SA-11S2

Marantz SA11S2 The Marantz SA11S2 was a wonderful CD/SACD player 70% as good as the SA7S1. The SA7S1 was my favorite player and a super value at its $6500 retail price. With our L-1 mod to your SA11S2, we take it to the same level as a stock SA7S2 for a significant savings. The mods to your player are  $990.00 and up. Modified players still compete with more expensive competition.

Info on the stock player is as follows: The SA11S2 is the 2nd generation of the legendary SA11 series SACD player, updated with many of the components and features of the SA-7S1. The original SA11S1 was, and is, rated Class A in Stereophile. This new player is dramatically better.

  • Plays SACD-Stereo, CD, CD-R/RW
  • Marantz Original Aluminum Transport SACDM-1
  • Full Balanced Analog Audio Stage with HDAM® SA2
  • Marantz Original Phase Error Compensation PEC777f2
  • High Accuracy Seiko NPC Monaural SM5866A5 Super Audio D/A Converter x2
  • High Precision Quartz Clock with Linear Voltage Regulation
  • External Clock Input
  • Digital Phase Inversion for Balanced Output
  • Toroidal Power Transformer w/Copper Shield Case
  • All Copper Plated Chassis w/ Double Layer Bottom
  • Vibration resistant Solid Aluminum Top Cover

The following details the Level-1 modification for the Marantz SA-11S2 CD/SACD Player ($990 + freight to your player):

  • One pair of premium machined DH Labs direct gold plated over copper body” Teflon insulated RCA female jacks replace the replace cheap stamped jack modules on the output
  • 4 x upgraded output coupling electrolytic capacitors are installed
  • 4 x AudioNote Tantalum Film (exotic) ½ watt signal path 1% resistors
  • 2 x Telefunken SF4007 “Ultra-Fast Soft-Recovery” diodes in sonically critical power supply positions
  • 4 large EAR brand Sorbothane isolation feet with new mounting hardware dampen airborne vibrations
  • 2 sheets of Soundcoat chassis damping material are cut and applied where applicable to control chassis resonances
  • 4 pieces DH Labs 99.999% pure solid-core long-grained silver output signal wires with foamed Teflon tape wrap dielectric
  • WBT high silver content (4%) solder used throughout
  • 5 hours labor
  • 1-year warranty on our modication work

The modified unit is now better in virtually all performance areas. It is a tad warmer and more tube-like. Dynamics are improved. Mid-bass slam and low bass extension are both better. It has better detail across the board. Imaging specificity is also improved as is front to back depth.

The following details the Level-2 modifications for the Marantz SA-11S2 CD/SACD Player ($1,890 + freight to your player):

  • 27 x upgraded power supply and output coupling capacitors
  • 2 x Rel-Cap Teflon TFT film and foil coupling caps bypass the main BlackGate output caps
  • 12 x 1% polystyrene film and foil capacitors in the analog filter stage
  • 52 x Riken Ohm ½ and one watt 1% carbon comp. resistors with gold-plated leads in the signal path
  • 12 x Telefunken SF4007 Ultra-Fast Soft-Recovery Diodes replace/rebuild the bridge rectifiers. These are used in the sonically critical power supply positions.
  • 1 pair of premium machined DH Labs direct gold plated over copper body Teflon insulated RCA female jacks are used on the outputs. These replace the cheap stamped stock modules.
  • 4 x large EAR brand Sorbothane isolation feet with new mounting hardware
  • 2 x sheets of SoundCaot chassis damping material cut and applied where applicable to control chassis resonances
  • 1 x sheet of ERS suppression cloth to reduce EMI/RFI
  • 4 feet of DH Labs 99.999% pure solid-core long-grained silver output signal wires w/foamed Teflon tape wrap dielectric, are added to the output jacks
  • 1 x Acme Audio Labs silver-plated cryogenically-treated IEC power inlet replaces the cheap connector of the stock player
  • WBT high silver content (4%) solder used throughout
  • 9 hours labor

Sonic improvement of the mod
The modified unit is now better in virtually all performance areas. It is a tad warmer and more tube-like. Dynamics are greatly improved. Mid-bass slam & low bass extension are both better. It has better detail across the board. Imaging specificity is also improved as is front to back depth. The modified player outperforms the SA7S1 for dramatically less.

Modified players have a one year warranty on all mod work performed.

Marantz