Cambridge Audio CXN100: The Premier Network Player

The new CXN100 is much more than a simple upgrade of the CXN V2;?it’s been totally redesigned to benefit from cutting-edge components and Cambridge Audio’s latest?Gen4 StreamMagic module.

The result is a true generational step up in sound quality, functionality and value for money.?CXN100 will instantly transform any hi-fi system into a futureproofed streaming system.

“It’s fitting that 2023 saw our iconic CXN V2 inducted into the What Hi-Fi? Hall of Fame, commemorating a remarkable reign as the best streamer in its class. Because even with CXN V2 still on the throne, we’ve not rested on our laurels,” says James Johnson-Flint, owner of Cambridge Audio. “We’ve taken the next step, and CXN100 represents the next generation of network player. It’s here to take the crown.”

SOUND THAT’S MADE BY MUSIC

Cambridge Audio has been crafting innovative, transparent-sounding and beautifully engineered British audio products since introducing the revolutionary P40 amplifier in 1968. As with all Cambridge products, CXN100 has been designed, tuned and engineered at our own London-based music venue and HQ, Melomania

The upgrade from CXN V2 to CXN100 isn’t just a subtle change, it’s a complete?mechanical?redesign. The music-obsessed engineering magicians at Cambridge spent hundreds of hours changing and listening to critical elements, tuning the entire audio stage around class-leading components.

The digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) is a vital cog in any streaming machine. The ESS ES9028Q2M SABRE32 Reference DAC at the heart of CXN100 can handle PCM digital?signal inputs up to 32-bit 768kHz and DSD 512 with precision, superb dynamic?range and ultra-low distortion.

Thanks to leaps in technology, that ESS ES9028Q2M in CXN100 sounds and measures demonstrably better than the Wolfson DAC in the CXN V2. The timing filter inside the ESS 9028Q2M is so good that no post-DAC filter is required,?which further simplifies the signal path and ultimately results in precise, jitter-free, class-leading audio clarity.

There have been significant changes made to the post-DAC analogue stage too, with new, more efficient capacitors and op-amps increasing the signal-to-noise ratio and reducing distortion.

BETTER CONNECTED THAN EVER

Incorporating the Gen4?StreamMagic?module found in Cambridge’s lauded Evo 150 and Evo 75 all-in-one players opens up a wealth of streaming options. Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect,?Qobuz?and Deezer are all built in, offering easy access to a vast world of music and podcasts. High-resolution Internet Radio?is also just a few taps away, courtesy of MPEG-DASH?support.

CXN100 is Roon?Ready, so Roon subscribers can see all content from TIDAL,?Qobuz, iTunes library or digital downloads alongside each other in a seamless, user-friendly interface with additional rich?info that you just don’t get on a record sleeve or CD cover.?

Digital connectivity?is more flexible than ever before, with the option to hook up devices through USB, Coaxial,?TOSLINK or wirelessly with Chromecast,?AirPlay?2 and?Bluetooth –?no need for a separate dongle. Analogue output is available through balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA sockets.

For sharing music across devices all around the home, CXN100 is fully compatible with Google Home, Apple?AirPlay and?Roon?multiroom systems.

FULLY UNDER CONTROL

Like all Cambridge network players, CXN100 is controlled in full by the?StreamMagic app, which allows for intuitive operation from the comfort of?an armchair. It can also be controlled with the CX Series system remote, supplied with CX Series amplifiers and the CXC CD?Transport. This remote can be purchased separately from cambridgeaudio.com for those who require one.

Adorning CXN100’s beautifully crafted front panel is a larger 4.76-inch high-resolution colour screen, which means listeners can see the displayed album artwork from across the room.

All of this is wrapped up in a stylish unit with Cambridge’s renowned exceptional build quality and reliability, making this the new champion of network players.