A Return to Red Book Glory
The Arcam CD5, part of the new Radia series, marks a triumphant return to the dedicated CD player market for Arcam. In an age dominated by streaming and vinyl, the CD5 makes a compelling case for keeping your beloved CD collection alive and sounding better than ever. Personally, being connected to the music just by opening up a jewel case, plonking in the disc and then spending time reading through the booklet is a far more satisfying and organic experience then looking at a screen and scrolling.
Granted times and preferences are changing, but fundamentally as a music and movie lover, I feel there is a great disconnect when consuming content via digital platforms. The music becomes the background as opposed to the main event, where in the old times, you would need to make time to sit down, pick a number of albums up and queue them for your enjoyment. The only distraction in between being stops for food, drinks or looking through the album sleeves which in itself a fun experience.
The CD5 is an entry level CD player with onboard DAC that has all the basic bells and whistles plus a little sprinkling of accompaniments to go the extra mile. The CD5 embraces a minimalist yet purposeful design. Its sleek, matte black casework with subtle yellow accents from the Radia range blends modern and retro. It is well-built though a little on the light side, giving a sense of quality that belies its relatively accessible price point. The discreet display and thoughtfully designed “cowl” overhanging the rear panel, which aims to hide unsightly connections, helps with its aesthetic. The disc tray mechanism is generally smooth, but its svelte design can feel a little flimsy during operation. The control buttons on the front are large and spaced out well. They do however lack any backlighting so its best not to operate it in the dark.
The Radia CD5 supports regular CD’s as well as CD-R and CD-RW for those who are in the habit of producing their own personal mixes. Connectivity options include a stereo RCA analogue output, as well as optical and coaxial digital outputs for connecting to an external DAC or AV receiver. The included remote control provides access to additional features like display options, repeat/shuffle, and if your into it, three digital filter options (“Fast,” “Slow,” and “Phase”). While the differences between these filters are very subtle, they offer a degree of sonic customization. There is a USB connection as well, but this is limited to external drives only with stored music. By the way, if you are concerned about the environment, Arcam has ensured to eliminate all plastic in their packaging. A good touch in my opinion given that in most cases packaging is just thrown away.
At its core is the ESS ES9018 DAC, that delivers in this iteration a wonderfully warm, natural, and engaging sound signature. Unlike some other implementations that can sound overly clinical, the CD5 offers a presentation that’s more akin to the smooth, analogue sound of vinyl. Crucially, this warmth doesn’t come at the expense of detail or musical insight. The CD5 has a straightforward and clean sound. It emphasises detail and control while doing its best to remain neutral.
In the bass region the sound is a touch lean for my liking, but it’s something that can be tweaked with proper equipment pairing. The sound is safe and doesn’t lean towards being exciting nor too laid back. It’s also not the most resolute of players, which if you’re the type looking to extract every ounce of information, might be disappointed. What the Radia CD5 is however, is accessible and engaged. Its calm demeanour works well from its looks to its sound. Setting the stage for a more sit back and enjoy the music vibe.
Aesthetics and size of the CD5 could be a detractor to some given how it looks especially with the yellow accents, but I find the overall composition quite good looking. It will be rather hard to match with most home decors, but in an industrial looking or retro styled environment, it will blend right in. The overall size is also a little bit much to me, given how empty the chassis is. It is supposed to be a physical match to the Radia range, particularly the A5 Integrated Amplifier, to which in that pairing, will look perfectly fine.
The Arcam CD5 is a fantastic dedicated CD player that offers exceptional sound quality for its price point. It manages to deliver a musical, engaging, and detailed presentation that makes listening to CDs a truly enjoyable experience. Its unique design, solid build, and added USB playback capability make it a compelling choice for anyone looking to revitalize their compact disc collection or simply wants a high-quality, no-nonsense CD player. While minor quibbles like unlit buttons and a somewhat basic display exist, they are easily overshadowed by its sonic prowess. If you appreciate the enduring charm and sound of CDs, the Arcam CD5 is an audition you won’t regret.
The Arcam Radia CD5 CD Player retails for RM 4900 and is sold and distributed by AV Designs.
