C.E.C. CD5

The C.E.C. CD5 is more like a good DAC with a CD playback function than a full-fledged CD player. The D/A conversion happens through ESS Hyper-Stream ES9018K2M chip. The DAC works into 32bit/384 kHz resolution in PCM and 28/5.6 MHz in DSD. It accepts coaxial, optical and USB cables and provides coaxial and optical outputs (no DSD here).

C.E.C. has grown on its special belt driven transports. The motor of the CD transport is decoupled from the transport block and the movement is transferred via a rubber belt. By this the EMI and mechanical noise is suppressed in the reading part. On top of that the RPM speed is regulated depending at which place of a disc the reading optics is at a given moment. The system is called Constant Linear Velocity (CLV) at C.E.C.

Operating the CD-5 is easy and the transport works fast, yet I could detect mechanical noise when reading or skipping tracks. Discs are loaded from top to a bay that is covered by sliding semi-transparent perplex doors. The discs must be stabilized by a bronze clamp. I found the look on a rotating disc inside quite disturbing - would you believe how many compact discs have the label not centered? And how many discs are not really flat and vibrate inside the player? Maybe it is better to have opaque cover on the player not to see this.