CSH-801 - CD Player
silver - Unitra

CD player - Digital source devices

The CD is not dead - it only sounds as good as the device that plays it. With the Unitra CSH-801, the silver disk format gets a player that does it justice: an uncompromising 32-bit DAC, a proven TEAC drive in a low-vibration all-metal housing and a design language that combines the best of two eras. The device quotes the superior materiality of the studio devices of the 1970s and combines it with modern measurement values that have nothing to hide from any competitor: 112 dB signal-to-noise ratio, 0.004 % distortion factor, 90 dB channel separation.

Unitra is not a new brand that relies on retro nostalgia - it is a traditional Polish brand that has been relaunched as a modern hi-fi company after a decades-long break. The devices are created with true engineering conviction: Where others cut corners, Unitra relies on toroidal transformers with generous power reserves, physically tested switches and audiophile components designed for longevity. The CSH-801 is the brand's first CD drive - and it is as sophisticated as if it were not the first, but the third attempt.

The heart of the CSH-801 is the Burr-Brown PCM5102A - a 32-bit DAC chip known in the audiophile world for its natural, musical character. With a sampling rate of 384 kHz (PCM) and a signal-to-noise ratio of 112 dB, it is one of the reference values in its class. What this means in practice: The dynamics of a well-produced CD are fully unfolded without the drive swallowing information or raising the noise floor. The frequency response ranges from 7 Hz to 20 kHz and the distortion factor is just 0.004 % - measured values that are not a matter of course even with significantly more expensive devices.

The trade press and users unanimously report a sound that is tonally balanced, spacious and rich in detail: the treble is fresh and resolving without being piercing, while at the same time being soft and slightly warm. The midrange opens up airily and transparently. The bass is characterized by precise contours and good depth; double bass runs are reproduced with full dynamics and differentiation. The stereo stage is sharply focused, with cleanly staggered depth levels - exactly what a CD player in this price range should be capable of and rarely delivers so convincingly.

If you want to use the CSH-801 purely as a CD transport rather than as an integrated device, you can activate the transport function: This routes the CD data stream directly to the optical or coaxial digital output - without a detour via the internal DAC. This means that the CSH-801 can be seamlessly combined with an external high-end converter and grows with the system.

The housing of the CSH-801 is made entirely of metal - no plastic, no sheet metal compromise. This noticeably reduces cabinet resonances and gives the device a weight of 6.9 kg, which radiates quality even before the first CD is inserted. The aluminum front panel with its physically proven switches, the quiet drawer mechanism and the backlit CD viewing window - a real eye-catcher - convey the feeling of holding a device in your hands that is designed to last for decades.

The E-Ink display is one of the most original design decisions in the modern CD player market. During the day, it looks like a written paper card - high-contrast, glare-free and perfectly legible. In the evening, a warm backlight discreetly activates the display without disturbing the atmosphere of the listening room. Album title, artist and track information are displayed via CD text - for all those who want to get to know their collection visually.

The patented automatic toggle switch is a typical Unitra detail: it can be operated both manually and by remote control and always indicates the device status by its physical position - no LED flashing, no status abbreviations. An elegant, analog concept for a digital device.

The CSH-801 is consistently designed as part of a coherent overall system. Visually and conceptually, it is coordinated with the Unitra WSH-805 integrated amplifier and the GSH-630 Fryderyk turntable - uniform lighting, identical design language, common dimensions. If you set up a complete Unitra chain, you get an ensemble that is not only sonically but also visually unified - a rarity in the modern hi-fi world, where individual devices rarely form a rack.

In terms of connectivity, the CSH-801 is complete: Stereo RCA for direct connection to analog amplifiers, optical and coaxial S/PDIF output for operation as a transport. Energy consumption is a moderate 9 W in operation and 0.5 W in standby mode. The player is available in black and silver - both versions blend into both modern and classic listening rooms.