The best portable CD players in the UK 2023

In this age of dematerialization, a portable CD player might seem obsolete. But let's face it, we all have CDs of our favorite songs stored in our drawers that we like to listen to from time to time. Especially since the CD player has evolved and now offers interesting features in line with modernity. So which portable CD player should you choose? Read our guide to find out.

Innovaprise DVD 1014 1
8/10

Best value for money

Innovaprise DVD 1014

Best portable CD player

This Innovaprise portable drive delivers a unique experience with its stable performance and high data transfer speed.

16,79 £ on Amazon

Incorporating a USB 3.0 version, this Innovaprise drive is backward compatible with USB 2.0, but without supporting TV, car, Blu-ray, projector, tablet, smartphone or Chrome. It has a fast transfer rate of up to 5 Gbps, resulting in stable performance and high fault tolerance. Offering both player and recorder functions, it supports various devices.

It is also compatible with various systems, including Windows and Mac, and supports various disc formats (CD-R, CD-RW, CD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW). Its compact and ultra-thin shape makes it perfectly portable, so you can take it anywhere. Just plug it into a computer's USB port to enjoy its quality and functionality.

Cocopa BT638 2
7/10

Best value for money

Cocopa BT638

Best entry-level portable CD player

Cocopa USB 3.0 is an external drive that adapts to today's technology for a better music and recording experience.

15,99 £ on Amazon

Cocopa USB 3.0 incorporates a USB 3.0 connection with a high speed interface. This allows for faster and more stable data transmission. Despite its innovative connectivity, the drive is suitable for USB 2.0 inputs and compatible with other earlier versions. The external DVD drive is plug and play and has a USB port, so there is no need for a power supply.

The cable of this design player is at the base of the writer to be more practical and especially discreet. It is used to record, burn and copy a CD. This high-tech drive is compatible with various media and systems, including Windows, Mac OS System, and Linux System. To optimize its use on a computer, it is preferable to connect the equipment to the motherboard via the USB port.

Philips AZ127/05 3
9/10

Best premium value for money

Philips AZ127/05

Best high-end portable CD player

A simple yet practical music player, Philips AZ127/05 offers music lovers the opportunity to have both listening comfort and elegance.

52,30 £ on Amazon

Philips AZ127/05 is a player that optimizes the ultimate listening experience for music lovers whether it is for CD, CD-R or CD-RW playback. Featuring an auto shut-off cassette deck, it allows users to indulge in the pleasures of listening with confidence and convenience. In addition, thanks to the FM tuner, the user can also enjoy listening to the analog radio or FM stations.

Philips AZ127/05 is equipped with a 20-track CD program, as well as a shuffle/repeat function to allow the user to customize their music playback. Even better, it has dynamic bass amplification so you can enjoy the music by pressing the volume buttons as desired to adjust the level with the DBB system.

Lenco Walkman argenté 4
8/10

The best antishock

Lenco Walkman argenté

Shockproof CD player

An ideal travel companion for music lovers, Lenco Walkman Portable CD Player gives users pleasure and convenience with its features.

31,99 £ on Amazon
Buying guide • November 2023

Best portable CD player

Any specific needs?

Best portable CD player

Best entry-level portable CD player

Best high-end portable CD player

Shockproof CD player

Your guide : Samuel

Rate this buying guide :
0/50 votes

By rating this buying guide, you are helping us to reward our best writers. Thank you!

Comparison table of the best portable CD players

TOP OF THE TOP CHEAP TOP OF THE LINE EXCELLENT
Innovaprise DVD 1014 5
8/10
Cocopa BT638 6
7/10
Philips AZ127/05 7
9/10
Lenco Walkman argenté 8
8/10
OUR SELECTION
Innovaprise DVD 1014
Cocopa BT638
Philips AZ127/05
Lenco Walkman argenté
This Innovaprise portable drive delivers a unique experience with its stable performance and high data transfer speed.
Cocopa USB 3.0 is an external drive that adapts to today's technology for a better music and recording experience.
A simple yet practical music player, Philips AZ127/05 offers music lovers the opportunity to have both listening comfort and elegance.
An ideal travel companion for music lovers, Lenco Walkman Portable CD Player gives users pleasure and convenience with its features.
USB 3.0 Type C DVD drive
USB 3.0 interface
20-track programmable CD
Anti-shock function
Broad compatibility : DVD-R, Compact Disc, USB, DVD-RW, CD-R, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, CD-RW
Compatibility : MacOS 10.12 Sierra, Windows 98 SE, MacOS 10.14 Mojave, MacOS Sierra 10.12, Windows 2000, MacOS High Sierra 10.13, Linux, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Me, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, MacOS Mojave 10.14, MacOS 10.13 High Sierra, MacOS 10.15 Catalina
Dynamic Bass Boost
clear LCD display and easy-to-use keys
Fashionable and portable design
External DVD CD drive, External DVD CD burner
with FM radio and K7 player
The perfect musical travel companion

Help us improve this table:
Report an error, request the addition of a feature to the table, or suggest another product. Thank you for your kindness!

Buying guide - portable CD player

Primary Item (H2)Sub Item 1 (H3)

Why can you trust us?

Why you can trust us
Our mission
How to support us
We do NOT accept any sponsored posts or advertising.

We spend thousands of hours each year studying the major specialized websites, analyzing products of hundreds of brands and reading user feedback to advise you on the best products.

Our mission is to simplify your purchasing decisions.

We are a product review company with a single mission: to simplify your buying decisions. Our research and testing helps millions of people every year find the best products for their personal needs and budget.

We are a small team of geeks and enthusiasts.

To support us you can: use our links to make your purchases (which often earns us a small commission), share our articles on social networks, or recommend our site on your blog. Thanks in advance for your support!

How to choose your portable CD player

A portable CD player is meant to be used and transported from one place to another. In this case, in order to optimize the life of the player, but also to preserve the sound quality, it is necessary to define the criteria of choice.

#1 - Portability

Being a portable accessory, it is best to ensure that it is nomadic to optimize its movement. To do this, it must be small and light enough. In the same way, as a nomadic equipment, it would be better to opt for a portable CD player equipped with a rechargeable battery. This will allow you to take it everywhere and enjoy it at any time. Adaptability also corresponds to portability in that it should be possible to use it in any room of the house, in the car, and even in the middle of the street for a walk.

#2 - Ruggedness

As a portable device, the chosen CD player should be sturdy, or at least be coated with shockproof elements at all levels. Also, in this case, even big shakes will not impact either the audio playback progress or the shell. For this, you need to make sure that the device's buffer works permanently, or at least, at least 40 seconds.

#3 - Battery life

The autonomy of a portable CD player is very important for it to ensure its nomadic functionality. So, it is better to choose models with powerful batteries, with a minimum autonomy of one day.

#4 - Features

Finally, among the important criteria is also the compatibility with different types of audio files, among others audio CDs and files with various formats.
Likewise, the radio function and the presence of a remote control may be important depending on expectations, so as to be able to manage the device's functions remotely and discreetly.

How to use a portable CD player?

When you decide to buy a portable CD player, you've made a commitment to yourself to use it. As such, find out how to use a portable CD player.

Inserting the CD into the player

The first action to take is to turn the player on. Once this step is done, you have to insert the CD in the player. To do this, the disc must be well positioned, with the shiny side facing the lens. This allows the laser to be reflected, so that it can read the contents of the CD.

After the CD is properly positioned, the player itself must be operated with the dedicated "PLAY" button. This is a way of rotating the CD and the turntable to allow a diode to diffuse the laser from the lens and let you enjoy the music of your disc.

Managing the CD playback

Once the playback starts, it remains to manage the playback according to the needs. If you want to pause, just press the pause button, or the one with the shape of 2 small parallel bars. The resumption is done on the same button or on the Play button.

It is possible to advance the playback, by pressing the button with an arrow head to the right. To rewind the playback, you can press the opposite button, with an arrowhead to the left. Skipping a track is also possible with the button with an arrow head to the right but crossed out. The reverse of this button allows you to return to the previous track. Finally, to stop, simply press the button with a small square.

The different types of portable CD players

To liven up your solitary evenings or outings with friends in the back of a small room, and better choose the right device, discover the different types of portable CD players.

The portable CD player with radio tuner, analog or digital

There are portable CD players equipped with an analog radio tuner, whose station selection is made via a potentiometer. This equipment does not allow the storage of stations.

On the other hand, the portable CD player with digital tuner allows automatic or manual station search, with great precision. The frequency is displayed in this case, on a screen, with the possibility of memorizing several stations at once.

The versatile portable CD player

The versatile portable CD player integrates a USB port, a connector for memory card, and in some cases, an audio cassette player. Some models are compatible with recordable CDs, either CD-R or CD-RW, to better enjoy your own compilations. Thanks to the USB ports and memory card connector, it also allows you to play music on a nomadic player, a USB key or a memory card.

The portable CD player specifically for iPod and mobile players

With the success of nomadic digital players, new portable CD players have arrived on the market. These are players that can be used for iPod and other MP3 players. They integrate an iPod specific connector, called Dock Connector, and can be used as a Power Bank to recharge iPod batteries, while acting as an audio file player.

Portable CD player or Smartphone

Portable CD player

The main advantage of the portable CD player is that it can read CDs wherever you are. Especially since it has been able to adapt to modern technology and can now read many formats other than MP3. In addition, the portable CD player can boast of a large storage capacity.

Nevertheless, the autonomy of the portable CD player is relatively limited, reaching about 10 hours. It is therefore necessary to have an electrical outlet at hand. Moreover, not all CD players recognize all audio file formats. The CD player is also not made for group listening.

Smartphone

The Smartphone is really a small PC that you can put in your pocket. Personal and professional files, music, photos... You can listen to your favorite music on your smartphone, but by connecting, you will also have access to online music services. By adding speakers, you can share your music with your friends and family.

Nevertheless, we must admit that the sound quality delivered by the smartphone's headphones is rather basic and does not allow you to enjoy the music to its fullest. Unfortunately, it is now proven that the Smartphone generates an addiction leading to a social isolation of a large number of people.

Verdict

If you are looking for a device that can produce quality sound and at the same time has a large storage capacity, go for the portable CD player. If you're looking for a versatile tool that can back up your important files, go with a smartphone.

Tips

All your favorite music on your portable CD player

If your portable CD player only supports MP3 files, don't let that stop you from listening to all your music. Just convert all your favorite tracks to the format supported by your player, and you're done. You can find many online converters on the Net. You will be able to burn it on a DVD or save it on a USB key.

Powerful storage

If you want to store your music on a memory card, be aware that its performance will depend not only on the number and type of files stored, but also on the duration of the copying time, but also that of access to the files. Also, if you want to enjoy your music in a short time, choose a higher class SD card.

A portable CD player for your car stereo

Yes! Some portable CD players can be connected to your car stereo, either via Bluetooth or jack. This allows you to listen to your CDs in your car and enjoy the car stereo's speakers. Of course, you'll have to expect that controlling the playback won't be as easy, especially if you're driving.

Prefer the ergonomics

When you choose your portable CD player, you want to take it with you and listen to your music everywhere. So it should be easily compact and light so you can hang it on a belt without feeling an awkward weight. Indeed, some models, very powerful, do not correspond to what they were designed for. So find the happy medium.

Two birds with one stone

If your portable CD player has a USB input, you can use it to listen as a USB DAC. That way you can listen to music from your computer or from online music services. The sound quality will be better when compared to the headphone output of your computer.

FAQ

Are there portable CD players with a burner?

Yes, there are many models of portable CD players with burners. Of course, these models can only be used on a computer. When choosing, make sure that the portable CD player you want to buy is compatible with your computer's operating system. How do you know if a portable CD player has a good anti-shock system?

How do you know if a portable CD player has a good shockproof system?

Many portable CD players are equipped with an anti-shock system that gives you continuous, track-skipping playback, even when subjected to shocks. Skip protection is measured in seconds of buffer time. The higher the buffer, the more effective the protection.

What new features does a portable CD player offer?

In addition to a CD player, and a jack, it is also equipped with a USB port to which you can connect your USB stick, and even supports a microSD card. The classic player supports MP3 files, but the more performance it has, the more compatible audio files are.

Is it worth choosing a high-powered portable CD player?

The choice of the output power of a CD player must take into account the impedance of the headphones. The higher the impedance, the less powerful the output sound will be. You will then have to equip yourself with a powerful headphone amplifier to obtain a satisfactory sound quality.

Sources

Note: Below are some of the sources we have consulted in writing this article. Links to other sites are not continuously updated. It is therefore possible that a link may not be found. Please use a search engine to find the desired information.
  1. Best CD players for 2021, crutchfield.com
  2. Choosing a CD Player, son-video.com
  3. Buying Guide: How to Choose a CD Player?, fnac.com
  4. Best CD players 2021: CD players for every budget, whathifi.com
  5. BUYER'S GUIDE VIDEO: CD PLAYERS, theaudiophileman.com
  6. CD Player Buying Guide, abt.com
  7. 5 Important Specifications To Consider When Choosing A CD Player, cambridgeaudio.com
  8. CD Players, sony.com
  9. Disc Players, hifichoice.com
  10. Here's Why CD Players Are Making a Comeback, spy.com
  11. Amazon.co.uk : portable cd player, amazon.co.uk
  12. portable audio cd player - Your search for portable ..., boulanger.com
  13. CD Player - buy/sell CD Player with Fnac, fnac.com
  14. Comparative of the 10 best portable CD players of 2021 ..., lemeilleuravis.com
  15. Your search : portable mp3 cd player - Darty, darty.com
  16. Cd Player - Conforama, conforama.fr
  17. ᐅ The Best Portable Cd Players. Comparative & Guide ..., outsmart.fr
  18. Portable cd player | La Redoute, laredoute.fr
  19. Your search : portable cd radio player, darty.com
  20. Best portable cd player 2021 / Reviews & Comparison!, minivideoprojecteur.fr
  21. Amazon.co.uk : portable bluetooth cd player, amazon.co.uk
  22. Portable CD radios and CD players | Sony FR, sony.fr
  23. Portable CD player - Black Week Cdiscount TV Sound Photo, cdiscount.com
  24. Portable CD player cassette player | Conrad.fr, conrad.fr
  25. Buy cheap CD/K7 radio | BUT.fr, but.fr
  26. What are the best CD players? I don't have a CD/DVD player in my laptop ..., ouest-france.fr
  27. CDP 6600 B Portable CD Player - Grundig, laptopspirit.fr
  28. RADIO CD at the best price | E.Leclerc, grundig.com
  29. Portable CD Player - Audio Sound on Rue du Commerce, e.leclerc
  30. KLIM Discman - Portable CD Player with Integrated Battery ..., rueducommerce.fr
  31. , fnac.com
See more

Updates

March 2022 : Translation of this buying guide from our partner meilleurtest.fr

See more
Our selection
Innovaprise DVD 1014 9
Innovaprise DVD 1014
Cocopa BT638 10
Cocopa BT638
Philips AZ127/05 11
Philips AZ127/05
Lenco Walkman argenté 12
Lenco Walkman argenté

Lecteurs

Every month we help more than 1 000 000 people buy better and smarter.

Copyright © 2022 - Made with by buyingbetter.co.uk

Your reviews and buying guides 0% advertising, 100% independent!