CD Players

CD players from ARCAM, Creek, Rega, ATC, Goldmund, Lyngdorf and Ruark, for collections in which the compact disc still earns pride of place. Each disc player here has been chosen for the quality of the disc transport and the sound, from a compact player handmade in England to a Swiss machine that also reads Super Audio CD. For the amplifier, streamer or DAC to complete the system, ask Audio Lounge.

Why a Dedicated CD Player Still Matters

A compact disc holds an album complete, and a dedicated CD player gives the disc a transport built for one job, a converter chosen for musicality and an analogue stage designed for a single purpose. The disc also brings the artwork, the notes and the sense of an album as a finished work. Beside a streamer, a well-made player keeps a library of discs at the centre of the system rather than at the edge.

Choosing the Best CD Player

The best CD player for a system is the one matched to the amplifier, the loudspeakers and the music. Balanced XLR outputs suit amplifiers built around balanced inputs, and ARCAM’s CD25, Rega’s Isis and the Lyngdorf CD-2 are each fitted with XLR outputs. Rega’s Valve Isis passes the same digital design through a valve output stage, and Goldmund’s Eidos SACD plays Super Audio CD as well as CD. ATC’s CD2 is a compact, high-performance CD source, and ARCAM’s CD5 opens the Radia range beneath the dual-mono CD25.

Players That Do More Than Spin Discs

Some players double as the hub of a system. ATC’s CDA2 Mk2 combines a CD player with a DAC and a preamplifier, accepting coaxial, optical and USB sources, and Creek’s Voyage CD is both a player and a DAC. Others serve as a transport for an external converter: the Creek 4040 CD adds coaxial, optical and balanced AES/EBU digital outputs to a built-in DAC. For the Ruark systems, the R-CD100 adds CD over USB, with the conversion handled inside the Ruark.

Partnering a CD Player

Hi-fi CD players reward a considered partner. Pair a player with one of the integrated amplifiers in the collection, add one of the DACs to a transport, or set a disc player beside one of the music streamers so that discs and digital libraries share one system. A high-end CD player deserves the same care in placement as any turntable, on a rigid, level shelf away from vibration.

Every player here sits within the wider hi-fi sources collection, and the complete ranges are in the ARCAM, Creek Audio and Rega collections. Ask Audio Lounge about hearing two players side by side.

Questions About CD Players

What is the best CD player UK buyers can choose today?

The best CD player is the one that suits the amplifier and the room. In this collection, ARCAM’s CD25 and Rega’s Isis lead for dual-mono conversion and balanced outputs, Goldmund’s Eidos SACD for Super Audio CD, and the Creek 4040 CD for a system built around an external DAC. Ask Audio Lounge on Wigmore Street for a comparison.

Can a CD player be used as a DAC?

Some can. ATC’s CDA2 Mk2 takes digital sources through coaxial, optical and USB inputs and adds a preamplifier, so a streamer or television can use the converter inside, and Creek’s Voyage CD combines player and DAC in one chassis. Rega’s Isis also accepts a computer over USB. A transport such as the Creek 4040 CD works the other way, sending the disc to an external DAC.

Do any of these players play SACD?

Yes. Goldmund’s Eidos SACD player reads Super Audio CD discs alongside CD, CD-R and CD-RW, and accepts high-resolution files over USB. Every other player in the collection is designed around the compact disc itself.

Which CD player suits a Ruark system?

Ruark’s own R-CD100, a CD drive made for the R410, the R610 and the R810. The R-CD100 connects over USB and appears as another source on the Ruark display, while the converters inside the Ruark handle the conversion. Any other player here can also feed an R410 through an analogue or optical input.