In our world of multifunctional electronics, it seems there is no combination of digital functions that hasn’t been marketed. The key, of course, is meeting people’s needs. So we have a camera on a cellphone, a game console with a media player, etc. The key to defining an object’s basic nature is its form factor.

The new DN-C640 from Denon Professional is, at the heart of it, a full featured, rack-mounted network CD player. But note the word “Professional” in the brand name. With a combination of flexible file formats, network control, and comprehensive inputs and outputs, this machine takes the “CD player” concept to new heights.