Single-Disc CD Players

Top-rated single-disc CD players

While it is possible to spend thousands of dollars on a CD player, we've indentified a number of more moderately priced units that can deliver as good -- or nearly as good -- sound for much, much less money. While sound quality remains a high priority, we've also weighed ergonomics, build quality and value into the equation in naming our Best Reviewed CD players in this report.

For those with a bit bigger budget, it's hard to find fault with the Onkyo DX-7555 CD player (*Est. $410). It's a single-disc player with CD-R/RW compatibility and support for MP3 files. Built-in memory allows for on-board storage of up to 25 tracks. There's no SACD or HDCD support, however.

The Onkyo DX-7555 has garnered good reviews from Stereophile magazine, The Absolute Sound and elsewhere. The Absolute Sound has given it with an Editors' Choice award, noting that it includes technical features once only found in the most expensive high-end products. Those include high-end digital-to-audio converters, an anti-resonant chassis and the ability to alter the player's clock speed from the factory preset. "I have many doubts about the wisdom of giving users easy access to precision settings," writes Barry Willis. "On the other hand, it does give tweak-obsessed audiophiles something to play with." He adds that the player's sound quality held its own when benchmarked against a $5,000 universal player, and that it's recommended for those not interested in SACD or multi-channel playback.

Stereophile magazine gives the Onkyo DX-7555 a thumbs-up in two separate reports. Robert Deutsch compares it to a $3,000 audiophile CD player. He gives the edge to the more expensive player, but adds that given the difference in cost, "it should sound better." He adds that the Onkyo DX-7555 (paired with an Onkyo amplifier in this review) "produced a very comfortable sound that was simply very pleasant to listen to." Performance in bench testing is called "excellent." Wes Philips compares the Onkyo DX-7555 to a now discontinued but well regarded OPPO universal player. While Philips calls the OPPO player a relative bargain, he adds that "at the end of the day, I preferred the Onkyo as a CD player."

Dropping down a little in price, we also saw some strong recommendations for the Marantz CD5003 (*Est. $350). That single-disc player offers the same disc and file support as the Onkyo DX-7555, but adds WMA file support. There is no on-board memory for storing tracks, however.

The Marantz CD5003 includes several features designed to appeal to musicians. Those include a pitch setting that lets a musician match the pitch of a CD to the instrument that they are playing. The Quick Replay feature backs up the CD by a user-determined amount (5 to 60 seconds) so you can hear a passage again. Those who want the purest sound may appreciate an Audio EX mode that turns off or bypasses potential sources of digital noise -- such as the display. The display includes CD Text support for displaying song and artist information.

Britain's What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision is among the Marantz CD5003's fans. The magazine awards the CD player its highest rating, complimenting both its build quality and its sound. User feedback is limited; it gets five stars from everyone at Crutchfield.com, but after only a few reviews. However, the Marantz CD5003 is named a staff pick.

If you are interested in an SACD player, we saw some recommendations for the Pioneer Elite PD-D6-J CD player (*Est. $500). It earns five stars from What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision despite a few shortfalls that would have caused other players to lose a star, the editors say. Complaints include a substandard remote control and a lack of dynamic punch that "makes the machine sound polite, and renders the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers too polished for our tastes." However, that's more than offset by the PD-D6-J's ability to convey music without adding coloring of its own and its ability to create an extremely realistic and accurate sound stage, placing each instrument exactly where it belongs.

At Playback magazine, Chris Martens says that the Pioneer Elite PD-D6-J is a good SACD player whose strengths are undercut a little by "a tendency to smooth over low-level sonic details." That said, Martens is very impressed by the player's performance with regular CDs, saying its Legato Link signal processing, a Pioneer exclusive, gives the Pioneer Elite PD-D6-J "a touch of sonic sophistication normally associated with more costly CD players." Pioneer Elite products are only available through a limited network of authorized dealers and can be hard to find on line. Buying from an unauthorized dealer can void the manufacturer's warranty.

If you have a smaller budget and want SACD compatibility, the OPPO DV-980H (*Est. $170) is worth considering. We cover the video capabilities of this OPPO universal player in our report on DVD players, where it is among our Best Reviewed choices. However, a number of experts point out that the OPPO DV-908H is an extremely accomplished audio performer as well, with support for HDCD and DVD-Audio in addition to SACD and regular CDs. Like all universal players, the OPPO DV-980H can play any CD format, including CD+R and CD+RW, and all file formats including MP3 and WMA. A USB port allows playback of digital audio and video files from a flash drive. OPPO's customer service/technical support typically earns raves. User reviews at Amazon.com are extensive and impressive.

Among professional reviewers, Chris Groppi at Secrets of Home Theater and High-Fidelity notes that OPPO engineered this player with an emphasis on its audio performance, even partnering with "a well-known (but unnamed) high-end audio company to assist in the development of the 980H's audio circuitry." His review concentrates exclusively on the OPPO DV-980H audio capabilities, and he comes away impressed, to say the least. "Not considering the video performance of the player at all, this would be a no-brainer audio player for any audiophile on a budget," Groppi writes.

At Audiophile Audition, John Sunier says that audio is "where the 980H shines." He tests the OPPO DV-980H against a $2,500 Integra universal player and prefers the OPPO's audio performance in most regards when playing back either standard CDs or SACDs. What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision demurs slightly. While agreeing that that performance with SACDs is terrific, the magazine adds that playback of regular CDs is, like most universal players, "merely adequate."