In case you didn’t get the memo, CD sales are surging, up a whopping 58.6% in the U.S. this year, according to the RIAA. And whether you’re looking to break your old disc collection out of the attic or closet, or you’re considering starting a new CD collection and ditching that algorithmically driven streaming service, there are plenty of options to choose from. Some can offer as good or arguably even better audio quality than a 90s-era Discman or hi-fi player, while others prioritize modern features, like Bluetooth, showcasing your spinning disc, novel form factors, or RGB lighting.
There are solid, affordable, sub-$150 options that deliver the best of old and new, though. Below is a list of some of the best and most interesting new CD players, starting with a couple that I own and enjoy myself.
Most of my old CDs are housed semi-permanently in a large Sony CX555ES 300-disc CD changer I picked up, refurbished and serviced, from eBay in early 2025. But my whole collection (roughly 450 discs at this point) doesn’t fit in that machine, and I often want to listen to my more recent purchases someplace other than my living room.
That led me to buy the Fiio DM13 last year, around the Black Friday deals season. If you haven’t heard of Fiio, it’s a Chinese consumer electronics company that has made a name for itself over the last decade-plus, churning out all manner of audio gear that typically sounds and performs well for its price bracket.
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