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CDs are still alive and kicking. With Gen Z embracing physical media as a reaction against the algorithm-driven consumption of streaming services, it looks as if the humble compact disc may once again be on its way to some sort of relevance. The format will probably never become as popular vinyl disks, which topped $1 billion worth of sales in 2025, nor will it reach its 2000s peak, but an uptick in year-on-year revenues for 2026 shows that there may be a future for CDs after all.

Of course, buying CDs is of no use if you don’t have anything to play them on, but even that market is seeing something of a renaissance as of late. China-based manufacturers such as FiiO, Moondrop, and Shanling have released a range of compact, portable CD players that are easy to integrate into most lifestyles, relieving buyers of the cost and space requirements of traditional, full-size CD players. Those are the sorts of CD players we’ll focus on in this article.

Now, don’t get us wrong: Full-size players are great, and a valid option for those committed to the format. But for those who aren’t quite ready to step into the world of Hi-Fi, products from the aforementioned manufacturers offer great ways to get into the hobby and experience the joys of physical media without having to break the bank — although that’s an option, if you so desire.

FiiO is a veritable titan of the portable Hi-Fi (or “head-fi”) space, having a series of excellent audiophile-grade music players and other gadgets for digital audio fans under its belt. And so it was not at all a surprise when the company jumped on the CD player bandwagon in 2024 with the DM13 — and that it did good job, too.

The $160 FiiO DM13 is not the absolute cheapest CD player you can get, but it’s arguably one of the best places to start for those who want a portable setup. It has dual Cirrus Logic CS43198 digital-to-analog converter (DAC) chips paired with dual headphone amplifiers, and offers both single-ended and balanced headphone outputs, as well as Bluetooth. The rear panel has a balanced 4.4 mm line out jack, as well as a 3.5 mm combo jack that can output analog or digital audio, the latter over coaxial or optical. It runs on a 3,750mAh battery and has a battery bypass switch for desktop use. On top of this, the DM13 will also rip CDs to FAT32-formatted USB storage devices.

The DM13 has the sound quality to back up its solid features, too. No, it’s never going to be the final word in CD playback, but it offers a clean sound that should have you tapping your feet in no time. It may just be enjoyable and full-featured enough that some of you will never feel the need to upgrade.

FiiO’s $270 DM15 combines a now-retro format (the CD) with another old-school throwback in the form of the R2R tech it uses for digital-to-analog conversion. Without wishing to get too technical, R2R DACs use a network of resistors do to the conversion, instead of the Cirrus Logic, ESS, or AKM chips you’ll see advertised in other DACs.

Speaking from experience, R2R DACs tend to sound warmer and a bit more like analog media than conventional DACs. Is it a night-and-day difference? Probably not, but these DACs do impart a certain flavor. The DM15 lives up to this promise, with reviews praising the unit’s rich and warm sound. It’s not one for the treble-heads, but it’s an agreeable delivery that many should find enjoyable. Our Andy Zahn spent time with a DM15 and thoroughly liked how it sounded, as well as all the other perks, such as CD ripping and the 7-hour runtime from its 4,700mAh battery.

One big advantage of the DM15 over its cheaper sibling, the DM13, is that this model also functions as a DAC. Simply connect it to a PC over USB and it’ll happily decode your digital files, supporting up to 384 kHz and DSD256. Whether you’re playing digital files or a CD, the DM15 lets you pipe the music through its single-ended and balanced headphone and line outputs, coaxial and optical digital outs, or Bluetooth.

Portable CD players are definitely having a moment in the sun, but there are companies still flying the flag for home units. Some of these come in smaller, living room-friendly packages that don’t need a Hi-Fi rack, and one of our favorites is the SMSL PL200.

The $669 SMSL PL200 is a beautiful product with its sleek metal design, tactile piano key buttons, and top-mounted CD loading. The latter certainly offers a novel experience, especially since it means you can see the CD spinning — although it does mean you can’t stack any gear on top of it. It’s not just a good looker, though, and boasts a high-end AKM AK4499EX DAC under the hood. The PL200 has, somewhat contradictory, been described as both a clean, neutral-sounding CD player as well as one that sacrifices detail for a more emotive presentation.

This difference is probably due to the rest of your gear, as reviews have noted that the PL200 can sound a bit thin with the wrong headphones. We found it to be more toward the neutral side of the spectrum ourselves, but that may say more about the debatable meaning of “neutral” than anything else. Either way, as long as you buy from a retailer with a good returns policy, you’ll probably be fine. If you already have a standalone DAC — a must-have audiphile gadget, if you ask us — you can go for the PL200T CD transport instead.

There have been many stylish CD players over the years, but we’d argue that few modern units come close to the visual appeal of the Dunu Concept R. The $750 Concept R, is, as you’d hope given the price, a premium device that combines an eye-catching design with genuine audiophile chops.

The Concept R packs a high-end R2R DAC and an amplifier that can run in either Class A or Class AB mode, letting you choose the which best suits your preferences. The headphone outputs are impressive, too, with the 1.3W output level likely enough for all of the best wired headphones on the market. Sound-wise, the Concept R is reportedly on the warmer side of the spectrum, but not overly so; music still sounds clean and precise, with strong stereo width and depth. Dunu complements the Concept R’s sonic capabilities with USB DAC functionality and TOSLINK optical out, allowing you to integrate it into almost all setups. Its 12,000mAh battery means that it’s technically portable, too, but at around 2.5 pounds and eight inches long, “transportable” might be the better term.

And then there’s the look. We mentioned it earlier, but it bears repeating: The Concept R is a stunning example of product design. Machined out of a single block of aluminum, this premium CD player has a chunky but sleek retro-futuristic look that is a pleasure to look at, whether it’s playing CDs or just sitting there looking pretty. Some rugs may tie a room together, but the Concept R would do just as good of a job.

Moondrop is a fixture in the head-fi world, with a large catalog of headphones, in-ear monitors — including the Chu II, one of the best affordable wired earbuds you can get — and other gear on offer. The company released its first CD player, the DiscDream, in 2023, and quickly followed it up with the DiscDream 2 and DiscDream 2 Ultra in 2024.

All of Moondrop’s portable CD players are well worth considering, but the $350 Ultra is the one that has garnered the most attention — justifiably so, we reckon. Rocking dual Cirrus Logic DAC chips, a bevy of analog and digital outputs, support for up to 384kHz audio (and DSD256), and USB DAC functionality, the Ultra is as full-featured as any portable CD player can be. It also sounds good, with an uncolored and clear sound that will be faithful to whatever it is you’re listening to. In essence, it does what most want their CD players to do.

Now, there are some less-than-stellar design decisions to be aware of. There is only one cutout for extracting the CD, which is a bit awkward. The lid also doesn’t lock, which makes it perhaps less ideal for on-the-go use. If you’re more of an at-home listener, though, then that shouldn’t be an issue. If $350 is a bit rich for your blood, the $180 DiscDream 2 retains most of the functionality but drops down to a single DAC chip. It’s a downgrade on paper, but most — including us — won’t ever be able to tell the difference.

There’s no shortage of CD players on the market, so selecting just a handful of great products required quite a bit of filtering. The first criteria was that they had to be readily available and, ideally, easy to purchase; In other words, a prospective buyer should be able to just hop onto an online retailer like Amazon and order the unit.

Secondly, the units had to sound good, with a strong set of useful features. Audio quality is subjective, of course, so we relied on a combination of first-hand experience and reviews from trusted publications with a strong track record of reviewing Hi-Fi gear.