The current Rotel range contains just two CD players: this new RCD-06 model and the RCD-1072 at £595, a tightly focused range from what was once one of the strongest names in budget hi-fi. Rotel was also a pioneer of adding UK design input to Far East built audio.

The continuity of this process has been maintained by B&W employing the services of Robert Burn (from Rotel's former distributor, Gamepath) as group services manager and Rotel voicing expert.

The RCD-06 replaces 2002's RCD-02, but does not appear to have changed externally. Functionally there are few frills, but it does feature everything most of us might require from a CD player, including a coaxial digital output, single-ended analogue outputs, an external remote socket and a 12v trigger. The latter two make the player custom-install friendly, an increasingly important factor for many products.

Under the lid, the RCD-06 ups the 02's 18-bit ante with a 24-bit/96kHz DAC from Burr-Brown; the exact choice of chipset, however, is not divulged. What we are told, though, is that the metal-film resistors are UK designed and the low-noise resistors are US made. So, while Rotel manufactures in China, components are not limited to those made in the same country.

The player's remote handset tries a little bit too hard to be different by incorporating the main functions into a cross arrangement not unlike those found on DVD handsets. That said, it wouldn't take a great deal of familiarisation and the most important button, eject, is included - a boon to couch potatoes.

Sound quality

In the context of expensive and revealing amplification and loudspeakers, this player exhibits a good deal of precision in terms of timing, imaging and general detail. It does so in the context of a slightly thin midband, however.

This gives a good sense of transparency, but sounds like a tonal weakness in a revealing system. However, it's an approach that would help a more appropriately priced system with speakers that are smooth and evenly balanced, such as B&W's own CM1.

If you avoid bright loudspeakers and/or amplifiers this should not be an issue, and given that Rotel's own integrated amps would have been used in the voicing process they probably complement the player beautifully.