Marantz CD 50n Network CD Player - Silver

The CD 50n sits at the top of Marantz's current CD player range, combining traditional disc playback with full network streaming capabilities. It replaces the earlier CD 60, inheriting the brand's commitment to musicality while adding modern connectivity that extends its usefulness well beyond physical media. Positioned alongside the MODEL 50 integrated amplifier, the CD 50n forms the core of Marantz's premium two-channel system.

Construction and Design

Marantz employs a double-layered metal chassis constructed from two 1 mm steel plates, a design intended to reduce resonance and shield sensitive audio circuits from electromagnetic interference. The symmetric circuit layout places left and right channels in mirror image to maintain consistent signal paths and minimise crosstalk — channel separation is rated at 110 dB across all formats. A toroidal power transformer supplies clean, stable power with lower radiated noise than conventional EI-type transformers, supporting the unit's 35 W power consumption.

The front panel features a three-line OLED display with dimmer and off controls, allowing the unit to operate without visual distraction. At 442 mm wide, 424 mm deep, and 130 mm tall, the CD 50n weighs 10.3 kg — a substantial build that reflects the quality of internal components.

DAC and Amplification

At the heart of the CD 50n is Marantz's proprietary HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module) technology, configured as HDAM + HDAM SA2. These discrete analogue amplification circuits replace conventional op-amps in the signal path. The unit supports PCM signals up to 384 kHz/32-bit and DSD up to DSD256 (11.2 MHz) via USB, with network streaming handling up to 192 kHz/24-bit. Marantz Musical Digital Filtering provides selectable filter modes for PCM content, allowing listeners to tailor the sound to their preferences.

Audio performance figures are strong: a signal-to-noise ratio of 112 dB, dynamic range of 112 dB at 24-bit resolution (100 dB at 16-bit from CD), and total harmonic distortion of just 0.001% for high-resolution sources. The analogue output stage delivers 2.2 V from the fixed RCA outputs and up to 4.4 V from the variable outputs, which can be controlled via the remote or HEOS app — effectively functioning as a digital preamplifier.

Headphone Amplifier

The built-in headphone amplifier uses an HDAM SA2 stage with current feedback design and offers three gain settings: High (200 mW into 32 ohms), Mid (120 mW), and Low (16 mW). This range accommodates everything from sensitive in-ear monitors to demanding over-ear headphones without introducing unwanted noise at low volumes.

Connectivity

Physical connections include coaxial and optical digital inputs and outputs, a USB Type-B port for computer audio (ASIO driver available for Windows), and HDMI ARC — allowing the CD 50n to receive audio from a television. Analogue outputs are provided in both fixed and variable RCA configurations. An RS-232 port and D-Bus connector support custom installation integration.

Wireless connectivity covers dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.4 (Class 1, approximately 30 m range), and Apple AirPlay 2. The unit is Roon Ready and supports HEOS Built-in for multiroom audio across compatible devices.

Streaming and Format Support

The CD 50n provides access to Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Deezer, Amazon Music, Qobuz, and TuneIn internet radio through the HEOS app. Locally stored music can be streamed over the network in FLAC (up to 192 kHz/24-bit), WAV (up to 192 kHz/24-bit), ALAC (up to 96 kHz/24-bit), DSD, MP3, WMA, and AAC formats. Gapless playback is supported for FLAC, WAV, and DSD files.

For CD playback, the unit accepts standard CD, CD-R, and CD-RW discs, reading 16-bit/44.1 kHz PCM data via an AlGaAs laser diode operating at 780 nm. Playback features include 25-track programme play, repeat, and random modes.