Marantz LINK 10n

The spatial imaging is one of the most striking features. The soundstage is exceptionally wide, but above all, it has remarkable depth. The instruments occupy well-defined positions, the soundstage remains stable even during the most complex passages, and the sense of three-dimensionality surpasses that offered by many competing streamers. You can clearly hear the work that’s gone into the analog section and the power supply—aspects that allow the LINK 10n to deliver a solid, stable, and utterly convincing soundstage. Even when used simply as an analog preamplifier, the LINK 10n performs its task with the same character it displays in the digital section. Anyone who thinks that an “all-in-one” device inevitably represents a compromise will have to think again. To test this, we connected the Rockna Signature—which we’ve previously reviewed and used in fixed-level mode—to the XLR input. In this configuration, the LINK 10n was limited to acting as a preamplifier, responsible solely for volume control. The result was surprising: no perceptible coloration, no loss of transparency—just the ability to let the DAC perform under the best possible conditions. This is a quality typically found in high-end dedicated preamplifiers, not in a device that’s also designed as a streamer.

Like all thoroughbreds, this isn’t a component that seeks to impress on first listen. Those accustomed to a particularly brilliant or spectacular soundstage might initially perceive it as very restrained, almost measured. In reality, it lacks neither dynamics nor extension: it simply avoids any artificiality that would emphasize one part of the spectrum at the expense of overall balance. It is precisely this approach that, in the long run, proves to be a winner, because it prioritizes tonal consistency, naturalness, and listening comfort. It’s one of those components that invites you to listen to one album after another, forgetting about the system and focusing solely on the music. The only real limitation is what you connect to it. The Marantz catalog includes the MODEL 10, the super integrated amplifier we’ve already reviewed and which stands as an absolute benchmark in its category. Yet the LINK 10n suggests it can express even more when paired with a dedicated power amplifier. Perhaps Marantz is indeed developing a separate high-end power amplifier; there have been rumors for some time, but there is no official confirmation at this time. One thing, however, is certain: a piece of equipment this neutral, transparent, and controlled deserves electronics of the same caliber. The LINK 10n is not simply an excellent network streamer. It is a reference-class component that combines, in a single chassis, a top-tier digital source and a true analog preamplifier, capable of directly driving a power amplifier without making you miss many dedicated components. Its performance goes far beyond what is normally associated with a network player, and in terms of balance, transparency, sonic maturity, and the quality of its analog section, it fully belongs in the world of high-end audio. The purchase price, while high in absolute terms, is not only fully justified but also seems reasonable when compared to both the technology employed and the performance delivered. This is certainly due to significant economies of scale.

Technical characteristics:

Frequency response: 2 Hz–50 kHz
Total harmonic distortion: 0.0004%
XLR/RCA line output level: 4V/2Vrms
Signal-to-noise ratio: 122 dB
MM/MC phono sensitivity: 80/8 mV
MC phono impedance: 32 Ω / 100 Ω / 390 Ω
MM phono impedance: 39 kΩ
Maximum resolution: 32/384 DSD 512
Digital Inputs: USB-B, HDMI eARC, 1x coaxial, 2x optical, 1x USB-A, 1x Ethernet RJ45
Digital outputs: 1xCoax, 1xOPT
Audio inputs: 1x Phono (MM/MC), 1x RCA, 1x XLR
Audio outputs: XLR/RCA preamp, XLR/RCA line out, 1x RCA sub out
BT 5.4 A2DP, bidirectional SBC