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CD PLAYERS
If you’re still hanging on to your beloved CDs, they will sparkle when played through these
Playback of CD, CD-R and CD-RW is supported, but not SACD
Image credit: Sony
■ Arcam CD5 £699
Going by its amplifier siblings’ Awardwinning performances, the CD5 could be just what CD fans have been waiting for. Similar to the A5 and A15 amps, the CD5 sports a sleek, minimal design and is made to a high standard. The black aluminium body with yellow accents looks modern in an understated way, and the whole unit feels robust. The front display, with its simple text showing track information, is easy to read from afar. The disc-loading tray operates smoothly and quickly, with a gentle but reassuring mechanical whirr. We find the CD5 easy and responsive to use, whether pressing the unit’s large buttons for playback or using the small remote.
Connections are minimal, with just a single pair of RCA line-level outputs and, on the digital side, one optical and one coaxial output apiece. The CD5 supports playback of CD, CD-R and CD-RW disc formats. You can also play music files (in