
Rotel CD14 CD MK II
$999
The CD14 CD player doesn’t try to be anything but a CD player. It uses a highly regarded Wolfson DAC chip, which is capable of sampling rates up to 192kHz; of course, as the sampling rate of CDs is 44.1kHz, the DAC’s capability is overkill. The CD14 will also play MP3 files, but you’d need to burn those onto CDs first (there’s no USB input that would allow you to play them off a USB flash drive). Analog output is on unbalanced RCA jacks—there’s no balanced XLR out. The CD14 sounds good, though the bass lacks a little impact. VF, 273

Arcam CDS50
$1320
Unimposing in its size and bulk, the Arcam CDS50 employs a SABRE 9038 Reference chipset for D/A conversion—up to 32-bit/192kHz for PCM sources as well as (DoP) DSD. The disc drawer is a slow-loading plastic affair, but the player delivers gutsy electric bass/kick drum sound on well-engineered rock recordings. The soundstage presented is somewhat narrower than competing (and more expensive) products. Downloading the iOS/Android MusicLife app to a phone or tablet gets one connected to several streaming services and to internet radio. AQ, 300

Yamaha CD-S1000
$1799
Available for a decade and with its list price recently reduced by $500, the CD-S1000 is something of a “senior citizen” among digital source components. There are no streaming or networking capabilities, but if all you need is silver-disc playback, this 33-pound, built-like-a-tank machine does the job very well. The player uses a pair of Burr-Brown PCM 1796 DACs to handle sample rates up to 192kHz and plays SACDs in their “native” DSD format. The disc drawer has a gearless mechanism in a steel/wood chassis and offers exceptionally smooth, quiet operation. There are both coaxial and optical digital outputs, so the CD-S1000 is an excellent candidate to serve as a transport with a high-end DAC. AQ, 300
By TAS Staff
More articles from this editorRead Next From Review
See all
Linn 119 stand-mount loudspeakers – active or passive?
Right back from the first days of Linn loudspeakers, there […]
- by Alan Sircom
- Jul 23rd, 2025

Ortofon AS-212R Tonearm
Everywhere renowned for its phono pickups, Orto- fon has since […]
- by Paul Seydor
- Jul 22nd, 2025

Best Headphone Amplifiers Series: Ray Samuels Audio B-21 Raider Electrostatic and Dynamic Amplifier
Ray Samuels Audio is a long-standing builder of both portable […]
- by Tom Martin
- Jul 22nd, 2025

2025 Disc Player of the Year: Luxman D-07X
$9,999 Luxman’s newest universal-disc player derives from the company’s flagship […]
- by TAS Staff
- Jul 22nd, 2025