The original Cambridge Audio DacMagic appeared some 25 years ago. It was then an affordable way to improve the sound quality from your digital source component. ‘”What HiFi” magazine summed it up with these words… “Joke price, knockout sound, you get lots of performance for not much money, BNC inputs/outputs only, but if your CDP is suitable, buy this! Sound: 5 stars – facilities: 4 stars – build: 4 stars”. In many ways things haven’t changed much. The Cambridge DAC models that followed over the years have also offered startlingly good audio quality for well under $1000. In this latest incantation, the feature set has grown, the sound quality in theory has improved and the price has not changed much at all. Surely this is all good news?
The New –
The logos on the carton are immediately exciting – “Roon Ready! – Hi Res audio! – MQA!” I realise quite quickly that this new DAC from Cambridge lacks any WiFi connectivity. Hence, for me the Roon attraction fades equally as quickly. I’m not a fan of computers in the HiFi room. I consult the online user manual to better understand how these premium audio features might work. I skimmed over a dozen lightweight pages of info and the only mention of MQA is that a light will be lit when it happens! No mention of ‘Roon’ or ‘Hi Res Audio’. On the basis that I am a reasonably positive person and don’t like to wallow too much on the negatives. I decide to just switch it on and have a listen. I have the big brother of this DAC on hand (CXN) so decide a shoot-out of audio quality is at least as interesting as possibly wasting the next few hours trying to get the MQA light to shine bright.
Lots of logos on the box.
Minutes Later –
I am listening to the digital out from the CXN through the new DacMagic 200M. How does it compare with internal DAC in the CXN you may wonder. Spec wise they are completely different, employing ESS chips versus the Wolfsons in the CXN. I also imagine that there has had to have been some cost-cutting in the analogue out section (of the 200) although it still offers balanced as well as the more popular RCA unbalanced outputs. Despite these technical differences in the electronics I heard little audible difference and perhaps a not completely surprising similarity in the character of the sound. A well-rounded, quite detailed and enjoyable sound. Well balanced top to bottom with a decent amount of ‘air’ and frankly overall an excellent level of sound quality at the price. If I was to nitpick, maybe it doesn’t quite offer the warmth of the CXN on all material. However, my thoughts on this did indeed vary with what I was listening to. I think DACs may have come along way over the years because there was a time when the differences between chipsets was more obvious.
Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M rear panel
So far, so good – Bluetooth?
In fact, so far you could say that this new Dac Magic appears to be a bit of bargain considering the CXN is more than twice the money. I thought I would give Bluetooth a twirl based on my guesstimate that this DAC will often be purchased as a solution to get ‘new-school’ sound into ‘old-school’ classic/vintage HiFi systems. For many, Bluetooth will be the doorway into their first steps in the streaming world. I had it connected within seconds and actually the sound quality wasn’t bad at all. Entirely listenable but flicking back to my previous configuration offered greater air, detail, imaging and musical excitement simply not offered via BT. Easily detected when A-B-ing but for an old school system with relatively coloured and non-revealing sound, I doubt the difference will matter much. So Bluetooth is indeed a worthwhile addition to this product. Some aficionados may think otherwise but I could listen to music through the DacMagic 200 via Bluetooth quite happily.
Calling all vintage HiFi addicts –
So where does this quite highly featured DAC fit in the market and who should be listening to it with the thought of purchasing it? As alluded to above, the vintage audio enthusiast who’s interest in dealing with records is starting to wane is perhaps a candidate. With this Magical DAC they can get digital only outputs such as their TV plugged into the old Sansui or Marantz they are currently enjoying. Then with the addition of their smartphone, the world of streaming is available to them via BT. They could also wheel out their computer and exercise the USB input on the Dac. The result would include Roon compatibility, really bringing their retro system fully bang up to date.
Back in the day another reason to buy a DAC was to upgrade the sound quality of ones CD player. This I suspect is a very small part of the DAC market these days for a variety of reasons (the main one being seemingly the lack of interest from anyone in playing CDs). If the potential purchaser has an amp with a digital stage already, this DAC may offer a small improvement in sound quality. Perhaps that is another use, but if the buyers’ interest is streaming then a full blown streamer is more likely the better purchase. Which brings us full circle back to the DacMagic 200 versus Cambridge CXN V2 question.
Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M front panel
So DacMagic 200 or CXN V2 ?
For me the answer is clear. I do not want to use USB to enjoy roon or High Definition audio files. I don’t want a laptop in the audio room or the pain that goes with choosing music via a computer (although Roon largely fixes that except for the physical pest that a large laptop is). Nor do I wish to ever deal with getting a Windows box working properly via USB ever again (see my CXN article). So for me a CXN is the answer. It is a marginally better sounding DAC with a suite of extra features and usability that makes the extra cost seem very fair. Roon through the CXN is an absolute pleasure BUT…
The next day I calmly stepped down from my high horse and gave the USB capability a try. Success was immediate and it sounded fantastic. It was still incredibly inconvenient having a laptop attached by such a short leash to the equipment but hey, it worked and it worked extremely well. I made the MQA light come on via Roon (playing a Tidal Master track) and that made me smile. The sound made me smile too although I’m not convinced the MQA was leagues ahead of the redbook resolution original. My experience over the years with high resolution versions of albums varies from ‘sounds worse’ to ‘a revelation’. It, I guess is an album-by-album trial as to whether the Hi Res version is much better and if so, by how much. MQA is under an even darker grey cloud of whether it is good, bad or just different.
So, to sum up –
The new Cambridge DacMagic 200M really is an excellent product. Everything just works. Its a neat little well-crafted box and it sounds enjoyable. If it’s feature set is what you need I cannot imagine you would be anything less than enthralled by your purchase of one. If you are dabbling in the olde-worlde arena of Pioneer receivers (and the like) then this is probably all the ‘digital’ you need. Highly Recommended!
For – It sounds great.
For – Simple to use and everything seemed to work (easily).
For – Seems quite well built.
For – Rather good vale for money.
Against – Instruction manual ignore many of the features alluded to on the carton.
So not an IPA, but also not an APA, but a West Coast Pale Ale. Pretty big, slightly off grape fruit smashes you in the face initially. After your palate recovers there is a decent amount of hop that mostly balances an underlying sweet tang and malty goodness.
I haven’t mentioned nose becuase I didn’t notice one.
This isn’t a patch on the 3 Ravens – 55 I reviewed previously, this is much more a bold, mans beer kind of thing, that in no way offers the complexity and balance of that 3 Ravens limited release. Having said that I enjoyed drinking the Helios. Partly I think because it is an enjoyable hugely flavoured drop, but also in the back of my mind, is their other PA/IPA drops which are excellent. Am I missing the point of what they were trying to create here? I don’t know but if you like big bold notes of fruit, hop and malt goodness this Helios is good place to look.
I checked the packaging date which is kindly stamped on the underneath of the can. For this style it is a little old at 3 months of age. Maybe this accounts for the lack of ‘nose’. Perhaps also accounting for the beer going out of whack a bit (maybe) and the slight staleness of the grapefruit flavours.
Overall a solid 8 out of 10 even in its slightly unbalanced, more mature stage of life. I had a few of these. This review maybe a little wonky….
Tasty drop if slightly unbalanced and a bit of slap in the face flavour wise.
Furthering the company’s reputation for developing high-performance source components, AURALiC has launched the ALTAIR G2.1, a comprehensively featured product, developed to account for both digital and analogue sources, delivering transformative, dynamic sound for the demanding high-performance audio enthusiast.
Sporting both line level AND a MM phono analogue inputs!
As a G2.1 Series product, ALTAIR G2.1 has been developed with properties and features that ensure its performance is considered “next-level,” and allow for it to be used as a stand-alone preamplifier. Analog Volume Control onboard, similar to that on the VEGA G2.1 and based on a resistive ladder design, provides ultra-quiet signal, no matter the input. Class A Orfeo Output Modules allow for an ultra-low-noise and low-distortion signal in the analog domain. Altair G2.1 also houses two separate all-analog inputs, completely bypassing the digital structure and maintaining a pure analog signal from input to out. The first is a line-level analog input, including home theater bypass functionality, and the second is an in-house engineered moving-magnet phono stage for an elegant, direct, and quiet connection to a turntable.
The back panel of the Altair G2.1 from AURALiC – Note Phono connections!
The Altair still offers first class streaming performance and digital domain signal handling.
With so many demands placed operationally upon the ALTAIR G2.1, the choice of processor was simple. ALTAIR G2.1 utilizes the most powerful of the Tesla platforms, which has more-than-ample headroom to handle the challenging number of features and functions found in any AURALiC component. Finally, Dual Femto Second Clocks deliver precisely timed signals, greatly reducing associated jitter. ALTAIR G2.1 can be controlled by Lightning DS (on Apple iOS devices), is also compatible with other OpenHome-based control software, and is Roon-ready as well. ALTAIR G2.1 can deliver a growing number of streaming services such as Qobuz, Tidal, and Spotify Connect, with more to come soon.
Of course it is built to the typical very high AURALiC standard.
ALTAIR G2.1’s physical construction, as with all G2.1 products, includes Unity Chassis II, a stealth-silent aluminum enclosure encapsulating a highly-effective copper sub-enclosure that protects the advanced internal electronics from outside interference, a massive aluminum base, and a six-spring suspension footer system, all resulting in a quiet, sublime, musical performance.
ALTAIR G2.1 AU Retail will be $7,995 and will be available for purchase in May 2021.
Further details are available from the importer – HiFi Collective
This might just be for me. I certainly hope to be reviewing one in the future.
To go Moving Coil or not – ‘is’ this the question?
Recently, Japanese cartridge manufacturer Audio Technica, re imagined their long-lived OC9 moving coil cartridge. In fact they ‘imagined up’ 5 replacements for it, all released together! They are all named OC9, quite differently to how things used to be done. Previously, versions 1, 2, and 3 had been released in turn over the last 30 odd years. The classic OC9 now has the following incantations (from least expensive to most expensive) starting from the XEB, then XEN (reviewed here), the XML, XSH and finally the XSL. Sounds confusing? It actually isn’t, as the suffixes are easy to remember acronyms. For example the XEN I have playing in the background now is an “Elliptical Nude” tip equipped version. The top of the range is a “Special Line Contact”, the one below, a “SHibata” etc. They all have an ‘X’ because they are ‘Xtra’ special….sigh. Hey maybe it’s not that simple…
Whatever the naming regime, in my experience they all sound rather good, although quite different. For my money they don’t represent quite the bargain the previous single version OC9III did. If you were looking for a highly detailed, stunningly dynamic and very revealing MC, the previous OC9 did that wonderfully well for only $799. Now if you want that style of presentation you will need to bolt on the OC9XML. ML being an acronym for “MicroLine”. In the new line up of OC9 moving coil cartridges, this model is the least expensive one with a stylus shape that digs deep into the groove. Hence extracting the greatest majority of the data contained within. The XEN under examination here today is a more traditional nude elliptical. A nude elliptical is superior to a conical, but only a couple of notches up. This shape can extract a bit more ‘data’ by way of having a larger contact area within the groove. Being of ‘nude’ construction also helps with tracking as a full diamond tip is lighter than a small tip glued to a steel post (non nude type).
In some ways this article is a shootout between my last cartridge review, the VM530EN, a moving magnet design and this OC9. These two are an equivalent stylus spec. I’m sure an MC versus MM comparison has been done before but these two make it easy. Well sort of easy. The OC9 is easy, with threaded holes in the cartridge body making the delicate and stressful job of attaching and aligning the thing so much easier. The VM530 as per my previous comments in this article, just absolutely sucks to mount. I guess that’s why it is mostly supplied bolted to a universal headshell ready to be bayoneted on in seconds to a suitably equipped tonearm. I feel for the workers at the Audio Technica factory who draw the short straw and have to spend a week in the VM500 section screwing these bloody things onto headshells.
OC9 mounted on Linn Sondek LP12 with Akito arm tested by HiFi and Stereo
The sound!
Hey, both the OC9XEN and the VM530 sound very very nice. In this case the moving coil is definitely the ‘nicer’ sounding cartridge. It is, as mentioned above, unlike it’s more expensive brothers with fancier shaped tips. It has a sweet warm sound, not offering up particularly high levels of either detail or excitement. It is unlike the almost breathtaking performance of the XML version and those above it. If you are chasing a well-balanced, easy-listening cartridge that washes sound over you rather than setting you back in your chair, the XEN is the one. When I first heard one I immediately felt concern and ordered in the XML. After fitting the XML and sitting down to listen, my faith in the excitement factor offered by the OC9 lineage returned. It caused me to whisper to myself “I haven’t heard that before”. Choose the XML for a seat of the pants blast through the musical mountains, or choose the XEN for relaxing on the beach sipping a cocktail.
Back to the VM530 versus the XEN… I reckon the 530 is actually the more interesting cartridge to listen to. It has an edge, an excitement factor, a punchier sound that appeals most of the time. It requires less from your system as it won’t need an extra external phono stage in most situations. It requires less input from your wallet too, at not much more than half the price of the XEN. This doesn’t imply the OC9XEN is a failure, but if you a looking for a quick exciting fix of vinyl the 530 absolutely does the job. It draws a nice line between information, dynamics and musical enjoyment without overly exposing your records wear and tear. Audio Technica have been making super good value for money MM cartridges for decades and the VM530 is an excellent example of that skill.
The OC9XEN unfortunately, may be an example of trying to spread the OC9 magic a bit too thinly. They have taken a classic, well-known ‘shape’, and model name, and tried to maximise profit from that history with a flavour and price to suit everyone. In doing so, the OC9 has lost some of what it was. It no longer represents a moving coil cartridge with benchmark musical excitement at an entirely sensible price. Now it’s a range of cartridges at differing prices and sound qualities. For me it is actually all a bit confusing. Perhaps classic HiFi industry, marketing department, corporatized BS is at work. You know, the one where the accountant-style CEO flushes away the hard won, carefully engineered reputation of a long lived model with a sweep of a profit-driven hand.
Back to the sound though, I still like what I heard from the XEN. It doesn’t represent particularly good value for money but it won’t hurt your ears. In fact, if your record playback system is a bit harsh sounding this might be the perfect choice.
For – A generous easy to listen to sound.
For – Excellent Made-in-Japan build quality
For – Easy to fit.
For – Looks cool on the end of your arm, your neighbour might think you paid $1399 for it!
Against – Not the most record playback excitement per dollar you can buy
Against – I feel like I’m being played by the Audio Technica marketing department a bit.
It is assumed by many that moving coil cartridges for turntables (record players) are always a step up from the somewhat universal moving magnet type. In many situations this is probably the case but there are extra steps required to get the best from them. Firstly a built-in MC stage in your amplifier is unlikely to be getting the best from what is generally a more expensive cartridge. Sure it will make a noise but MC cartridges output so little voltage that getting this delicate circuitry away from high current circuits such as an output stage is fairly important. An outboard pre-amp is highly desirable. You don’t necessarily have to purchase a high end one such as the EAR I reviewed recently but something along the lines of the Rega Fono MC is almost mandatory. The Rega has plenty of input matching adjustments so you can get the best from whatever MC cartridge you choose. Most built in phono stages that can handle MC do not have these tweaks. The Rega is just a damn fine sounding, well designed pre-amp for the price too. Typical Rega really in that regard.
The other key difference is that MC cartridges are generally more expensive. They also most often have a fancier stylus shape. More expensive stylus shapes tend to get more information out of the groove which makes for a more interesting listen. As per the above review on the OC9XEN though, if the the stylus shape is just a run-of-the-mill, high quality, nude elliptical you may not end up with better sound than an MM cartridge fitted with the same.
Another point of difference sometimes cited as a reason not to buy an MC is that the styli are not removeable. Some think this is an ‘issue’, because you can’t just buy a new stylus if your party gets out of control and Dave the drunk guy tears your tip off its cantilever. This is of course true but whether MC or MM, expensive shaped styli versions cost most of the price of the original cartridge. If your MC cartridge gets damaged you will have to fit a complete new cartridge or have it re-tipped. This generally costs between 80 – 90% of the price of a new cartridge as most suppliers offer a trade in deal on your old damaged one. In the case of the MM stylus being ripped from its base, sure you just fit a new one all by yourself. A replacement stylus for say the VM530 is still $229. Not a cheap mistake. I can also tell you that ratio (stylus versus original MM cartridge cost) is about as cheap as factory replacements get. Check out Ortofon pricing for replacement MM styli and it’s around the 80% mark as per moving coils.
The bottom line is MM represents a sensible value for money record playing choice that is all most folk need, most of the time. An above average MM sounds really really good. A great MC fitment, properly executed will step you up to levels of detail and dynamics beyond what MM can achieve. MC can provide hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck standing up excitement that moving magnet in my opinion can’t quite deliver. You probably need to allow approximately 4 times as much cash to achieve this though.
Oh and one final point, no matter whether MM or MC if you are to hear the benefits of a superior stylus, you will need a superior turntable/arm combination. Don’t fit a $1200 cartridge to an entry level Project or Rega. Within the Rega range for example you will want at least a P3 before you would contemplate fitting a Fine Line or Shibata equipped cartridge. Now, go and enjoy some music! Maybe with a beer!
And onto the beer!
Hoegarden –
The pronunciation – Apparently its not Hoe Garden, its more Who Harga?? Or not, ask a local I suppose. Fortunately the inability to order one correctly in Belguim (where it is made) does not effect the flavour. This beer has been around forever (check the sticker wrapped around the neck!!) and is perhaps one of the very first rather good beers I tasted that sent me off down the rabbit hole of chasing new taste sensations in beer. Unlike other beers I have enjoyed for 30 years or more though, this one, has in my opinion, not changed in flavour at all.
It pours with a substantial head that is light and fluffy and hangs around for a while. Flavourwise, first you will notice the bready goodness, then an extraordinarily great balance between hop, malt and then just plain old scrumptiousness. This beer is a reference for style (Whit, as in a white beer) for a very good reason. It has an airiness, a delightful perfection. Huge mouthfeel coupled with subtle spice. It completely lacks any nasty cloying sweet tang that a well known American made alternative has in spades. Perhaps not for drinking everyday but whenever I knock the top of one I am reminded that Australian craft beer is a modified V8, built in the back yard under a blue tarp and this beer, well its an F1 V12 machined from solid, in a castle, by geniuses!
10/10. It’s liquid gold.
The best Whit, it pours beautifully, tastes like heaven.
Jean-Marie Liere, the creator of these somewhat offbeat towers started life in France. I say ‘towers’ but this size of speaker was once known as a floorstander (when a loudspeaker was too large to happily be placed on a shelf). During his time in France prior to exporting himself to Sydney, Jean-Marie worked for Hewlett-Packard. This was at a time when test instruments for loudspeaker measurement cost approximately the same as a small provincial cottage. How times have changed…Test equipment has now never been cheaper and houses are a similar price to tulip bulbs in Holland during the early 1600s! This free access to what was state-of-the-art test gear lead Jean-Marie off on a search for loudspeaker nirvana. The result was his first speaker design, a small monitor style speaker which he sold in commercial quantities. Some time later when his venture did not meet with his financial hopes and a family arrived, he returned to the reality of regular paid work. Sometime later in a land far away (post 1997 when Jean-Marie moved to Australia) a lifelong interest was rekindled. Jean-Marie’s interest in phase correct, fast sounding loudspeakers that offer life-like performance resumed with the current range of Microphase Audio Design loudspeakers. Back in business for the last 5 years, Jean-Marie has enjoyed fine tuning his 2 satellite models, a sub, a centre and the model on review here, the Tower One.
Construction and Design
The Microphase Tower Ones are built right here in Australia to exacting standards. The cabinet construction material is Birch plywood imported from Finland. The unusual, somewhat architectural look may not be to everyone’s taste but I rather like the style. Simple, functional and manufactured by a local cabinet guru who once made enclosures for Richter and Orpheus back in the day. I’m not sure when these two highly regarded manufacturers stopped making their loudspeakers here on home soil, but I don’t believe they do anymore. Moving on to the ‘innards’ of the design, we find more ‘French flair’ (more than being created by a Frenchman). French made Audax drive units abound. Coincidentally Richter and Orpheus also used Audax drive units in many of their designs. They are great sounding drivers in my opinion. Not only my opinion but in the opinion of designers at Spendor, the BBC and Mission over the years. Speaking of the BBC it should be remembered that many BBC designs such as the LS3/5A employed Birch ply as the cabinet construction board too. All in all Jean-Marie would appear to have made some well regarded choices in materials for his designs.
Microphase Tower One reviewed by HiFi and Stereo Australia
More on design…
Whether you like the look or not, one cannot doubt the build quality of these loudspeakers and the likelihood they will last a very long time. Beautifully fitted together with all components flushed into the front, rear and side baffles. Neat magnetically attached grilles are employed for the side mounted woofer and front mounted mid. The tweeter is kept reasonably safe from interested fingers by a tough plastic ‘acoustic lens’. Bi-wiring is available at the rear by familiar looking 5 way binding posts. Sometimes I wonder what the fourth and fifth ‘way’ are? I’ve got 1) Spade connectors, 2) Banana connectors, 3) Bare wire, 4) Not sure, 5) Don’t know. Anyway, if you wish to drive the woofer with a separate amp you can. Or you could just run separate wires to it from the common point of the speaker terminals on the rear of the amp. Your mileage may vary but for me bi-wiring in this way is right up there with propping your speaker cables up on supports. Bi-amping on the other hand may well help improve the sound, although at some considerable cost. To sum up, these Towers are smart and modern looking. Perhaps one well out on the periphery of what many would consider typical loudspeaker design.
And the sound!
Now the fun bit. I didn’t run them in as Jean-Marie supplied me a pair that had done a bit of work and were fully loosened up and ready to rock. I applied signal via my Naim Star and some files from Tidal. I am very familiar with the sound in my room having used this source on a number of other loudspeakers. I thought therefore, this was a good place to start and hear what the general flavour of the Microphase speakers was. I kicked off with some tracks from kd Lang’s ‘All You Can Eat’ (as mentioned in my article on well recorded music). Immediately it was obvious from the ‘smack’ from the drums that these speakers are fast and are quite sensitive, or at least as sensitive as the spec suggests. A decent amount of detail was obvious and the bass was quite uncoloured. The bass on this recording can be overly full on some speakers but not here on the Tower Ones. The upper treble was in balance with the rest of the spectrum doing just what it needs to do and nothing more. These are not sizzly sounding loudspeakers with exaggerated treble.
Wishing to explore the bass extension I flicked to Nusratt Fatah’s, ‘Sea of Vapours’ on the Musst Musst album (also mentioned in my 10 best demo tracks article). This track dives deep with electronic bass going way down. I also noticed on this track a great sense of ‘air’ but as mentioned previously, without any excessive sizzle from the tweeter. Bass-wise I expected it may go lower than it did due to the largish bass unit and the sealed alignment (rather than the far more common bass reflex alignment most designers employ). Sealed alignments roll off more slowly and tend to offer a more accurate bass response than the sometimes boomy ported alternative. When I took a closer look at the probable box volume though I realised this isn’t really a very large loudspeaker enclosure. I made a quick comparison with another loudspeaker I had on hand that also sported a sealed bass unit design and although a different shape, it offered a similar internal volume. The Microphase towers comfortably outperformed these speakers, not so much in extension but in sensitivity.
Moving onto the delicate midrange area, I played Meav, once again from my demo suggestion article. Her voice has a glass like quality and the ability to upset many a loudspeaker. To some degree the Tower Ones suffered at Meavs voice as well. Just a trace of a hard edge, or maybe some otherwise well hidden resonance was excited by her demanding vocal. I’m not sure, but suffering at the hand of Meav does not place these speakers into some ‘Robinson Crusoe’ like group. I have heard many a well regarded speaker show off some nasties when she is played. Hence a great test I think. Playing a variety of other material I did notice the occasional ‘cupped hand’ like colouration in the mid which for many will go unnoticed but for some may be an issue. Overall the sound of these speakers is rather refined with quite an even frequency response and an enjoyably painted stereo image.
Sum up –
The Microphase Tower One with grille removed from side mounted woofer
Sum up –
For anyone looking for something a bit different. For those wanting a loudspeaker of bespoke appearance and build quality, the Microphase Tower Ones are worthy of audition and closer inspection. I enjoyed their time in my listening area for their iconoclastic style.
For – Unusual and quite unique cabinetry.
For – Built in Australia to last!
For – High quality components used throughout.
Against – As much as I like the appearance some who saw them while under review were unsure.
Against – Some slight edginess/resonances around the upper midrange area could be distracting on some material.
Against – Just an observation but there is no facility for spikes to be fitted in the underside of the plinth.
3 Ravens American Pale Ale. The beer style that pretty much started US based craft brewing. It is owed a lot. I set out to buy something brewed in France for this beer tasting for no particular reason other than Jean-Marie comes from there originally and reckons French beer is fantastique! Alas with the local craft beer scene going mental, and the main stores actually stocking decent beer, European alternatives are very thin on the ground. I visited three stores with no success. I could have gotten close with a few Belgians of some distinction but I’m pretty sure Jean-Marie would agree, Belgium ain’t France. It would appear I am now stuck drinking craft beer if I fancy something fresh and tasty.
So being forced to drink crafties, I thought I’d grab something of quality. A relatively local one in this case, made in Thornbury, Melbourne. I chose this particular one due to the outrageous statements on the side of the can. Very clearly printed in alternating blue and red Arial. Well, some Sans Serif font that is rather basic in appearance. I can report that what is contained within the can is anything but basic. As you may have noticed from the pics, not a lot of head, and frankly not benchmark setting mouthfeel but that’s the only negatives I can express. This is one damn fine and complex APA. Very much a hyped-up version of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale which is probably still the reference beer for the style. Terrific balance of malt and hops, probably more hops than malt but not enough out of whack to annoy. I mean, you want more hops right? Well this beer delivers. As much in bitterness as late additions, mmm yummy! I can’t see an alcohol content number on the can but it states 1.6 standard drinks so I guess about 5%. (Edit – found it in large print – 5.5%) No nasty aftertaste, and as mentioned, very satisfying levels of complexity. It keeps you guessing as to what you are in fact actually tasting. This is old school APA goodness, nice and fresh and ready to be smashed down 3 at a time. A solid 9 out of 10 from me. Only let down by lack of body/head. Buy some now before they decide to stop making it again.
3 Ravens American Pale Ale can and beer poured into a glass
Let me just quickly get the correct title of this tube phono pre-amplifier out of the way. The name appears in various forms on the internet so I thought a quick check with HQ would be the answer. Strangely the product under review here does not appear on the EAR Yoshino website. I remembered I had a ‘snap’ of the EAR Phonobox at it’s release at Munich High End 2019. I then also remembered I had the instruction manual sitting on the desk beside me and the actual product in the listening room… Combining all of these data sources I guess we can be sure that indeed it is the ‘EAR Phonobox’, not the Phono Box, PhonoBox or any other variation of the basic concept of a box that amplifies a phono signal.
EAR Yoshino Phonobox on display at it’s release – Munich High End 2019
Of course the lack of updates on the EAR Yoshino website may well be due to being distracted by the sad passing of the creator of the company, Tim de Paravicini. Designer of this very product and possibly, the last product designed by Tim. In some ways the Phonobox is not a bad note to end on. It enjoys simple, straight to the point engineering and industrial design. It employs the minimum necessary components to perform the function required and these are incased in a ‘box’ just big enough for the job. The sound seemingly extracts the best tubes have to offer, whilst minimising the negatives that can come from using devices designed 100 years ago.
13D16 tubes in EAR Yoshino Phonobox Side View
Even the normally complex, input-matching arrangements for a Moving Coil cartridge are forsaken. In this case, they are not required to the same degree as traditional active designs. The Phonobox uses matching transformers to obtain the increase in level required when using a very low output MC cartridge. Other aspects of the design, which have Tim’s signature style written all over them include; the choice of valve; the lack of fancy ‘audiophile’ brand components and for a small extra fee, a chrome front panel. In regard to the vacuum tube choice, the 13D16 (three of them) is not a tube ID that Googles successfully. It is, in effect, an ECC83 with a few tweaks and is made specifically for EAR Yoshino. Tim made it clear to myself (and anyone who would listen) that mucking around trying various different versions of a tube in one of his designs was not on. The amplifier has been designed to work with this tube and anything else will throw it out of whack (I’m paraphrasing, he would have said it somewhat more elegantly, and firmly). I guess using your own tube specification stymies the less adventurous ‘tube-rollers’. So all in all a very typical Tim de Paravicini design. Slightly quirky tube choice, coupled with a simple internal design and solid, last-forever construction.
EAR Yoshino Phonobox Rear View
The simplicity continues on the outside with just an output level control, power switch, a pair of inputs and a switch to choose between MM or MC. The apparent quality is high but certainly not some kind of hewn-from-solid swiss watch type of contraption. Just simple good quality construction that should last the better part of a lifetime. The volume control is the familiar and high quality, Alps Blue Velvet. The front panel is a solid hunk of metal, as is the volume knob. The switches and sockets are a notch or two up from basic spec. The substantial rubber feet will never fall off as they are firmly screwed on, and the casework is of decent thickness folded steel. The earth screw is easy to use and again, not the crappiest thing they could find in the parts bin. The more I look at this outwardly simple device the more I realise the amount of thought that has gone into it. I also note that many of these rather good quality parts are not often part of the spec of similarly priced phono stages.
EAR Yoshino Phonobox Bottom Panel
This new phono pre-amp from Mr de Paravicini is of course not his first effort at a turntable signal amplifier. The 834 that went before came in a fancier box (more gold plated parts), and was of slightly more imposing proportions. The 834 sold for approximately $1000 more than the Phonobox. It had been around for 25 years give or take and had been improved along the way. It is a fine sounding pre amp and sold very well over the years. My guess is though, that it would have sold even better at the price point the Phonobox is now offered at. Anyway, at some point the design has been reverse-engineered or has escaped the walls of EAR Yoshino HQ. As a result, Tim felt a complete re think was in order. He did not disguise well his annoyance at the dodgy rip off versions of his early design being sold on eBay cheaply. A clean sheet of paper design was in order and here we are today listening to his completely revised version of his company’s entry level phono stage.
EAR Yoshino Phonobox Front View
The sound!
I initially tried the VM530 MM cart already screwed to my older LP12 on the MM setting (of course) and sat back, enjoying the pleasantly detailed and snappy performance. Valve stodge or an uneven, coloured response was not apparent at all. In fact the sound was rich and clean without the slowness or lack of excitement that sometimes comes from tube amplifiers. Maybe not so much from low level phono pre-amps but nonetheless, I feel this ‘zip’ was not a feature of the EAR 834P. Memory tells me it was a smidge tailed-off in the top and for me a small notch too ‘warm’. The Phonobox is an altogether more interesting listen, to the degree that those who have doubted the value of tubes in a low level circuit like this should re-visit the possibilities.
I had a new Audio Technica OC9XEN on hand (which will be reviewed shortly) so I set about fitting it to the the Sondek and getting a taste of the Phonobox with the transformers ‘in-circuit’. My memory of the less expensive Audio Technicas with fixed magnets is of them offering a warmer balance than the more expensive versions. If this is the case then maybe the Phonobox in MC mode is the tinniest bit brighter than neutral but it won’t be much. Not that I am implying the frequency response is anything other than more or less dead flat (ignoring RIAA de emphasis). It’s more the nature of the way these tubes and their accompanying circuit ‘sound’. This is one fast and detailed tube circuit, no doubt. Hence it could be described as being a bees antenna brighter than neutral. However it really is just the amount of detail and pace, and I wasn’t expecting it. The 834 was marginally the other way I reckon. The bass is amazing, real snap, weight and poise. The stereo performance was somewhat holographic, and a very stable hologram at that.
Back to back, MM versus MC, I don’t think there is anything in it. The basic character of the amplifier remains the same. I listened to a record that presents a real challenge, Kerrie Biddel, Live at Studios 301, recorded circa the ‘dark ages’. Through the Phonobox, her voice shines and yet ever so sweetly which rarely happens listening to this album. Her voice can have an edge to it but not with this combination. The sax and flute on this album are very well recorded but again can sound a touch grainy. Thanks to the EAR’s ‘just-right’ character, these instruments now sound perfect and Graham Jesse’s skills can be fully enjoyed.
I chose to lift the stylus from the groove at this point as it was time to test the beer for this review. Before I ‘cracked-tubes’ I listened again, this time to silence. For a moving coil pre-amp employing vacuum tubes as active devices this amp is incredibly quiet. With the Linn’s motor still running and both volume controls dialed to max there is only a muddled blend of microscopic hum and noise. At a later time with the VM530 Audio Technica cartridge refitted, I note (in Moving Magnet mode) this pre-amp to be virtually dead quiet. This is quite a win really as one of my key reasons not to get excited about some tube phono stages is noise. Problem solved!
On another note, a fantastic reason to use tubes in a phono stage I think, is to be in an analogue synergy with the source. Actually, it’s nothing to do with analogue as transistors of course still operate as analogue devices in a class A circuit. What it is though, is a nostalgic synergy. It somehow seems right that the old world of black vinyl replay should be coupled with what was used at the time when LPs began. The valve! I highly recommend taking a listen to this pre-amplifier if a superior phono stage is on your shopping list.
For – Elegant simple industrial design coupled with typical handcrafted UK build quality
For – Plug and Play MC connection, no messing with loading settings etc.
For – An almost perfectly neutral balance coupled with a good dose of valve friendliness, balanced by plenty of detail and pace
For – Fast accurate bass and there is plenty of it.
For – Very enjoyable and stable stereo imaging
For – Handy output level control allowing you to perhaps even use it as a single input pre-amplifier (with just a power amp).
For – Very good component quality throughout. This unit will last a long time.
Against – Lack of MC adjustments will trouble some.
Against – Not actually cheap, but when compared with other offerings at the price range it stands out as something quite different to marketing orientated, op amp stocked, mass produced boxes.
Against – Runs quite warm. For maximum life I suggest switching it off between listening sessions. It only takes 15 minutes warm-up to sound at it’s best.
Price – $2495
Dimensions – 180mm Wide x 79mm High x 312mm Deep inc volume knob and earth terminal.
Slipstream IPA is an enjoyable enough beer. It pours with a bit of not particularly dense head that in turn quickly dissipates. There is little nose if any when you crack the can, and not much at all from the glass as you sip it. Colour is lighter than most, malt flavour lighter than most. A somewhat nasty aftertaste follows. As I said, an enjoyable enough beer but this is not in the class of other IPAs I have recently tried. Alcohol is nicely disguised which might be part of why it slips down easily but not with the satisfaction of say Helios Cyclops or Sea Legs Breakaway IPA. Unfortunately it’s just another IPA made locally to an okay standard. Cool name, I wanted to like it, but sorry it’s a solid 6.8 out of 10 for me. Oh and writing “Bright, Fruity, Aromas with Herbal Undertones blah blah blah” or “Hints of Bubblegum, Fruit Blossoms and Apricot” on the can doesn’t make it so. Yeah I bought a four pack but I’m not buying another. Less BS on the outside of the can and more effort with the process of making what’s inside the can would be a good plan. Sorry about the negativity, but I have a couple of crackers coming up in future reviews, I promise!
We used to make all sorts of things in Australia as diverse as electronics, clothes, watches and cars! There were a host of Australian made loudspeakers too, including some names still around such as Richter, Duntech and Krix. Unfortunately many have gone…forever. Of those that remain, I suspect that many components of these brands are sourced from overseas. In many cases they may even be assembled overseas. It might be a stretch to regard them as still ‘Australian made’? For many buyers though, it doesn’t matter where it’s made and for the manufacturer the choice may well be to go offshore, or go out of business. I fully understand this but Scott Wilkinson at Alderwood Speakers is ignoring this trend. He loves the concept of making things here in Australia. He has designed a particularly cute speaker AND makes the vast majority of the component parts on the premises at Alderwood HQ in Victoria.
Alderwood Eros Pro in clear lacquer finish
Digging further into how the Alderwood Eros Pro was designed and made Scott tells me, that the drive unit (there is only one per box) is of his design. Particular care was taken with the cone and roll surround materials to get just the tonal balance he was looking for, plus durability and moisture resistance. The driver is assembled at Alderwood HQ and magnetised on the premises. The enclosures are also crafted in-house on various CNC woodworking machines. Hand finishing, assembly, careful testing and packaging for shipping all happens at Alderwood’s Cobden facility. A stunning part of country, very near the 12 Apostles on the Victorian coastline.
And they arrive very nicely packed indeed!
It is great to see an Australian built product arrive so ‘complete’. There was proper packaging, labeling and an instruction manual. Within minutes I had the Eros attached to their brackets and stands, cables plugged into the ever-ready Naim Star and music playing. Mmmm but there was a catch…
Alderwood Eros being unboxed
The Alderwoods are obviously very well made. Well made enough that they sport an IP67 rating which in ‘English’ means you can use them on a boat. This boat could be off the 12 Apostles taking a lot of green water over the bow and they will keep on playing. I’m not sure I would want the green water smashing into the speakers directly but the point remains that they are marine rated. In fact the IP67 standard suggests they could play under water for up to half an hour! They are offered in a range of finishes including the clear coated finish on display here but also a textured black or white painted finish. In fact if you are willing to wait Scott can organise a pair in any colour you like. I’m guessing this ‘customisation’ might come at a small premium, but the clear, white, black option all retail for $1900pr. For me the clear is definitely the go, they look stunning. Included in the box are a pair of rather handsome machined brass swivel brackets. These are included in the price and yet look very ‘bespoke’ (and pricey). Scott also supplied some appropriate cables and his new speaker stands. Both are $99 optional extras (a bargain!).
And the catch is…
When I say these loudspeakers are tiny I’m stretching the truth as they are in fact, miniscule. Take a look at the picture below for a scale shot to give you an idea just how small they are. To the uninitiated it might seem they could not possibly produce serious volume or great sound quality. The catch of course is that they do not even attempt to produce any low bass notes. In fact the lowest bass is gently filtered out by a built in simple passive crossover. This leaves the vast majority of the audible spectrum intact but the need for high excursion cones and big boxes is removed. Those lower notes that require real power and authority are handled by a subwoofer of your choice. Alderwood manufactures a few, but I was interested in what an inexpensive solution might sound like. With this goal in mind I sourced an REL T Zero on short term loan from my friendly neighbourhood HiFi store – The Audio Tailor. (Also currently Australian HiFi Retailer of year!) The REL is a highly regarded incredibly small powered woofer that is both fast and musical but also rather well priced at only $699. It was a guess on my part that this little sub would work well with the Alderwoods, as it turned out I guessed correctly. I wired them directly to the HiFi and Stereo resident Naim Star, using cables Scott at Alderwood supplied with the correct connectors fitted at each end. I connected the REL subwoofer directly via an RCA lead to the pre outs of the Naim. I tweaked the low pass filter on the rear of the REL to its highest setting, adjusted the level control to the middle and powered everything up. Now I had full range sound.
Yes the Alderwood Eros Pro are tiny
And the sound?
The Alderwoods have an immediately appealing light and bright balance which causes instruments such as acoustic guitar to sound exciting and dynamic. The obvious pace and detail of the Alderwood’s sound also adds fruity colour to husky male vocals such as Joe Bonamassa and Robert Cray on track 4 of Lee Ritenour’s Six String Theory. The overall effect is a little like feeding acoustic instruments through a Concert PA, they become larger and louder. Through a PA they also become somewhat less clean and a bit harmonically challenged. In other words, their frequency range is perhaps ‘enhanced’ or some would say ‘coloured’. For many this is no bad thing and frankly for their (the Alderwood’s) incredibly small proportions and price, a damned fine outcome.
I do note that the instrument most effected by their exuberant performance is the female voice. For those looking for a particularly sweet and seemingly accurate rendition of your favourite lady singer, you might need to buy larger and probably more expensive loudspeakers. I still very much enjoyed the likes of Janis Ian’s ‘Breaking Silence’ Album (an album I should have put in our 10 hot demo tracks article?). Her easy to get along with voice does not shine a light on any limitations the Alderwood’s incredibly tiny full range driver may cause.
I should mention that the integration I easily achieved with the REL T Zero powered subwoofer was perfectly seemless. The full range of sounds appear to come only from the tiny enclosures. I experienced none of the old ‘Bose-like’ boom-boom from one corner, a hole in the response and then tish-tish from the main speakers. I should also say that the quality of stereo imaging was impressive with great accuracy of placement and significant width and depth.
So, overall an enjoyable sound if not the last word in audiophile perfection. But then, seriously, at this price and size that was unlikely. The laws of physics are almost certainly impossible to break, but Alderwood have come very close with the Eros model. Their slightly brightly lit and mildy coloured response is likely to be just what many want to hear. If you were to consider them a loudspeaker more in the ‘lifestyle’ category rather than an outright attempt on HiFi world domination, then I reckon they are a great success.
Miniscule Alderwood Eros Pro in clear lacquer finish pictured for scale with Falcon LS3/5A and REL T zero.
And to Sum Up !
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with these hand crafted gems. In a situation where you really do not want to see the source of the beautiful music in the room, these Alderwoods can be highly recommended. They can also be highly recommended for those that want their cash to stay in Australia. You can support a small local business trying very hard to manufacture something here. Australia is a very harsh environment for those designers who would also like to make the product locally. Good luck to Scott Wilkinson, I wish him well on his quest to bring back real ‘made in Australia’ manufacturing and from what I see and hear with the Eros model, he is likely to succeed.
For – A very high quality product designed and made in Australia.
For – Rather stunning aesthetics.
For – Impressive sound quality and scale for their size.
For – Impervious to dust and moisture.
Against – You will also need a subwoofer to obtain full range sound.
Against – Slightly exuberant nature of the tonal balance may not suit some listeners or all material.
Today I’m going down the West Coast IPA path again. They may not be everyone’s favourite style, but I like them. A good one has lotsa mouthfeel and a great whiff of fresh hops when you pour it. The hop bitterness, of which there should be plenty, is balanced generally by big biscuity malt. It may well be that this local one from Sea Legs brewery is as close as most crafties get to making it right. I have had better but this was very enjoyable. Superbly balanced with reasonable complexity. A thoroughly enjoyable drink that annoyingly you could just throw down. The highish alcohol for the style is very well disguised. This makes for a sessional, right up to the point where you fall down and your wallet is empty. Which brings me to another point – price? I have bought 3 of these, at three different locations. One at the brewery itself and the other two in cans at local bottlo’s. $8.50, $10 and $12.50, all for the same quantity. One of the prices they throw in a stool and a glass… So what is the real price of beer? For that matter how can there be one price 50% more than another. The answer is, I have no clue, but wow things have changed. There was a time when a beer in a bar or restaurant was $7 – $11. This time wasn’t long ago and it still exists now.
I reckon the $10 I paid at the brewery was reasonable value. As mentioned you get a free chair and container to drink it out of and its super fresh straight out of the keg. So the real question is what has happened with bottle shop pricing? Take home beer used to cost a third or maybe even a quarter of the restaurant price. Well we know that bottle shop B is taking about 47% more than bottle shop A in turnover. Assuming A is making money and the two shops have similar overheads (which they do, based on size and staffing), B is making some serious bucks. For how long I’m not sure, as unsurprisingly I don’t shop there anymore. The guy at A is a much friendlier bloke too. There is possibly an analogy here with the HiFi world.
B is owned by a large business with half a dozen pubs and no doubt many bottle shops. As part of this ‘corporate’ structure we as customers get the same product, coupled with poorer service and pay a premium for it. The winner is some faceless corporation which probably runs it’s business less efficiently. They no doubt also own a much bigger boat than old mate the independent. All this makes me wonder about the mass corporatisation of the brand name HiFi landscape that has been going on for the last few years. Are we as consumers getting more or less for our money as our favourite brands get gobbled up. Mostly by groups of accountants who couldn’t give a toss about fidelity and good music?…..
If you get a chance give one of these WC IPA a go. Sea Legs make excellent beer under the Story Bridge in Brisbane. Drink up!
One of the better Australian made West Coast IPAs I have enjoyed recently. Very yummy!
Cambridge Audio, a brand constantly moving forward!
Brought up on HiFi of the 70’s and 80’s, Cambridge wasn’t a brand that featured in my ‘audio learnings’. This was probably due to the fact that it was flailing, with ‘revolving’ ownership and somewhat rudderless. I’m not even sure the brand was imported into Australia at that time. Wow, how things have changed! The rudder was reattached in 1994, with the purchase of the Cambridge Audio label by Audio Partnership. Since that day, Cambridge has moved forward with an ever-expanding range of quality, affordable stereo gear. This growth occurred at a time when it seemed other brands were beginning to flail.
Cambridge currently offers four product ranges, kicking off with the entry level Topaz range of CD players, amplifiers and receivers. The range tops out with the ‘Edge’ pre streamer, an integrated amplifier and a power amplifier. The CX range sits in the lower middle, representing perhaps the most sound quality for the least bucks. The CX range consists of two integrated amplifiers, the CXA61 and CXA81; a CD transport known as the CXC; and the streamer being reviewed here, the CXN. I should also mention that the CXN I’m testing is the latest version, V2.
The CXN has been around in one form or another for many years. Cambridge got in early on the idea of removing the PC from the listening space but keeping the advantages it brings. Initially the NP30 waved the flag for Cambridge branded streaming. A year or two later it was followed by the bigger chassis sized Stream Magic 6, and then in quick succession, the first version of the CXN. Cambridge have had 10 years to hone the performance of this product and is now highly featured and rather slick.
Front panel of CXN streamer is sleek and simple but has all the controls you need
What does it do?
The short answer is, a lot! You can play music the following ways –
1) External digital sources such as a CD player, DVD player, TV sound or a PC. As per a normal DAC via Coaxial, Optical or USB inputs.
2) Internet radio.
3) Stream subscription services such as Spotify and Tidal, with Tidal being controlled within the Cambridge app, known as ‘StreamMagic’.
4) Stream your own digital files from either a USB stick or USB HDD, or over your local network (files stored on a PC or NAS) connected either with ethernet or wirelessly.
5) Airplay, Chromecast and Roon capability or compatibility is also on offer.
6) Bluetooth is an ‘option’ with the addition of a Cambridge BT100 USB plug-in dongle. The BT100 will in fact plug into various other Cambridge Audio products and add BT functionality (including AptX compatibility). Having previously tested one and finding it to work perfectly I didn’t try one with the CXN during this review. I assume Cambridge have made this an optional plug-in unit for two reasons. One could be that a Bluetooth transceiver needs to be in a plastic housing and the CXN is crafted from pressed steel, making it very hard for radio waves to escape. The second possibility being that Chromecast and Airplay offer improved fidelity making Bluetooth somewhat redundant. There are few households where a CXN might live that will not have a WiFi network and in turn the residents phones will almost certainly be connected to it. This makes Chromecast and Airplay the best solutions to get music out of your phone or tablet and into a HiFi system.
7) It has the option of a variable output, effectively making it a digital pre-amp. This output is either via unbalanced RCA connectors or balanced XLR connectors. The digital outputs can not be made variable, so perhaps it’s not a ‘true’ digital pre amp? You can either use the CXN with an integrated amplifier such as the CXA81 OR in fact, with a simple power-amp. This then allows you to build an all-in-one system (but in 2 boxes so not all-in-one at all, really). If you were to use the power amplifier option, you would take advantage of the variable output function. This combination would end up being physically larger than say the Naim Atom, but would require a smaller cash investment.
In fact the only downside to playback compatibility I can think of is the lack of FM radio or any analogue inputs of any kind.
You can control the CXN V2 in many different ways. In a very old school way, you can drive it from the front panel using the sometimes volume knob as a curser controller and enter button in one (the knob pushes in for enter). The built-in screen shows the menu. The handful of buttons surrounding this display allow functions to be accessed that the main knob can’t handle such as ‘return’, ‘home’ etc. I can report that these front panel controls work flawlessly, even allowing very easy inputting of WiFi passwords. A similar result could also be achieved with the supplied remote control handpiece. This remote has plenty of buttons, also allowing control of other CX series components and has a nice feel and quality look to it. There is also the Android and iOS compatible app, known as ‘StreamMagic’.
Cambridge CXN V2 remote control handpiece
The Stream Magic app
This app ‘thing’, is where many brands have failed in their attempts at creating an intuitive and enjoyable streaming experience. Cambridge have been updating and improving their control apps since the Stream Magic 6 streamer was released approximately ten years ago. I reckon they now have it working rather well (not that it was ever truly bad). I installed the StreamMagic app on my iPad mini and my now rather old iPhone 6s without trouble. Apologies to those in the Android camp, but my previous experience with this app would suggest that Androids also work well. Functions-wise you can control pretty much everything from the app including all the settings. Inputs can be selected on one page, the next offers up a stack of internet radio stations. and the search function allows you to find the other 68,000 not displayed by default. Another page shows all your media sources such as Tidal or a NAS drive and these are also just a click away.
Once a file or radio station is playing, clicking at the bottom of the screen pops up another window offering transport controls. A swipe left or right brings up either a volume control or the ‘queue’ options. For me this is where the app is a little less than intuitive.
In the end I feel I got into the head of the Cambridge software engineers, by treating the main music selection menu as just that. You select tracks to add to the queue, then enter the queue (pop up menu and swipe right) and select what you want to actually play. Otherwise, when a song ends it jumps back to the last item in the queue, rather than the next track of the album. This is bloody annoying as you probably just listened to the last item in the queue. However, it makes complete sense once you understand it. It’s really only the difference between ordering chicken at KFC versus Red Rooster.
I suggest clicking on the app screen-shot gallery below for further notes on the ins and outs of this highly featured app. It worked perfectly 99% of the time. The only time the app lost it’s way was when the music stopped, causing the CXN to sleep (20 minute setting) and my iPad was locked. The fix was nothing more than closing the app and re-starting. It’s hardly surprising really under those circumstances when everything has ‘gone-to-sleep’. I think Cambridge’s IT team have done a great job and I imagine they are working on a fix (if it even needs one). At the time of writing there have been more than 10 revisions of the Stream Magic app in the last year or so. Some of these updates are because of feature additions but clearly they are are keen to get it right and are responding to users issues.
Cambridge CXN front panel hard buttons and display unlike many streamers at the price
BUT there is now a further option available to control your CXN V2 and improve the listening experience at the same time – ROON !
I know Roon exists, I have heard it mentioned in audio circles many times, always seemingly in a positive light but I have not dabbled with it, at all. I feel it has been an obvious gap in my HiFi knowledge and experience so here goes!. The time is now to investigate this all-conquering, music-streaming and multi-room control system. What is it? How does it work? More importantly in the context of this article, how does it work with the Cambridge CXN V2. Well here goes! ……….. I think within minutes, I had signed up with Roon, downloaded the software and installed it. I installed the ‘core’ software on the very laptop I am typing on now, pointed it towards my folder of FLAC files, logged into my tidal account and ta-da! Roon found the CXN immediately and I had sweet music playing. There was some confusion regarding the variable volume output (Roon considers it’s volume range as 0 – 30 versus the Stream Magic app’s 0 – 100). I rate the whole Roon experience as 10 out of 10 for integration, simplicity and the interface. I guess I have joined the ranks of Roon fans just like that. Yet another subscription in my life, of $12.99 per month…
Check out this gallery of StreamMagic app pics and comments.
And the sound?
What’s not to like? A very slightly warm balance with a shred less detail and clarity up top than some much more expensive competitors. Or is it that the competitors shine an unrealistically bright light on the top end, that doesn’t actually exist in the real world of live musical instruments? I tested it in a variety of ways attempting to discover where the limitations, if any, might reside. I didn’t have another ‘competitor’ as such handy but I did have a well-known do-everything all-in-one streamer/DAC/amplifier on hand. It sells for 3-4 times as much as the Cambridge and you would expect it to maybe wipe the floor with the CXN, but this didn’t happen. In fact, feeding the digital output of the Cambridge into the coaxial digital input of the all-in-one (Naim Star) and using the Naim’s DAC while comparing Tidal tracks was illuminating. So, effectively one streamer’s digital-out versus another. Although, being in the same box, the Naim may have held a small advantage in some kind of obscure, digital-timing kind of way.
As a bit of a believer in ones and zeros being uncorruptable, I shouldn’t be surprised that for me the two sources sounded exactly the same! On the other hand, my belief is often crushed by what I can easily hear. One example was playing High Resolution files from a USB stick. Initially I tested it with the stick in the CXN. I switched between the analogue output and digital out with both plugged through the Naim’s respective inputs. What I heard was very high quality sound. However, when using the Naim’s digital in and therefore it’s DAC, there was a slight improvement in clarity and focus across the spectrum. I then plugged the thumb drive directly into the Naim, in effect comparing the drives through the Naims DAC. Playing the same files I was surprised to hear the sound became somewhat more focused with the stick playing in the Naim. Further evidence that my quite shakey belief in ones and zeros being always, well ones and zeros, is flawed. HiFi life would be so simple if it wasn’t this complicated!
So the USB drive input in the CXN sounds great but bizarrely not as good as the Naim one? I suspect this difference is down to some kind of sampling/bit rate, up-sampling, down-sampling hocus pocus. I moved on, to try other inputs… A pattern developed with the CXN’s ‘sound’ being of a very slightly ‘mellow’ nature.
Wolfson DACs and Wima capacitors.
I also spent some time checking out sound quality with the USB streaming audio input. For me this is a pretty clumsy way to enjoy music, but there is the potential for first class sound from High Bitrate files. It took an hour or so of fiddling around installing the type 2.0 USB driver and finding the setting in the menu, (where you flick the USB from type 1.0 to type 2.0). I then installed Foobar (for the first time in 15 years, but it looks the same) and configured it and the ASIO driver etc, blah blah, blah. The results were less than amazing. I wrote the whole experiment off as an old world solution that almost no one is going to bother with anymore. I’m going to guess USB streaming works rather better with a Mac than my Windows 10 laptop. What I did hear didn’t match up with playing the same files off a thumb drive. A thumb drive is so simple. Just drop some files on the drive, plug it in to the front and play via the app. It all happens flawlessly. My guess is that the high-resolution-audio capabilities of Roon eclipse anything USB streaming offers and in a solution where the computer doesn’t need rack space next to the CXN.
I tested the internet radio and found it to be the equal of anything else I have ever used for this task. The inbuilt DAC will be an upgrade for many sub $1000 CD players too, judging by what I heard.
So to summarise my thoughts on the sound quality of the CXN V2.
The much more expensive Naim is just a touch more focused. The music appears to arrive off a slightly darker background, has a slightly more dynamic nature to it and is perhaps a smidge cleaner. The difference between it and the CXN is so small that there is no way in a blind test I could pick it every time. The reality is unless your system is a sporting a seriously first class pair of speakers and a pretty fancy amp you shouldn’t concern yourself. As a percentage of the difference between two very good loudspeakers, the difference here is a tenth or less. Most readers’ systems will have far bigger issues to resolve before this tiny difference becomes ‘the’ issue stopping a lot of listening enjoyment.
Cambridge Audio CXN V2 Streamer rear panel
So overall in regard to the sound its a solid 9 out of 10 without even considering the price. I now fully understand why the Cambridge CXN V2 is a big seller. It’s a first class, reliable all-rounder with incredibly pleasant sound. In fact, it does seem to do, everything! Happy Listening!
Click on any image above to enter the gallery and enjoy high resolution images of the Cambridge CXN V2.
For – An extremely competent, fully featured, terrific sounding all-rounder.
For – Rather nicely made good looking piece that could blend into almost any existing system aesthetically.
For – Incredibly easy to use. In the time honored male fashion I didn’t read a single instruction except when trying to get the USB streaming audio up and running.
For – Great upgradability in a number or directions – The balanced analogue outs, the ability to use it as a pre amp, the Roon compatibility, to name a few.
Against – App is not the most intuitive or prettiest but it ultimately does the job very well.
Against – USB streaming audio config is tricky with a windows PC but who cares when Roon is wiping the floor with such olde worlde-ness.
Against – No Bluetooth may annoy some in certain situations. The add-on BT100 dongle will resolve this though.
Against – Nothing else.
Dimensions – 430mm wide x 85mm high x 325 deep including front panel knob and rear sockets that sit proud.
So about these pre amp outputs – Add a power amp of your choice, preferably with auto-on sensing and you have an all in-one-solution albeit in two separate boxes. Not only do you end up spending less than $3000, you also end up with more horsepower than say a Naim Atom. Extra power will allow you drive a more serious loudspeaker system. This two box, one box alternative is not a fix for the Atoms cuteness and slick aesthetic. It is an alternative that will sound richer and louder AND most importantly the volume control will be right there in the app.
The catch? – Oh yes there is a catch with this all-in-one solution. No analogue inputs… This is probably only a problem if you wish to play records. There are solutions for this that will digitally encode your analogue turntables output. They are not inexpensive though and therefore if records are on your mind this may not be a great solution. The other catch is that the CXN is very much more a streamer and DAC than it is a premium pre amplifier. Its output stage is probably not going to drive all power amps to their full performance. I briefly tested this with a tube amp I had kicking around and actually found it to drive it very successfully. Your mileage may vary, as they say. There is the thought that perhaps the balanced out will drive a power amp with balanced inputs a little better than the RCAs? Alas I did not have a suitable power amp on hand to experiment. To sum up, the pre outs coupled with a small power amp is an ‘all-in-one’ competitive solution as long as analogue ins are not required and you don’t expect the last word in pre amp performance. For me though, I reckon it’s a great feature to have up your sleeve.
Oh and what to enjoy with your first listening session with new Cambridge CXN V2 all set up and sounding sweet? I thought I would keep it local hoping for a good outcome on the flavour and enjoyment front. 6 miles down the road from the Cambridge head quarters in London is a mob known as London Beer Factory. I suppose the clue is in the name as to what they do. I invested a not insignificant amount in their 440ml can of ‘New England IPA’. I guess by the time it gets here with freight an’ all $14.50 is not ridiculous..? No it is ridiculous actually, but that’s the new trend in craft beer. Ever since the $19.99 per six pack threshold was busted it seems like it’s been a crazy race to see who could win the “we have the most expensive beer’ contest. My local bottleshop is crammed full of singles that sell from a bargain basement $7 up to approximately $30. Yes that’s an ‘each’ price. Size varies between 330ml and 750ml but there at least 100 choices in the $15 per 440ml can range. Carton prices are irrelevant unless you just sold off your Bitcoins that you bought for a dollar. Anyway, enough complaining, I cracked it, hoping for the best. Unlike HiFi you don’t get to ‘taste’ it before forking over the cash. The picture tells it all really. Its a yellowy looking, completely opaque, soupy looking brew with at first sniff, little aroma. It proudly proclaims on the can – “A hazy IPA showcasing this years Galaxy hop harvest”. I’m guessing they forgot to put the poor little Galaxians in the pot? Flavour wise yes there is some hops but it’s quite subtle. What hops is in the beer initially leaves a slightly pineapple like tartness on the tongue. I sort of like that, sort of. That quickly subsides though and is replaced with the thought that your are drinking a beer not quite fully fermented. It’s one dimensional in flavour, has little mouthfeel, and what mouthfeel there is, is only there because there’s stuff floating in it. I battled on, slugging it all down for the sake of this review but seriously something has gone wrong here. There is a hell of a lot of excellent craft beer available these days, the vast majority of it is well made and tasty. This attempt at hipster craft brew hazy fashion misses the mark, tasting a bit like a beer cordial mixed 50/50 with tap water. Black Hops G.O.A.T is less than half the price and is three times the beer. Maybe I’m being overly negative, brought on by paying very nearly the price of a single malt whiskey per litre, for pretty poor quality beer… Score for this stuff is a solid 2 out of 10 – Avoid!
Yes, you are going to need a turntable… There are probably three kinds of turntables out there – 1) New turntables of quality, probably starting at around $500. 2) New turntables of poor quality starting at around $50 and rising in cost to around $500. 3) Used turntables from the heyday of vinyl, say the 70’s and 80’s. These could be further divided into two groups, the all-in-ones (stereograms and 3-in-1s as they were known in the day) and proper turntables (HiFi turntables). Lets take a closer look at the various options.
Words fail me, just don’t!!
Lets briefly discuss stereograms, radiograms and 3-in-1s.
They are all more or less the same thing ie. A record player, amplifier and speakers all in the one cabinet. In the case of the ‘3 in 1’ it was generally a turntable, receiver and cassette deck all in one chassis with a pair of speakers thrown in (they threw them in because they were valueless). If you are collecting records and would like to keep them in good nick and hear them at their best, you DO NOT want a radiogram. “Why? They look so retro cool” I hear you ask. Why? Because they were rubbish when they were new and have not improved with age like some kind of electronic fine wine. In this world where almost everything you can buy works, it is perhaps hard to understand the gulf of performance between a proper HiFi system of the 70’s and one of these all-in-one compromises. Some fast facts – Firstly they track at 3 to 4 times the tracking force of a quality modern turntable/magnetic cartridge combo and WILL cause wear to your records with every play. Secondly they sound dreadful. Thirdly they are the olde worlde version of the worst piece of crap you could currently buy, nothing more. They were the cheap music playback solutions of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and cool or otherwise now, they are worn out from sitting around and cannot be successfully repaired. They could possibly be rebuilt if you could find a tech that does that sort of thing but the cost to do the job properly is way more than just buying a decent new stereo. The result will still sound and perform poorly compared to other options discussed here. Just don’t!
Don’t buy one of these!
Right! Now onto some less hipster cool, but superior sounding options.
Used turntables from the good old days also have issues now that they are getting on in years. The fact is they are all around 30 – 50years old now. Even if little used over these years the materials they are constructed of will have in many cases changed their nature. Rubber parts will either be rock hard, have turned to goo or just perished away to dust. Oils and greases in theory all need to be removed and replaced with fresh. Wiring will be corroded and insulation hardened and inflexible. In regard to brand and model, all old turntables were not made equal. Just because it comes with a wooden plinth (or at least one covered in ‘wood look’ vinyl wrap) may make it ‘retro’ but it doesn’t make it a perfect device to play records on. Even if it is in excellent condition having been professionally rebuilt it’s performance will vary enormously from one brand and model to another. Some experience and research can help you with what’s good and what’s not but in the end price is largely indicative of quality. The bad news is, all the good ones are now bloody expensive! I note from my Googling that for example, old Thorens and Regas are bringing money far beyond the performance they deliver. The bottom line is that if you are buying a used turntable privately without warranty, be careful. Allow perhaps $400 approximately to have a repair tech bring it up to spec or fix any unseen issues. Oh, and there is no old, affordable turntable that sounds better than a new one dollar for dollar. So, once again you are sort of buying nostalgia.
Don’t buy one of these either!
Which brings us to cheap new turntables. I’ll keep this super simple – just DON’T !
They simply don’t play records, don’t go there. ‘Things’ like Marley and Flea Market are best donated back to the Marley foundation or sold at a Flea Market. They don’t spin at consistent speed nor are the tonearms of sufficient quality to allow the stylus to track the groove properly. A nasty cheap cartridge does not help either. Sure they might kinda work out of the box but I have seen these close up and in pieces and the engineering is not pretty. The least expensive Audio Technica, Pioneer etc for $200 or less are also to be avoided If you are serious about maintaining your collection of vinyl in excellent condition. These inexpensive solutions sort of work okay but if you want to enjoy stunning sound quality you will need to spend more, but not much more.
HiFi and Stereo highly recommend spending just a little more and get something great like this Rega.
Quality turntables have never been cheaper!
You can buy a simple Project or Rega brand turntable from high $400s to low $500s which is much the same price as they were 40 years ago. For the sake of a meagre half a pay check, buy a good turntable and you simply will not regret it. These things are simple, well made and will last almost forever. The difference in engineering quality between the previously mentioned new turntables and these is light years. I won’t get bogged down with which model from which brand. Visit a HiFi specialist or two in your area and take a listen to either of these brands (or Music Hall and maybe New Horizon). Prepare yourself to be impressed. Clean, lifelike sound with tight weighty bass, and a sweet midrange/top end. Less crackle and pop and more music is what you will also hear.
Or also great value and performance like this Project.
Between $500 and $1000 also represents the price range where small increases in price bring quite large and easy to hear improvements in performance. Do have a listen to a few alternatives and make sure you are happy with ‘entry level’ quality. It may be that a few hundred more spent now is actually a better investment for you as you improve the rest of your system. Save yourself the hassle of trading up later.
HiFi and Stereo also highly recommends spending just a little more again and getting something a smidge better like this Dual (or a superior Rega or Project model).
Of course, you will also need a stereo amplifier of some sort and a pair of loudspeakers. I will make some suggestions on what course to set for success with those purchases in a future article.
By the way I’m a bit of a hypocrite as in a previous article I had terrific success with a new Audio Technica cartridge fitted to my Linn Sondek. The results are fantastic, but for the money the Linn owes me plus the new cartridge I could have had a P6 Rega (for example) which out-shines the Linn in a couple of areas of performance. The fact is I wanted the Linn for a variety of reasons including nostalgia. I always wanted one having spent a lifetime working on them. They do have a very charming sound as well, but the Rega is a sharper tool. Why wouldn’t it be being a 40 year newer design of good quality. I love my Linn though and won’t be trading it in anytime soon!
It’s a shame that some of the best music ever made is not particularly well recorded. On the other hand, some of the worst music ever made is exceptionally well recorded. I’m thinking of the likes of Linn Records, Naim Records, Reference Recordings etc. You know, ‘Audiophile recordings’, the ones where the technical standards are high, and the ‘dull’ factor is even higher. There are fantastic recordings out there though, that will highlight your system’s performance and send a little shiver of delight up your spine, while still being produced by someone who has the music front of mind. These albums are not released on some ‘audiophile’ label, rather they just happen to be produced and recorded by a team that cared about the quality of sound. There are a few standards of this breed we all know such as Jennifer Warnes (of ‘The Hunter’ fame) and all sorts of things Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have been involved with over the years. I’m always on the lookout for new, less well-worn quality recordings, whilst also avoiding other old chestnuts such as Boz Scaggs ‘Dig’ and Dianna Krall (any album).
Below, I have compiled a list of 10 alternatives. These recordings are all still first class and will make any decent stereo system sing. Musical taste is a very personal thing of course. You may not like a few or even most of the choices, but I hope you find at least something you like that you are not familiar with. I have included tracks from various styles, countries of origin and eras. Feel free to comment below on what you think of my choices. All the tracks are available on Tidal and no doubt elsewhere. Tidal’s version will sound the best (if you are streaming) due to their CD quality files. Google away and I’m sure you can dig these artist’s albums up in other places. Possibly even in the bargain bin at the local JBs. Enjoy.
Bill Morrissey You’ll never get to heaven album cover
1.
Bill Morrissey – You’ll Never Get To Heaven – Track 8 – Different Currency. So here goes with my first suggestion. A difficult choice as I don’t want you basing your conclusions of my musical taste only on my first selection. They are all a bit different, but this one is definitely a folky, country, kind of thing. An amusing tune with Bills gravelly vocals beautifully captured. If you enjoy track 8 you will almost certainly enjoy the whole album. It’s all very well recorded with a clean, open, full sound.
Gino Vannelli Wilderness Road album cover
2.
Gino Vannelli – Wilderness Road – Track 3 – Older N’ Wizer. Hey maybe its not the tune of the century, and Mr Vannelli is surely not everyone’s cup of tea with his somewhat corny songs. However the opening bars of this are a delight (and some would say that the closing bars are even better…). A delicious recording, a must listen, even if for only 30 seconds.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Mustt Mustt album cover
3.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan – Mustt Mustt – Track 1 – Mustt Mustt. The Pakistani legend is in fine form here with interesting tunes that perhaps ‘crossover’ more successfully than most of his material. The recording quality is very high. His voice is spectacular, there is a great sense of ‘air’ and the bottom end goes very deep on some tracks (try track 6 – ‘Sea of Vapours’). Mustt Mustt is the most immediately catchy track though. The Massive Attack remix of Mustt Mustt (the last track – 11) is worth a listen, especially for those wanting to run in a new subwoofer!
k d Lang All You Can Eat album cover
4.
k.d. lang – All you can eat – Track 10 – I Want It All. k.d’s incredible voice is on display here in full colour but is backed up by some cracking drums as well. The whole album is a gem. Try track 2, ‘Maybe’, if you would like a slower pace with a touch of country. An all-round magnificent album with a clean sound and strong, taut bottom end.
Skunkhours Feed album cover
5.
Skunkhour – Feed – Track 3 – Up to our necks in it. Once again a nicely recorded vocal, a hooky tune coupled with some cool bass and quite a sense of space. There are other tracks on the album that are also enjoyable but the style moves around quite a bit. Some tracks you will love would be my guess, while others…
Méav Méav album cover
6.
Méav – Méav – Track 10 – One I love. A spectacular and delicate voice. This suggested track is pretty much all about her Irish lilt. There is little instrumental backing and really nothing else is required. Worth a listen for the purity of her voice and what is a very clean, open and lifelike recording. When it comes to Irish female vocalists I’m also a fan of Mary Black. Mary has been somewhat overplayed in audio circles but If you aren’t familiar take a listen. ‘Babes in the Wood’ is a great album to kick off with.
Quincy Jones Qs Jook Joint album cover
7.
Quincy Jones – Q’s Juke Joint – Track 9 – Do nothin’ till you hear from me. The production legend is at his best here as he tackles a studio follow-up to ‘Back on the Block’. I’m not going to tell you who sings on the suggested track, just take a listen and soak up the atmosphere so successfully recorded here. If you are looking for something to listen to just before bed…. then take in tracks 11 and following it up immediately with 12. Best listened to with your partner…
Gyan Gyan album cover
8.
Gyan – Gyan – Track 3 – Straight Lines. There are more than hints of straight ahead old Aussie pop/rock here… BUT it is very nicely recorded and with some serious style. Lets not forget Gyans impressively sweet and capable voice as well. This album makes you wonder why one artist has a hit album and the next completely flies under the radar, as this album largely did.
Jeff Lang Chimeradour album cover
9.
Jeff Lang – Chimerdour – Track 12 – The Janitor. This track starts off so light and delicate and somewhere in the middle breaks into a tour de force of Jeff’s guitar prowess. They also managed to turn the amps up to 12 (not just 11). The first time I heard this I was standing in front of him at a music festival with a handful of others (mid afternoon). I took a few steps backwards mid tune, forced towards the back of the paddock by an enormous wall of sound. Very impressive for a 3 piece outfit! I was sold and bought the album there and then, off the man himself. A much passed over Australian singer, songwriter and master guitarist. Perhaps if he received more airtime like those in the inner circle of ABC favourites… Ironically this album was recorded at the ABC..?? Listen to all of this album and enjoy him flitting between slightly thrashy, fast moving guitar driven rock tunes and thoughtful, at times a bit scary, lyric driven slower tunes.
Lucinda R Kentucky Star single cover
10.
Lucky last. Lucinda R – no album yet – Kentucky Star – In my opinion this track shows off not just great songwriting but an impressive voice and a nice touch on the guitar. Whoever did the recording also knew exactly what they were doing. She is a Brisbane local (Redcliffe to be exact) so gains some extra brownie points from me. One can hope Lucinda knocks out a complete album sooner rather than later. This track is a great ‘taster’, check it out.
Please don’t forget to comment on my choices and add your own! Thanks for reading, Andrew.
Click on any picture in the gallery for a full size image.
The HiFi Collective has secured another award winning brand to add to their portfolio of premium audio manufacturers. Gareth from HiFi Collective said “We’re proud to welcome MELCO to our family of brands in Australia”. When asked about the Melco range of components he responded “MELCO specialises in audiophile-grade network music servers and accessories, perfectly complementing our existing brands and strengthening our position as a market leader in the digital streaming/audio/music space”.
MELCO stands for Maki Engineering Laboratory Company, established in Japan in 1975 by Makoto Maki, an enthusiastic audiophile. MELCO’s early products set new standards in music reproduction. From those early beginnings the company developed into the largest computer peripherals manufacturer in Japan (Buffalo Inc). Along the way, Melco produced world leading NAS drives, Ethernet Switches and Routers, with a rigorous focus on Research & Development. Revived in 2014, the name MELCO is now synonymous with the highest of quality in audiophile digital source components. The MELCO range is made in the spirit of their much-revered early products, while incorporating their very latest software. This allows users to access, store and deliver Hi-Res Digital Music, without the compromises of computers and their peripherals. MELCO’s product lineup is highly appreciated by the worlds Hi-Fi press, capturing numerous awards in it’s relatively short history.
Pricing for these “Hand-crafted in Japan” components starts at $1,995.00, and includes models up to $18,495.00. MELCO products will be available in Australia from February 2021. Check with HiFi Collective for their dealer list of home audio specialist retailers across Australia. These dealers are handpicked for their passion, technical expertise, and great customer service.
HiFi Collective also imports and distributes a number of other interesting high quality brands in Australia. These include, Totem loudspeakers; Fyne loudspeakers; Auralic Streamers/DACs; and AVM audio components. Check their website here for a full listing of products handled and a dealer listing.
