Group test: CD players £500-£1,000

Overview Price: £1,000 More info: Cyrus Size: 78 x 215 x 360mm Weight: 3.5kg Line out: Single ended x2 Digital out: Coax, optical DAC: 24-bit Formats: CD, CD-R, CD-RW Cyrus CD 8x Cyrus takes a more evolutionary approach to its components and while the CD 8x sits at the top of its one-box CD player tree it is possible to upgrade existing CD 6 and regular CD 8 players to the same spec. It doesn't have the bells and whistles that the Cambridge offers in the connections department but Cyrus clearly pays attention to what goes on inside the cast alloy casework. Twin toroidal transformers feed 11 regulated power supplies, the DAC has fully balanced filter topology and the transport mechanism has a monolithic glass laser assembly. None of which makes the drawer mechanism sound very smooth when it shuts but, hey it's the sound that comes out of the speakers that counts. And that sound is pretty damn fine. The Cyrus digs right down into the mix and reveals the small details that when pieced together make a musical whole that is totally seamless. So not only does it reveal low-level details but the high-level ones are more analogue, there's no sense of having to fill in the gaps that you get from other players when they are put up against it. It does the big stuff too of course, delivering the dynamics and the solidity of image that goes with high resolution playback. A very gratifying and musical shoebox indeed.

Verdict Plus points Extremely resolute and yet also relaxed, seems to do it all in an effortless and musical fashion Minus points Clunky sounding drawer mechanism, baffling system remote with buttons for everything

Overview Price: £498 More info: Rega Size: 435x100x270mm Weight: 3.6kg Line out: Single ended Digital out: Coax, optical DAC: 24-bit Sigma Delta Formats: CD, CD-R, MP3, WMA Rega Apollo Rega's Apollo is undoubtedly the coolest looking player in the bunch, its top loading facility immediately marking it out from the crowd of 'me-too' box designs. The lid needs to be manually lifted in the style of Rega's fine turntables, and using it will come naturally to those who like to spin vinyl. It's not all looks either, there is a Wolfson dual differential DAC and 'super stable clocking' in order to minimise the enemy of digital signals; jitter. It will also play both regular CDs and discs containing music encoded in MP3 should you feel inclined to press play and listen all night. The Apollo's sound is no less distinct than its looks and will again divide opinion. It is essentially leaner than neutral and emphasises the leading edges of notes which produces a rhythmically tighter sound with good imaging but one that's short on timbral richness. If you are primarily into music for the groove factor then it will be right up your street. Fortunately it also hits all the emotional cues very well, and is a great communicator of feelings and intent. Some will find this stripping away unrefined but the true music lover as opposed to audiophile will find little to complain about.

Verdict Plus points Great timing and communication, lovely mechanical lid mechanism, attractive remote control Minus points Not as rich and fully figured as some, the manual lid inevitably makes disc changing slower, you'll need space to open the lid too

Overview Price: £999 More info: Vincent Size: 430 x 125 x 330 mm Weight: 9kg Line out: single ended, balanced Digital out: coax DAC: 24-bit Formats: CD, HDCD Vincent CD-S6 MKII Vincent is a German brand with Chinese manufacturing, the theory being that you get European know-how combined with Far Eastern economy and the build quality on this player would certainly seem to back that up. For a start, alongside the visible vacuum tube on the front panel there are two more tubes that form the analogue output stage. It also has a volume controlled headphone output, HDCD decoding (for the few discs that use this) and balanced outputs. A single-ended-only version, plain CD-S6, is available for £100 less if you don't need this facility. The tubes in the output stage make their mark on the sound in good and less good ways. On the plus side the treble is smooth and sweet but against this there is a lack of precision that results from that balance. But getting a nice sounding treble out of any CD player is not easy so this is a worthwhile compromise, unless you're a bass head, in which case the alternatives in this group will be more to your taste. The Vincent images nicely however, creating good scale and solidity and it produces plenty of energy when it's there to be reproduced. On balance this is a very nice player for the money.

Verdict Plus points All metal remote control handset, good dynamics and timbral resolve, open and natural sound, shiny mate-impressing casework Minus points Not as precise as some nor as revealing at low levels, lacks the refinement of the best competitors

Final verdict All the players in this group are good machines, but they are different. The Rega is a little two dimensional in imaging and tonal terms but spot on the money when it comes to emotional communication. The Cambridge is remarkably capable for the price, delivering a solid and powerful sound whatever you play. The Vincent meanwhile is the most tonally characterful and will appeal to those who enjoy a warmer, more fluent sound. Top of the tree however is the Cyrus with a refined and highly resolute sound that delves deep into the disc to produce a complete musical experience, and that's almost as much as you can ever ask of a CD player.

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