Nagra Compact Player

Nagra Compact Player

Estimate order ETA 4-6 weeks  

High-End Digital Playback in a Compact Form 

Following the success of the Nagra Streamer introduced in 2024, Nagra now offers a simple, elegant, and highly musical solution for digital playback by integrating a state-of the-art D/A conversion stage into the unit. 

By replacing the Streamer’s digital outputs with an advanced D/A architecture, the 
Nagra Compact Player becomes a digital source while preserving the sonic signature that made the Streamer so successful: a fluid, natural presentation with a smooth, analog-like character. Its sound can be described as faithful timbre reproduction, a spacious three-dimensional soundstage, deep bass extension, and powerful, effortless dynamics. 

The Compact Player offers the same digital capabilities as the Streamer combined with a high performance built-in D/A conversion stage: PCM up to 384 kHz and DSD 256 (DSD 4x). This places the Compact Player firmly within Nagra’s design philosophy and quality standards, while remaining accessible and easy to integrate into a wide range of systems. 

The chassis is compact yet substantial, precisely CNC-machined from a solid billet of aluminum. It is rigid, vibration-resistant, and engineered to Nagra’s exacting mechanical standards. Designed to be as large as necessary and no larger, the Compact Player fits easily into equipment racks where space is often limited - a key advantage for modern high-end systems. 

Given the Compact Player’s size and targeted price point, Nagra’s R&D team deliberately chose not to use the proprietary Nagra digital engine - NADM - found in the Classic DAC II and Reference DAC. Instead, extensive testing and listening sessions led to the selection of a high-performance DAC chip. To maximize performance two stereo DAC chips are used - one per channel - reducing noise and improving channel separation. Exceptional attention has been paid to clock design, power supply regulations, and multi-layer PCB layout. The result is a sound quality that will surprise many listeners - the Compact Player should not be underestimated despite its small footprint and attractive price. 

The Nagra Compact Player pairs perfectly with a preamplifier such as the Nagra PREAMP II-S or an integrated power amplifier. 

For simpler or secondary systems, it can also be connected directly to a power amplifier or active speakers, using the app-based volume control. 

To minimise vibration, it can also rest on a VFS or on its own Compact VFS.

Whilst its size and price, for a Nagra product, may mislead you, this is a very ambitious unit and it is fully worthy of the Nagra logo engraved on its front.

Specification