The Best CD Players to Revive Your (or Start) Disc Collection

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If someone gifted you a Sony Walkman around the time the iPod Touch was coming out, you’d politely say “thanks,” and probably relegate the once-revolutionary portable CD player to the back of your closet. But right now, even while advanced tech like noise-canceling headphones and smart Bluetooth speakers seem to rule the audio space, CDs and CD players are making a comeback, and not just for reasons of nostalgia and being hip (cough: vinyl). Instead, it’s all about sound quality for the audiophiles who love CDs.

Whereas MP3s and streaming services conveniently compress audio files into byte-sized chunks that are more portable, the best CD players and CDs keep the audio closer to its original recording format. The result is better sound quality and a more accurate recording, although, according to experts, you need the right setup to take advantage of these CD benefits.

“The CD player is at the very beginning of the chain in the audio system. If you let garbage into the system, you are processing garbage, not a good signal,” said Wotjek Pacula, editor of Hi-Fi magazine High Fidelity. “Therefore, in my opinion, the CD player is the most important component in the system.”

So whether you’re an audiophile yourself or you’re just shopping for one, read on to learn more about why a CD player should be on any music lover’s list of must-have devices in 2024.

Best CD Players

• Best Overall: Onkyo C-7030

• Best Budget CD Player: Sony BDP-S6700 Blu-Ray Player

• Best Budget Hi-Fi CD Player: Cambridge Audio AXC35

• Best SACD Player: Technics SL-G700M2

• Best CD Transport: Cambridge Audio CXC Transport Player

What to Consider

If acronyms like DAC and SACD are foreign to you, start with our brief primer on modern CD players to make sure your next purchase or gift idea hits all the right notes.

To DAC or Not to DAC

DAC stands for digital-to-analog converter. Your CD player reads digital information from a compact disc but your speakers must receive the data in analog form, so you need a DAC somewhere in between to bridge the gap. Some CD players come with a DAC built in while others, dubbed CD transporters, do not come with a DAC. Using an external DAC can improve the sound quality of your CD player, although on the flip side, you’ll need another piece of gear. Thankfully, the internal DACs on the best CD players are good enough nowadays to satisfy most audiophiles’ needs. However, we also included a pure CD transporter in our list for folks who want to buy a DAC separately.

SACD Capability

SACDs are “super audio” CDs, a standard that arrived around the turn of the millennium and brought even better sound quality to compact discs. They never gained widespread popularity by the time the broader public turned to MP3s, but their multiple audio channels (a.k.a. surround sound) make SACDs popular among the audiophile community. However, not all CD players can read SACDs, so indicated whether each machine in our guide plays well with the compact disc’s high-end counterpart.

Outputs

Before you settle on your next CD player, consider how you want to transport sound to your speakers. If you’re going through an external DAC, you’ll want to have either a coaxial or optical cable output on your CD player to export the digital signal.

“It is good to choose a CD player that has digital inputs because we will also be able to connect a computer or streamer (audio file transport) to it,” Pacula said.

If not, a standard set of RCA connections works fine for transporting analog signals to your speakers. For even better sound (especially when using longer cables), look for balanced cable outputs in addition to RCA outputs (which are unbalanced), as they reduce interference from external sources like your PC or radio transmissions.

Disc Loading Method

Believe it or not, the method by which you load the CD into the CD player can impact the sound you hear. There are players with a slot to push a CD in (like in your car, if it’s a decade old or more) and players with a pull-out drawer. And there are loaders, in which a flap opens up for you to press the CD directly onto the axis of the motor. Top-loaders can cut down on mechanical resonance because the CD is in direct contact with the spinning motor, leading to better sound quality.

“The best transports are the latter, but they require space above the player, so it must stand on the top shelf and we must have good access to it,” Pacula said. “The most versatile drives are those with a drawer. Slotted ones, on the other hand, are so convenient that many people remember them from cars and know how to operate them.”

How We Selected

We started by taking inventory of the current market for to find the best CD players, looking at the top-selling models at every price point, and testing out the features that separate the good from the great. Then we continued with research among trusted audio sources in the high-fidelity realm to ensure that real people’s ears had confirmed what the marketing copy promised. Finally, we benchmarked our shortlist against primary competitors at every tier to make sure you get the best value for your dollar.

Read on below to find the best CD players on the market.

C-7030

If you're looking for the best CD player that has an exceptional sound and won’t consume half of your paycheck, then the Onkyo C-7030 is the one for you.

The solid-feeling CD player is often recommended by audiophiles for its dynamic sound, exceptional build quality, and long-term reliability.

The C-7030 is the baseline for what’s considered “nice” in audiophile circles, thanks in part to great first impressions. A thick steel chassis and aluminum construction help this 16-pound device reduce vibrations that contribute to unwanted noise.

It feels as sturdy as a $300 CD player should, too, thanks to a solid aluminum front panel and an oversized, bespoke transformer.

The 192 kHz/24-bit DAC is another selling point thanks to the high bit depth that enhances the clarity of your music. Optical and coaxial digital outputs (in addition to an analog output) and a headphone jack with volume controls round out this well-balanced CD player.

BDP-S6700 Blu-Ray Player

One of the most recommended affordable CD players is actually a Blu-Ray player—wait, what? Indeed, not only can Sony’s BDP-S6700 play Blu-Ray discs, but it can also handle CDs and SACDs as well.

That means surround sound-level audio for your speakers or home entertainment system is a fraction of the cost of competing SACD-compatible units. It even streams high-resolution audio via Bluetooth and comes with Spotify connectivity.

Publications like Future Audiophile lauded the sound quality from the unit’s internal DAC, although a coaxial output allows for the use of an external DAC should you decide to upgrade in the future.

In fact, users’ only knocks on the BDP-S6700 were the device’s lack of a screen and plastic construction. But with so many features and great sound, it’s hard to fault the Sony CD player when it trounces the competition on price by several magnitudes.

AXC35

The AX series from Cambridge Audio is a recent debutant in the hi-fi CD player game, aiming to retain the critical components of more expensive units in a more economical package.

While you can go $100 to $150 cheaper (depending on sale pricing) by opting for the AXC35’s little brother, the AXC25, you lose the coaxial output in the process. That output is what you’d use to hook the AXC35 up to an external DAC, making the more expensive device cheaper in the long run for budding audiophiles who are thinking of upgrading to a DAC someday.

Not that you need an external DAC to enjoy this CD player’s sound quality as AXC35 owners and product reviewers around the hi-fi world laud the device’s clear and consistent audio quality. There’s not much unique or special about the way this player sounds, but at this price point, the AXC35’s ability to let a CD’s superior sound quality shine through is commendable enough.

SL-G700M2

Technics’ SL-G700M2 is ideal for audiophiles looking to maximize the superb audio quality of SACDs with a high-end CD player. The second rendition of Technics’ premier multi-digital player can not only handle CDs and SACDs, but also streaming services such as Google Chromecast, Spotify, Tidal, and Amazon Music via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities.

Uncompromising sound quality starts with keeping things quiet, and the SL-G700M2 removes unwanted noise via a three-stage method. A high-speed switching power supply reduces noise interference during music playback while a low-noise regulator offsets any remaining hum from the power supply.

Finally, current injection active noise canceling digitally cancels out unwanted sounds. The resulting sound is well-balanced and accurate, according to experts at WhatsHiFi.com, albeit with a “measured approach” that doesn’t artificially punch up your tunes.

The only downside is the price — not only does the player cost more than $3,000, but you’ll want an equally nice set of speakers to get the most out of the SL-G700M2’s performance.

CXC Transport Player

If you prefer to run a dedicated DAC and CD transport, the Cambridge Audio CXC Transport is a great option for capturing the billions of pits on your compact discs as accurately as possible. The CXC delivers precise and stable sound to your DAC thanks to a tradeoff: It only does CDs.

By not focusing on multifunctionality — some transports also play SACDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray discs — the CXC remains optimized for the exact specifications of a standard compact disc and therefore delivers the most accurate sound possible.

The purpose-built nature of the CXC also helps it read well-loved (scratched) CDs with minimal skipping, and several years' worth of audiophile forum chatter indicates that the CXC more than adequately fulfills the transport’s role of delivering the best digital sound possible to the DAC.

A somewhat awkward remote control, which also charges (not included) Cambridge Audio amplifiers and network receivers can’t jump directly to numbered tracks, which is an unfortunate tradeoff.

DX-C390

The Onkyo DX-C390 is ideal for folks who want the convenience of toggling between albums without removing discs each time or digitizing their entire CD collection. This is one of the best CD players that will allow you to remove or replace up to five compact discs while a sixth continues to play, all while adding only a couple of inches of height to a standard CD player.

The CD changer also comes with programmable modes to repeat entire discs or certain tracks, as well as a remote control that allows you to select a new disc or numbered track, adjust volume or play and pause the tunes. You also get an audiophile-grade 192 kHz/24-bit DAC and the ability to play MP3-coded CDs, which can hold up to 10 times the amount of tracks as a conventional CD due to a higher amount of compression.

If you want a CD changer with all of the markers of a high-end CD player, the DXC390 is among the best tools for the job.

Nomad

Sony’s “Walkman” still exists, but only as a trademark — the company gave up on producing portable CD players years ago as the MP3s and streaming decimated the market for the devices. And yet, Walkman-esque devices like KLIM’s Nomad are making a resurgence.

For better-sounding, less compressed audio on the go, the Nomad offers users a few methods of getting their favorite tunes into their ears. There’s Bluetooth connectivity for using the CD player with wireless earbuds or your car’s stereo system, and two 3.5mm headphone jacks allow you to share your hard-wired listening experience with a friend.

And while we wouldn’t recommend taking the Nomad jogging, the device smooths out imperfections in your discs by preloading 100 seconds of music to avoid interruptions. A set of included wired earbuds completes this budget-friendly package.

ZS-RS60BT CD Boombox

If you’re after great sound for your CD collection in a portable format that doesn’t force you to fuss about with external speakers or DACs, then what you really want is a boombox. Skip the 80s revival knockoffs on Amazon and go for Sony’s ZS-RS60BT CD Boombox, a quality unit that delivers dynamic, bassy sound through two 2-watt speakers in a portable packagem—mthere’s even a retractable handle.

In addition to listening to CDs, the Sony boombox lets you record DCs onto USB devices via an included USB jack. You also get FM radio and bluetooth connectivity, making the ZS-RS60BT one of the most versatile CD players on this list. The power supply is the only area where the Sony boombox starts to show its age—when you can’t plug it into the wall, you’ll eventually need a set of new batteries, and the ZS-RS60BT takes six C batteries to be exact.

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