By: Dipin Sehdev
For more than 70 years, Marantz has built its reputation around one simple idea: great hi-fi should be emotionally engaging. It's one of the reasons I've remained a fan of the brand over the years. In fact, I currently use a Marantz processor in my own reference home theater because of its warm, detailed sound and rock-solid performance.
That's why this latest announcement is both exciting and a little frustrating.
Marantz has unveiled two new components aimed at the next generation of stereo enthusiasts: the MODEL 70 Integrated Amplifier and the CD 70 CD Player. Together, they're designed to replace the highly successful PM6007 and CD6007 while bringing Marantz's latest industrial design, improved electronics, and modern connectivity into the company's entry-level lineup.
The catch? The Model 70 Integrated Amplifier will not be coming to North America.
While European buyers will have access to both the MODEL 70 and CD 70, Marantz has confirmed that the MODEL 70 Integrated Amplifier will not be sold in North America, leaving U.S. and Canadian buyers with only the new CD player.
A Modern Marantz for a New Generation
One thing Marantz has done exceptionally well over the past few years is unify its design language.
The MODEL 70 and CD 70 borrow heavily from the company's premium MODEL Series products with their clean full-width chassis, signature circular display, premium materials, and understated elegance. Available in Black or Silver Gold, they look every bit like components costing several thousand dollars.
It's a refreshing departure from the "black box" aesthetic that has dominated hi-fi for decades.
MODEL 70 Looks Like the Sweet Spot
Ironically, the product most North American enthusiasts probably wanted is the one we won't be getting.
The MODEL 70 appears to be exactly what many two-channel listeners have been asking for a traditional integrated amplifier updated for today's living room without becoming another app-dependent streaming amplifier.
Marantz retained its current-feedback Class A/B amplification while increasing output to 50 watts per channel. The company also upgraded the power supply and installed a larger toroidal transformer designed to improve dynamics and speaker control.
Perhaps the biggest addition is HDMI ARC.
For many buyers, this single feature makes the amplifier dramatically easier to integrate into a modern living room, allowing television audio to play directly through a stereo system while controlling volume using the TV remote.
Bluetooth has also received a significant upgrade with support for:
- aptX Adaptive
- aptX HD
- AAC
- SBC
Even better, Bluetooth now works in both directions. You can stream music from your phone or send TV audio wirelessly to Bluetooth headphones for late-night listening.
Vinyl fans haven't been forgotten either, thanks to an integrated MM phono stage for turntables.
CD 70 Keeps Physical Media Alive
While streaming dominates today's music landscape, Marantz clearly believes physical media still deserves a place in premium hi-fi. The new CD 70 continues that tradition. Using the same high-performance DAC found inside the MODEL 70 along with Marantz's proprietary HDAM analog circuitry, the player is designed to extract every ounce of performance from both compact discs and high-resolution digital files. Unlike many modern CD players, the front-panel USB input dramatically expands its capabilities.
Supported formats include:
- FLAC HD
- ALAC
- AIFF
- DSD
Construction has also been upgraded with:
- Double-layer chassis
- Improved power supply
- Copper hardware
- Isolation feet
- Reduced vibration design
Headphone listeners also receive a fully discrete HDAM headphone amplifier with adjustable gain, making the CD 70 far more than simply a disc transport.
Physical Media Still Matters
One aspect of this announcement I particularly appreciate is Marantz's continued commitment to CDs. In an era where streaming subscriptions continue to rise in price and digital licensing increasingly determines what consumers can access, owning your music still has real value. We've spent a lot of time recently covering the challenges surrounding digital ownership, from Sony removing purchased digital movies from PlayStation libraries to studios changing streaming catalogs overnight.
Products like the CD 70 remind us that physical media still offers something streaming never can: permanence.
North America Is the Big Loser
The biggest disappointment is undoubtedly the MODEL 70's absence from North America. On paper, it looks like one of Marantz's most balanced integrated amplifiers in years. Instead, North American buyers looking for HDMI connectivity will continue to be directed toward the STEREO 70s, which costs more and serves a somewhat different audience.
Hopefully Marantz eventually reconsiders.
Specifications
| Marantz MODEL 70 Integrated Amplifier | |
|---|---|
| Amplification | Class A/B |
| Output Power | 50W per channel |
| Transformer | Toroidal |
| HDMI ARC | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Receive & Transmit |
| Codecs | aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, AAC, SBC |
| Phono Stage | MM |
| Outputs | Pre-Out, Subwoofer |
| Finishes | Black, Silver Gold |
| Availability | Europe only |
| Price | €850 / £749 |
| Marantz CD 70 CD Player | |
|---|---|
| DAC | High-performance internal DAC |
| Analog Stage | Marantz HDAM |
| USB Playback | FLAC HD, ALAC, AIFF, DSD |
| Headphone Amplifier | HDAM, Adjustable Gain |
| Chassis | Double-layer vibration-resistant |
| Finishes | Black, Silver Gold |
| Availability | August 15, 2026 |
| Price | $750 USD / $999 CAD / €600 / £499 |
The Bottom Line
Marantz has done an excellent job modernizing its entry-level hi-fi lineup without abandoning the characteristics that have made the brand so respected among music lovers.
The MODEL 70 looks like an ideal bridge between traditional stereo and modern living-room convenience thanks to HDMI ARC, upgraded Bluetooth, a toroidal transformer, and Marantz's signature musical presentation. Unfortunately, it's also the component North American buyers won't be able to purchase.
Thankfully, the CD 70 arrives globally and looks poised to become one of the strongest values in Marantz's digital lineup. At $750, it undercuts the more expensive CD 60 while offering high-resolution USB playback, HDAM circuitry, premium construction, and a dedicated headphone amplifier.
As someone who has trusted Marantz equipment in my own home theater for years, I'm excited to see the company continue investing in two-channel audio. I just wish North American enthusiasts had the opportunity to experience the complete system the way Marantz clearly intended.
