Denon DCD-900NE CD Player

A CD Player With a USB Port That Earns Its Keep

The DCD-900NE plays discs, then does something the cheaper Denons cannot. A USB port on the front takes a flash drive, and what it reads from that drive goes well past the resolution a CD holds.

From USB it plays WAV and FLAC up to 192kHz and 24 bits, ALAC to 96kHz, AIFF to 192kHz, and DSD up to 5.6MHz. MP3, WMA and AAC play too. Frequency response over USB reaches 50kHz. Nothing on a CD comes close to that.

Conversion runs on an ES9018K2M chip with Advanced AL32 Processing Plus. A DAC Master Clock Design puts the timing reference next to the converter rather than further upstream, which is where jitter is easiest to control.

The Numbers, and the Pure Direct Button

Signal-to-noise measures 115dB from CD and USB alike. Dynamic range from disc is 101dB. Distortion is 0.0025% from CD, 0.0020% from 24-bit PCM over USB, and 0.0015% from DSD. All three are low figures.

Pure Direct is the button worth knowing. It shuts off the front display and switches the digital outputs off, so nothing is running that the analog output stage does not need. Less activity nearby means less noise.

Outputs are gold-plated analog RCA plus optical and coaxial digital. The case measures 434mm wide, 328 deep and 107 tall, weighs 4.9kg and draws 24 watts. Black and silver finishes are offered.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Reporting on the launch, ecoustics set out the USB side: "USB playback supports both standard and Hi-res audio digital audio formats including MP3, WMA, AAC and WAV, FLAC HD, ALAC, AIFF (up to 192-kHz/24bit), and DSD (up to 5.6-MHz)".

On Pure Direct, the same piece explains: "selecting pure direct turns off the player’s front panel display and makes the digital optical/coaxial audio outputs inactive."

Who Is This CD Player Best For?

• You have discs and a drive full of files — the front USB port plays hi-res WAV, FLAC and DSD alongside your CDs, so both libraries run through the same converter and the same outputs.
• You want hi-res without a network — files up to 192kHz and 24 bits, and DSD to 5.6MHz, arrive from a flash drive with no app, no account and nothing to configure.
• You listen through the analog outputs — Pure Direct shuts down the display and the digital outputs, leaving only what the analog stage needs powered up.
• You want both kinds of digital output — optical and coaxial are both fitted, so it will feed a modern converter or older equipment without an adapter.
• You care where the clock sits — the DAC Master Clock Design puts the timing reference at the converter, which is the point in the chain where jitter does the most damage. Add one of our integrated amplifiers to finish the system.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the gold-plated RCA outputs to a line input on your amplifier. The ES9018K2M inside does the converting, and Pure Direct is there when you want everything else switched off.

If you own a converter, take optical or coaxial to it instead. For files, put a flash drive in the front USB port and browse it from the remote and display.

Pairs Well With

Building around the DCD-900NE? Here are some great companions:

• Integrated Amplifier: The natural partner — see our Integrated Amplifiers.
• DAC: For the optical or coaxial output — see our Digital to Analog Converters.
• Interconnects: A clean run from the analog outputs — see our Interconnect Cables.
• Bookshelf Speakers: Finish the system — see our Bookshelf Speakers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can the USB port play?

WAV and FLAC to 192kHz/24-bit, ALAC to 96kHz, AIFF to 192kHz, DSD to 5.6MHz, plus MP3, WMA and AAC.

Which converter is inside?

An ESS ES9018K2M, working with Advanced AL32 Processing Plus and a DAC Master Clock Design for timing.

What does Pure Direct do?

It turns off the front display and the digital outputs, so only the circuits feeding the analog outputs stay active.

What outputs does it have?

Gold-plated analog RCA, plus both optical and coaxial digital outputs for an external converter.

What does it measure?

115dB signal-to-noise from CD and USB, 101dB dynamic range from disc, and 0.0025% distortion from CD.

How big is it, and what is the warranty?

434 by 328 by 107mm and 4.9kg. Three years on parts and labor for the original purchaser, when bought new from an authorized dealer. It does not transfer if the unit is sold on.

See It in Action

A walk through Denon's CD and SACD range, the DCD-900NE among them, with English subtitles switched on:

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