Revox Studiomaster CD100

The CD100 is clearly intended to complement Revox's current Studiomaster platform. When connected to an M500 or M300, the player uses two cable links - one coaxial connection for the digital audio signal and one data connection for control and system interaction. The supplied Revox Control Port CD-Player cable connects to the USB port of the M500 or M300 and to the RS232 control input on the CD100. Once connected, configuration is automatic. The coaxial input is renamed as 'CD-Player' in the system, the icon on the display changes and the necessary configurator settings are applied without manual setup.

This integration is the main reason the CD100 makes sense as part of the Studiomaster ecosystem. When the CD player is selected from the Revox control unit, it switches on automatically, reads the disc and displays the contents in the app. Tracks can be selected from the app, playing time is updated and shown both in the app and on the front display of the M500 or M300. The system also shows the current status of disc operation, such as reading, play, pause, stop, no disc or read error. When the user switches to another source on the M500 or M300, the CD100 powers down automatically.

That does not mean the CD100 is limited only to current Revox systems. It has its own power supply and provides analog outputs as well as coaxial and optical digital outputs, so it can also be connected to a conventional hi-fi amplifier or an external DAC. This makes the player more flexible than its system-oriented concept might initially suggest. It may not be the obvious choice for someone looking for a fully standalone CD player with a large display and supplied remote control, but it can work outside a Revox Studiomaster setup if the user is prepared to operate it more traditionally.

The design itself is deliberately restrained. The CD100 uses a slot-loading mechanism and has front-panel buttons for basic operation, but no large display. The focus is on compact dimensions, simple control and system integration rather than visual drama. The technical sheet lists dimensions of 88 x 200 x 342 mm and a weight of 3 kg, which makes it a relatively dense and serious component for its size. It is available in black, white and silver finishes, matching the visual language of Revox's current compact audio systems.

Inside, digital-to-analog conversion is handled by a Burr-Brown PCM1796 DAC. This is a well-established chip rather than a fashion-driven headline part, which fits the character of the product. The supported disc formats are CD-DA and CD-R, so the CD100 is a focused Red Book CD player rather than a universal disc machine. Digital output is delivered at 44.1 kHz/16-bit through coaxial and optical outputs, allowing the player to be used as a transport with external digital equipment if required.

The published performance figures are most useful when read as confirmation that Revox has treated the CD100 as a proper hi-fi source rather than a convenience add-on for its multiroom systems. The analog output offers a frequency range of 5 Hz - 20 kHz, THD + noise below 0.0019%, dynamic range of 118 dB and a signal-to-noise ratio above 110 dB at 1 kHz. For a compact CD player intended to integrate into a broader system, those figures suggest a clean and quiet analog stage with enough headroom to sit comfortably in a serious setup. The digital output section is specified with THD + noise below 0.0018%, again indicating that the CD100 is not merely a control accessory, but a dedicated disc source.

Control options include the front-panel buttons, the Revox Multiuser app and Revox control units when the player is used with the Studiomaster M500 or M300. The technical sheet also mentions IR RC5 commands and RS232 control, which helps explain how the player fits into Revox's broader system logic. Revox also notes backward compatibility with the Joy S119 and S120 MKII Network Receiver via the CD-Link interface, which will be useful for owners of earlier Revox systems who still want to add or replace a CD source.

There is also a practical detail concerning input selection. In the standard setup with M500 or M300, the CD100 uses the coaxial input. If that input is already occupied, another input, such as optical or analog, can be selected in the configurator, although Revox notes that this alternative configuration is not permanently stored in the same way. If the Control Port CD-Player cable is disconnected and reconnected, the normal automatic configuration is restored. The Revox Studiomaster CD100 is available now in black, white and silver and is priced at €1895. The supplied accessories include a power cable, the Control Port CD-Player connection cable and a coaxial cable. Info and photos by Revox.