High-end audio brands are ditching CD players because nobody makes disc drives anymore
In January 2026, PS Audio sent an email to customers, informing them that the company was ending production of its PMG Signature Audio CD Transport due to the unavailability of optical disc drives used in these devices. The company did not identify the CD drive mechanism or its supplier. Read Entire Article
Optical disc drive manufacturing has come to a halt, potentially marking the end for a few remaining high-end audio players. Premium brands PS Audio and Naim have either stopped producing new CD players or removed optical media drives from their streaming amplifiers due to a severe supply shortage. In January 2026, PS Audio communicated to customers that they were discontinuing the production of the PMG Signature Audio CD Transport due to the unavailability of optical disc drives.
Founding CEO Paul McGowan revealed that the company found building the disc-playing mechanism from scratch beyond their capabilities, preferring to focus on transistors, tubes, capacitors, and code. However, they expressed hope for the future by stating that a new CD transport device could be introduced in 2027, possibly under the Stellar brand.
On the other hand, Naim removed the CD player from the latest version of its Uniti Star streaming amplifier, citing the unavailability of the disc mechanism found in the Uniti Star. They claimed that the removal of the CD drive improved the audio quality by reducing internal electrical noise, resulting in a cleaner signal path and greater audio transparency. The new Uniti Star Lite is 2.2 pounds lighter and £300 cheaper than the original Uniti Star.
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