Victor's new CD stereo uses wooden speaker cones and LDAC audio

If I would have had a dollar for each time I heard the phrase “CDs are dead, who listens to music on CD anymore?” I would have been a millionaire. CDs will not disappear too soon, and that’s why manufacturers keep finding reasons to build new players. Victor's EX-D60 is one of them, although its most unusual feature is actually the pair of wooden speaker cones.

JVC Kenwood announced  the launch on November 12, as an upgrade from the  EX-D6 player, introduced in December 2020. The new system retains the all-in-one wooden cabinet from the previous launch, with two 8.5 cm full-range drivers using wood rather than conventional paper or synthetic diaphragms. Victor claims the construction produces natural-sounding midrange frequencies and controlled bass. The revised model also introduces new hybrid insulators for the supports beneath the EX-D60's cabinet. They use a two-layer construction combining resin and metal, with brass and stainless steel components positioned on opposite sides to reduce vibrations .

Because we live in the digital era, the EX-D60 isn't limited to physical discs. It supports Bluetooth audio through SBC, AAC and LDAC, along with FM radio and USB playback. FLAC and WAV files up to 24-bit/192kHz are supported, Another interesting feature is the recording. CDs, radio broadcasts and external sources can be recorded onto USB storage in MP3 format.

The EX-D60 can function as an amplifier as well. An AUX input with three adjustable sensitivity levels is making connecting external players easier, including turntables equipped with a phono preamplifier. Victor has also enlarged the display characters and redesigned the remote control.

The EX-D60 is scheduled for release in Japan in mid-November. Although the manufacturer uses open pricing, Yodobashi lists it for ¥79,860, approximately $520, with availability from November 19. That is not cheap for a compact stereo. Still, having a CD player, radio and modern wireless receiver in one wooden cabinet might appeal to listeners who aren't quite ready to pack away their music collections in boxes and leave them gathering dust in the basement.

Watch below a video explaining the wood cone technology for an older model.