Rotel RCD-951 HDCD CD Player — Coax Out, Remote
$345.00
Out of stock
This one has sold. Want first dibs on the next one?
We take these in regularly. Leave your name and email, and we’ll email you the moment one is listed, so you hear first. No cost, no obligation.
Email me when one is listed
How we get a component ready for sale. What our bench covers →
Other CD players we have in stock now
3 in stock · $225.00–$295.00 · all ship
Pioneer PD-7700 Stable Platter CD Player – Made in Japan, CD-R$295.00Ships
NAD 513 3-Disc CD Changer – Original Remote, Serviced$245.00Ships
Denon DCM-420 5-Disc CD Changer Coax Out & Variable Out, Remote$225.00ShipsHow we get a component ready for sale.
Before a used or vintage component is listed, it goes through our bench, and anything we service is tested again by a different tech. See exactly what our bench covers.
What our bench covers →Rotel RCD-951 HDCD CD Player — Coax Out, Remote Included
The Rotel RCD-951 is a highly regarded audiophile CD player from 1998–2000 that remains a benchmark of musical performance at its price point — built around a Burr-Brown PCM69AP 18-bit DAC with 8x oversampling and full HDCD decoding, delivering a smooth, detailed, and refined presentation that earned widespread critical praise upon its release.
At the heart of the RCD-951 is Rotel’s “Balanced Design” philosophy — a holistic approach to circuit layout, component selection, and power supply design that prioritizes musicality and sonic transparency above all else. The Burr-Brown PCM69AP DAC feeds a high-quality analogue output stage built around Burr-Brown OPA2604 FET-input dual op-amps, a premium choice that contributes to the RCD-951’s notably smooth, grain-free high-frequency character. The Pacific Microsonics PMD100 digital filter/decoder provides automatic HDCD decoding — when an HDCD-encoded disc is detected, the player automatically engages the extended decode path, unlocking the additional dynamic range and resolution embedded in HDCD recordings without any user intervention.
The coaxial digital output allows the RCD-951 to serve double duty as a high-quality transport for an external DAC, making it a flexible component that can grow with your system. The KSS-213C laser mechanism — one of the most widely used and reliable CD laser assemblies ever produced — provides stable, accurate disc reading and is readily serviceable should the need ever arise.
TNT-Audio’s review praised the RCD-951 as “a smoother performer, offering more finesse and better overall balance” than the competing Marantz CD6000 OSE — high praise given that the Marantz was itself a well-regarded player.
This unit has undergone our Level One service and testing which should ensure many more years of reliable performance ahead. It is in good cosmetic condition in the classic Rotel black finish and comes with the original Rotel remote control.
Type: Stereo CD player with HDCD decoding
DAC: Burr-Brown PCM69AP, 18-bit, 8x oversampling
Digital Filter/Decoder: Pacific Microsonics PMD100 (HDCD compatible)
Output Stage: Burr-Brown OPA2604 FET-input dual op-amps
CD Mechanism: KSS-213C
Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (±0.5 dB)
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 100 dB
Dynamic Range: 100 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.005%
Channel Separation: >100 dB (1 kHz)
Max Audio Line Output: 2V RMS
Digital Output: Coaxial (75Ω, 0.5V p-p)
Disc Formats: CD, HDCD
Finish: Black
Included: Original Rotel remote control
Year: 1998–2000
Dimensions: (W x H x D) 17.3″ x 2.8″ x 12.4″ (440 x 72 x 316 mm)
Weight: 11.9 lbs (5.4 kg)
An audiophile CD player with Burr-Brown DAC, HDCD decoding, and coaxial digital output — freshly serviced and complete with the original remote. Ready to deliver the refined, musical performance that has made the RCD-951 a favourite among discerning listeners for over two decades. Backed by Radique Audio’s 90-day warranty and perpetual trade-back policy — shop with complete confidence.
| Weight | 14 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 16.4 × 21.3 × 8.8 in |
Rotel began in Tokyo in the late 1950s, founded by Tomoki Tachikawa, and the Rotel name dates from 1961. The Tachikawa family still owns it, and Kevro International of Pickering, Ontario, distributes it in Canada. We carry Rotel power amplifiers, preamplifiers, integrated amps, CD players and AV receivers and processors. We've had nearly 50 Rotel listings so far, covering about 40 different models. Every used Rotel here is inspected, tested and serviced as required, then photographed in-house and covered by our Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and Perpetual Trade-Back Program. Don't see the model you want? Tell us on First Dibs and we'll email you when one arrives.
The Rotel models we've sold most often include the RSP-1068 surround processor, the RMB-1075 five-channel amplifier and the RTC-965 tuner-preamplifier.
The Rotel story
Tomoki Tachikawa started the company in Tokyo in the late 1950s. Rotel says it first distributed Sylvania televisions in Japan, then reorganized in 1961, left the TV business and went on to design and build electronics for other brands. The Rotel name dates from 1961.
Value hi-fi. Rotel says it refocused in 1979 on no-frills components that put musical accuracy and build quality ahead of features. Its RA-820 integrated amplifiers of the early 1980s were developed with engineers in England, and Rotel says the RA-820B won its first What Hi-Fi? Product of the Year in 1982.
B&W and home theatre. Rotel's partnership with Bowers & Wilkins began in 1981, and the two later shared manufacturing in Zhuhai, China. Rotel added surround processors and receivers in the 1990s and its first DVD player in 2000.
Today. Production moved from Japan to Taiwan and then to China, where Rotel builds in its own factory in Zhuhai. The family relaunched its high-end Michi line in 2019, and Peter Kao, a third-generation member of the family, runs the company. Kevro International, which first carried Rotel in Canada in 1984, has been its Canadian distributor again since 2019.
Which Rotel is which?
1970s receivers: the RX series, such as the RX-402 and the RX-603 to RX-1603, with matching RT tuners.
BX separates and integrated amps (1980s to 1990s): the RA-820 family, the RTC-850 tuner-preamplifier (1988 to 1991) and the RB-960BX to RB-990BX power amps of the 1990s.
Home theatre (1990s to 2000s): the RSX-965 surround receiver, the RTC-965 tuner-preamplifier (1999 to 2000), the RSP-1066 and RSP-1068 processors, the RMB-1075 five-channel amp (2001) and the RDV-995 DVD player.
The 10 and 15 Series: stereo power amps such as the RB-1070 and RB-1080, the RCC-1055 CD changer, and the 15 Series of 2009, including the RC-1550 preamp and RB-1552 power amp.
Diamond Series and Michi (2019 on): today's flagships, such as the RA-6000 integrated amplifier.
Buying used Rotel: what to check
Processors stuck in standby. Owners report RSP-1066 and RSP-1068 processors that show the red standby light but won't wake. Both rear software-update switches must be off, and a factory reset fixes some.
Power amps. The RB-1070 and RB-1080 have no output relays, so some make a noise a few seconds after switching off: turn the volume down first. Owners also report early RB-1080s blowing a left-channel fuse, which Rotel fixed in production.
Protection lights and loads. On the RMB-1075, check that no protection light stays on, and use speakers of 4 ohms or more. The RB-960BX needs 8 ohms or more when bridged.
Digital inputs. If DTS sounds harsh through an RSX-965, check that the player is sending a raw bitstream before blaming the receiver.
Trays. Cycle the tray several times, and on the RCC-1055 every disc position. A worn tray belt makes it slow or noisy.
Everything we list is inspected, tested and serviced as required here, and comes with our warranty.
Related Products
Sony CDP-CE375 5-Disc CD Changer — Optical Out | Play & Exchange
A five-disc carousel using Sony's Play 1/Exchange 4 mechanism — you can swap four discs while the fifth keeps playing. Hybrid Pulse D/A conversion, 0.0045% distortion, better than 102 dB signal-to-noise, and a Toslink optical output for an outboard DAC or receiver. Reads CD-R and CD-RW. A third-party universal remote comes with it, covering the key functions but not all of the original ones.
Pioneer PD-7700 Stable Platter CD Player – Made in Japan, CD-R
An early-nineties Pioneer CD player in black, made in Japan and built around Pioneer's Stable Platter Mechanism, in very good condition, with a 1-bit DAC, an optical digital output and CD-R playback.
✔️ Very good condition — free of significant marks
✔️ Pioneer's Stable Platter Mechanism and 1-bit DAC, made in Japan
✔️ Optical digital out, headphone jack, CD-R playback; universal remote included
✔️ Covered by Radique Warranty
✔️ Includes Perpetual Trade-Back Program eligibility
✔️ Expertly packed for safe shipping
NAD 513 3-Disc CD Changer – Original Remote, Serviced
A 1995 NAD 513 three-disc CD changer hidden in a slim, minimalist case, with a 1-bit MASH converter, CD-R playback and NAD's original remote.
✔️ Serviced on our bench
✔️ Original remote included
✔️ Very good condition
✔️ Covered by Radique Warranty
✔️ Includes Perpetual Trade-Back Program eligibility
✔️ Expertly packed for safe shipping
