Oh man! I bought the CXN V2 last year.
I have been playing with DSD files lately and it can only do DSD64 and I have some DSD256 and DSD512 files I wanted to play on the big 2-channel system in the house. About a month ago I emailed Cambridge to inquire if the CXN V2 could get a future firmware update to support DSD higher than 64. They advised that it probably wouldnāt, or isnāt capable.
I guess I know why now; a new product release.
Perhaps Iāll upgrade to the CXN100 and move the CXN V2 to another room for backup duty.
Iām quite pleased with the performance of the Cambridge DAC/streamer, also have the DACMagic 200M at my desktop PC.
I also have a CXNv2 and am very pleased with it.
From the posted information, they have fixed and improved several key things:
ā moved the Bluetooth onboard
ā improved the wifi capability (2.4 and 5g)
ā moved the wifi onboard, at least I think so (the v2 required a dongle, and only their specced 2.4g dongle works; I had to replace mine under warranty)
ā enlarged the display (but see the one āmissā below)
ā moved the media USB socket to the rear
ā upgraded the DAC chipset, but then the v2 DAC is superb already
and they missed one big thing:
ā no HDMI ARC, and so (still) the only display option is the device itself
I have the WiFi and the BT dongles for mine. I always thought it was odd they didnāt have these onboard. I wired up Ethernet in my home since I bought the V2 and donāt use it on WiFi any longer.
My original wifi dongle began to fail. It took a bit of detective work to settle on that problem, but to their credit, CA was with me the whole way. When became clear that the dongle was at fault, they sent me a new one immediately. The problems ended.
That sequence of events was when I learned that the v2 is limited to 2.4g wifi.
An added home WiFi signal booster has also helped.
Alas, a hardwired Ethernet connection to my v2 is out of the question without expensive home wiring changes. 
It can be shown through Roon though if you have an Android TV with Chromecast. Thatās how my TV shows whatās playing on my CNXv2 while using Roon.
But if I had known last summer that this beauty would be arriving. I would have waited with buying the CXNv2.
Hey, thanks for that Chromecast tip
Great stuff and a very reasonable price. Hope they release a black vsn.
Been waiting ages for this long rumoured upgrade on the CXN. Got my order in, arriving Saturday.
My Azur 851N will soon be up for sale if anybody has been looking for one.
I wonāt be upgrading as I am very happy with my CXNV2 and DacMagic 200M combination.
I would have if I hadnāt bought the CXNV2 about 9 months ago.
Looks good but no touch screen display. Eversolo DMP A6 is cheaper and better featured with higher specs?
When the CXN was upgraded to CXN V2 , one of the major changes was more powerful processor . I guess this one will have upped power too hence the DSD processing goes 64 to 512
I still think the biggest missing feature is a specific headphone amp. CAās comment of a few years ago was that the headphone amp didnāt lie in the Streamer but elsewhere. Ironically the Edge streamer does have a headphone out as does the DAC Magic , odd.
As a 100% headphone user, it was the primary reason I upgraded to the Naim Uniti Atom HE as a one stop shop. My CXN V1 is now a doorstop ā¦ even more so .
Lets see what the reviewers think of any sound changes
āLets see what the reviewers think of any sound changesā
Here is What hifiās first impression at a demo event. Their full review will be interesting, because they voted the CXN V2 product of the year a few months ago, and it is in their āHall of Fameā.
And a load more years way back to the CXN V1
I wonder if CAās intent for the V2, V1 and now the 100, is that it is intended as a 2-channel component. The headphone output could merely be an added convenience not meant for regular use.
I also have the DACMagic200M and that is more geared as a desktop unit for use with headphones more than itās larger-sized brothers.
Regarding the V2 using the Wolfson DAC chips and the new 100 switching to the Sabre DAC chips, itāll be interesting to hear the differences in the sound.
Little to no difference here between the CXNV2 and the DacMagic 200M. And I am fairly certain that the DacMagic has a similar Saber DAC compared to the CXN100.
Why do some players have two DAC chips - eg both the CXN V2 and the DacMagic 200M have two, but the new CXN100 only has one? And is there any improvement by having two chips rather than one, or can a one DAC chip player still out perform a two DAC chip. Presume itās ultimately down to the quality of the chip?
The only reason I can think of might be channel separation. Since with a twin DAC each chip is responsible for a single channel. Like left or right.
Depending upon design and the architecture of the DA chip being employed, there can also be a noise floor advantage - but that is only relevant when comparing otherwise identical one chip and two chip designs.
However:
- This obviously does not tell us anything when comparing the performance of a one chip Wolfson design against a two chip Sabre design.
- With quality designs, it is doubtful whether you would be able to hear the difference in noise floor anyway because even modern one chip solutions can present a noise floor below the limits of audibility.
Iāve looked up the specs for the CXN100. The DacMagic 200M and my 2nd streamer which is a Bluesound Node X.
All of them seem to share the same DAC chip(s). The ESS 9028Q2M. The DacMagic having 2 of them.
So soundwise they should be very similar. I know the DacMagic 200M and the Node X are.
Could be my Dali Spektor 2ās of course which are currently connected to my CXA81. Awaiting my new JBL L52 Classicās. Which will be another 1-2 weeks.