Quick Summary
The Rotel Michi Q5 CD transport and DAC was previously announced in late 2024, but will finally be available to buy this March.
It combines a CD and digital music player, with audiophile-standard audio output.
When Rotel showed off a pre-production version of its Michi Q5 CD transport and DAC late last year, many audiophiles had just one question: when can I get one? Now we know the answer, because the Q5 will be available from March 2025.
An added bonus is that the version you'll be able to buy is even better than the prototype.
The Q5 is built around a 32-bit, 8-channel ESS Sabre ES9028PRO DAC (32-bit / 768kHz), and since the prototype was unveiled, Rotel has optimised it to deliver an even lower noise floor and a cleaner signal to the Michi Q5's XLR and RCA outputs.
The CD transport has been improved too, with more isolation from vibration, and there's a fully isolated power supply for the CD drive motor.
A high-end CD player with a high-spec DAC
The DAC supports up to 32-bit / 384kHz music over USB and 24-bit / 192kHz over coaxial and optical sources. The Q5 is Roon tested, supports MQA and MQA Studio, and has fully balanced differential XLR outputs. Total harmonic distortion is a tiny 0.0006%.
The CD transport has a top-loading mechanism crafted from CNC aluminium, and the version shown off in 2024 has since gained additional slots so that you can see the CD as it spins.
On the front there's a full-colour TFT display to show track information and album art, and the Q5 can be controlled remotely via RS232 and Ethernet as well as via the supplied remote control.
It's an impressive spec, but you'll need to have a similarly impressive income to afford one – the RRP for the Michi Q5 is £5,499 / $6,999 / €5,999 (about AU$11,000).
If that's a little beyond your budget, Rotel does make a range of high-spec CD transports for considerably less cash, such as the CD11MKII and the RCD-1572MKII.
There are, of course, other alternatives on the market too.
