Arcam CD25 | Radia Series CD Player

The Arcam CD25 is the definitive Radia Series CD player — a machine that draws on nearly four decades of Arcam digital audio expertise to set a new standard for Compact Disc playback. It is not a product that has been engineered to a price point; it is a statement of what physical music reproduction can achieve when precision engineering and modern circuit design are brought together without compromise.

Dual-Mono DAC Architecture

The CD25 employs a dual-mono DAC design using two ESS ES9039Q2M DAC chips, each regulated by ESS reference voltage regulators. Left and right channels are processed entirely independently in balanced mode — a circuit topology that delivers superior channel separation, a lower noise floor, and a stereo image of previously unsurpassed precision and spatial coherence. This is digital-to-analogue conversion at a level that redefines what a CD player can resolve from a standard 16-bit disc.

Low-Noise Linear Power Supply

The CD25 is built around a low-noise linear power supply that provides a stable, ultra-quiet electrical foundation throughout the signal path. The result is an ability to retrieve fine musical detail and dynamic contrast that a switching supply simply cannot match — the kind of composed, effortless realism that separates genuinely high-performance digital sources from the merely capable.

Vibration-Damped Disc Mechanism

The Compact Disc mechanism is mounted on an internal vibration-damping chassis, minimising mechanical interference during disc reading. The benefit is cleaner data retrieval, improved timing accuracy, and an overall musical coherence that transforms your listening experience from the first track.

Balanced and RCA Analogue Outputs

The CD25 offers both balanced XLR and line-level RCA analogue outputs, ensuring optimal system matching across the Radia range and beyond. Balanced XLR outputs make the CD25 an ideal partner for the Arcam A50 Signature and SA45, while RCA outputs integrate seamlessly with the SA35 and A25+. Two digital outputs — one optical, one coaxial — extend compatibility further still.

ARCAM-Tuned via Blind Listening Tests

Every sonic decision in the CD25 has been validated through blind listening tests — a process that combines objective accuracy with musical engagement. The outcome is sound quality that is both technically precise and emotionally involving: levels of performance you have not heard before from a CD player at any price.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The Arcam CD25 is for the serious listener who has invested in a quality Radia Series system and wants a CD player that is genuinely worthy of it. If you have a substantial CD collection and have never been convinced that streaming replaces the physical format, the CD25 makes the case for the disc more compellingly than anything Arcam has produced before. It is equally suited to listeners building a balanced system around the SA35, SA45, or A50 Signature.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind. The Arcam Radia range is one we know extremely well — Chris and Tim can advise on system matching across the full range and help you find the combination that suits your listening habits and room.

Contact us at [email protected], call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.