Unitra CSH-801 silver

The CSH-801 marks Unitra’s triumphant return to the world of high-fidelity CDs, elegantly blending the timeless aesthetics of the 1970s with cutting-edge contemporary technology. This player offers dual DAC and transport functionality, featuring a 9.37 cm monochrome backlit E Ink display—an unprecedented technical solution in audio that gives the device its distinctive character.

An E Ink display to redefine the user interface

The integration of an E Ink screen is a first in the world of high-fidelity CD players. This 9.37 cm (3.7-inch) panel delivers a 480 × 280-pixel monochrome resolution, creating a natural, paper-like interface. During the day, readability remains optimal without backlighting, while in the evening a warm, gentle light illuminates the screen to extend listening pleasure in a cozy ambiance.

This display technology enables full reading of CD-Text information: album name, track titles, artists, total duration, and elapsed time appear with remarkable clarity. The interface supports four menu languages (Polish, English, French, and German), making navigation easy for an international audience. This innovative approach to display merges the nostalgia of paper with the advantages of digital, creating a unique visual connection with your music collection.

The high contrast of the E Ink screen eliminates visual fatigue often associated with traditional LCDs. The display’s bistable technology maintains the image without continuous power consumption, contributing to the device’s overall energy efficiency: just 9 W in operation and less than 0.5 W in standby.

Build and design philosophy

Drawing inspiration from the golden age of hi-fi, the CSH-801 incorporates audiophile-grade components housed in an all-metal chassis. With dimensions of 440 × 355 × 105 mm and a weight of 6.9 kg, the device exudes a reassuring presence that speaks to its build quality. The brushed aluminum front panel features a unique, backlit CD porthole, allowing you to admire the disc spinning during playback.

This viewing window is much more than a decorative element: it creates a visual and emotional connection with the physical medium, recalling a time when watching a disc spin was an integral part of the listening ritual. The porthole’s subtle backlighting harmonizes with the E Ink screen’s glow, creating a cohesive visual identity that fits perfectly with the system’s analog aesthetic.

Unitra’s patented automatic bistable switch is a notable innovation. This mechanism allows the device to be powered on either directly via the physical switch or with the supplied remote control. The switch automatically adjusts to always indicate the unit’s actual state, eliminating any confusion between the physical button position and the player’s operating status.

Audio performance and digital conversion

At the heart of the CSH-801 is a 32‑bit digital-to-analog converter capable of handling signals up to 384 kHz in standard PCM. This conversion architecture delivers a dynamic range of 96.33 dB and a signal-to-noise ratio of 92 dB, ensuring faithful reproduction without loss of the original dynamics of CD-Audio recordings.

Frequency response extends from 7 Hz to 20 kHz, easily covering the audible spectrum, with a remarkably low total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) of 0.004% at 1 kHz. Channel separation reaches 90 dB, ensuring a precise, well-defined stereo image. The effective output level of 2.1 V RMS (maximum 3 V) allows direct connection to any analog amplifier without requiring an additional preamp stage.

The player supports CD, CD-R, and CD-RW formats, reading CD-DA audio discs as well as WAVE files. The native 44.1 kHz sampling rate of audio CDs is processed with exemplary precision, fully leveraging the 32-bit DAC’s capabilities for optimal conversion of the original 16-bit data.

Transport function and connectivity

The CSH-801’s versatility shines in its dual DAC and transport roles. In transport mode, the device sends the digital data stream directly from the CD to the digital outputs, bypassing the internal converter. This feature lets users employ an external DAC according to personal preferences, turning the CSH-801 into a pure disc transport.

Connection options include RCA analog outputs for direct hookup to an amplifier, as well as an optical digital output for transmitting the digital signal. This configuration offers maximum flexibility for integration into various hi-fi chains, whether fully analog systems or hybrid setups using external converters.

The high-quality disc transport mechanism ensures stable, precise reading, minimizing jitter and read errors that could compromise the quality of the transmitted digital signal. This focus on the transport mechanics reflects Unitra’s holistic approach, where every link in the audio chain receives equal attention.

Playback features and ergonomics

The CSH-801 offers a comprehensive set of playback modes to suit every listening style. Functions include full album repeat, single-track repeat, random play, plus classic controls for play/pause, stop, next/previous track. Fast forward and rewind provide three speeds (×5, ×10, ×15) for precise navigation through long tracks.

The supplied remote extends full control to your listening position for comfortable use at a distance. Despite its technical sophistication, the user interface remains intuitive and accessible, avoiding the excessive complexity often associated with modern hi-fi gear.

Real-time display of playback information—status, elapsed time, remaining time, track number—keeps the user informed without visual overload. This minimalist yet informative approach reflects Unitra’s design philosophy: deliver the essentials without superfluous elements.

Integration within the Unitra ecosystem

The CSH-801 integrates seamlessly with Unitra’s current lineup, sharing design language and technical philosophy with the WSH-805 and WSH-605 amplifiers, as well as the GSH-630 Fryderyk and GSH-801 Edmund turntables. This stylistic coherence enables a complete high-fidelity system in which each component communicates visually and technically with the others.

A unified lighting concept runs through the entire range, creating a distinctive visual signature when multiple Unitra devices are combined. This attention to the system’s overall harmony goes beyond aesthetics to deliver a cohesive user experience where every interaction follows the same ergonomic logic.

In 2025, the CSH-801 was honored as part of the complete Unitra stereo hi-fi system, receiving the iF Design Award for its combination of “analog charm and modern technology,” the Red Dot Design Award in the “Product Design” category for its minimalist design and outstanding build quality, and the HiFi i Muzyka 2025 award from Poland’s leading audio magazine for its “advanced engineering paired with unique industrial design.”

Technical specifications

Display

• Diagonal size: 9.37 cm
• Resolution: 480 × 280 px
• Number of colors: monochrome
• Backlight: yes

Player

• Supported media: CD / CD-R / CD-RW
• Supported audio formats: CD-DA (audio CD)
• Sampling rate: 44.1 kHz
• Dynamic range: 96.33 dB

Supported formats

• Disc formats: CD / CD-R / CD-RW
• Audio formats: CD-DA (audio CD), WAV

Output settings

• Frequency response: 7 Hz–20 kHz
• THD+N: 0.004% (1 kHz, 0 dBFS)
• Dynamic range: 92 dB
• Effective output level: 2.1 V RMS
• Maximum output level: 3 V
• DAC: 32-bit, 16-bit data
• Channel separation: 90 dB

Outputs

• Analog: RCA
• Digital: optical

Features

• Disc playback: repeat all, repeat one track, shuffle playback, play/pause, stop, next/previous track, fast forward/rewind ×5 / ×10 / ×15
• Data display: album title and artist, total album duration, number of tracks, artist details, track details, track duration, playback status, time
• Supported menu languages: Polish, English, French, German
• Remote control: yes

In the box

• CSH-801 CD player, power cord, remote control with battery

Physical and power

• Weight: 6.9 kg
• Dimensions: 440 × 355 × 105 mm
• Power supply: 230 V AC, 50 / 60 Hz
• Power consumption: 9 W
• Standby power consumption: < 0.5 W