Cambridge Audio CXC Review 2021

The Cambridge CXC may be a real sign of the days within the world of hi-fi. A CD transport, instead of electronic equipment, this unit will the important work of reading the data hung on a recording, however, don’t waste its effort in turning that digital signal into AN analog output. As with several items of complete hi-fi, the idea goes that mistreatment of separate items of kit to try to individual jobs can nearly always offer a superior sound. This, it appears, is the case with the Cambridge CXC.

Cambridge Audio CXC Review 2021: Design

First things initial, though. The CXC could be a nicely-created piece of kit, its machined-metal chassis feeling each penny of the £300 you’ll procure it. it’s designed, not immoderately, to match the remainder of Cambridge’s spectacular one hundred ten vary, together with the CXN streamer and 2 integrated stereo amplifiers, the CXA60 and therefore, the CXA80.

As well as wealthy, the CXC has some tight elements in it, together with the single-speed transport and proprietary S3 Servo that it shares with the Cambridge Audio Azur 851C (£1200). In many ways, this can be positive, however, it will mean that the CXC is restricted to doing one thing: reading CDs — no SACDs or MP3 CDs here. Happily, it will that one factor o.k. At the rear port to attach the transport to alternative members of the one hundred ten families, and two digital outputs — one’s/PDIF coaxial, and a To slink optical digital. You’ll use this transport, then with any DAC that you just would possibly already own. After some of the days’ running in, we tend to match the CXC with the triumph Arcam ideas (£400) — and that they create a quite formidable pairing.

Cambridge Audio CXC Review 2021: Performance

Listening to a CD of The Dark Knight OST we tend to area unit like a shot affected with the preciseness of the sound the try provides. Crisp, precise treble is married to a handy guide a rough, well-defined bass line that basically drives the music on. There’s a true sound property to the piece which will stray on lesser players, with the organic, fluid interaction between instruments. We’re thus affected that we glance to our £1000 reference Naim CD5Si electronic equipment to form a comparison. The Naim simply trumps the CXC/irDAC combination for the outright sound property, however, there’s a good value hike between the 2 additionally.

As a distinction, we tend to conjointly live the jazz group against the victory Marantz CD6005 (£300). This is often electronic equipment with its own DAC on board,.Thus you’d expect the CXC and Arcam to try to outdo it, however, the development within the sound of the separates pairing over the all-in-one player is instantly obvious. Timing, and therefore, the interaction between instruments area unit higher, a lot of organic, more fluid, a lot of communicators. And therefore, the Marantz, remember, maybe a rather sensible £300 electronic equipment. Not essentially. The 2 units area unit is equally priced, however, the Cambridge CXC is useless while not a DAC to marry thereto.

Cambridge Audio CXC Review 2021: Verdict

And that’s wherever our comment concerning it being a contemporary product for a brand-new hi-fi world comes in. The once humble digital to the analog device is turning into a present and progressively important hi-fi part. And if you’ve already got an honest DAC, we might not hesitate to suggest the Cambridge CXC over standalone electronic equipment to link to that. You’ll pay an honest deal of over £300 to match the sound quality it offers.

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