CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — Atoll Electronique CD200 Signature

The CD200 Signature is a CD player from Atoll Electronique, the French maker of amplifiers and digital sources. It is a special version of the CD200 in the 200 series, and it keeps the standard 440 mm width of the brand's full-size components, so it lines up with Atoll amplifiers and streamers on a rack. Beyond its role as a disc player, it can be upgraded with an optional board that turns it into an external DAC fed from other digital devices.

Key specs that matter

The player relies on a Burr-Brown PCM1792 chip from Texas Instruments, working at up to 24 bit and 192 kHz with an 8x oversampling digital filter. Atoll quotes 129 dB for both the signal to noise ratio and the dynamic range, and distortion below 0.002% at 1 kHz. Analogue output level is 2.5 V RMS, with a 75 ohm output impedance. The chassis measures 440 x 280 x 90 mm and weighs 8 kg.

Engineering and use context

The disc transport is a Teac mechanism mounted on an anti-vibration chassis. Supported discs and files are CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 and WMA-AAC. The analogue section uses a differential circuit running in pure class A, and the DAC's differential current output is converted to voltage by a stage built with bipolar transistors rather than a generic op-amp. A linear supply rated at 30+30 VA provides the power, with total filter capacitance of 17,000 microfarads and seven separate stabilised voltage sources feeding the different circuits. Besides the analogue RCA outputs, the rear panel carries optical and coaxial digital outputs, so the player can also act as a transport for an outboard converter. The optional input module adds optical, coaxial and USB inputs, which lets a computer, streamer or TV use the internal DAC through the same output stage. Atoll also builds a dedicated drive, the DR200 Evolution, which is a transport only and has only digital outputs, including AES/EBU.

Pairing

The output level sits a little above the usual 2 V CD standard, so volume positions on the amplifier will be slightly lower than with many other players, and the low source impedance works with ordinary line inputs of 10 kohm and above. The Atoll IN400 Evolution integrated amplifier, with a dedicated CD line input and a bypass input, is a natural partner in the same family, and the Atoll universal remote works across the brand's components.

Alternatives

In the same Atoll range, the CD200 Evolution is the regular version of this player built around the same 200 series chassis.