Rotel - RCD-955 AX - Audiophile multi-bit CD player

ROTEL RCD-955 AX: audiophile multi-bit CD player

Lots of people have grown accustomed to the sound of streaming music services (which is in many cases not high quality) and hardly play any CD’s anymore. This is a shame, especially if you compare the music rendition of these options and the investment in a personal CD collection. A high quality CD player is able to produce a superior, lively sound, which can only be equaled by the more costly streaming services.

This CD player features Philips 16 bit digital processing (TDA 1541 !) with 4 times oversampling filtering for each channel. The drive is a Philips CDM-4/19.
Operation of the unit is pretty straightforward, without bells and whistles. The original remote control has been lost, but I have replaced it with a remote control of the Marantz CD-17 (see photos), which handles all functions (and fitted with a fresh set of batteries). The cost of development of this player didn’t go into useless embellishments, but rather to the further improvement of sound quality as the successor of the successful RCD-855.
The connections on the back are gold-plated RCA sockets (analogue) and a coaxial digital output for use with a separate D/A-converter. For this purpose, a high quality coaxial digital cable (Monster IDL-100) is included in the shipment. Be careful with (dis)connecting this cable though, as rough treatment can damage your coaxial digital sockets.

The sound is rich and vibrant, with natural dynamics and a sound stage that is wide and precise in its placement of individual instruments or voices. Your CD sound performance will effortlessly transcend the boundaries of your speaker placement, offering maximal involvement in the music.
The precise bass and percussive sound response exceeds the rendition quality of most 1-bit players (the 1-bit technique wasn’t developed solely for quality improvement, but rather for lowering the production cost of built-in D/A converters in the affordable price range of CD players).
High frequencies can be harsh, but only if the material was badly engineered (in many pop music recordings). Classical and jazz recordings are generally highly enjoyable with this player.

Are there better CD-players? Absolutely, but not for this price. Another opinion about this player? Apart from the fact that it has won awards from both ‘hifi choice’and ‘what hifi?

• Dimensions: 440 x 92 x 316 mm (WxHxD)
• Weight: 5.8 kg
• Compatible remote control (Marantz CD17) supplied
• High quality coaxial digital cable (Monster IDL-100) included


The player can be either picked up in the Netherlands or shipped with PostNL or DHL.