Somyou basically use it as a super expensive Raspberry pi now?
-
WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Cambridge Audio CXN V2 Measurements (Streamer & DAC)
- Thread starter VintageFlanker
- Start date
Dismayed
Senior Member
Yep. It makes more sense to add a $100 DAC to the mix than to find someone to repair it. I used to have it connected to my son’s system that contained a Cambridge Audio integrated amp with included DAC. So tge RCA problem only became apparent when the streamer landed back home when he finished college.
Dismayed
Senior Member
Because I know this works. I don’t know where the static arises within the output chain, so I decided to bypass DAC and all. The CNC is prettier than a raspberry pi!Why not use the XLR output? Or a xlr splitter/ converter
Rosenbloom
Member
I once purchased this streamer and returned it in the first week. I did not have a complaint about the sound quality. Only its poor wifi connection made me to give it up. Its wifi dongle was small and weak. Disconnection from the wifi network frequently happened in my case and I must say it was very annoying.
I am not sure if a better after-market wifi dongle would work on this streamer. Yet I see no reason to upgrade the dongle myself after spending that amount of money on this streamer.
I then bought a Belkin SoundForm Connect for only £20. The connection is very stable. This further verifies how poor the Cambridge wifi dongle is.
I am not sure if a better after-market wifi dongle would work on this streamer. Yet I see no reason to upgrade the dongle myself after spending that amount of money on this streamer.
I then bought a Belkin SoundForm Connect for only £20. The connection is very stable. This further verifies how poor the Cambridge wifi dongle is.
Dismayed
Senior Member
They really should have built wifi right into the box. The whole dongle thing is silly.
Dismayed
Senior Member
I may pick up an XLR to RCA cable as an experiment. Just because I’m curious.Why not use the XLR output? Or a xlr splitter/ converter
Finally pulled the trigger on this unit. Next decision will be to pair it with a new 2 ch Purfi amp from either Buckeye or Audiophonics...or ?
machinejump
Member
I have had the unit for a few years now, not without its quicks but I enjoy it. I have a pair of Genelecs hooked right up to the XLR out's and its been a delight. If i go back to passives ill be looking at a Purfi or Hypex setup as well. Let us know which way you go
I have one of these (almost ten years old) and one of the new Edge DAC/preamps (don't ask). Great ergonomics. They don't publish the design on the Edge, but the company told me via email
High five, I also have a CXNv2 hooked up to a pair of Genelecs. I’m very happy with the setup. I also noticed that it‘s on sale right now, so maybe it‘s about to be discontinued.
Good to hear, I'm moving on from an Allo Boss2 that worked great for a while then was unreliable. Not sure which way I'm going to go for the amp. I think both are pretty much the same but for reason I feel better about the Audiophonics.
It'll probably be a little while I have two older amps already that I need to sell or do something with before I can justify buying another one.
Backatcha! I ordered from Audio Advisors for $999, no tax and free shipping.
I figure it will be replaced by an upgraded model with better DAC's and maybe HDMI eARC and at least $500 more than I spent. I have a CA Azure CD player with the twin Wolfson DAC's and I think they sound great.
Glad you snagged the sale price, which is much closer to the price I paid 5 years ago than the inflated list price of recent years. But I’ve had 5 years of enjoyable, problem-free use, amounting to several hours every day. Thankfully the digital volume control, despite its somewhat coarse steps, has been totally reliable, unlike the NAD units I had in its place previously and the miniDSP I have in another room. And the control apps are better than the industry average based on my experience.
Dismayed
Senior Member
Mine is a refurb, but the output stage is noisy. Even adapting the balanced output to RCA is noisy, so I use optical out to an external DAC.
Steve Dallas
Major Contributor
I had the same problem with mine, which is partly why it moved on to a new owner. Now I use a silent PC running Dirac as my streamer to a Schiit Modius USB DAC.
Curious about what happened with your Allo Boss2. Mine went totally flaky recently too. Reverted to an old Allo Digione Player. Any specific problem with yours?
Also FYI in case you don't know, Cambridge has some new stripped down streamers out if you check out their site.
It started to not play, it would say that it was connected to Spotty Connect on my devices but I couldn't it to send a signal out. That's the best explanation I have. And it didn't happen all at once it was a gradual thing over a couple of months.
I tried all the usual tricks, unplugging, dis/reconnecting fiddling with all the menu settings but nothing worked in the end.
I got a couple years out of it so it's not a train wreck but I'm really looking forward to something that works regularly.
I'm going to run my TV through it so I needed an optical in.
no. because you are limited to 192khz/24 bit if im not mistaken and you can only do DSD over PCM. so you are limited to DSD64.
a raspberry pi4 is a much better streamer. for 1/10th of the price.
I have the CXN v2 myself , and while its a solid unit (no software bugs , no noise) I wouldn't buy it again these days. at least not as a streamer.
the dac is perfectly fine for someone that doesn't mind the upsampling to 384khz for everything. DSD over DOP works really fine too with DSD64.
Similar threads
