Listening to the MXN10 is a pleasure, and one we aren’t keen on ending.In 2023 and beyond, who knows where streaming technology will take us? In the here and now, once you get past the interested parties’ manicured PR, there are some interesting and quite exciting facts to consider as you make your informed choices for services and gear. The more we listen, the more the MXN10 reveals its myriad strengths, providing Wu-Tang Clan’s Gravel Pit with bounce and heft before wowing us with a powerful yet clean and organised rendition of Deftones’ Swerve City. Moving away from purely comparative tracks, we let the Cambridge Audio streamer stretch its legs, with what by now are becoming routinely impressive results. If you want to feel the energy and movement the track demands, this is the way to listen to it. Whether it’s Timberlake’s high, soulful vocals or Z’s hard and heavy rapping under a punchy beat, the MXN10 easily has it covered, delivering a real sense of rhythm and swing by the time the verses kick in. Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake’s collaboration on Holy Grail further reveals the MXN10’s capabilities. There is a good sense of scale here combined with a surprising dose of authority. We like that the Cambridge remains composed when the music becomes demanding, and the way it renders the tone and texture of instruments in such a convincing way. It combines the strengths of these talented rivals while adding a dose of dynamic expression and rhythmic coherence that they can’t match. The MXN10 walks a carefully chosen path between the even-handed, detailed and spacious sound of the similarly-priced Audiolab 6000N Play and the more characterful and energetic balance of the current Award-winning Bluesound Node (2021). Max Richter’s melancholic slow-builder Never Goodbye is delivered in a spacious and well-organised manner. Expectations have been set mighty high for the MXN10, even at this relatively low price. SoundĬambridge Audio’s recent work in the realm of amplifiers and streamers has been little short of stellar, impressing us with the Award-winning CXA81 integrated amp in addition to the (also) Award-winning CXA61 amp and the ( also) award-winning CXN (V2) streamer. A minor quibble, but a shame nonetheless. We are slightly perturbed by a lack of native MQA support for Tidal Masters, though. The MXN10, impressively, comes equipped with the ESS Sabre ES9033Q DAC, allowing it to stream high-resolution files of up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512 resolution, so you’ll rarely find your dinky streamer caught out by something it can’t give proper justice to. It’s also incredibly easy to set up just turn on your new player, download the application and, even if you choose not to create an account and sign in to StreamMagic, the app will simply pick up your MXN10 immediately. The app is decent, and while music services such as Tidal are never as smooth or intuitive when hosted on such platforms, StreamMagic is more responsive and less frustrating than rival control apps. The MXN10’s StreamMagic streaming module and app are at the heart of the player, providing the oft-lauded bespoke Cambridge Audio software so that you can stream from your phone. It can also locate and play any music file stored on the same home network, such as from NAS devices, for instance. Better yet, there’s built-in internet radio which, thanks to MPEG-DASH support, gives high-quality radio streaming across practically any global station you can think of. Having a broad array of streaming choices is, obviously, essential for a network streamer, and the MXN10 doesn’t let us down, hosting a plethora of streaming methods and services including Google Chromecast, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz, as well as support for Bluetooth 5.0.
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