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Any like the Cambridge CXN v2 streamer?

I have the CXA80 integrated Amp and am running a Pioneer Elite streamer. I also have a Wadia 171 transport that I tap my iPhone with to listing to Tidal cd quality streaming. The Pioneer is for internet radio, mostly smooth Jazz for background during the day.
So I am thinking about the CXN v2 streamer and had some questions to those that have tried it or heard solid pros and cons about the unit, especially as it relates to the Tidal software that is part of the V2 model.

1) How’s it sound? Is regular internet radio significantly or just slight improved from some thing like I have( Pioneer Elite N-30) or other $500 range streamers out there?

2) Is the Tidal feature user friendly? Anyone think it will sound better than when I use Tidal through my phone, into the transport, then sent to the digital input on my CXA80 amp?

3) Can you down load albums from Tidal to the CXN streamer like I do to my phone? Can I save favorite albums on the steamer, and make radio stations from the song choice too?

4) if I use the sreamer app on my phone, will I be losing sound quality, similar to bluetoothing the music? I don’t want to blue tooth anything... I want to get every bit of SQ out of the $900 steamer.... so if that means searching for everything on the small screen of the streamer, I would rather do that... unless the streamer app will still be using the dual dacs and improved SQ of the streamer?

5) last question :) will the dual dacs in the steamer provide better streaming SQ than the single dac in my Amp? If so... would I want to connect the streamer to the amp via analog cables( rather than digital cables ) to utilize the dual dacs from the streamer?

question 5.2) sorry boys. So if I the analogue plugs are the way to go to utilize the dual dacs on the streamer, would going XLR plug from steamer to amp, be a better SQ than similar costing RCA plugs?

Thanks for any advice you can share.
rmiller01

Showing 1 response by ethos123

ethos123
83 posts
 
Has the CXN v2 been firmware upgraded to include Airplay2, or is Airplay2 only available on the series 2 model? I’ve been looking online and so far have only found that Cambridge planned to add Airplay2, but none of the spec sheets say that it has anything but prior generation Airplay.

I’m close to pulling the trigger now that there are great deals with the series 2 having been released, but I want to make sure I can incorporate it into my multi-room audio playback somehow when we are entertaining. So far Airplay2 is the only common link in all the other rooms so it’s either that or adding chromecast audios from eBay to a few other rooms (which is still cheaper than buying a series 2 instead, I guess)

Also, is there any way to cast from a digital source routed through the CXN to those other rooms? That’s not a dealbreaker, but would be nice. If not, any other streamers in the neighborhood price wise that allow that functionality? Thanks.
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