July/August 2026
ertonline.co.uk
That’s proving easier said than done. The decline of the CD market saw specialist Red Book audio transports largely disappear from the supply chain, most notably after Philips exited the optical drive business in the early 2000s. This
forced manufacturers to turn to
computer-grade CD-ROM and Blu-ray mechanisms instead. While perfectly capable of extracting digital data, these drives behave very differently from traditional audio transports. Classic Red Book mechanisms were designed to deliver a continuous low-jitter audio stream and cope gracefully with scratched discs. Computer drives prioritise data accuracy,
buffering information and relying on error correction rather than uninterrupted playback. The general consensus is that they don’t sound quite so good. Sourcing dedicated audio transports has become one of the biggest challenges facing premium audio brands keen to re-enter the CD business.
This hardware combo arrives at exactly the right moment, offering enthusiasts an obvious upgrade path. At £749 for the amplifier and £499 for the player, the premium pairing should prove irresistible. Marantz isn’t the only brand to capture the zeitgeist. Premium buyers can also look towards the Michi Prestige Q430 with its floating anti-vibration transport and ESS Sabre DAC, while Mission’s compact 778CDT and Quad’s retro-inspired 3CDT provide more affordable transport-only options. Market newcomer Unitra, from Poland, has taken a different route with its full-width CSH- 801, complete with e-Ink display. Even portable CD players are returning. FiiO’s
feature-rich DM15 R2R combines CD playback with Bluetooth, USB DAC functionality and ripping capabilities, while Shanling’s colourful EC Play is an affordable entry back into the portable player market.
Top buys
One company embracing this renewed interest in 16-bit audio is Marantz. Its eagerly anticipated Model 70 integrated amplifier and CD 70 player are timely replacements for the long-serving PM6007 and CD6007, one of Hi- Fi’s most successful entry-level combinations. Their styling adopts the company’s latest industrial design language, with elegant dimpled chassis finished in either Black or Silver Gold. On the inside, the changes are equally significant. The amplifier gains upgraded Class A/B amplification, while the CD player benefits from a revised digital architecture centred around a new DAC, Marantz’s HDAM-SA3 analogue circuitry and a low phase-noise master clock intended to reduce jitter and improve timing.
Sticking faithfully to the original Red Book philosophy is Canadian outfit Sim Audio. Its MOON 260D CD player is one of the band’s most consistent sellers. It’s available in two versions, full blown CD player (£3,700) or CD transport (£2,700). The player uses a simple sled transport that adheres to the Red Book spec. All processing is done off the drive mechanism, in the deck, and is fully optimised for 16-bit 44.1KHz playback, for optimum playback quality. According to John Carroll, Managing Director
of Renaissance, MOON’s UK and Ireland distributor, a lack of Red Book drives is limiting what manufacturers can offer. “Look at the MOON 260D player. It uses a Red Book drive, so it’s a true CD player,” he told ERT. “The DACs in it are optimised for 16-bit 44.1 kHz, for the best sound quality. So what you get is a very solid machine. CD players that use a ROM drive, a Blu-ray drive, are quite often a compromised design.”
FiiO DM15 R2R
Ruark R710
Ruark Audio takes universal approach Perhaps the most telling new launch comes from Ruark Audio. Its R710 Music Console neatly demonstrates that physical media and streaming don’t need to compete. Having omitted a CD drive from its previous generations, Ruark has brought the format back. The company says customer demand made the decision an easy one. “Streaming isn’t going anywhere but people still want to play their CDs,” managing director Alan O’Rourke told ERT. The decision was taken after consumer demand led to the release of its dedicated R-CD100 CD Player, for its disc-less R410, R610 and R810 models. “Our buyers made it clear that they wanted CD playback with their Ruark music systems,” said Mr Rourke. “We learnt our lesson. CD is here to stay.”
In many ways, the new R710 holds a mirror up to current consumer tastes. Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, AirPlay 2 and Google Cast sit alongside Internet radio, Bluetooth and high-resolution audio playback. The integrated CD player shares space with a moving magnet phono stage, for vinyl lovers, while HDMI eARC is available for TV sound. Rather than asking buyers to choose formats, the R710 embraces all of them. It’s the One Ring of consumer audio. Of course, streaming remains the engine
room of the audio business. If CDs are bouncing back, they’re going to always have wireless audio for company. >>
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Michi Q430 CD player
Ruark R710-Walnut detail remote CD
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