CD Players - Luxman

CD players are still available for hi-fi seperates systems - our range includes both fantastic value and high end purist models, as well as models also capable of playing SACDs. Despite the popularity of streaming and the resurgence of vinyl, CD still reigns king as a music source for many, thanks to CD's durability, sound quality, size and many who have existing large collections. CD players have evolved and many now feature streaming capabilities, pre amplifiers and/or DACs that can accept connections from other digital sources, although we also sell more purist CD players that are designed simply to get the best possible sound from your CDs and nothing more. We also sell blu ray and universal disc players

A CD player consists of two key components – a CD transport and a DAC. The CD transport is the mechanism which reads the disc via a laser and provides raw digital data in which the music is contained. This is where the DAC comes in. DAC stands for Digital to Analogue Converter, and does just that; takes pure digital audio and converts it into an analogue signal, which is what is required for playback and to actually play music out loud. Both CD transports and DACs vary in quality, and so can be purchased separately. CD players feature both a transport and a DAC in a single unit, adding convenience and eliminating the need to pair and match two components sonically.

Luxman is a highly regarded global brand which has become well known for its exceptional premium quality audio products. They focus on producing natural sound, free from artificial processing for an intimate dialog with music.

Established in 1925 following the advent of radio broadcasting in Japan, Luxman has a long history of contributing great acoustics to the audio world. The radio department opened in Lux Corporation, Osaka, which handled pictures and frames at that time.

Luxman's history of seeking higher sound quality started from this moment. The basis of their manufacturing process is the natural and genuine influence of music on people’s imagination. Luxman aims to protect the passion that musicians pour into their music and the meticulous labour of the recording artists who chronicle it. This unwavering effort to replicate every sound and delicate tonal nuance results in performances that carry the spirit of the artists along with the exhilarating atmosphere of concert sites as purely as possible.

Matching the artist and engineers’ level of zeal, Luxman works hard to maintain the integrity of composers, players and recording engineers. At their commemorative 80th anniversary, Luxman is still working towards further gratification through excellent music and sharing the pleasure with clients and users.

Most CD players feature digital outputs, typically optical and coaxial, enabling you to use your unit as a transport and take the digital output and feed it directly into an external DAC. This enables you to upgrade your CD player in the future, and improve the overall sound experienced from it. As with amplification and many aspects of hi-fi, the use of separate boxes and units can have a profound effect on the overall sound quality. Separating noisy power supplies from delicate circuitry can result in greater overall fidelity and sound quality, which is why separate CD transports and DACs are regarded as the pinnacle of hi-fi, just as a separate power and pre amplifier are the pinnacle of amplification. All in one units often represent excellent value, and are not necessarily worse than separate transport and DAC solutions. In fact, at entry level and mid level price points, an all in one CD player typically outperform a similarly priced separate solution.

The quality of the CD transport mechanism, whether that is a standalone unit or the transport in a one-box CD player, can have a massive effect on the overall sound from your Compact Discs. Some high end models use a manual drawer rather than a slot-loading or mechanised disc tray, which eliminates the need for additional motors, circuitry and potential noise interfering with the sound quality achieved. Internal resonance control and prevention of laser refraction ensures that a precise read can be achieved, which ultimately results in the best sound quality.

One box CD players feature analogue RCA outputs for connecting to a pre amplifier or integrated amplifier. As mentioned, some models also feature digital outputs, enabling you to connect a DAC which in turn is connected to an amplifier via RCA cable. A good quality cable can also offer an improvement to the sound you achieve, and can also help to alter or adjust the tonal characteristics of your system – for example adding a more well-rounded sound to an overly bright system.