Unitra CSH-801 black

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 E Ink display with backlight—an unprecedented technical solution in audio that gives the unit its distinctive character.

An E Ink display to redefine the user interface

Integrating an E Ink display is a first in the high-fidelity CD player sector. 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 gentle warm light illuminates the screen to extend your listening pleasure in a cozy, subdued ambiance.

This display technology enables full reading of CD Text information: album name, track titles, artists, total duration, and elapsed time are shown 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 combines the nostalgia of paper with the advantages of digital, creating a unique visual connection with your music collection.

The E Ink screen’s high contrast eliminates the eye strain often associated with traditional LCDs. Its bistable technology maintains the image without continuous power consumption, contributing to the device’s overall efficiency—drawing only 9 W in operation and less than 0.5 W in standby.

Build and design philosophy

The CSH-801 draws inspiration from the golden age of hi-fi while integrating audiophile-grade components within an all-metal chassis. With dimensions of 440 × 355 × 105 mm and a weight of 6.9 kg, the unit exudes a reassuring presence that reflects its build quality. The brushed aluminum front includes a unique, backlit CD viewing window, letting you admire the disc as it spins during playback.

This viewing window is more than a decorative touch: it creates a visual and emotional connection with the physical medium, recalling the era when watching a disc turn was an integral part of the listening ritual. The window’s subtle backlighting harmonizes with the E Ink display, creating visual coherence that fits perfectly within the system’s analog-inspired aesthetic.

Unitra’s patented automatic latching switch is a notable innovation. This mechanism allows the device to be powered on either via the physical switch or the supplied remote control. The switch automatically adjusts to always indicate the unit’s actual state, eliminating any confusion between the button’s physical 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 processing signals up to 384 kHz in standard PCM. This conversion architecture offers 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, comfortably 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 the need for an additional preamplification stage.

The player supports CD, CD-R, and CD-RW formats, playing CD-DA audio discs as well as WAVE files. The native 44.1 kHz sampling rate of audio CDs is handled 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 functionality. In transport mode, the unit 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 to taste, transforming 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 a variety of hi-fi setups, whether fully analog systems or hybrid configurations using external converters.

The high-quality mechanical transport ensures stable, precise reading, minimizing jitter and read errors that could compromise the quality of the transmitted digital signal. This attention to the reading mechanism reflects Unitra’s holistic approach, where every element of the audio chain receives equal care.

Playback features and ergonomics

The CSH-801 provides a comprehensive suite of playback modes to suit any listening style. Functions include repeat all, repeat one track, random play, and the classic controls play/pause, stop, next/previous track. Fast forward and rewind offer three speeds (×5, ×10, ×15) for precise navigation within long tracks.

The supplied remote extends full control of these functions from your listening position. Despite its technical sophistication, the user interface remains intuitive and accessible, avoiding the excessive complexity often associated with modern high-fidelity equipment.

Real-time display of playback information—status, elapsed time, remaining time, track number—keeps you 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 into 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 consistency lets you assemble a complete hi-fi system where each component communicates visually and technically with the others.

A unified lighting concept runs throughout the range, creating a distinctive visual signature when multiple Unitra components are combined. This focus on the system’s overall harmony goes beyond mere aesthetics to deliver a coherent user experience where every interaction follows the same ergonomic logic.

In 2025, the CSH-801 was awarded 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 prize 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), WAVE

Output parameters

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

Outputs

• Analog: RCA
• Digital: optical

Features

• Disc playback: repeat all, repeat one track, shuffle, 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

Package contents

• 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