CD Players

CD players still earn a place in a serious hi-fi system, and ours run from compact top-loaders and straightforward stereo decks to valve-output and reference machines from Denon, Marantz, Rotel, NAD, Shanling and Advance Paris. The range is for anyone with a shelf of discs they have no plans to retire, whether that means a first proper player or a source to build a whole system around.

Dedicated CD players, from first deck to reference

Most of the range does one job: read the disc, convert it and send an analogue signal to your amplifier. For a straightforward stereo, the Denon DCD-600NE and DCD-900NE are built around Denon's AL32 Processing (AL32 Processing Plus on the 900NE, which also adds a USB port for files). The Marantz CD6007 and CD 60, Rotel CD11MKII and CD11 Tribute, NAD C 538 and Pro-Ject CD Box S3 sit in the same role.

Further in, the differences get more specific. The Arcam CD25 gives each channel its own DAC and plays WAV, FLAC, MP3 and AAC data files, the NAD C 589 uses a fully balanced ESS DAC with QRONO d2a filtering, and the Rotel CD14 MKII uses a Texas Instruments 32-bit DAC. Musical Fidelity's M3sCD and M6sCD add coaxial, optical and asynchronous USB inputs, so their DACs can also serve a TV or computer, and the Triode TRV-CD6SE has both RCA and XLR outputs. The Hegel Viking and Electrocompaniet EMC 1 MKV are both reference CD players, intended as the centrepiece of a system rather than one box among several. We also list pre-loved players in our pre-loved electronics.

Balanced outputs, valve stages and digital outputs

Three details narrow the field. First, the analogue connection. The Arcam CD25, Gold Note CD-5.2 and Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 Tube all offer balanced XLR alongside RCA, and a balanced connection carries the signal over three conductors, which matters if your amplifier has balanced inputs.

Second, whether you want a valve in the output stage. The Advance Paris ACD Apex uses NOS Raytheon 5744 tubes in its analogue stage, and the Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 Tube runs a fully balanced output stage on two E88CC tubes. The Apex's tubes are designed to add harmonic character to the signal.

Third, the future. Coaxial and optical digital outputs, found on the Gold Note CD-5.2 and Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 Tube, let a player step back and act as a transport if one of our DACs joins the system later.

Players that also stream, play files or run the room

The Marantz CD50N adds network streaming and HDMI ARC, the Marantz CD 70 plays FLAC, ALAC and DSD from a front USB-A input and has a dedicated headphone amplifier, and the Advance Paris X-Stream 9 combines CD, DAB+ and a streamer. The Shanling EC3 is a compact top-loader with Bluetooth 5.0, USB drive playback and its own headphone amp, a tidy fit for a desk or bedroom.

For one box that does the lot, the Denon RCD-N12B is a CD receiver with radio, HEOS streaming, HDMI ARC and a moving magnet phono input. The Marantz MCR 60n brings CD, streaming, HDMI eARC and an MM phono stage together with its own amplification. Our complete hi-fi systems, such as the Pro-Ject CD Stereo Set, are another route.

Questions we get asked

What's the best CD player in Australia?

There isn't one, and we'd be wary of anyone who names one without asking about your system first. The right choice depends on your amplifier's inputs, whether a DAC or streamer might join later, how much of your music lives on disc, and whether extras like USB playback or a headphone output matter. Tell us what you have and we'll narrow it to two or three.

Should I choose a Denon or Marantz CD player?

Both brands cover simple stereo systems and more involved ones, so the features matter more than the badge. Denon's DCD models are built around its AL32 Processing, while the Marantz CD 70 uses HDAM-SA2 circuitry and the CD50N adds network streaming. We can talk through how each would suit your amplifier.

How is a CD player different from an SACD player or a CD transport?

A CD player reads the disc and converts it to analogue with its own DAC, so it connects straight to an amplifier. Our SACD players also read the high-resolution layer of Super Audio CDs, while a CD transport stops at the digital signal and leaves conversion to an external DAC. Players with digital outputs, such as the Gold Note CD-5.2, can do both jobs.

Our team can talk through your amplifier, your collection and where a player fits, by phone or message. You're also welcome to visit our Murarrie showroom in Brisbane, and demos are arranged by calling or messaging first.