Read on to discover why CD players are back in fashion, and what to look out for when buying a new player...
CD players... back in fashion after 20 years in the cold
While the continued popularity of vinyl records has grabbed the headlines, you might be surprised to know that CDs sales have also risen for the first time in 20 years. Naturally, those of us who relish the arrival of the BBC Music Magazine cover CD each month already appreciate just how good they are, but it seems that a combination of 1990s nostalgia and the lower cost of CDs (new and secondhand) compared to vinyl is introducing a new generation to the format.
In audio circles, however, CDs have never really gone away, due to their excellent sound quality and reliability. Established brands such as Denon, Marantz and Musical Fidelity have CD players available for all budgets, while you can also find a great range of all-in-one and modern portable CD players to get the best from your collection.
What to look out for when buying a CD player
Before purchasing a new CD player, such as the excellent Cambridge Audio AXC35 (£349; cambridgeaudio.com), there are a few essentials to consider. The performance depends on the quality of the Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) which, says Oscar Stewart, product manager at Cambridge Audio, ‘takes the digital information from the disc and turns it into an analogue signal for your hi-fi or active speaker’. Most CD players have a DAC built in but ‘if you have an external DAC or an amplifier with a built-in DAC, you can choose a CD Transport which reads the CD information before sending a signal to the separate DAC’.
As well as superior DAC chips, premium options support SACD, CD-R and CD-RW, while those with digital outputs allow playback of 24-bit high-resolution files. You might also need to decide between a slot- and tray-loading mechanism. This is a personal preference, but if you’re looking at second-hand designs, tray designs have more potential to malfunction over the years.
The best all-in-one CD speaker systems
But what if you’re looking for something a little less ‘hi-fi’? Well, there’s now a great selection of all-in-one CD speaker systems, often with built-in DAB/FM radio and Bluetooth streaming. One of my favourites is the Ruark RS3 (£649; ruarkaudio.com), while the Loewe Klang S3 (£549; loewe.tv) has 120-watts, sleek looks and Wi-Fi. A bargain alternative is the functional Zoombox from Roberts Radio (£59; robertsradio.com).
The best portable CD players
And, finally, to portable CD players. More than a nostalgia trip, designs from FiiO include DAC, Bluetooth and balanced headphone outputs, while the new Ruark R-CD100 (£250) can be plugged into your existing hi-fi via USB.
We recommend... the best CD players on the market right now
Fell Audio Fell Disc CD Player £499
Fell Audio is a new British-designed and built hi-fi brand. And this is serious audio, with an integrated amp (£599), streamer (£TBC) and impressive CD player. It has 16-bit to 24-bit hi-res audio, plus stereo analogue RCA outputs, and optical and coaxial digital outputs.
Fiio DM13 £130
This portable CD player boasts separate DACs for each channel, powerful headphone amps and Bluetooth connectivity for wireless headphones, plus the ability to rip CDs to a hard drive and plug into a compatible amplifier. It also has a solid 8hr battery.
Denon D-M41DAB £299
I still have and love my Denon mini-system, which must be 20 years old! This compact stereo hi-fi is well built, sounds great and has DAB+ radio, FM and Bluetooth connectivity for streaming, plus a great CD player for when you don’t want to rely on the internet to enjoy your favourite BBC Music cover CD.
