Once you’ve determined the optimal style of CD player for you, you’ll want to take a look at the features that will serve you best. Do you want a multi-disc CD player that gives you the convenience of loading several CDs at once, to play one after the other or in a shuffle mode? What audio formats will you want to play on your CD player? Most basic CD players can handle commercial CDs, CD-R/RWs and MP3 CDs, but if you’ll be wanting a player that will play other formats, you’ll want to verify those capabilities in the CD player specs before you buy. A CD player with Bluetooth capabilities that allows you to stream playlists from a computer or tablet can be useful for more diverse listening options. You might also be interested in features like a sleep timer, alarm function, the ability to record, programmable play, remote control or a headphone jack so you can use your preferred headphones—consider a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to completely immerse yourself in the listening experience.
While most CD players have the power to drive headphones, they need an amplifier or receiver connected to full-size speakers with the proper speaker cables. The CD player connects to the amp using digital connections or analog connections so you’ll want to be sure you have the compatible A/V cables. Nearly every CD player comes with analog cables, but in most cases, digital connections, such as coaxial and optical, provide superior fidelity because they avoid interference and noise while letting your receiver do the heavy lifting.
