Cocktail Audio's New and latest X50pro Audiophile Music Streamer/server...Any Love?


So, I have been searching for the holy grail of music streamers from some time now. I have had several oppo blu-rays being used as streamers, their Senica, the Mytek Manhattan II, Metrum Acoustics Ambre, and the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400. All sounded pretty good for their respected price range, the Ambre sounded best. But, I was never totally happy with the features, etc of all these. Then I came across the newly released Cocktail Audio X50Pro, their new flagship audiophile streamer. It’s so new that there aren’t any reviews out there. It was the 1st streamer to check all my boxes of what I wanted in a streamer (except for one).  This has every digital output including three, yes three I2S outputs, 2 bays for hard drives, 7” screen and an HDMI output to also see on your big screen, CD ripper built in, works with Tidel, Roon, and just about every music streaming service, can be controlled with phone apps, even has digital inputs to rip your vinyl to the internal drives if installed. It uses dual 82 femto seconds Crystek CCHD-575 Ultra-low Phase Oscillators, completely encased in aluminum power supply, It has WIFI and Ethernet, build quality is great, and has great looks to boot. So, I guess my question is there anyone out there have any experience with this music streamer? I received mine about a week ago and so far, so good. The sound quality is excellent, but wonder how it would compare to the Auralic Aries G2, or the Aurender N10 that I have not yet tried? I would love to hear feedback from any other users out there. Oh, and as I mentioned, there is only one thing this did not check off my want list, I would have liked to see a HDMI input for SACD use and support.


ron1264

Showing 10 responses by ron1264

@in_shore we are talking about the X50pro here, not the X50, two totally different animals

@in_shore do the research. the x50 is 5k, double of the x50d. I'm not saying anything about its sound as I sold mine, but to make a blacket statement on a model that is half the cost is a null point.
@justjames72, if the Ambre was more they just a Roon endpoint, I might have kept it. I sounded that good, sooo transparent.

@justjames72, its close. The X50pro is not fully broken in and haven't done much  critical listening. I will make that judgement in a few weeks.
We are talking about the X50pro, not the x50d. I cannot speak for anything but the x50pro
I thought I would chime back  in being I'm the OP. The X50pro is long gone. It had the potential on paper to be great music server with everything I was looking for. Here is where it fell short for me. The display is horrible, especially for a 7". The 4" on my Auralic G1 Aries was clearer and crisper. The menu's are very confusing and cumbersome to use. I really think there are way to many features in it that no one will ever use. The software was very buggy and would lock up on occasion which would require a power off/on cycle. Most importantly, the sound was not up to par for what I expected. After using for about a month or so, I thought it was ok, but decided to put back in the Metrum Ambre to see, and Wow, much better sound quality. Still using the Ambre today but looking at possibly the Aurrender.
@aberyclark also give the Auralic Aries G1 and G2 a look, great streamers. I'm looking to give a Aurender N10 a try. I also hear great things about the Innuos and Antipods streamers.

Maybe I was a little too harsh about the X50pro. I’m sure it would be a good fit for some people that would use it with there home theater setup, that have a really big cd collection that they want to rip and would use all the bells and whistles it provides. I said the display is horrible. That’s a strong word and I’m sorry if I mislead anyone. The display is not horrible, it just is not great. For such a large 7" display, i just felt the resolution should be higher. The resolution on my 4" display on the Aries G1 was clearer.
@dznutz i had two units. they were both sold a long time ago. Not sure where you saw my ad as it was taken down after the sale like a year ago.