![]() On power-up, the display flashes a reminder that 2018 is the 50th anniversary of the release of the P40 power amplifier, Cambridge Audio’s very first product. With support for so many music options, usability could be an issue but the CXN (V2) is well organized with buttons around its screen for menu selection and playback control. The three most common playlist formats - ASX, M3U, and PLS - are also supported it found these files deep within my DLNA server’s directory structure. A notable omission is MQA, but that’s not typically found at prices this low. It can read the popular streaming formats RTSP, MMS, HTTP, and DASH, along with decoding WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, WMA, MP3, OGG, DSD64, and AAC, all in non-DRM incarnations. ![]() The CXN (V2) combines two Wolfson WM8740 DACs with Cambridge’s own Adaptive Time Filtering (ATF2) and Anagram Technologies’ 24-bit/384kHz upsampling support. I was glad that Cambridge Audio printed the ports’ labels right-side up and upside down - they’re readable whether you’re facing the rear panel or leaning over the unit from the front. Bluetooth with support for aptX is available with the optional BT100 dongle ($75), and appears among the inputs when installed. System integrators can take advantage of the IR input and control bus pass-through. Analog output is sent to both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) sockets. In its black case, the CXN (V2) is among the better-looking devices I’ve had in for review, with a build quality you’d expect to pay more for.Īround back is an impressive array of connectivity, with both 100Mbps Ethernet and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n (via an included dongle), optical TosLink and coaxial RCA S/PDIF inputs and outputs, two more USB Type-A ports for storage (for that dongle), a USB Type-B for computer audio, and an IEC inlet for the power cord. Instead of three or four feet, there are two circular feet in back, and in front a tapered trapezoid that runs most of the faceplate’s width - the entire affair looks as if it’s hovering just above the shelf. In addition, there are a standby button, a USB Type-A storage input, and a large, multifunction knob with appropriately weighted resistance. Its brushed-aluminum faceplate nicely sets off a 4.3” full-color display surrounded by eight pushbuttons - the CXN (V2) can be navigated without resort to its remote-control handset or mobile app. Available in black or silver, it weighs 7.7 pounds - enough to stay in place for connections and button presses. The CXN (V2) is a nearly full-size component, measuring 16.9”W x 3.4”H x 12.2”D, that looks at home in a traditional audio rack. At $899.99 USD, Cambridge Audio’s CXN (V2) network streamer sits in the middle of that range. The competitive market for network players includes a wide range of prices, from two to five figures. All we need are elegant and effective ways to integrate these services into home audio, and having a computer in the listening room is less than ideal. In the last few years I’ve bought far more music as files than as spinning discs, and I don’t think I’m alone - with the likes of Spotify, Tidal, and Primephonic, streaming services are becoming ever more important. Call them network players, music servers, or, as London-based Cambridge Audio does, network streamers - these devices have become an almost essential source in home audio systems, whether as a separate box or integrated into another component, particularly integrated amplifiers and CD players.
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