Cambridge AXC35 CD Player
A complete CD player, converter built in, ready to plug straight into any amp.
You just want to play a CD
Not everyone wants to build a separates system around an external DAC. Sometimes you have a good amplifier, a stack of discs, and you simply want to connect one box and hit play. A transport-only deck won't do that on its own, and a cheap all-in-one often sounds thin and hard. The AXC35 sits right in that gap: a full CD player with its own converter, priced to make sense.
Why we recommend the AXC35
The AXC35 is a complete player. It reads the disc and converts it to analogue in one box using a Wolfson WM8524 DAC running up to 24-bit/192kHz, then sends a clean signal straight to your amplifier over standard RCA outputs. If you'd rather use a better converter later, a coaxial digital output lets the AXC35 double as a transport, so it grows with your system instead of boxing you in. Gapless playback keeps live albums and classical works flowing the way they were recorded.
What the specs won't tell you
Plug in and play, no extra boxes. The built-in Wolfson DAC means you connect one cable to any amplifier's line input and you're done. Clean, detailed sound with none of the setup a separate transport and converter would ask for.
Room to grow if you want it. The coaxial digital output lets you bypass the internal converter and feed an external DAC down the road. Start simple now, and the AXC35 becomes a transport later without being replaced.
Music the way it was recorded. Gapless playback means no silent stumble between tracks on a live set or a seamless album, and the player reads MP3 and WMA data discs as well as standard CDs.
What the reviewers heard
What Hi-Fi awarded the AXC35 a solid four stars across sound, build, and features, calling it a slim, fuss-free CD player that fits beautifully within the AX range, with clean, detailed sound that's very capable for the price. Hi-Fi News echoed the point, describing the AX components as stylish and well made, and noting they punch above their weight.
The Audio Two verdict
This is the CD player we recommend when someone wants disc playback to be simple. It's a complete player, so it works with any amplifier straight out of the box, and the coaxial output means it can serve as a transport if you add a better DAC later. For a clean, honest, well-built way back into your CD collection without building a separates rack, the AXC35 is the sensible choice.
"A slim, fuss-free CD player that fits beautifully within its AX range." — What Hi-Fi?
Tech you can hear
| What You Hear | Why It Happens |
| Clean, detailed sound straight to your amp | Built-in Wolfson WM8524 DAC, up to 24-bit/192kHz |
| One-cable simplicity | Analogue RCA output feeds any amplifier directly |
| A future upgrade path | Coaxial digital output lets it work as a transport |
| Seamless live and classical albums | Gapless playback |
| Flexibility with your discs | Reads CD, CD-R, CD-RW plus MP3 and WMA data discs |
Technical highlights
- Full CD player with built-in Wolfson WM8524 DAC (up to 24-bit/192kHz)
- Analogue RCA output plus coaxial S/PDIF digital output
- Can double as a CD transport into an external DAC
- Gapless playback; reads CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 and WMA discs (no SACD)
- Includes remote control
- Dimensions 430 x 75 x 305mm, 4.3kg
- What Hi-Fi four stars; Hi-Fi News recommended
Why choose Audio Two
Audio Two ships across Canada. If you don't have access to a proper high-end dealer in your city, this is your way in, real expertise from people who've heard the system, matched the electronics, and can guide you through a decision this size.