Quad Artera Play+

This versatile second-gen player addresses the shortcomings of its forerunner

To call Quad’s Artera Play+ simply a CD player is to undersell its range of abilities. Think of this not just as a disc source for your system but also its hub.

With analogue, digital and aptx Bluetooth inputs also included, this is a component of considerable versatility. Just add a power amplifier and speakers to complete the system.

We reviewed the original Artera Play back in 2016 and, on the surface at least, little has changed. The Play+ looks identical apart from the addition of a discreet (and capable) 6.3mm headphone output on the front lower lip and a small aerial for Bluetooth.

It’s still a superbly made unit that feels solid and classy. While the 32 x 32cm footprint invokes memories of Quad classics from the past, this is a cuttingedge unit and is available in either black or silver finishes. We particularly like the glass top panel. It adds a touch of class that most rivals lack.

There are basic controls on the front panel, but the essentials are included here and the remote handset is nice to hold and easy to use.

Versatile DAC

Take a look inside and you’ll find the same highly rated ESS Sabre ES9018 DAC as before. This chip allows the unit to handle pretty much every file format out there from 32-bit/384khz PCM all the way up to DSD 256.

While the Play+ isn’t a wholesale change on what went before, Quad has taken the opportunity to improve the performance. There are changes to the post-dac analogue filter circuit including the use of better op-amps.

The Play+’s power supply has also been improved with a larger toroidal transformer and independent low-noise power feeds to sonically important sections of the circuitry. There are also small tweaks to the analogue circuitry between the DAC and the XLR output.

Connectivity is excellent, with two pairs of RCA analogue inputs alongside two opticals, two coaxials and a USB. There’s aptx Bluetooth, of course, and the option of both single-ended and balanced analogue outputs.

Should you want to use an external DAC – though we’re not sure why you would, the one built-in is so good – you can connect via optical and coaxial digital outputs.

The original Artera Play failed to impress us hugely, but it takes no more than a few seconds to realise than this new one is much better. We start with Prince’s Diamonds And Pearls on CD and the Quad sounds right at home. It’s a detailed and even-sounding performer that presents music in an unforced and refined manner. Where this new model differs from the original is in the way it manages to communicate the energy and sparkle in the music.

The hit single Gett Off sounds as funky as it should, with the Quad keeping a firm grip of the hard-charging rhythm track. Cd-playing rivals such as Cyrus’s Award-winning CDI sound even more lively and punchier in the bass, but the Quad still manages to entertain hugely. It’s subtle and insightful, and able to keep track of the song’s multitude of musical strands without sounding confused. Most importantly, it’s fun to listen to – something that the original simply wasn’t.

Hans Zimmer’s Gladiator OST shows that the Quad is capable of strong dynamic swings and a decent sense of scale. It doesn’t sound quite as authoritative as some rivals, but has a sense of balance where every aspect of the sound is nicely proportioned. There’s excellent refinement and a freedom from harsh edges that’s really appealing, plus an ability to paint instrumental textures in an understated but convincing way.

We try out the digital inputs and find that the internal DAC is a good one and that the sonic character of the inputs is consistent. The Artera connects to our Mac laptop without fuss.

Wireless-friendly sound

Bluetooth works well too. There’s the expected drop-off in quality compared with the traditional wired hi-fi connection, but as we listen to Low’s Secret Name via Tidal, we don’t mind because it all sounds so pleasant and interesting. There’s all the tidy presentation we expect of a Quad product but here it comes with a level of expression and involvement that hasn’t always been there.

The Artera Play+ deserves its place on the shortlist just behind class leaders such as the Cyrus CDI. But if you’re after something more versatile than the CDI, get straight down to your Quad dealer and buy this. You’ll be pleased you did.