Marantz Project D-1 -

: High-frequency digital switching noise "leaks" past the DAC stage and feeds back into the loop, polluting the audible band and creating a signature "cold, sterile, or harsh" digital sound.

The team had ambitious plans for a follow-up to the acclaimed LHH900R CD player: a new reference model codenamed the LHH-XXXX, which was to be a separate transport and DAC system. However, as the projected 1999 launch approached, several factors conspired against the project. The production of the beloved CDM4-Pro transport mechanism ceased, leaving the choice of a replacement unclear, while the emerging threats of SACD and DVD-Audio caused Philips to pivot its business strategy away from ultra-high-end CD components. The plug was pulled on the LHH-XXXX project, leaving the fully developed DAC module and preliminary certification in limbo. This "bowl of cold water," as one industry observer described it, could have been the end of the road. Instead, the Japanese Marantz team was given the green light to finish the work and release the DAC as a product of their own: the Marantz Project D-1. marantz project d-1

However, the specialized audio engineering team at the Sagamihara plant in Japan—the same masterminds behind the prestigious Philips LHH series transport systems—felt something vital was lost in the 1-bit transition. They noted that while Bitstream sounded clean, it lacked the visceral energy, mid-range presence, and low-level ambient texture of traditional multi-bit designs. : High-frequency digital switching noise "leaks" past the

True to its flagship status, the Project D-1 offers a comprehensive array of inputs and outputs, which include: The production of the beloved CDM4-Pro transport mechanism