CDs have seen a spike in popularity recently, and if you're a fan of physical media that's good news – even more so if you're looking to buy a new player for yourself. Our guide to the best CD players and transports will help you choose a new spinner to match your budget and needs.
What Hi-Fi? has been testing and reviewing CD players ever since the format's inception in 1983, and many of us still prefer owning a physical music format like compact discs, even alongside convenient streaming. CD has clear advantages over other formats: more reliable and permanent than streaming; more compact and cheaper than vinyl; and once you buy an album, it's yours to keep forever.
Our curated list below includes fully integrated CD players, which have a built-in digital-to-analogue converter (DAC), and CD transports, which can only read the data on the disc and require an external DAC to work. Some models even combine CD and streaming, so you don't have to choose between formats.
Our recommendations are always based on real-life use and tests by our expert in-house team of reviewers in our dedicated listening rooms, and we've chosen the best products across the price range to ensure there's something for everyone.
You can read more about our CD players test process at the bottom of the page, along with tips on how to choose the best spinner for you. Read on to discover the best CD spinners we recommend that combine rock-solid build quality, seamless usability and excellent sound for the money.
16th October 2026: Added the Marantz CD 70 and Arcam CD25 in place of the Marantz CD6007 and Cyrus CDi, which have both been discontinued. Also removed the Marantz SA-10 from the also consider section and replaced it with the Gryphon Audio Ethos.
I have been testing and reviewing at What Hi-Fi? for over 10 years, and that includes my fair share of CD players and CD transports. CDs are rising in popularity, and dedicated players are worth considering if you (like me and my colleagues) have shelves full of CDs and even SACDs to enjoy. When testing disc spinners, we check for sturdy build quality, how smooth or noisy the disc loading mechanism is, how easy it is to use and how good it sounds for the asking price. Modern music streamers and one-box systems can also include CD players, so there's even more choice and versatility for playing all your music these days.
Best CD players: compared
Here's how the best CD players stack up against each other.
Product name |
Rating |
Best for |
SACD |
Outputs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Marantz CD 70 |
★★★★★ |
Budget |
No |
RCA line level |
Arcam CD5 |
★★★★★ |
Mid-range |
No |
Optical, coaxial, line level |
Arcam CD25 |
★★★★★ |
Premium |
No |
RCA line level, balanced XLR |
Cyrus CD 40 |
★★★★★ |
High-end |
No |
Optical, coaxial, 2x line level |
Technics SA-C600 |
★★★★★ |
Streaming system |
No |
3.5mm headphone, subwoofer |
Cambridge Audio CXC |
★★★★★ |
Budget CD transport |
No |
Optical, coaxial |
The best budget CD player
The Marantz CD 70 doesn’t have a huge amount of competition at this price but that doesn’t mean it’s on this list by default; this brilliantly affordable CD player is an excellent choice in its own right.
As a replacement for Marantz’s CD6007 – a CD player that won no less than six What Hi-Fi? Awards in its time – the bar was set high for the CD 70, but our five-star review found it to be a more than adequate successor.
Marantz has given the new model a facelift, with a new metallic finish that makes it look much more modern than the previous model. On the inside it also has a new ES9020Q DAC chip, while the power supply and digital clock have been upgraded as well.
The result is a CD player that sounds more upfront than the CD6007 did but it also delivers a clear step up in terms of clarity, punch and solidity. It sounds focused and precise, and extracts an impressive amount of texture and detail. Bass is tight and solid, but there’s also plenty of sparkle to the top-end.
You will need to turn the display off to hear the CD 70 at its best (Marantz recommends doing so in the manual) and of the two digital filter options the first one gives better results, but even without those tweaks the performance is still impressive for the money.
If you’ve still got a CD collection but only limited funds to spend on spinning them, the Marantz CD 70 is in a class of its own.
Read our full Marantz CD 70 review
The best mid-range CD player
There hasn’t been a seriously good, seriously capable, and seriously fun CD player of this level in a very long time. The Arcam CD5 changes things. Now a multiple Award-winner, it's a tremendously talented player that deserves an audition if you’re still holding on to your beloved CDs and want to give them a new lease of life.
It's a great mid-range entry and does one thing well – playing CDs with finesse. There's composure and fluidity to the music that has us hooked from the start, with a nimble and snappy sense of rhythm that keeps our toes tapping without ever over-analysing the wealth of detail it retrieves.
Deep basslines are delivered with a satisfying mix of solidity and muscle, while the CD5 deals with shifting dynamics with ease and subtlety – it takes us through the emotional rollercoaster with songs while keeping an even balance across the frequencies.
The CD5 looks smart and is built to a pleasingly high level, and while the player's menus could be more intuitive to access, the display is large enough to read and the player itself is easy to use.
If you're looking for a greater level of clarity and refinement than what this excellent CD player offers, then you’ll have to spend more than double the money on the likes of Arcam's CD25 (below) – an Award-winner that costs £1500. In light of that, the CD5 only rises in our estimation and remains a solid buy (and great value) for any CD fan.
Read the full Arcam CD5 review
The best premium CD player
If you’re serious about keeping CDs alive, and you’ve got a system that will do it justice, Arcam’s CD25 is the stand-out premium option right now.
The feature list is suitably wide-ranging, with both analogue and balanced outputs, as well as optical digital and coaxial digital outputs, although the lack of USB playback is a shame. You also get a choice of five DAC filters: Min Slow, Min Fast, Apodizing, Linear Slow and Linear Fast.
Whether it’s plugged into our reference system or part of a more price-comparable setup the CD25 produces extremely pleasing results.
Our five-star review praises its “powerful performance, full of energy and vigour” and calls it “confident, assured and wonderfully engaging”. The bass notes hit with authority, vocals come through with texture and feeling, and everything just oozes detail. It’s a very grown-up sound that offers so much sophistication and musicality that you’ll be rifling through your collection to find more old favourites to play on it. It really brings the format to life.
If we’re being picky it takes longer to eject a disc than we would like, but the mechanism is smooth and quiet. In fact, the whole build is solid and sturdy, even if the design is a little utilitarian.
Now that the Cyrus CDi has been discontinued and become very tricky to track down, the Arcam CD25 is a more than worthy replacement in this price range.
Read our full Arcam CD25 review
The best high-end CD player
With its plain black chassis, simple text display, and basic controls, the Cyrus 40 CD might look understated, but this high-end CD player lets the music do the talking.
What the design lacks in flair it makes up for in build quality. While we found the controls could be a touch temperamental, the aluminium body and glass front panel feel suitably premium, and while you can certainly trace an aesthetic lineage back to older Cyrus products the 40 CD looks much more modern.
Connectivity is kept simple, too, with just two RCA outputs, one digital optical output and a coaxial output. There are USB and ethernet sockets on the back but you can’t use them for audio playback, and there’s no Bluetooth either.
That’s not unusual for a Cyrus CD player, though, and once you insert a disc and press play you’ll soon forget about any missing features. The 40 CD is a noticeable improvement on the now discontinued CDi, which you’d expect given that it costs around twice as much.
You get fantastic levels of detail, clarity, stability and rhythmic precision, it’s terrifically dynamic, plus it handles everything with a poise and subtlety that’s truly admirable. It’s the kind of performance that’s impossible not to enjoy – and is a deserved recipient of a What Hi-Fi? Award win.
Read the full Cyrus 40 CD review
The best CD streaming system
The Technics SA-C600 is an elegant all-in-one system with extensive streaming and connectivity (even an MM phono stage) that you just have to add speakers to – and it also has a talented CD player.
We like the tactility of the swivelling transparent CD cover on the top; it’s made of toughened acrylic and feels good to use. The SA-C600 proves an admirably consistent performer across the board, producing musically compelling results with CDs as well as high-res files across our network.
This Technics is expressive and punchy. It has a surefooted sense of rhythm and drive, as well as expressive dynamics that make the performance engaging to listen to. Detail levels are good, but it is the confident way this unit organises that information into a cohesive and musical whole that really impresses.
If all you're after is a CD player, then you might want to choose something more dedicated in this list that puts all its eggs in that audio basket. But if versatility is required and you want to stream your music services over wi-fi as well as spin discs - and why not - then this Technics is worth your attention.
Those who already own an amplifier and have more to spend should consider the Technics SL-G700M2 as well.
Read the full Technics SA-C600 review
The best budget CD transport
The Cambridge Audio CXC is a transport, meaning you'll have to supply your own DAC, but with many amplifiers and active speakers now having a DAC built in, this could be an efficient way of adding a disc-spinner into your system.
This Cambridge CD transport simply reads the data using its single-speed transport and S3 Servo, and using this separate bit of kit to do one specific job makes for better sound quality. There’s a real musicality here that can get lost on lesser players, with an organic, fluid interplay between instruments.
It's punchy and agile, with ample detail retrieved in the wide, spacious soundstage. There's a good rhythm to songs, although we wouldn't mind a tad more subtlety to the detail and dynamic contrast. Paired with the CXA61 amplifier, the CXC delivers an enjoyable, friendly presentation.
It's a nicely made bit of kit too, with a machined metal chassis that feels solid and a design that matches the rest of Cambridge's impressive CX range.
If you already own an external DAC (or there is a good-quality DAC integrated in your system) we wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Cambridge CXC over a standalone CD player at this price. You’d have to spend a good deal more than £500 – leap up towards the Arcam CD5, for instance – to better the sound quality it offers.
Read the full Cambridge Audio CXC review
Also consider
Cambridge Audio AXC35: The AXC35 is a no-frills CD player that's cheaper than the Marantz CD 70. It sounds clear, detailed and dynamic, with a pleasing musical cohesion. It's not quite as gripping, subtle or dynamically fluid as the CD 70, but it's always worth keeping an eye on during the sales.
Technics SL-G700M2: If you have a higher budget and want the combination of streaming and CD playing, this premium SL-G700M2 delivers the best of both worlds. Hi-res streaming and SACD playback are on the menu, it looks classy, and sounds great through all connections.
TEAC VRDS-701: Brilliantly engineered, with an obsessively designed VRDS transport mechanism that results in a stunningly capable and authoritative sound. This premium TEAC player needs an appropriately capable and premium partnering system, and it delivers a beautifully detailed, composed and controlled presentation that's as musical as it is informative.
Gryphon Audio Ethos: Admittedly this is only worth considering if you have the budget of an oil baron, but the Ethos is a real treat for both the eyes and the ears. The eye-catching design is unique, build quality is top-notch, and it sounds absolutely exceptional. This is undoubtedly one of the best CD players money can buy.
Denon D-M41DAB: Technically a classic microsystem with included speakers, but you can also buy the main unit (RCD-M41) on its own, which consists of a CD player as well as Bluetooth and radio tuners. It's an enjoyable, capable player for its affordable price, and remains a go-to recommendation if you're short on funds and space.
How to choose the best CD player for you
What should you consider before purchasing a CD player? It's worth taking into account factors like DAC functionality, ease of use, controls and of course audio performance when making your choice.
Disc formats and extra features
More premium players will have better DAC chips and internal components and fewer errors, resulting in better sound quality overall. Most CD players will support different optical disc formats (CD, CD-R, CD-RW and SACD), but it's not always a given that it will play all the various formats. If you have a strong SACD library, always double-check that the CD player can play it, as it's not always the case that a more premium spinner will play all formats.
Some CD players even pack in wireless and streaming tech to turn your CD player into an all-in-one media system, and include a USB port so you can play 24-bit high-resolution files. It's up to you whether you want the extra features (which can be more expensive) or stick with a solid disc spinner that will do the job well. At minimum, make sure it can play the essential CD formats that you have and will be using.
CD player or transport?
The other thing to consider is if you need an integrated CD player (one with a DAC built-in) or a CD transport (no DAC inside). Transports such as the Cambridge Audio CXC will need to use either a standalone DAC or the one in your stereo amplifier to handle the digital-to-analogue conversion before the sound reaches your speakers.
The upshot of a CD transport? It puts all its concentration and skills on reading the CD disc. The downside is you'll need to make sure you buy or already have an appropriately skilled DAC – either a standalone one or one integrated in your amplifier – to connect it to.
Read more about the differences between a CD player and CD transport.
Budget and design
Alternatively, you can simply pick the player that's most closely aligned with your budget, system and preferred functionality. Do you prefer slot-loading or a disc tray? Does it have a display that can be read easily at a distance? Do you need Bluetooth, or do you have a large collection of SACDs that needs some love?
Remember to set your budget according to the demands of the rest of your system, and to read reviews to ensure that the sonic characteristics of your next CD player matches that of your existing system.
How we test CD players
We have acoustically-treated testing facilities in London and Reading, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test the majority of hi-fi and AV kit that passes through our door – including CD players.
We have over 100 years of combined experience in reviewing, and we are always impartial in our testing and ensure we listen to every CD player at its optimum. We place the player on a sturdy and level surface, connect it to the price-appropriate amplifier and speakers, and ensure we give it ample running in time.
We also try each player with different partnering amplifiers and speakers, and play plenty of CDs (and SACDs, where compatible) in various genres during our testing period. Here is a guide to all the various test tracks we use when reviewing.
What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, so we listen to every CD player we review against the current leader in its category and price band, to gauge how it compares to the best-in-class competition. We keep long-standing What Hi-Fi? Award winners in our stockroom so we can always compare new products against ones we know and love at their relative price point.
All tests and review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than an individual reviewer. This eliminates any personal preference and makes sure we're being as thorough and consistent as possible. There's no input from PR companies, brands or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, and What Hi-Fi? is proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for 50 years.
You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.
FAQ
Are older CD players better than new ones?
This depends on the build quality and reputation of that original CD player. An older CD player that was built and engineered carefully will likely perform better than any cheaply-made player, although there is more chance of something not working if the player hasn't been used regularly or in a very long while.
Any old player would benefit from servicing, while newer models tend to be in tip-top working order, and come with newer, more technically capable DACs.
While the CD technology hasn't changed drastically over the decades, some manufacturers use their own proprietary technology and mechanisms that are designed to read the CD disc more accurately (and therefore result in better sound overall).
More premium or high-end players that are built to this high standard can last longer than cheaply made options (both old and new), where you might find issues with the disc-loading mechanism or errors in the laser that reads the disc or the laser mechanism simply stops working.
Are CD players being phased out?
The advent of streaming and digital music files has meant that CD's popularity has nose-dived in the last couple of decades, and that decrease of demand has meant that fewer CD players are being manufactured compared to its hey-day in the '80s and '90s.
We imagine plenty of you went ahead and ripped your CDs into WAV or FLAC files to create a more efficient, space-saving system; but there are still plenty of us that held on to our physical CD collection, and musicians today are still bringing out CDs of new albums (alongside vinyl records).
While CD player production isn't as widespread as before, many hi-fi companies (such as Marantz, Cambridge Audio, Arcam, Naim, TEAC and more) are still manufacturing CD players to cater to audiophiles and music fans to whom CDs (and even SACDs) are still one of their main ways of listening to music.
Recent updates
October 2026: Added the Marantz CD 70 and Arcam CD25 in place of the Marantz CD6007 and Cyrus CDi, which have both been discontinued. Also removed the Marantz SA-10 from the also consider section and replaced it with the Gryphon Audio Ethos.
January 2026: Highlighted the current What Hi-Fi? Award winners, updated the Also Consider list and removed the Cyrus CDt transport as it is end-of-life.
July 2025: No new entries, but we have checked prices, removed an older product from our 'also consider' list and mentioned the Fell Audio Disc CD player and Eversolo Play CD Edition products we have in for review.
May 2025: After earning a five-star review recently the Cyrus 40 CD has been added as a best high-end option.
March 2025: Checked that all products are current, and updated 'how to choose' advice.
January 2025: More products added to the Also Consider section, and updated intro.
October 2024: The new What Hi-Fi? Awards 2024 winners are labelled following this year's announcement; updated Marantz CD6007 copy to reflect use of new DAC; Audiolab Omnia is included in Also Consider.
August 2024: No new entries, but have checked all products are still ongoing.
April 2024: Updates to our advice and testing processes, and added FAQ section.
November 2023: Award-winning products labelled following the announcement of the 2023 What Hi-Fi? Awards Best Buys.
October 2023: Added Arcam CD5 entry following five-star review.
MORE:
Here are 6 CD player buying tips for when you want to revive your disc collection
Everyone is buying vinyl, but it isn't (and shouldn't be) the end for CDs
Compact Disc’s star has faded, but I like it anyway
Check out the best CD players of What Hi-Fi?'s lifetime
