Cambridge Audio CXC - Separate CD Transport for HiFi System Featuring Gapless Playback and Custom S3 Servo in an Acoustically Dampened Metal Chassis - Lunar Grey

Product Information

Featuring a reference standard ESS Sabre ES9016K2M DAC, the CXA81 works wonders with your digital audio and video sources. With two optical digital inputs and one coaxial, you can connect up to three digital sources, such as a games console, TV and a CD transport – the Cambridge Audio CXC makes the perfect match. If you already own an external DAC, we would not hesitate to recommend the Cambridge CXC over a standalone CD player. You’ll have to spend a good deal more than this to match the sound quality it offers. Here’s the thing. When it comes time to listen to music, how we listen, through what medium, directly effects our experience. In terms of sound quality, the Cambridge CXC mostly proved the better sound quality source when compared to streaming. That’s just that. But I’m equally, yes equally, interested in the entire experience. So playing CDs does not render streaming obsolete, it provides another form of music enjoyment. And I like more enjoyment whenever I can get it. The natural question then becomes, ‘why would anyone want to buy “half” a CD player?’ The answer is similar to the reasons why people buy separate preamps and power amps instead of integrated amplifiers. Part of it is sound quality and part of it is flexibility. In theory, the CD transport and separate DAC each has a dedicated power supply instead of being shared and there will be less interference (noise) affecting each unit. Of course, theory is theory and reality is reality. Yes, a CD transport and separate DAC may indeed sound better than a one box CD player, just as a separate preamp and power amp can sound better than an integrated amplifier; but in audio, there are rarely absolutes.

So, if you are looking for a device which is multi-room, network ready - you may wish to look elsewhere. If you are looking for an amplifier to go with your CXNv2, you may wish to look elsewhere (probably just buy a power amp and let the CXNv2 pre-amp handle volume). customise and improve the way that we engage with you in future (for example, by showing you products and offers online that we think you might like); To assist in any disputes, claims or investigations relating to your Cambridge Audio product or warranty matters; And that’s where our comment about it being a modern product for a new hi-fi world comes in. The once humble digital to analogue converter is becoming a ubiquitous and increasingly vital hi-fi component. We are not interested in collecting every personal detail about you. Our main reason for collecting your personal information is to provide and improve the service, products and experiences that you and our customers expect from us.Owners of the CD6006 needn't rush to change their player, but the CD6007 is most definitely the right choice for first-time buyers at this end of the market. To provide updates and services to our connected products (which includes updates and upgrades to software and our apps); You have the right to access, update and amend personal information that we hold about you. If the law in your country allows us to impose a fee for giving you access, we will communicate this to you in response to your request. I’m very surprised RS didn’t suggest you audition the Cambridge 851 kit, especially as they’re the CA distributor and used to push their kit as much as possible. It seems that they sadly don’t push the high-end kit enough, no wonder their truly exceptional analogue preamp (the 851E) was recently discontinued. A great shame.

Tannoy speakers are particularly sensitive to positioning by nature of the Dual-Concentric driver. The port design on the XT series makes them easier to place than most other models, but they still do require a degree of care. Unfortunately many dealers have a tendency to just ‘plonk’ them down roughly in front of the listener and call it good. Any hi-fi speaker requires careful setup to get the best from it, and in the case of single-point source speakers such as the Tannoys improper positioning can make the difference between sound that is either stunning or extremely poor. The Cambridge CXC is a CD transport only, so inside you'll only find 'half' of what's usually inside a CD player. Although this may sound unconventional, it has many benefits. The most obvious of these is cost effectiveness, but there are sonic benefits to be had, too. Without an onboard DAC (Digital to Analogue Convertor), the power supply only has to drive the CD transport. By being dedicated to this task it can provide a clean, stable power supply for the highest performance possible at its price. If price isn't an issue and pure sound quality is your focus, then the Marantz SA-10 could be the CD player for you. This impressive-looking box can handle pretty much anything you care to throw in its direction. That includes SACDs and FLAC, DSD128, ALAC, AIFF and MP3 files fed into the player via USB. Buying a CD transport means that you are buying only half the CD player – the first half that spins the discs and reads the digital information. You then need to buy the other half of the machine via an outboard DAC. In most modern surround sound receivers, there is already a DAC included. Once properly warmed up, the C 538 is a good, solid performer. It doesn’t set new standards for budget CD players, but it does deliver enough in the way of detail and clarity to keep most people happy. Stereo imaging is convincing too, and the player’s soundstage remains solid throughout with instruments located with a good amount of stability.It's important to us that we judge all products, including CD players, on a strict pound-per-performance basis, making sure to emphasize value and tell our readers how good something is for the money. Accordingly, we compare all products we review against similarly-priced class leaders to help us settle on the most accurate rating.