Intro
Contents
Cambridge Audio is known to us as a brand that fairly often manages to hit the sweet spot in the affordable audio- / hifi-class. Most recently in the phono pre-amp test, the Duo scored particularly well. Now it is up to the Cambridge Audio MXN10. A 499 Euro streamer.
It is quite bizarre what Cambridge has put into this MXN10. It is possible to stream via practically all platforms: UPnP, ROON, Tidal Connect, Spotify, Qobuz Connect… Chromecast… you name it. That’s pretty cool! And for those wondering: switching is seamless and lightning fast… the new StreamMagic Chip is very, very capable.
Own app
Cambridge has its own StreamMagic app. We tested the Android version and it works without a hitch. Granted, there are optically nicer apps out there, but the StreamMagic app works fast and stable. We were playing music within a minute without any problems. That’s just as easy from the Synology NAS in our network as from Tidal or Qobuz (by the way, you can use connect then too). In short: great app.
The test was mostly done with Roon, because we wanted to quickly switch between the Node and the MXN10.
What we do find crazy is that the Cambridge app asks for access to contacts and also likes to see us register. Of course, it’s up to you to accept that or not. Fortunately, we can just use the app if we refuse both.
The Cambridge MXN10
The streamer itself is kept very simple. On the front we see on/off and four preset buttons. You can put anything behind them: a radio channel, album or, for example, a playlist. These can be started at the touch of a button.
On the back we see all the connections anyone could need: single ended out (provided by a SABRE 9033Q dac chip), digital coaxial and optical out. And, of course, WiFi, Bluetooth and Ethernet as inputs. Finally, also a USB connection. This is an input for a USB stick or hard drive.
Combinations
It is pretty clear that the MXN10 can be combined with the DacMagic 200M (which has two ES9028Q2M dac chips). The product page also cites this as an ideal combination. The cabinets fit together nicely and also fall in the same price range. The MXN10 costs about 499 Euros and the DacMagic goes away for 599 Euros. So for about 1100 Euro you have a streamer with dac where all you need are headphones or a pair of active speakers.
Nice review, I do must add a note, though. I am using CA as a connection point, along with my music on hard disc and then I am sending digital signal to RME ADI-DAC-2 FS, so CA is easy and cheap way to integrate all digital with any kind of DAC and so on, into preamp…