TL;DR: Argon Audio just shipped the CD1, a 399 € slot-loading CD player small enough to sit under an SA1 MK2 without dominating the shelf. Dedicated CD mechanism (not a DVD drive), ESS ES9023 DAC, RCA plus optical and coaxial out, dimmable display, remote in the box. Black or White, on Soundium now, in stock at our supplier with 1 to 2 week delivery.
Introduction
The CD player was supposed to be finished. Then people started noticing that the album they wanted was on a shelf at home and not on any streaming service, and that a disc doesn't get remastered overnight or quietly removed from a catalogue. Argon Audio built the CD1 for exactly that shelf.
It's a 399 € compact CD player, 1.95 kg, designed in Denmark to line up visually with the SA1 MK2 and SA2 amplifiers. What makes it more interesting than the price suggests is a design choice most budget CD players skip: a dedicated slot-loading CD drive instead of a repurposed DVD mechanism.
Key Features & Benefits
- A CD drive built for CDs. Most affordable players read discs with a DVD transport. The CD1 uses a dedicated slot-loading CD mechanism, which is the kind of detail you only notice as reliability.
- ESS ES9023 DAC on the analogue output. Plug the RCA line out (2 Vrms) straight into any amp and you're done. No external converter needed.
- Digital out if you already have a better DAC. Coaxial and optical outputs let you use the CD1 purely as a transport and keep conversion wherever you like it.
- THD+N below 0.007%. Low enough that the disc, not the player, sets the ceiling.
- A display you can turn down. Adjustable brightness plus a temporary display mode, so the front panel shows the track and then gets out of the way.
- Remote in the box, 12.6 W in use. Switchable auto standby drops it under 0.5 W when you walk away.
Gallery
Who It's For
You already own the albums, you have an amp or a pair of active speakers with a spare line input, and you don't want a full-width separate taking over the rack. If you're building around the SA1 MK2 or the SA2, the CD1 is the matching source Argon designed for them.
Who should look elsewhere: anyone wanting SACD, hi-res files over USB, or a streaming source. The CD1 plays discs and nothing else. If you want streaming in the same box family, the Argon SOLO handles that side.
Quick Specs
- Type: compact CD player, dedicated slot-loading CD drive
- DAC: ESS ES9023
- Distortion: under 0.007% (THD+N)
- Analogue out: RCA line out, 2 Vrms
- Digital out: coaxial, optical
- Extras: repeat and shuffle, dimmable display, temporary display mode, switchable auto standby
- Power: 12.6 W in use, under 0.5 W standby
- Weight: 1.95 kg
- Finishes: Black, White
- Price: 399 €
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Dedicated CD mechanism rather than a DVD transport
- Analogue and digital outputs, so it drops into any system
- Genuinely compact and visually matched to the SA1 MK2 and SA2
- Dimmable display and a proper remote at 399 €
⚠️ Cons
- Discs only. No streaming, no USB audio, no network
- No headphone output, so you'll be listening through the system
Where to Buy
- 399 €, Black or White
- In stock at our supplier, 1 to 2 weeks to your door
- 3-year warranty and 14-day returns through Soundium
Final Thoughts
The CD1 doesn't try to be a streamer that also spins discs. It does one job, it does it with the right mechanism, and it's small enough that keeping a CD player in 2026 stops being a space argument. For 399 € that's a straightforward proposition.
Still Unsure?
Ask us. We'll tell you honestly whether the CD1 or a used full-size player makes more sense for your setup, and which of the Argon Audio amplifiers pairs best with it. Browse everything landing next in Forthcoming.