Arcam Radia CD5 CD Player is the latest in a long line of premium CD players from Arcam and effectively replaces the Arcam CDS50 but has been completely reworked and redesigned. Its a perfect match for the Arcam Radia A5, A15 or A25 amplifier alongside the Arcam Radia ST5 streamer, or indeed within any other good system.

Ever since the iconic Delta CD player from 1986 Arcam have been improving CD playback. The latest edition features an ESS ES9018 DAC and hi-res audio playback at up to 24 bit 32kHz sampling rates. There is also FLAC support and a USB-A socket allows external files to be played using the internal DAC.

CD player design
Arguably the most important part of a CD player is the drawer and clamp mechanism. This ensures that the CD is secure and will not wobble. Any disk irregularity can cause excess jitter. This can make the sound muddy. Arcam have nearly forty years of experience with CD players and only quailty components are used with the Arcam Radia CD5 CD Player.

Next come the servo circuits, one controls the speed while the other tracks the data on the disc. When a disc is inserted the optical pickup uses a focus servo to scan the TOC (table of contents). Unlike a record a CD is read from the centre outwards. The laser that reads the disk is mounted on a sled. Notably the disk speed is not constant and changes to keep the data rate the same, depending on how far out the laser is on the disc surface.

Why CDs?
Many of us still enjoy playing our CD collection and CDs can still sound great as they are encoded with no compression and are essentially lossless. They have a greater dynamic range than vinyl along with an improved signal to noise ratio. They are also less prone to clicks and scratches. Another advantage is price. CDs are usually cheaper than vinyl and lossless streaming services are expensive.

The Arcam Radia CD5 also supports playback of high res FLAC and WAV files stored on a data CD and includes a USB input that can play music from USB storage devices via the onboard high quailty ESS ES9018 DAC.

Outputs
Outputs include standard RCA as well as coaxial and optical digital outputs. These can be connected directly to a suitable integrated amplifier or separate DAC should you wish. Enjoy the superior dynamic range and signal to noise ratio of this high-end CD player at a real world price.

What HiFi Awards 2024 - Best CD Player £500-£1000

Tech Specs
- Supported media: CD (Audio), CD-R (Audio / Data), CD-RW (Audio / Data), USB-A (Data)
- Supported files: (Data) WAV (LPCM), FLAC, MP3, AAC, WMA
- Supported Bit depth: 16 bit – 24 bit
- Supported sample rates (kHz): 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2 (WAV & FLAC only), 96 (WAV & FLAC only)
- Outputs: 1x Analogue Stereo (RCA) pair, 1x Digital Coaxial (RCA), 1x Digital Optical (Toslink)
- Frequency Response: (filter 1) 20Hz - 20kHz ±0.05dB
- Max Analogue Output (0dBFS): 2.1V rms
- SNR (A-wtd, ref. 16-bit/24-bit, 0dBFS): 93dB/115dB
- Mains Voltage & Power Consumption: AC 100-240V, 50/60 Hz, 12W
- Dimensions W x D x H (including feet): 431 x 344 x 83mm
- Supplied Accessories: Mains lead(s), Remote control with 2 x AAA batteries, Quick Start Guide, Important Safety Instructions
- Product Weight: 6 kg
- Shipping Weight: 9 kg