SA 15S2
Wiith more than 13kg the SA15S2 CD-player hardly has to blush next to the PM15S2, sharing even the design. As with the amplifier the controls are to the left and right of the blue lit middle section. This section contains the CD-tray, the information screen, digital filter and SACD/CD-switch and the headphone connection with discrete volume control.
The SA15S2 SACD-player was tested both with the Marantz amplifier as with a Unison Research 58 tube amp. Very practical is the choice between two digital filters. If you like a bit more drive and analytical sound you select the 2nd filter. However most of the time I used filter 1 giving a more soft, more nuanced image, and if it become too soft, the 2nd filter offered a pleasant alternative. The nice thing is that for every disc one of the two gave an excellent altenative. Even for less audiophile productions or rather plainly recorded CD’s one of the two choices gave a better solution. SACD’s appeared warmer, more open and with more space than the CD-reproduction, including a bit stronger basss. The SA 15S2 lets the Music flow into the room with a deep and wide imagery and space between the instruments. Voices were portraited very realistically.
Conclusion
The SA15S2 SACD-player sounds like a gem, silky, nuanced, coherently detailed, relaxed, spacial, musical and with the right amount of punch when needed. It offers a nice deep, realistically three dimensional sound. Very detailed, seemless tone reproduction at all ranges and the choices offered by the filter selection make a very complete player. A recommended buy in its price range.
The PM15S2 amplifier was not able to convince me, despite its power reserve; transparency and pretty wide and deep sound, especially with room music. This drawback hardly showed when listening to vinyl, thanks to the excellent MM/MC-preamp. Rock, Metal and Techno lovers however may find a proper ally with this amplifier, and vinyl lovers will appreciate the excellent MC/MM-preamp.
