. The player offered FTS (Favorite Track Selection), a filing system that stored your chosen tracks permanently, even with power off. The brochure language from the Philips Marantz Group described the goal as "more faithful music," and the source claims the implementation "has resulted in a sound that is truly outstanding."
Specifications as documented:
- Frequency response: 2 Hz–20 kHz ±0.1 dB
- Dynamic range: 96 dB or more
- S/N ratio: 103 dB
- Channel separation: 100 dB or more
- THD: 0.0015%
- Power consumption: 30 W
- Dimensions: 462 × 104 × 363 mm; weight 11.5 kg
Period and collector sources frequently note the relationship to the Philips CD880, and describe the CD880J as the Marantz-branded equivalent. Production years beyond "around 1988" are not formally documented. Little survives on market reception or common maintenance issues. The Archive's files hold no magazine reviews of this specific model.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.