Cambridge DacMagic vs Cambridge CXN v2 /v3

[Deleted member 48437]

i have been reading the discussions here about the two. May I tell you the pickle I got myself into. I bought a Cambridge Azur 851a and love it. I wanted to stream and use all of my CD’s so I put all of my CD’s onto my computer then an external USB hard drive.
I bought the rather expensive Sony HAP Z1ES based on what they said which is that it streams Spotify. Now I like Quobuz first, Tidal second and Spotify doesn’t even make my list but I thought I could live with it.

The Sony does not use Spotify for any sense and purposes. The most is 325 kb/s even with Spotify Premium.

So, now with a NAS, I have to buy a streamer. I have narrowed it down to a Bluesound, Cambridge DacMagic or Cambridge CXN v2 or V3 for streaming only.

Of note, the Cambridge 851A does not have an internal dac so no digital inputs at all.

I can’t seem to understand the two Cambridge units? If I read the other posts correctly, the CXN does not have a dac inside, has an older chipset and still needs a DAC? What good is it then to justify it as more money than a DacMagic unless only that you can use many DAC’s over time as ? quality gets better in the DAC’s?

Cambridge 851D is a DAC but not a streamer? Expensive.

Cambridge DacMagic 200DM is the same chipset at the Cambridge 851D but half the price of an 851D plus has the Cambridge CXV V2 streamer built in? If the latter two are $2000 to $3000 added together and the DacMagic 200DM is $500 to $900, am I missing something here?

The above is my primary question. A secondary question would be DacMagic 200DM vs Bluesound?

 

[Jimbob54]

Lots to unpick there and I am not overly familiar with the whole Cambridge range but let's pick off the low hanging fruit and let others get technical:

Of note, the Cambridge 851A does not have an internal dac so no digital inputs at all.

Correct- and to make life easier let us assume you want to feed the 851A a balanced signal

the CXN does not have a dac inside,

Incorrect, it does,

Cambridge 851D is a DAC but not a streamer?

Correct- but if my googling is correct its a 2014 DAC? Forget it if so.

Cambridge DacMagic 200DM is the same chipset at the Cambridge 851D but half the price of an 851D

Ill take your word for that. But the 200DM is recent(ish) model, not 2014?

plus has the Cambridge CXV V2 streamer built in?

No. Again, if I have googled the correct model, it has no streaming / network connection. Its a DAC.

A secondary question would be DacMagic 200DM vs Bluesound?

Bluesound in the 5th by TKO.

 

[Deleted member 48437]

You are awesome! Ok for 2022 streaming with internal dac the Bluesound (because u like the newer chipset as well)
Next in line but not tied is DacMagic 200DM or Plus. Since I am going to take your advice and buy the Bluesound there is no use knowing the difference. It is strange the way they have an older CXN and a DacMagic but oh well.
I wd surely stay away from Sony HAZ1eS if a person thinks they are going to stream.
Thank you again, friend

 

[kma100]

I don't think there is a Cambridge Audio CXV? There is a Cambridge Audio CXN which is a streamer: https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/range/cx-series-2

 

[Somafunk]

Just get the CXN v2, bloody good streamer, bloody good dac, damn fine price and it updates itself without any faff.

(I may be biased)

 

[Deleted member 48437]

(Oh, yes XLR’s)
Yes, I see that it uses Wolfson chipset. Another member said to stay away bec it is too old. Thank you

 

[Deleted member 48437]

May I ask why you bought that and not DacMagic? (Or Bluesound)

 

[Somafunk]

May I ask why you bought that and not DacMagic? (Or Bluesound)

Dacmagic is just a dac, nothing else. Prior to buying the CXN v2 in 2020 I previously owned a DacMagic plus for 8yrs and it worked perfectly fine for my needs so the obvious choice was the CXN v2 . Don’t like the bluesound at all and I need XLR’s for my active monitors.

 

[Snoopy]

(Oh, yes XLR’s)
Yes, I see that it uses Wolfson chipset. Another member said to stay away bec it is too old. Thank you

It measures damn good. There is a review with measurements on ASR and you would be surprised how good it measures for its age.

 

[Deleted member 48437]

Just get the CXN v2, bloody good streamer, bloody good dac, damn fine price and it updates itself without any faff.

(I may be biased)

Thank you so much. Id “bloody good” between good and excellent or equal to excellent? (Just kidding. It’s all in fun. I really do appreciate your advice. I love the British. You gave us fish & chips, the toilet and p@&n) lol. Ok, so if you think the chipset is up to date and I think I read it updates itself then I will buy it. I am the same. I wd like XLR’s. It is right next to the RCA’s on my 851A but why not. BTW, I had to replace the volume pot. Inside the 851A is the bloody biggest toroid I have ever seen. In fact, the toroid is 90% of the internal guts. Thank you again.

 

[zajogungster]

Si úžasný! Ok pre streamovanie v roku 2022 s interným dac the Bluesound (pretože sa vám páči aj novší čipset)
Ďalším v poradí, ale bez remízy je DacMagic 200DM alebo Plus. Keďže dám na vašu radu a kúpim si Bluesound, nemá zmysel poznať rozdiel. Je zvláštne, ako majú starší CXN a DacMagic, ale dobre.
Určite by som sa držal ďalej od Sony HAZ1eS, ak si niekto myslí, že bude streamovať.
Ešte raz ti ďakujem, p

I recently visited a hifi studio with a friend, where they had a Bluesound streamer and a Cambridge Audio CXN... 3 hours of listening, the clear winner in terms of sound was the Cambridge Audio CXN !!! Bluesound is a user's toy, it has nothing in common with good sound.
Of course, we bought it, and after about a month of use, its sound quality improved even more!