I’ve been shopping for a modern CD player for a few months now and finally decided on buying the Cambridge AXC35. I was inspired to stick with Cambridge after recently reviewing their AXA25 amplifier.
First, I started Forever Analog as a site to promote “all things analog” but let’s be honest, I grew up buying CDs and still have a very large collection. Therefore, I have written articles for the website about digital items like how to repair a Yamaha CD player or how to connect a modern DAC to your vintage CD player.
Below are five reasons I would recommend buying the AXC35 and if you would like to purchase one via my site, please purchase with my affiliate link via Amazon:
1) Modern Styling
The Cambridge AXC35 CD player was designed in tandem with the Cambridge AXA line that includes the AXA25 that I reviewed along with the AXA35 amplifier, meaning both components look great together.
The AXC35 CD player looks great sitting side by side or even on top of the Cambridge amplifier line. The design allows for spacing between the units to avoid any overheating.
Personally, I enjoy the graphite finish and the rounded edges on the front of the unit. There are two legs on the rear but when you look at the unit from the front, you will not see traditional feet, but instead a sort of black area that gives it a suspended look. This especially looks great when sitting on top of the Cambridge amplifier.
2) Fast Response of the Cambridge AXC35
The CD drawer on the AXC35 opens and closes quickly allowing for fast reading of the CD and prompt playback of music.
I point this feature out as I’ve historically purchased vintage CD players because, well let’s be honest, they are so cheap. But the downside to owning a vintage CD player is the belt will wear out and the opening and closing of the drawer becomes a tedious task. The AXC35 almost surprised me with how fast the drawer slid open and closed!
Many people suggest simply using an old Blu-ray player you have lying around the house or perhaps find at a thrift store and connecting a modern day DAC rather than buying a whole new player. Well, I did just that for several months and the time it takes for the Blu-ray player to read the disc feels like it takes forever. Obviously it doesn’t take that long, but in today’s instantaneous world, it can be mind numbing to stand there and wait for it to load before pressing play.
The AXC35 provided the exact opposite experience, quickly reading the disc and prepping it for speedy playback. It sounds like a minor thing to point out, but I found myself playing more CDs on the AXC35 due to the fast response than I did using my old Sony Blu-ray player.
3) Digital Output
The AXC35 includes a high quality Wolfson Microelectronics WM8524 DAC which supports up to 24-bit/192kHz, 2ch stereo PCM playback.
If the installed DAC just doesn’t quite do it for you, then don’t worry as the AXC35 has a digital coaxial output on the rear of the unit which would allow you to hook up an external DAC of your choice. (I wrote an article about how to install an external DAC to a CD player if interested.)
Continue reading for my comparison of the AXC35’s Wolfson chip to my external Schiit Modi DAC.
4) Playback Options on the Cambridge AXC35
I no longer have any CDR or CDRW discs in my collection, but if I did, the AXC35 would be able to read and play those back.
5) Remote Control
The AXA35 comes with a remote control. Overall, the remote is lightweight plastic and nothing special, but functional. The package comes with two AAA batteries so you can start using right away.
One curious addition is the middle of the remote has volume controls and at the bottom of the remote are buttons to change the inputs on the amplifier. These buttons did not work on my AXA25 (which does not come with a remote). Perhaps it works on the AXA35 amplifier which does come with a remote.
Things To Note Before You Buy The Cambridge AXC35:
Here are a few things worth noting before you buy the AXC35 CD player:
- Cambridge has a less expensive model, the AXC25. I would advise against purchasing the AXC25 as it does not contain a digital coaxial output to allow for installing an external DAC.
- The AXC35 CD player does NOT play SACDs.
- The digital display on the front of the AXC35 will display the track number and timing information, but it does NOT display any text like song titles, etc.
- There is no USB input if you wanted to plug in an external drive for digital file playback.
- The unit will automatically go into standby mode and power off after 20 minutes of inactivity.
How Does The Cambridge AXC35 Sound?
Right out of the box, the AXC35 brought out detail in CDs that I haven’t heard through my other vintage players. If you use a vintage CD player and switch to the AXC35, you will be surprised at what the Wolfson DAC will highlight.
To test the AXC35, I chose a CD that was recorded in a big room, with as little compression as possible. For this reason, I thought Willie Nelson’s Teatro, produced by Daniel Lanois might be a good choice. Anything recorded by Lanois inside an old movie theater is going to have a certain…sound. The atmosphere around the drums have always stood out to me on this recording and the AXC35 handled the large sound appropriately. Bass sounded precise and the treble was smooth without being harsh.
Here is where things got exciting…I hooked up my Schiit Modi DAC to the AXC35 via the digital coaxial output in order to A/B the sound against the Wolfson chip inside the CD player. It was at this point when things really opened up. The beginning of the song Everywhere I Go has sharp guitar plucking sounds that jumped out more with the Modi. Also with the Modi, the drums have a wider soundstage and the percussion is more distinct. The Wolfson handled the Wurlitzer keyboard played by Willie’s sister, Bobbie, just fine, but the Modi helped push the sound forward, in a good way, allowing it to shine more in the mix. Overall, the music sounded better balanced with the Schiit Modi rather than the Wolfson chip.
Again, the Wolfson DAC within the AXC35 did a wonderful job playing my CDs and I wasn’t surprised that the Schiit Modi DAC opened up the soundstage more and provided a tad bit more detail. That’s the reason I recommend buying a CD player with a digital coaxial output so you can upgrade sound over time with an external DAC. It’s like upgrading the cartridge on your turntable to extract more detail out of your vinyl records.
Should I Buy A Cambridge AXC35 CD Player?
If you are using a vintage CD player, want to upgrade the sound of your CD collection but want to keep your budget under $500, the Cambridge AXC35 is a modern player that I would recommend, especially if you already own the matching Cambridge amplifier.
With the inclusion of the digital output to allow for adding a more detailed DAC, you really can’t go wrong with this player.
In short, the Cambridge AXC35 made it fun for me to revisit my collection and listen to CDs again.
Before you go…
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