British music and audio brand Cambridge Audio makes some really great audio gear and today they’ve announced the successor to its award-winning CXN V2. The company issued a press release for the unveiling of its new CXN100 Network Player, which is a total redesign and benefits from the latest Gen4 StreamMagic module.
Let’s jump right into the key features of the Cambridge Audio CXN100 Network Player:
- Supercharged successor to the award-winning Cambridge Audio CXN V2
- ESS ES9028Q2M SABRE32 Reference DAC for class-leading audio clarity
- The latest StreamMagic Gen4 module offers full streaming capabilities, including MQA compatibility
- Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz & Deezer built in
- High-resolution Internet Radio courtesy of MPEG-DASH support
- Flexible digital connectivity through USB, Coaxial, TOSLINK or wirelessly with Chromecast, AirPlay 2 & Bluetooth
- Compatible with Google Home, Apple AirPlay and Roon multiroom systems
- Large hi-res screen means you can see album artwork from the comfort of your chair
- Designed, engineered and acoustically optimized at Cambridge Audio’s own London-based music venue and HQ, Melomania
Here’s what the Cambridge Audio press release had to say about the new CXN100 Network Player.
Cambridge Audio CXN100
Sound
Cambridge Audio has been crafting innovative, transparent-sounding and beautifully engineered British audio products since introducing the revolutionary P40 amplifier in 1968. As with all Cambridge products, the CXN100 has been designed, tuned and engineered at our own London-based music venue and HQ, Melomania.
The upgrade from CXN V2 to CXN100 isn’t just a subtle change, it’s a complete mechanical redesign. The music-obsessed engineering magicians at Cambridge spent hundreds of hours changing and listening to critical elements, tuning the entire audio stage around class-leading components.
The digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) is a vital cog in any streaming machine. The ESS ES9028Q2M SABRE32 Reference DAC at the heart of CXN100 can handle PCM digital signal inputs up to 32-bit 768kHz and DSD 512 with precision, superb dynamic range and ultra-low distortion.
Thanks to leaps in technology, that ESS ES9028Q2M in CXN100 sounds and measures demonstrably better than the Wolfson DAC in the CXN V2. The timing filter inside the ESS 9028Q2M is so good that no post-DAC filter is required, which further simplifies the signal path and ultimately results in precise, jitter-free, class-leading audio clarity.
There have been significant changes made to the post-DAC analogue stage too, with new, more efficient capacitors and op-amps increasing the signal-to-noise ratio and reducing distortion.
Connected
Incorporating the Gen4 StreamMagic module found in Cambridge’s lauded Evo 150 and Evo 75 all-in-one players opens up a wealth of streaming options. Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz and Deezer are all built in, offering easy access to a vast world of music and podcasts. High-resolution Internet Radio is also just a few taps away, courtesy of MPEG-DASH support.
CXN100 is Roon Ready, so Roon subscribers can see all content from TIDAL, Qobuz, iTunes library or digital downloads alongside each other in a seamless, user-friendly interface. With additional rich info that you just don’t get on a record sleeve or CD cover.
Digital connectivity is more flexible than ever before, with the option to hook up devices through USB, Coaxial, TOSLINK or wirelessly with Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth – no need for a separate dongle. Analogue output is available through balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA sockets. For sharing music across devices all around the home, CXN100 is fully compatible with Google Home, Apple AirPlay and Roon multiroom systems.
Control
Like all Cambridge network players, CXN100 is controlled in full by the StreamMagic app, which allows for intuitive operation from the comfort of an armchair. It can also be controlled with the CX Series system remote, supplied with CX Series amplifiers and the CXC CD Transport. This remote can be purchased separately from Cambridge Audio for those who require one.
Adorning CXN100’s beautifully crafted front panel is a larger 4.76-inch high-resolution color screen, which means listeners can see the displayed album artwork from across the room.
All of this is wrapped up in a stylish unit with Cambridge’s renowned exceptional build quality and reliability, making this the new champion of network players.
The Cambridge Audio CXN100 is available now at Cambridge Audio and authorized retailers, priced at $1099 / £899 / €1049.