Cd radio test & comparison »top 9 in january 2020

An overview of the 9 best radios with CD players.

Listening to your new favorite book while cooking and switching to the news on the radio is easy if you have a good CD radio.

Do you want to use more than just the usual recorder functions and perfect Access your computer’s music list wirelessly, you should use a CD radio with Bluetooth function. Now take a look at our test or comparison table and you will immediately find the right CD radio with Bluetooth function for you.

The quality management for our test and comparison procedure is TÜV-certified according to ISO 9001

CD radio comparison
Illustration *	Compare winner	Price-performance winner
Model *	Grundig GRB 2000	Grundig GRB 2000	Medion Life E64070	Muse M-23 KDB	Sony ZSPS50B.CED	Karcher RR 510N	Lenco SCD-24	PHILIPS AUDIO AZ127	Blaupunkt CDR 10
valuation at Amazon *	275 ratings	235 ratings	131 reviews	67 reviews	179 reviews	486 reviews	1700 reviews	322 reviews	41 reviews
Playable CD formats	CD CD-R CD-RW CD-MP3 CD-DA WMA	CD CD-R CD-RW CD-MP3 CD-DA	CD CD-R CD-RW	CD CD-R CD-RW	CD CD-R	CD CD-R CD-RW CD-MP3	CD	CD CD-R CD-RW	CD
Technical characteristics
sound quality	particularly good sound	particularly good sound	good sound	good sound	good sound	good sound	good sound	moderate sound	moderate sound
service	particularly good sound	particularly simple operation	simple operation	particularly simple operation	particularly simple operation	particularly simple operation	particularly simple operation	simple operation	mediocre service
power supply	Batteries \| power cable 6 x C batteries	Batteries \| power cable 6 x C batteries	Battery operation \| power cable 6 x 1.5 V	Batteries \| power cable 6 x C batteries	battery 6 xC battery	Battery \| power cable 6 x C batteries	Battery \| power cable 6 x C batteries	Battery \| power cable 6 x 1.5 V	batteries 2 x AAA batteries
Interfaces and connection options
Connectivity	hardly any connection options	hardly any connection options	many connection options	many connection options	many connection options	hardly any connection options	no connection options	hardly any connection options	hardly any connection options
On- & outputs	Headphone port USB port	Headphone port USB port	Aux-In for external audio devices Headphone output USB port	Aux-In for external audio devices Headphone port USB port	Aux-In Headphone port USB port	Headphone port USB port	Headphone port	Aux-In for external audio devices	Aux-In for external audio devices Headphone port
Bluetooth
Reception Art (FM / DAB)	FM	FM	FM	FM	FM	FM	FM	FM	FM
additional data
More functions	10 memory locations	10 memory locations LCD display	40 memory locations with cassette compartment Backlit LCD display	LCD display	3 station memories LCD display	20 memory locations with cassette compartment Backlit LCD display	LCD display	with cassette compartment LCD display	20 memory locations usable as an alarm clock LC display (dimmable)
Included accessories	power plug Operating instructions Warranty Notice	power plug Operating instructions Warranty Notice	remote Control power plug Operating instructions	power plug Operating instructions	none available	power plug Operating instructions	Operating instructions	Quick guide Warranty Notice	Operating instructions Warranty Notice
Available in other versions	Purple / Silver Blue / Silver Black silver	Turquoise / Silver Silver black Turquoise / Silver and five more	White	pink	light Blue White	White	Red Black White Blue / Black and three more	none available	black
benefits	very good sound plays many different CD formats available in many different colors	plays many different CD formats available in many different colors	particularly simple operation especially many memory locations for radio stations can play tapes Remote control incl.	particularly simple operation Particularly suitable for children due to the motif	particularly simple operation	particularly simple operation plays many different CD formats can play tapes The display shows additional information about the song	particularly simple operation	can play tapes	can be used as an alarm clock with sleep function
Questions and answers about the product	Questions and answers about Grundig GRB 2000	Questions and answers about Grundig GRB 2000	Questions and answers about Medion Life E64070	Questions and answers about Muse M-23 KDB	Questions and answers about Sony ZSPS50B.CED	Questions and answers about Karcher RR 510N	Questions and answers about Lenco SCD-24	Questions and answers about PHILIPS AUDIO AZ127	Questions and answers about Blaupunkt CDR 10
To offer *	To offer "	To offer "	To offer "	To offer "	To offer "	To offer "	To offer "	To offer "	To offer "
Available at *

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CD radios Buyer’s Guide:
How to choose the right product from the CD radio test or comparison above

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CD radios (in some cases: CD radio recorders) are radios with an integrated CD player. The biggest difference between the different radios is in their audio playback. While some only play CDs and receive radio, others have an additional cassette compartment.
With a Bluetooth function, a radio with a CD player can play songs from the computer and other Bluetooth-enabled devices without any cables. The price of these radios with CD players is no different and is in some cases even cheaper than CD radios without a Bluetooth function.
CD radios have different interfaces. Some types of CD radio only have a connection for headphones. Other CD radio variants, however, also have a USB slot or an additional SD card slot.

Reading books means relaxing for a moment, cheering and forgetting the reality. Unfortunately, there is not always time to make yourself comfortable and read a book. This can be remedied by audio books that are heard on the way to work, while cooking or in the evening in bed. As a survey showed, benefit in Germany in 2017 53% of all respondents used a CD player to play the audio books (Source: Bitkom).

Some of the radios have CD players an additional cassette recorder. With these you can hear the new ones Audiobooks not only on CD, but can also revive your childhood and listen to your favorite tapes.

In our CD radio comparison 2019/2020 we explain to you which audio formats the CD radios can play, why a CD radio with Bluetooth is worthwhile and which other connection options you still have with the radios with CD player.

Back to the 90s: With a CD radio you can play your first self-burned CD and listen to your favorite radio plays directly from the cassette.

1. Buying advice: You can only get a nostalgic feeling with a CD radio with cassette recorder

$ 1,000 for the CD player

In 1982 the first CD player (Sony CDP-01) was launched in Japan. A year later, it was sold worldwide.

at up to $ 1,000 per player but not everyone could afford it. Still were by 1984, over 400,000 CD players in the United States alone sold.

Are you interested in this topic? Find out more about the first CD player here.

A CD radio must be able to do two things above all: play CDs and receive radio. Nevertheless, you should take a close look before you buy a CD radio. Some radios only play certain CD formats on their speakers, others come with additional functions, with which you can do much more than just listen to the radio or CD.

What you don’t have to do without is a CD radio that is portable. Most radios with a CD player have a handle so that it is easy to transport. In some cases, these are also referred to as portable stereo radios. However, whether the CD radio is also suitable for the children’s room depends entirely on how your children enjoy their music and radio plays favorite Listen. Not every manufacturer offers a CD radio with a cassette player.

To give you a little insight into the different possibilities and so that you can choose the best CD radio for you, we have some of the common ways of receiving CD radio listed for you.

audio source	description
CD	The CD (also Compact Disc) has been around since the early 1980s. Originally intended as a pure storage medium for music, today you can also burn films or computer games onto the flat disc.

The CD can be divided into several categories. We have for you the three main formats listed:

CD-R: A CD, which can only be described once. It is also commonly referred to as a blank CD.
CD-RW: In contrast to the CD-R can With CD-RWs, the data is deleted and new ones are loaded. Before buying, note that not every CD radio can read CD-RWs. This includes the CD radio SCD-24 from the manufacturer Lenco.
CD-MP3: MP3 CDs are ordinary data CDs. Here is the Music, however, saved as an MP3 file.

radio

For CD players with radio function, set the desired function using a slider. When buying, however, note that it is most of the radios with CD players are FM radios. You cannot receive the newer types of reception such as DAB or DAB + with such devices.

Some of the advantages and disadvantages of a CD radio with FM reception we have recorded in the following:

an FM CD radio usually costs less than a CD radio with DAB / DAB+
Noise hardly affects hearing news and songs
With CD radio, it is hardly necessary to change stations because the device is mainly used in the house

hisses more than a CD radio with DAB / DAB + reception
digital radio cannot be received
no additional information (for example: song title, news information) is shown
Channels have to be searched again when changing location, because yourself Change frequencies

cassette Hardly anyone uses cassettes these days. Storage media such as CDs or USB memory sticks and transmission types such as Bluetooth have largely replaced them. The purchase of a CD radio with a cassette compartment (also called a CD radio recorder) is therefore only worthwhile for you:

if your children like to listen to their radio plays on cassette
if you want to revive your old children’s and youth days

Good digitization comes at a price

Cassettes and records bring back old memories; the music that was played on the first kiss or the band that was great at fourteen. Unfortunately, the old recording formats are prone to dirt and scratches. Luckily, digitizing the recordings can save the memories.

In its test 02/2010, the Stiftung Warentest tested devices for digitization and two digitization service providers. It came out that the best quality is achieved when using a digitization service provider. However, this costs on average between 13 and 25 euros.

If you have had your music transferred to a CD and want to hear the music from the cassette again as a comparison, we advise you to buy a CD radio with a cassette recorder. Unfortunately, the Stiftung Warentest has not yet carried out a CD radio test in this regard, so that we cannot present you with a CD radio comparison winner.

2. An overview of the most important connections of the CD radio

Apart from the cassette recorder or the CD player, most radios with CD players offer additional connection options through which you can receive music. Have so some types of CD radio also have an SD card slot in addition to a USB port.

We have summarized the interfaces your radio and CD player can have and what they are good for in a short table.

interfaces	description
Aux-in	Audio signals are amplified via the aux-in input and passed on to the radio with CD player. The connection of audio source and aux-in jack can either about a so-called Jack cable (e.g. for cell phones) or a cinch cable (e.g. amplifiers) getting produced.

The following Audio sources can send to the Aux-in socket of the CD radio connected become:

Smartphone
IPod
MP3 player

Headphone port

The headphone jack is also an aux connector. So that the different aux sockets are not confused, the Headphone porteither with a headphone symbol or the English word "Phones" marked.

Only the jack plug of the headphones is required for the connection. Incidentally, this connection is particularly suitable not only so as not to cover the outside world with your own music. At the same time, the annoying noises from outside are blocked, making it easy to listen to audio books.

USB port The USB interface is used to connect the CD player to the radio with a laptop or a USB memory stick. USB version 2.0 has been on the market since 2000 and is still the most used USB version.

Do you want yours Music list from the laptop on your CD radiowith USB connection, you can either:

drag the songs onto a USB stick and connect it to the CD radio
to transfer the songs directly from the laptop to the CD radio

SD card slot Just like the USB stick, the SD card also serves as data storage. You can save MP3 files on these and then play them back on your CD radio using the card slot.

3. Questions and answers about CD radio

3.1. Is it still worth buying a CD radio with FM reception??

Yes, it’s still worth it. DAB reception on radios is mainly worthwhile if the radio is moved a lot and this means that new stations have to be searched for again and again. However, if you use your radio with CD player frequently in the house or as a CD radio for your children in the children’s room, there is no need to search for the station.

It is also not yet clear when exactly FM stations will be switched off. Some countries, such as Norway, have already said goodbye to VHF transmissions, in Germany, however, no specific date has yet been set been.

If you want to buy a new radio with CD player, you not only have the advantage that the switch-off date has not yet been determined. VHF transmission also comes off better in terms of price. Compared to radios with DAB or DAB + reception, FM CD radios are cheap. For example, you only pay around 50 euros for a CD radio with Bluetooth.

Apart from additional data displays (such as song artists or weather information), DAB transmission for CD radios that are used solely in the house is not particularly useful.

3.2. Are there CD radios with Bluetooth and is really worth using?

Yes, there are brands where you can find CD radios with Bluetooth functionality. These include, among others CD radios from the manufacturer Lauson and from the manufacturer One Concept. If you are interested in accessing your laptop with your CD radio via Bluetooth, you do not have to worry about the costs.

You can get radios with a Bluetooth function for just over 40 euros. In contrast, Bluetooth-free CD radios (for example from the manufacturer Grundig) cost over 50 euros. You would not save money by not using a Bluetooth function.

If you particularly care about the CD function of your new radio, you should note, that the size of the playable CD format for Bluetooth-compatible CD radios is smaller. In most cases, for example, they cannot play MP3 CDs. That being said, the radios play both CD-Rs and CD-RWs. If you want to be independent in the use of your radio with CD player and listen to the songs from your laptop on your radio without a USB connection, it is definitely worth buying a CD radio with Bluetooth function.

By the way: Not all CD players with radio are offered by the manufacturers as CD radio. For example, there are also CD radio alarm clocks that are mainly used as normal alarm clocks. The display of these devices is therefore usually larger than that of normal CD radios. If you are looking for a special CD radio for your children that also wakes them up for school, we recommend that you buy a CD radio alarm clock. You can find one such from the manufacturer Blaupunkt. What is special about this product: The CD radio is in the form of a cube. However, it cannot play cassettes for this.