Don’t call it the Cambridge CXN v3, this latest streamer from the UK audio brand is all-new.
Cambridge Audio has taken the covers off its latest streamer in the CXN100, which is in its words a “supercharged” successor to its award-winning predecessor.
The CXN100 has eyes on offering a flexible wireless performance for whatever home it finds itself in. It features the latest StreamMagic Gen4 module that includes MQA support, as well as built-in support for Spotify Connect, Deezer, Qobuz, and Tidal Connect.
High-resolution audio support for Internet radio comes via MPEG-DASH support, while there’s your usual array of digital physical and wireless connections, ranging from USB, Coaxial, and Toslink, to Chromecast, AirPlay, and Bluetooth streaming.
Cambridge Audio have asserted that the CXN100 shouldn’t be thought of as a direct follow-up to the CXN v2, with the CXN100 redesigned from the ground up to present what the brand is claiming to be “a true generational step up in sound quality, functionality, and value for money.”
There’s a new DAC at its heart, with Cambridge swapping from Wolfson chips to an ESS ES9028Q2M SABRE32 Reference DAC that supports PCM digital signals up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD 512. Improvements in the timing filter inside the ESS chip ensures no post-DAC filter is needed, which according to Cambridge further simplifies the signal path to help achieve its goal of precise, jitter-free audio clarity.
The fourth gen StreamMagic module is the same as what’s found in the Evo 150 and Evo 75, bringing consistency to Cambridge’s current line-up. There’s no need for a Bluetooth dongle this time around either, and though the focus with the CXN100 has been on digital connectivity, analogue outputs are available through balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA sockets.
Got a multi-room home set-up? The CXN100 can fit into the Google Home, Apple AirPlay, Roon Ready ecosystems.
The Cambridge Audio CXN100 is available now, and it costs £899 / €1049 / $1099.
