Why Cambridge Audio's New CXN100 is a Great Affordable Audiophile Stream Machine!
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- After two years at the top with its CXN (v2), Cambridge Audio has tweaked its best-seller to make the new CXN 100. Mike and David agree that it's a better all-round product - with improved sound, functionality and display - but Mike misses the older model's slightly romantic voicing. He would say that though, wouldn't he?
Every episode of Hi-Fi Riff features Mike and David's unedited, unexpurgated views about all manner of weird and wonderful hi-fi designs. Business executive Mike has a wealth of knowledge from previous hi-fi retail experience, and David has written about hi-fi for thirty years. Now Editor-in-Chief of StereoNET, he's picked up a few things along the way.
So relax and enjoy some one-take hi-fi riffing - and please leave your comments below. And don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button, this one goes up to eleven!
The eighties-tastic title tune is called ‘UFO/Mike’s Jumper’, and used with the express permission of our old pal and rights holder Simon Lythe.
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I think Cambridge Audio has nailed their market niche - sensible, affordable, and genuinely audiophile products without all the pretentious frills. They have an easy-on-the-eye design language, good build and component quality - what's not to love? It's high-end listening gear for the "rest of us".
Completely agree!
Mike
I agrree, cd quality is all you really need. That's why for digital I use cd's! 😊😊
And a nice DAC 👍
I have an Arcam SA20 with the older version of the CXN V2 plugged in via the coax socket. Lovely sound. I do think the Wolfson’s are slightly inferior to the ESS Sabre Reference. I doubt what I am listening to currently will be greatly enhanced by purchasing the CXN 100. Great review though, always enjoy your matey reviews!
Riff on. Love Cambridge Audio. 👍🏼🎶😎
It’s only a fashionable box away from being better than the Bluesound Icon. Good video, gents.
Thank you guys for the review, it seems like more and more efforts are put by manufacturers on the display screens. While I find it much more comfortable to see all the details on your phone's application while seated in the most comfortable way.
My ifi zen in hidden somewhere and I only need a limited access to my Ares 2 dac to change the source from time to time, everything else is done through the tidal application on my cheap phone which is dedicated to serve as a remote device
I love that.
Mike
The CXN100 may have fearsome competition in the forthcoming, identically priced Bluesound Node Icon - which will have dual DACs in a dual mono design. It has balanced outputs. Please keep a lookout on that for a review!
The v2 is wonderful. I hear the 100 sacrifices just a little of the warmer voicing, which will be down to taste particular on those less than great streams!
Exactly. The v2 sounds a little more 'romantic', while the 100 is arguably more accurate and detailed.
Very interesting comparison!😊
I love that David knows his VU meters from the 1970s so well, lol. But he's right, those VU meters from the 1978 Sony unit look great. Growing up in the 70s our family had a lovely Luxman receiver in silver, also with attractive VU meters. Attractive, but real, VU meters remain audio catnip. 😺
Plus the obvious fact they improved music quality!! 😊
I just picked up a Luxman 1050 receiver in mint condition last week. Not VU meters but signal strength and quality meters with dancing volume level lights.
Vintage Luxman is fantastic. Currently waiting for an L540 amp to arrive from Japan. Get your finger out, Fedex.
Interesting discussion -- I have the CXN v2 and I really enjoy what Cambridge did with those (supposedly inferior) Wolfson chips, particularly for online radio. I haven't seen any review for the CXN100 that says its sound is categorically better than the v2. So I'm not sure that the 100 is an upgrade tbh.
Socket botherer 😂
Greetings from Toronto.
I tried the Cambridge streamer and the Wiim pro both running into a DAC …so slight a difference between them track for track none was better overall…the biggest difference was the app …the Wiim was better…with more capabilities.
Nice unit tho .
Sony TC177SD 😍
Great riff, Gentlemen!
Thanks guys.I shop in Aldi all the time,so I guess I'm a member of "the other half".😊
So do I, and I saved so much money on cereal that I could afford to buy a Hifi Rose RS130 streamer, rather than a Cambridge which doesn't have I2S, the interconnect for posh audiophiles.
@@jimfarrell4635 Worth the sacrifice, I'm sure. Aldi stuff is alright in my view. Shame they don't sell cut price CDs too.🙂
I would love to get one but the lack of native Amazon Music support is a deal breaker for me.
Sadly, Amazon music seems quite negligent by the hifi streaming world.
Mike
Sadly, Amazon music seems quite negligent by the hifi streaming world.
Mike
I find myself wondering if this would work in a smaller form factor, MXN10 style. Internal pictures show that it's certainly not a big box of air with a couple of boards in the corners, but the world seems to be moving away from 430mm wide boxes for everything. Then again, there would be less room round the back for sockets to bother.
Class review 😊
Why is it I listen to you guys review audio stuff I have no interest in?
Hi.You're not alone there.
The ultimate compliment!
Mike
Thanks and enjoying all your reviews - Any chance in reviewing the Hegel H190V amplifier- Best wishes & Regards
Will try to call one in, thanks.
DSP is my priority in any streamer.
Hi great vid ans interesting, I have Cambridge audio sonata dv30 with dr30 and np30 , sounds pretty good, I could get a cd 30 as wasn’t available then . Regards mark
I think you need to get that watch bracelet adjusted.
Wow it is sooo huge
Mrs Miggins.
The best VU meters were on the Aiwa AD-6900.
Twin meters for average and peak built into one meter with twin needles.
😊
Great point, but I personally think those Sony meters had a cleaner look - they were so cool, back in the day.
I also have an Aiwa AD-6900 and agree that its 'dual ballistic' meters were great, too.
That reminds me to do a Riff on it soon!
Waitrose- ‘Why Pay Less’
LOL.
Loving this riff lads but I would love for you to do a riff on a naim streamer and as Mike's a naim fan why you haven't had a naim streamer on before now, as you have probably guest chatting with you since your very 1st episode that I'm a naim fan, I've got the Naim NDX2 Streamer - 2022 model and the naim 555 Dr PSU and the sound is magical, The NDX2 on its on is fantastic quality then I added the XPS-2 dr PSU and just recently upgraded to the flagship 555dr PSU and with each PSU the sound just expanded in all areas very special sound IMHO of-course
My go to streamer is the Naim uniti atom headphone edition... It's a brilliant bit of kit!
Mike
You could bolt their cd transport to it too!
Of course! Why didn't we mention that!
Mike
Lads even though I'm not their biggest fan but where is the mythical DAVE DAC fift?
Coming very soon!
@MrVinylista I forgot about that one!
Mike
No HDMI arc?Why not?
Not Cambridge Audio's target audience.
@@MrVinylista guess you can use add on app in your phone to emulate on screen anyway
I thought about the 100, but then also thought, Denafrips Pontus II for £1300 second hand was money better spent......tbh I think I was right. Near night and day difference combined with my Musical Fidelity M6i and B&W804S!!
I think that is the advantage of buying a streaming transport rather than a fully loaded streamer. You can keep the transport while upgrading the DAC and you don't pay for anything you don't need.
My God you guys mist have loat yhe empire when you were blathering on about curry or sauce and dodnt know it went missing in the mean time😂
🙂
Evening gents 👍👍
Yamahameters put Somy"s in the dirt
Did you get any oasis tickets?
Definitely maybe!
Hahaha!
Sadly not, but going to Rush fest for £39 instead.
Mike
Yeah it streams so what. It ain't a patch on a Roksan k3
Em, because the K3 is an amp and doesn't do streaming except for Bluetooth. Apples. Oranges. Having said that the K3 looks lovely and, I'm sure sounds great. I suspect pairing it with a Wiim Pro Plus would give grand results.
Or were you being ironic? In which case, whoosh.
@@jimfarrell4635 Yes mate. Cambridge audiois fantastic amp.
Larger than a lap dog 🐕
Never poo poo the poo poo
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The resolution that’s completely pointless.
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you two had a fall out? good review but you were not at ease with other as well as normal, kepe up the good work though
The chaps don't really want to review this streamer junk. There's all sorts of classic hi-fi equipment they could feature on Riff that would be of more interest to subscribers.
We never fall out, annoyingly!
It was one of the hottest days of the year, well into the 30s in Mike's Hi-Fi Hut - I think we were both desperate to get down to the hi-fi pub for an ice-cold beer!
@@MrVinylista im pleased to hear that, keep up the good work...get some aircon!
@@ThePauly901 He has aircon but we had to switch it off for filming, it was too noisy!
The biggest argument we ever had was over the TR7 vs X1/9....and I still know I'm right!
Mike
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Of course you use Roon. Hairy legs. Stream magic is rubbish. Hairy legs. And no I2S. Hairy legs. VU meters are awesome, especially on Sansui BA-F1 power amp. Hairy legs.
You know, there's something distracting me in this video. Can work out what. Hairy legs.
Gosh.....thats looking overpriced already. The Wiim ultra does everything this does for a bit more than three hundred quid. The wiim also has a lovely touch screen and its styling is far more modern. Sabre dac too. Both chinese made so no excuses
But it sounds crappier 😉
@@ZeitdiebX No. No it doesn't.
Please tell us why you need a touchscreen on a device if can control it from an app on your phone or a remote control ?
@@gvr6079 first of all, I dont have to need anything. It's a hobby, it's supposed to be fun. I might just like it having a screen. Secondly, when I set the system going, I can just press play on the streamer when I switch the amps on. Then I can choose another track or playlist from my phone or tablet at my leisure. It works for me and that's all that matters.
@@bigblueoceanyes it does. I’ve compared them. The Cambridge is audibly better.
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