Compared with three or four years ago, when it felt as though the CD-player well was starting to dry up, 2026 has felt like it has been positively overflowing.
That might be pushing things a little bit, perhaps, but we have certainly welcomed a decent number of new players into our test rooms, from affordable spinners to machines costing well into five figures.
The net result is a solid number of five-star performers – but, more importantly, our testing has delivered two new winners in the CD player category at What Hi-Fi? Awards 2026.
We start with one familiar face at the top end. The Cyrus CD 40 is our pick of the best players over £2000, as it was in 2025.
The half-width design gives it that distinctive Cyrus appearance we’ve come to know and love over the years. Add a brushed anodised-aluminium body and glass front panel to the equation, and you have a player that oozes quality.
And the CD 40 has the performance to back it up. It’s a startling performer and, as we say in our Cyrus CD 40 review, “the way it handles every element of music with such precision, poise, subtlety and control is impressive. Pair it with an appropriately talented system, spin any CD in your collection, and we think you’ll have a terrific time.”
It’s been a good year for Arcam, with the British brand picking up not one but two CD-player gongs. The £699 / $699 CD5 picks up its third What Hi-Fi? Award in as many years as the best CD player £500-£1000.
This affordable, capable and enjoyable machine continues to set the pace at its price point with its rich and likeable sound, appealing to many a potential customer. Its all-black aluminium body looks the part and makes it a good match for Arcam's Award-winning A5 amplifier, should you want symmetry from your hi-fi electronics.
Brand new for this year is a top of the range player from Arcam: the CD25. The headline news here is that the big brother to the CD5 takes everything up a level. It gets a glossy OLED display which is sharper and crisper than the CD5’s dot-matrix/LCD effort, and it looks and feels every inch the £1499 / $1800 / AU$3295 step-up machine.
It performs like one, too. The CD25 serves up refinement and sophistication in spades, but it’s also fun to listen to. The fantastic sense of balance shown by the CD25 means we think it will slot effortlessly into many a system – making it an easy recommendation and worthy Award winner.
Last, but by no means least, we arrive at our second new entry for 2026. Replacing the all-conquering Marantz CD6007 as our favourite entry-level player is its successor, the CD 70.
While the budget hi-fi market has shifted up a price level in recent years, this £499 / $750 / AU$1000 machine still represents a sensational buy for anyone looking to add a CD player to an entry-level set-up. It’s an attractive and solidly built machine that is capable of injecting life into any CD collection.
This marks the last entry into the Award-winning CD-playing class of 2026 – all that remains to be decided is which player we crown our Product of the Year. Stay tuned for the full reveal on the night of Thursday the 12th of November!
MORE:
Forget the vinyl revival – I’m getting excited about CD players again
Read our full Arcam CD25 review
And our full Marantz CD 70 review
