MARANTZ SA-KI Ruby Signature Super Audio CD Player with DAC

Marantz has been designing and making amplifiers for more than 65 years, and for 40 of those the products have reflected expertise of Ken Ishiwata. Now, to mark his four decades with the company, the SA-KI Ruby SACD player has been developed and tuned by a highly experienced engineering team led by KI himself. Features the same disc mechanisms as the SA10 that play SACDs, CDs and compilations on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. The SA-KI Ruby includes an asynchronous USB input that handles formats up to PCM/DXD 384kHz/32bit and DSD11.2MHz and treats all digital music with a unique Marantz Musical Mastering technology. By up-converting all file formats to DSD, using advanced filtering and processing and direct 1-bit conversion to feed the analogue outputs, the SA-KI Ruby delivers sound with remarkable clarity, effortless dynamics and exceptional presence—plus, features a laser-engraved Ken Ishiwata signature to commemorate his legacy.

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Key Features

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• Engineered and extensively tuned by legendary Marantz sound master Ken Ishiwata and his team, drawing on more than 35 years of Marantz expertise in CD players
• Marantz-proprietary SACD/CD mechanism “SACDM-3” designed purely for audio
• Playback of SACD/CD and compilations on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM
• Asynchronous USB input for hi-res audio up to PCM/DXD 384kHz/32bit and DSD11.2MHz
• Isolation of USB and digital inputs to block noise from connected sources
• Innovative Marantz Musical Mastering “MMM-Stream” up-sampling to DSD and filtering
• Custom-designed 1-bit direct “MMM–Conversion” from DSD to analogue
• New analogue output stage with Marantz HDAM-SA3 technology and low impedance output
• Power supply with toroidal transformer
• Dedicated headphone amplifier with all-discrete HDAM-SA2 construction
• Laser-engraved Ken Ishiwata signature and Ruby motif, marking Ishiwata’s 40-year Marantz legacy

A pioneer of CD playback and musical integrity, the first Marantz CD player — the CD-63 — premiered in 1982 and set the stage for further development and mastery of CD media players. Ken Ishiwata helped sculpt Marantz media players into the world-class, masterful technology that is synonymous with Marantz today. From his passion, the Limited Edition, Special Edition and later Ken Ishiwata Signature models were born — all designed to further optimize and elevate the exceptional CD performance of Marantz media players. That passion furthers the Marantz legacy of musical excellence with the SA-KI Ruby.

At the heart of the SA-KI Ruby is an innovative new SACDM-3 transport mechanism, engineered solely for the best possible performance when playing SA-CDs, CDs and music stored on data discs. This new mechanism promises exceptional sound quality from conventional CD and SA-CD discs and allows listeners to create their own high-resolution audio compilation discs using a computer DVD burner. The SA-KI Ruby supports FLAC files from 44.1kHz to 192kHz at up to 24-bit resolution, DSD2.8MHz and DSD 5.6MHz, ALAC (Apple Lossless), AIFF and MP3 files. Creating and playing hi-res disc compilations is as simple as it is enjoyable.

At the heart of digital audio in the SA-KI Ruby lies DSD. PCM and DXD inputs are up-converted to DSD at 11.2MHz using the proprietary MMM-Stream converter within the player, and the high-frequency signal produced is processed by the unique MMM-Conversion stage, used in place of a conventional DAC, to produce the analogue output. The MMM-Stream section of the process replaces the oversampling filters normally used in digital to analogue conversion and allows the implementation of the Marantz Musical Mastering filtering. 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 12.288MHz. Sigma Delta Modulation allows a pure DSD-standard signal to be passed to the conversion section in the form of a very high-frequency stream of pulses. The design of the DSD-to-analogue filter feeds into the familiar Marantz HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Modules) in the output stage for optimal sound quality.

Like the complementary PM-KI Ruby integrated amplifier, the SA-KI Ruby Super Audio CD player is constructed to the highest standards, with a copper-plated double layer chassis for rejection of mechanical interference, a front panel built from thick, heavy, non-magnetic aluminum panels and a 5mm thick aluminum top cover. Single layer, nickel-plated matching copper RCA terminals in the SA-KI Ruby outperform the terminals of competitors and offer an exemplary listening experience.

Founded in 1953, Marantz has a long and rich history of designing audio components embraced by music lovers and critical listeners around the world. Because Music Matters, the SA-KI Ruby carries the tradition of delivering a best-in-class listening experience for music and cinema.

Features

CD Compatibility: CD / CD-R/RW / SA-CD / WMA / MP3 / AAC o / o / o / o / o / o

CD-Text / SA-CD Text / ID3 Tag / WMA Meta Tag / AAC Meta data - / o / o / o / o

Data Disc Compatibility: DSD / WAV / ALAC <=5.6 / 192 / 96

DAC operation mode: USB / Coax / Optical o / o / o

Asynchronous mode rear USB

Bit-perfect transmission

USB-B DSD Audio Streaming (DoP): DSD2.8 / DSD5.6 -> DSD11.2

Signal isolator for DAC Mode operation

HDAM version HDAM SA2 + HDAM SA3

Power Transformer: Toroidal / El o / -

High Grade Audio Components

Customised Components

Symmetric circuit layout

Copper plated chassis

Extra metal plate for chassis strengthing

Digital out off / Audio EX Mode o / -

Headphone: Standard / Buffer / Current feedback - / - / o

Others

Selectable filter: CD / SA-CD / DAC-Mode o / - / o

Marantz Musical Mastering o (HD)

Marantz Musical Mastering Stream

Marantz Musical Mastering Conversion

Separated rectifier circuit for analogue and digital circuitry

Display: Dimmer / Off - / o

Low noise LCD display

5mm Aluminum top cover

Playback

Program Play (CD / SA-CD) o / o

Repeat

Random Play

Start Sound Mode for SA-CD

Inputs/Outputs

Analogue Out (Cinch) 2ch

Digital Optical In / Out o / o

Digital Coaxial In / Out o / o

Sample Rate digital In 192 kHz / 24-bit

Gold Plated Cinch silver / nickel

USB Audio (Front) / Made for iPod / Made for iPhone rear / - / -

USB-A: FLAC / WAV / AIFF / ALAC / DSD o / o / o / o / o

USB type B input for PC (rear) Sample Rate USB type B In

Asynchronous mode rear USB

USB type B input for PC (rear) 384 kHz / 32-bit

USB-B DSD Audio Streaming (DoP): DSD2.8 / DSD5.6 -> DSD11.2

D-Bus

Headphone Out

Headphone Volume Control

Specifications

Mechanism SACD-M3 (METAL)

D/A Conversion Marantz Musical Mastering Conversion + Stream

DAC IC Marantz Musical Mastering Conversion + Stream

Digital Filter DSP (Marantz)

Noise Shaper DSP (Marantz)

Low Pass Filter stage HDAM-SA2, SA3 current feedback

Output Buffer HDAM SA3

Headphone amp HDAM-SA2 current feedback

Frequency Response (Cust.) 2 Hz-50 kHz

Dynamic Range (SA) 109dB

Signal to Noise Ratio (SA) 112dB

Total Harmonic Distortion (SA) 0.00%

Frequency Response 2 Hz - 20 kHz

Dynamic Range 98 dB

Signal to Noise Ratio 104 dB

Total Harmonic Distortion 0.00%

General

Available colors: Gold / Silver / Black / Silver-Gold o / - / o / -

Metal Front Panel

Remote Control RC005PMSA

Power Consumption in W 47

Standby Consumption in W 0.3

Auto power off

Detachable Power Cable

Maximum Dimensions (W x D x H) in mm 440 x 419 x 127

Weight in kg 17.1