GoKawiilPS Audio, Naim halt high-end CD player production as optical drive supply dries up
PS Audio's PMC Super Audio CD Transport and Naim's Uniti Star have both ended production because the specialized optical disc mechanisms they rely on are no longer manufactured. PS Audio traces its shortage to D&M Holdings, owner of Denon and Marantz, which stopped taking orders for its SACD/CD mechanism in mid-2024, forcing rivals to buy up remaining stock at inflated prices. Naim faces a similar bottleneck and reportedly explored alternative suppliers without success.
Both companies say they lack the manufacturing expertise to build optical drives in-house, since they specialize in assembling electronics rather than fabricating mechanical disc readers from scratch. This shows how a shrinking mainstream market for optical media can strand niche, high-margin audiophile products that depend on components once mass-produced for ordinary computers and consumer electronics.
- PS Audio and Naim have discontinued flagship CD players due to a vanishing optical drive supply chain.
- Marantz owner D&M Holdings stopping SACD/CD mechanism orders in 2024 triggered a scramble and price spikes among Hi-Fi brands.
- Neither company can easily replace or manufacture these components, since their expertise lies in electronics, not hardware fabrication.
Denon DCD-900NE CD Player — As high-end CD transports vanish due to the optical drive shortage, mainstream CD players from established brands like Denon remain a reliable way to keep enjoying physical media. It's a great entry point for audiophiles who want to own their music without chasing increasingly scarce boutique hardware.
See Denon DCD-900NE CD Player on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: tomshardware.com — Jowi Morales, 2026-09-20
Published there as: “Collapse of mainstream optical drive supply kills high-end CD players”
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