The Ayre Acoustics CX-8 is a masterfully engineered CD player and digital front-end designed for purity, transparency and musical realism. With a fully balanced, zero-feedback analog stage, ESS ES9038Q2M DAC, Ayre’s custom digital clock and Minimum-Phase digital filter, the CX-8 aims to deliver disc playback with lifelike detail, rich tonal colour and powerful dynamic expression. Whether feeding a high-end power amplifier or a pre/power setup, the CX-8’s robust build quality, meticulous circuitry and high-resolution inputs (USB, network, digital) make it a versatile centrepiece — as at home with classic SACDs and CDs as with high-rez files from USB or network sources. For audiophiles seeking ultimate digital disc playback and future-proof flexibility, the CX-8 stands out as a “last CD player you’ll ever need.”