Marantz CD-12

Famed evolution of the Philips 960 / Marantz 94 series, probably the most sought-after japanese drive/dac combo, the CD-12 drive and CDA-12 converter are the export versions of the Philips LHH1000.


The CD-12 holds a Philips CDM1 and therefore will last at least ten lifetimes.
The CDA-12 has one TDA-1541 S1 in differential mode - if you want two, you'll have to go for the CD-94MK2 (export), CD-94 Limited (Japan), CD-95, CD-99SE... or the Sony DAS-R1.

Diecast aluminium chassis, diecast sideburns, copper-plating all over, toroidal transformers worthy of a very healthy amplifier (three in the CDA-12, one in the CD-12), glass epoxy PCBs with 70µ tracks, copper-plated shielded blocks, balanced outputs etc.
Look at a CD-16SE or a CD-15 - it's the same basic construction, only slimline (despite the big CDM1) and... somewhat more elegant.

Outputs of the CD-12 drive are two 75 Ohm RCAs and one (regular) TOS optical ; input terminals for the CDA-12 are two RCAs ins, two TOS ins plus two separate loops for a digital recorder (2x RCA, 2x TOS).
Analogue output terminals on the CDA-12 are pair of unbalanced RCAs and a pair of 600 Ohm XLRs.

It should be noted that Marantz added in the CDA-12 the 32Khz sampling frequency compatibility which isn't implemented into the Philips LHH1002.

The large blue & yellow play/stop backlit surrond of the 960 / 94 series was replaced by an encased LED in the play switch.

The 106dB s/n ratio guarantees you'll still hear no noise even if you like your music listening sessions in an anechoic room, 97dB of dynamic range will surprise you, your neighbors and your dog all at once, 100dB of channel separation will remind you, if necessary, that your brain is made of two distinct sides which, however stereophonic, will never ever hear the insignificant 0,0015% distortion.

Each unit weighs about 10kg and even Micro Seiki used this LHH/Marantz base for its own CD-M2 and CD-M100 CD players.


The RC-12CD remote-control was for the CD-12 combo only and its LHH1000 original (and the rare LHH AV1001 & AV1002 Japan-only a/v units) and added, besides grand-style luxury, a lot of play and programming modes no one ever uses.

Why fiddle with FTS (Favourite Track Selection) when MUSIC, real music, is playing ?