Get up to speed on the CD revival with six stylish new ultra-compact and portable players

Don’t give up on the compact disc just yet. The quiet revival of the 1980s’ greatest format hasn’t reached the media peaks of vinyl frenzy and probably won’t, thanks to the format’s inherent fragility. Chipped and cracked plastic jewel cases and potentially fatally scratched discs will never hold the aura of a crackly slab of second-hand vinyl and the scuffed majesty of a gatefold sleeve.

Nevertheless, second-hand CDs remain cheap and widely available, while most modern artists worth their salt still issue them, particularly via sites like Bandcamp. Treated well, a CD still offers music quality well in excess of all but the highest resolution streaming services. The format is also a window into the dying art of album curation, as well as a chance to experience music before the loudness wars and endless remasters.

CDs are a welcome time capsule, a singular point of focus in a world hell-bent on distraction. Here – adding to our previous pick of standard-sized CD players – are six contemporary compact CD players that’ll take you back to the dawn of the digital age.

Fosi Audio Merak

First up, the Merak from Fosi Audio. Although ultra-compact in the same vein as the best portable players of the past, the Merak is actually designed for desktop use. The free-moving transparent lid and prominent volume slider definitely aren’t designed for use on the go, quite apart from the lack of onboard battery.

The aluminium device has a slim OLED screen and draws power from USB-C, either a dedicated charger or via a laptop or PC. Output is via headphones, line output or optical and there’s a one-touch ripping function that translates a CD’s content to a USB thumb drive.

Fosi Audio Merak, $139.99, FosiAudio.com

Beams Hill

For a stripped-back budget option, consider the Hill player from cultish Japanese retailer Beams. Costing barely more than a modern box set, the Hill is a true portable player that gobbles AA batteries, abhors Bluetooth, has an old-school LCD display and measures little more than the disc contained within.

The semi-transparent lozenge-shape body comes in either orange or blue and Beams also throws in a pair of (very cheap) wired earbuds (with caveats about their sound quality). Unashamedly nostalgic but also potentially rather fragile, it’s the kind of device that could spread the CD love to younger generations.

Beams Records Hill Portable CD Player, ¥7,590, Beams.co.jp

FiiO DM15 R2R

Guangzhou-based FiiO has quietly become a key player in portable audio, from MP3 players to CD-dedicated models. Its most recent portable compact disc player is the DM15 R2R, which is rich in features with a stylish design. In addition to regular CD playback, the DM15 includes an onboard digital audio convertor and headphone amp for processing audio from a phone or laptop.

The battery life offers around seven hours of regular playback, wired and Bluetooth headphone support is offered and there’s also the ability to rip CDs (albeit to WAV format only) direct to a connected PC (although enthusiasts will know that software options are usually best for this kind of thing). Available in silver, red, black, and white, there’s also an optional case and shoulder strap.

FiiO DM15 R2R, £249 / $249 / €269.00, FiiO.eu, Amazon.co.uk

Shanling EC Play

Shanling is another Chinese manufacturer muscling in on the CD revival. The company’s newest compact is the EC Play, which joins the EC Zero T and a number of desktop players in its burgeoning range. Another feature-rich portable, this time with 12 hours of playback onboard, the EC Play is a chunky aluminium square available in Feather Green, Onyx Black and Moonlight Silver finishes.

In addition to playing back regular CDs, the EC Play also supports CD-R and CD-RW formats, with Bluetooth 6.0 wireless headphone out in addition to 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone jacks. The player also has a high-quality SPDIF digital output for pairing with a hi-fi system.

Shanling EC Play, $199 / €220 / £209.99, AdvancedMp3players.co.uk, En.Shanling.com

xDuoo CDM-10

A quirky pairing of technologies old and new, xDuoo’s CDM-10 is intended as a desktop player. Although there’s a seven-hour battery on board, it weighs in at nearly a kilogram, thanks to the integration of tube amplification.

This adds another layer of warmth and character to the playback, although there’s also a digital audio convertor onboard as well. The CDM-10 offers a plethora of wired outputs (but no Bluetooth), with a black aluminium aesthetic that evokes the classic Sony Professional Walkman.

xDuoo CDM-10, $429, xDuoo.com and £429 at Amazon

YBA Design One

The YBA Design One offers SACD (Super Audio CD) compatibility, the higher quality yet largely overlooked successor to the original CD format. The French company, set up by engineer Yves Bernard André in 1981, is better known for its component systems.

Design One is the company's first foray into the portable sphere. The player follows the same rigorous aesthetic as YBA’s other products, with five-and-a-half hours of battery playback and two sockets for wired headphones.

YBA Design One, RRP €1,848, information and stockists at YBAhifi.com