High-end audio brands are ditching CD players because nobody makes disc drives anymore

Facepalm: The collapse of optical disc drive manufacturing might prove to be the final nail in the coffin for the few remaining players in the hi-fi audio industry. According to reports, premium brands like PS Audio and Naim have either halted the production of new CD players entirely or ditched optical media drives in their streaming amplifiers due to a severe supply crunch.

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.

PMG Signature Audio CD Transport

Replying to a customer on the official PS Audio forums about whether PS Audio plans to introduce new models with CD transports, founder and CEO Paul McGowan stated that building the disc-playing mechanism from scratch is "waaaaaay beyond our skills," and that the company would ideally continue working with "transistors, tubes, capacitors and code."

McGowan, however, offered some hope for the CD faithful, saying the firm could launch a new CD transport device in 2027, but that "it won't be a PMG. It'll likely be a Stellar." While PMG is PS Audio's uncompromising high-end flagship series, Stellar and Stellar Gold are positioned as mid-tier devices with more affordable price tags.

While PS Audio has officially ceased production of the PMG Signature Audio CD Transport, Naim ditched the CD player in the latest version of its Uniti Star streaming amplifier. The company launched the new Uniti Star Lite last month, but unlike the original Uniti Star, it lacks a built-in CD player.

Naim Uniti Star Lite

According to Naim, the CD player was removed because the disc mechanism found in the Uniti Star was no longer manufactured. Naim did not identify the drive mechanism, but a 2023 forum post by company representative Neil S. claimed that the UnitiServe ripper contained a Teac DV516GB DVD-ROM drive typically seen in older desktop computers.

While customers were unhappy about Naim's decision to ditch the optical disc drive, the company claimed that removing it improved the audio quality by reducing internal electrical noise, which created a cleaner signal path and greater audio transparency. Thanks to the absence of the CD drive, the new device is 2.2 pounds lighter and £300 cheaper than the original Uniti Star.