-
Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Best Deal Cd Player 2026
- Thread starter mliuzzi
- Start date
I have the Marantz 6007. I like it and its well built. Display could be a little better though. It appears you understand all CD players sound the same which is important
Supposed to have Coaxial digital out, not Optical, because most old/previous tech DAC Amp Optical 96Khz and Coaxial 192Khz.
Or, like this guy below here. There are 2 Outputs: 3.5mm Digital Optical and Digital Coaxial in 1 port.
Last edited:
Nutul
Addicted to Fun and Learning
If it is a CD player (used as a transport here) how would those 96 and 192 come into play... the player will output everything at 44.1, uh?
It will be up sampled by the DAC Amp.
And usually Optical is used for TV/Cinema and Coaxial for Music.
Nutul
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Indeed. So the player/transport has no role in it.
Talisman
Major Contributor
Can I say that?
But how annoying it is when users, when someone asks for advice on a CD player, suggest ripping it to FLAC and listening to the file.
I wonder if, when someone asks for advice on a turntable, they'd suggest using an ADC and digitizing the tracks because "it's much more convenient."
Probably, considering that people on an audio forum aren't totally clueless, any user knows full well that they can use FLAC files, or streaming, but they're looking for a different experience. Is that so hard to understand?
I love my CD players, and I'll continue to put original records in them and play them from track one to the last, because that satisfies my passion.
But how annoying it is when users, when someone asks for advice on a CD player, suggest ripping it to FLAC and listening to the file.
I wonder if, when someone asks for advice on a turntable, they'd suggest using an ADC and digitizing the tracks because "it's much more convenient."
Probably, considering that people on an audio forum aren't totally clueless, any user knows full well that they can use FLAC files, or streaming, but they're looking for a different experience. Is that so hard to understand?
I love my CD players, and I'll continue to put original records in them and play them from track one to the last, because that satisfies my passion.
I had considered recommending the SMSL PL100, the SMSL PL100 Pro, or the SMSL PL150. These players include a coaxial output, and appear to have decent analog performance. Unfortunately, the SMSL PL100 has been discontinued and is difficult to find in new condition, while both the SMSL PL100 Pro and the SMSL PL150 lack gapless playback (which is a dealbreaker for most people).
Last edited:
Best CD player is one in your computer that you can set up to rip losslessly.Thats just me for over 20 years...
When mliuzzi is asking for help in finding a "Best Deal CD Player 2026", I think he's hoping for some assistance identifying a newer, inexpensive, high quality model with good analog performance, which is kind of a rare creature these days. There are any number of recently released low-cost CD Players with excellent digital output, and good vintage players that can be bought used for a decent price, but my hunch is that the OP may not be interested in buying those models.
I've got a PL100 (silver) sitting in a box. I bought it last year thinking I'd get into CD collecting but never did. Happy to pass along for what I paid ($100ish in the USA).
Wow! Now there's a stroke of unexpected good fortune. The original Pl100 is a very nice piece of equipment, and from what I understand, it's a gapless player. As I've mentioned on other ASR threads, I have collected a zillion Classical CDs over the years. A fair number of these CDs are vintage and probably mastered with pre-emphasis, so a player that's capable of correctly applying de-emphasis is needed for those older CDs to sound their best. I've been trying to find out definitively whether the PL100 has this feature. I'll get back to you with the answer as soon as I'm able. Many thanks - I greatly appreciate your offer!
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2025
- Messages
- 50
- Likes
- 57
Sold to me if the other gentleman passes
Sure just send me a message if you're interested. Happy to send pictures or whatever else.
Hopefully all with identical digital output unless broken.
Since there's no telling how long it might take me to find out with certainty whether the PL100 is capable of applying de-emphasis (I suspect that it doesn't have that function) please feel free to accept the offer by Smitty2k1, with my congratulations for getting a great deal on a CD player I know you will appreciate.Sold to me if the other gentleman passes
Last edited:
is the SMSL PL100 the cheapest disc spinner at $150?
i think this is like buying a new horse and buggy in 2026... sure you can but yeah.... that era has passed
i see heaps of sub $100 even sub $50 no name units on aliexpress but yeah cant trust it
i think this is like buying a new horse and buggy in 2026... sure you can but yeah.... that era has passed
i see heaps of sub $100 even sub $50 no name units on aliexpress but yeah cant trust it
The original SMSL PL100 has been discontinued and is essentialy no longer being sold new by retailers. It has been replaced by the SMSL PL100 Pro, which is currently selling on Amazon for $159. However, the Fosi Merak CD Player is abou $19 less expensive, at $139.99. Whether or not these components are "horse and buggy" obsolete is a question that music lovers can decide for themselves.
Last edited:
Similar threads
- Poll
