CD player
CD Players still offer the ultimate music sound experience to a huge number of people. The quality of CDs and especially SACD is still so high and unparalleled that CD players, especially in the latest version (again) often form the basis of sound systems.
Standard high quality
Noise, jitter, hum and other possible disruptive influences that electronic devices often carry with them, are reduced to a minimum among top models of Marantz and Denon, among others, using facilities that sometimes seem extreme to lay people. But despite the sometimes far-fetched adjustments, they certainly should not be seen as marketing stunts. One sees the atmosphere and emotion of vinyl and record players as the highest standard, another enthusiast is only satisfied when sound is as pure and undisturbed as humanly feasible.
Compatible
In addition to CDs, most players can also display CD/R and CD Rewritables that can play self-compiled MP3 playlists, for example. More and more inexpensive CD players are available for the playback of SACD, such as pioneer. For around 200 and 300 euros, you already have a player with this sublime quality.
There's a good reason why more and more Super Audio CDs have been released in recent years in pop and jazz, where in the beginning of its fifteen years of existence, it mainly involved classical music.
USB Functionality
Cd-players are increasingly supplied with a USB 2.0 interface, including some simple models from Denon, Pioneer, Onkyo and Marantz and certainly the more expensive versions around €1000. It is often built into the front of the player to connect quickly and easily to iPod, iPhone and other media carriers such as USB sticks.
With some top models of Denon and Marantz, an a-synchronous USB-B connection has been added to the numerous options, with which, for example, this player can be linked to PCs, and recognized as a sound card.
Connectivity
Analogue and digital (optical) outputs are now almost standard for CD players. In both, better performance can be achieved, in particular by using the more expensive audio cables. In critical HiFi circles there is often a preference for (high quality) coaxial, but as with everything, there are also both coaxial and optical advantages and disadvantages. The choice remains personal, but if desired, digital (coaxial) outputs are offered at Denon, Onkyo and Marantz, among others, especially in the more expensive ones.