DAC to connect with and improve sound quality of CXN V2

[sjith]

CXN V2 users,

Suggest a dac can compliment sound quality of cxn v2
Recently upgraded from heos streamer to cxn v2 and impressed with improvement in quality
media is locally stored wave/flac/spotify/chromecast audio
Cables are qed
Pre power is adcom
Speaker jbl L series

Or

Suggest a pre amp with xlr input and output to improve sound quality of cxn

 

[alladinkachirag]

CXN V2 users,

Suggest a dac can compliment sound quality of cxn v2
Recently upgraded from heos streamer to cxn v2 and impressed with improvement in quality
media is locally stored wave/flac/spotify/chromecast audio
Cables are qed
Pre power is adcom
Speaker jbl L series

Or

Suggest a pre amp with xlr input and output to improve sound quality of cxn

I had very few dacs to compare the output sound quality of CXN V2....Bifrost, Modi, Bifrost R2R. And all I found lacking when it competed with internal dual wolfson electronics of CXN. I am not sure either, and definitely will follow this thread where it leads.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

CXN V2 users,

Suggest a dac can compliment sound quality of cxn v2
Recently upgraded from heos streamer to cxn v2 and impressed with improvement in quality
media is locally stored wave/flac/spotify/chromecast audio
Cables are qed
Pre power is adcom
Speaker jbl L series

Or

Suggest a pre amp with xlr input and output to improve sound quality of cxn

Hi sjith

In my own experience as well as from some other reviews, the streaming transport inside the CXN V2 is the same as the one in the Azur 851N. And it is the weaklink in their streamers. Though they have superb dac sections. So enjoy your CXN v2 as a whole package, just as iam enjoying my azur 851N.

If you want to improve it further, best to bypass the internal digital volume control and go for an external preamp. And you don't need a preamp will xlr inputs in a home environment, so if you can overlook them, your options will increase.

Please note that manufacturers fix xlr sockets on kit just because they are cheap as chips. In a lot of kit, the xlr socket inside terminates to a normal RCA wiring. Mid priced kit, might have a transformer coupled xlr socket, which is slightly better when it comes to noise rejection. But then both the components need to have transformer coupled xlr inputs as well as transformer coupled outputs for the noise rejection to work.

But the main purpose of xlr connections is in a fully balanced chain. And that means right from your dac, where the analogue stage starts, to the preamp and the final poweramp everything has to be balanced and connected by xlr's, otherwise it is pointless spending on kit with xlr sockets or the cables to plug them.

Fondly hope the above helps and expands your preamp options

 

[drkrack]

Suggest a dac can compliment sound quality of cxn v2

I've owned Cxn v2 Streamer in the past. R2R DACs were better than the in built DAC(Which is a better DAC already) of Cxn v2.
I found Schiit Gungnir Multibit, Denafrips Ares2 and new Bifrost 2 were better in tonality, new Gustard R26 etc could work out too. If resolution is your concern, the DACs from Topping 90SE or SMSL could be tried. In Summary you need DACs above 60k inr to improvise over Cxn v2 dac.


Avoid using digital Preamp function as much as possible. Using Better power cable instead of default cable, better ICs are simplest hacks before investing in new dac.

 

[amit11]

CXN V2 users,

Suggest a dac can compliment sound quality of cxn v2
Recently upgraded from heos streamer to cxn v2 and impressed with improvement in quality
media is locally stored wave/flac/spotify/chromecast audio
Cables are qed
Pre power is adcom
Speaker jbl L series

Or

Suggest a pre amp with xlr input and output to improve sound quality of cxn

Just curious. When you say Heos streamer, which model of marantz streamer you are referring?

 

[girishtd8262]

CXN V2 users,

Suggest a dac can compliment sound quality of cxn v2
Recently upgraded from heos streamer to cxn v2 and impressed with improvement in quality
media is locally stored wave/flac/spotify/chromecast audio
Cables are qed
Pre power is adcom
Speaker jbl L series

Or

Suggest a pre amp with xlr input and output to improve sound quality of cxn

I have cxn v 2 .I'm using it just as a streamer .it's connected to auralic Vega dac with preamp through vo axial connection.it sounds good.

 

[sjith]

Just curious. When you say Heos streamer, which model of marantz streamer you are

Hi amit11,

It's heos link hs2
considered marantz also but gone for hs2 because of cost and possible addition of good DAC in future
That search of good DAC ended in CXN V2 (happy)

 

[sjith]

I have cxn v 2 .I'm using it just as a streamer .it's connected to auralic Vega dac with preamp through vo axial connection.it sounds good.

If you feel good improvement in SQ
Please Share exact model name of DAC and model name of preamp for considering in mysystem

 

[Yeraditya]

I have recently sold my CXN v2 having moved on to lumin P1.

I absolutely would recommend using the XLR output from CXN v2. I used its internal DAC[playing via Roon] into a Parasound Halo P6 Pre Amp into their Balanced Inputs.
The power cables upgrade and streaming Via roon were by far the biggest upgrades. I definitely felt a substantial improvement in Sound quality when using its XLR output into Parasound XLR inputs(think its because of higher Gain).

I tried using it as a streamer into another Parasound as well, but the DAC on Halo had too much Sound stage for my liking and never used it again.

For me the Upgrade were Roon, XLR and Power Cable in that order. The DAC was fine. I never liked their native app playback even half as much as how roon sounded.

 

[alladinkachirag]

I have recently sold my CXN v2 having moved on to lumin P1.

I absolutely would recommend using the XLR output from CXN v2. I used its internal DAC[playing via Roon] into a Parasound Halo P6 Pre Amp into their Balanced Inputs.
The power cables upgrade and streaming Via roon were by far the biggest upgrades. I definitely felt a substantial improvement in Sound quality when using its XLR output into Parasound XLR inputs(think its because of higher Gain).

I tried using it as a streamer into another Parasound as well, but the DAC on Halo had too much Sound stage for my liking and never used it again.

For me the Upgrade were Roon, XLR and Power Cable in that order. The DAC was fine. I never liked their native app playback even half as much as how roon sounded.

Would you be able to share what Power Cable you bought to be used with CXN V2? I can try that as well.

 

[Yeraditya]

Would you be able to share what Power Cable you bought to be used with CXN V2? I can try that as well.

I had used two power cables. Both from sound foundation. I also tried it with Oyaide Black mamba. All had improved the sound

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

As a long term CXN user I’d say that its DAC is reasonably good (in the price range) if you like the typical hi-fi sound. It’s good enough on resolution, focus, soundstage, et al and decently balanced. It’s only if you are looking for a more organic (analogish) sound which suits emotional music and tonal richness, then look for R2R or vintage DACs. I went for the cheaper alternative of vintage Cambridge DAC3 with Philips TD 1305 chip. Just Rs 10k and I get the sound I like far better. I’d tried Bifrost (older version) before, but it didn’t merge well with the rest of my system. Now whenever I try the CXN’s DAC, I struggle to enjoy - it feels far less moving though still quite decent.

As for the app, it’s poor in terms of user interface, but does the essential. More importantly, I don’t have to resort to Roon etc (which I have tried) that add significant cost while also adding unnecessary stage to the signal. I get the best sound from CXN when it plays Spotify/Tidal etc natively or music from a connected (externally powered) HDD.

 

[MaSh]

Would a soekris dac interest you? With built in preamp, balanced out and IR receiver.

MaSh

 

[amit11]

As a long term CXN user I’d say that its DAC is reasonably good (in the price range) if you like the typical hi-fi sound. It’s good enough on resolution, focus, soundstage, et al and decently balanced. It’s only if you are looking for a more organic (analogish) sound which suits emotional music and tonal richness, then look for R2R or vintage DACs. I went for the cheaper alternative of vintage Cambridge DAC3 with Philips TD 1305 chip. Just Rs 10k and I get the sound I like far better. I’d tried Bifrost (older version) before, but it didn’t merge well with the rest of my system. Now whenever I try the CXN’s DAC, I struggle to enjoy - it feels far less moving though still quite decent.

As for the app, it’s poor in terms of user interface, but does the essential. More importantly, I don’t have to resort to Roon etc (which I have tried) that add significant cost while also adding unnecessary stage to the signal. I get the best sound from CXN when it plays Spotify/Tidal etc natively or music from a connected (externally powered) HDD.

Curious to know which is this DAC3 model.
I have the DAC Magic 100 model.

 

[amit11]

CXN V2 users,

Suggest a dac can compliment sound quality of cxn v2
Recently upgraded from heos streamer to cxn v2 and impressed with improvement in quality
media is locally stored wave/flac/spotify/chromecast audio
Cables are qed
Pre power is adcom
Speaker jbl L series

Or

Suggest a pre amp with xlr input and output to improve sound quality of cxn

Looking to this post, and some other posts where people have purchased a streamer enthusiastically, but later they don't write-up more on that, especially the sound.

All this gives a sense of feeling that, a streamer however good it may be, it's dac is always between mediocre and decent. Which means people eventually get fed up with the sound of internal dac (however good it may be), and over the time they have to connect external dac else are not satisfied with the streamer.

 

[Yeraditya]

Looking to this post, and some other posts where people have purchased a streamer enthusiastically, but later they don't write-up more on that, especially the sound.

All this gives a sense of feeling that, a streamer however good it may be, it's dac is always between mediocre and decent. Which means people eventually get fed up with the sound of internal dac (however good it may be), and over the time they have to connect external dac else are not satisfied with the streamer.

Not universally true. I went back to integrated streaming DAC, to avoid speding inordinate time analysing three seperate components in a long chain.(streamer/clocker, Cable, Dac). With two power Cords to boot.

Lumin is that solution I picked. But truth is that it has yet not come home and i'm not sure if it will as good my current HQplayer plus Holo May KTE, but main reason was one Box solution with least mix and match.

And, honestly unless you are exposed to lots of sound signatures, most streamers sound fine. Its only when you start chasing a sound progressively that things get messy/opiniated and personal/subjective and costly.

I was super happy with CXN V2 for 3 years as I was away from audiophiles/shops/market. And once I bit the forbidden apple

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

Curious to know which is this DAC3 model.
I have the DAC Magic 100 model.

@amit11, this is from the DAC series (1,2,3) made by Cambridge Audio around turn of the century. It was full-chassis size and one of the most VFM options even that time. The DAC Magic series came much later (I believe started in 2010s) and is half-chassis.

This is the model (with dual TDA1305 chip) I possess (specs):

Cambridge Audio DAC 3 Digital to Analogue Converter Manual | HiFi Engine

www.hifiengine.com

A couple of review pages:

Cambridge Audio DAC 3 - HighFidelityReview - Hi-Fi systems, DVD-Audio and SACD reviews

Searching for an opinion to get more out of my Onkyo CD-Player, I found the Cambridge Dac 3 to complete …

www.highfidelityreview.com

Cambridge Audio DAC 3 DACs user reviews : 4.9 out of 5 - 13 reviews - audioreview.com

Cambridge Audio DAC 3 DACs user reviews : 4.9 out of 5 - 13 reviews - audioreview.com

www.audioreview.com

Looking to this post, and some other posts where people have purchased a streamer enthusiastically, but later they don't write-up more on that, especially the sound.

All this gives a sense of feeling that, a streamer however good it may be, it's dac is always between mediocre and decent. Which means people eventually get fed up with the sound of internal dac (however good it may be), and over the time they have to connect external dac else are not satisfied with the streamer.

Tend to agree with you on this. I believe separate components (in similar price range) would always trump composites when it comes to performance. I wish there are more options of pure digital streamers from major brands available.

 

[Analogous]

I was super happy with CXN V2 for 3 years as I was away from audiophiles/shops/market.

 

[amit11]

@amit11, this is from the DAC series (1,2,3) made by Cambridge Audio around turn of the century. It was full-chassis size and one of the most VFM options even that time. The DAC Magic series came much later (I believe started in 2010s) and is half-chassis.

This is the model (with dual TDA1305 chip) I possess (specs):

Cambridge Audio DAC 3 Digital to Analogue Converter Manual | HiFi Engine

www.hifiengine.com

A couple of review pages:

Cambridge Audio DAC 3 - HighFidelityReview - Hi-Fi systems, DVD-Audio and SACD reviews

Searching for an opinion to get more out of my Onkyo CD-Player, I found the Cambridge Dac 3 to complete …

www.highfidelityreview.com

Cambridge Audio DAC 3 DACs user reviews : 4.9 out of 5 - 13 reviews - audioreview.com

Cambridge Audio DAC 3 DACs user reviews : 4.9 out of 5 - 13 reviews - audioreview.com

www.audioreview.com

Tend to agree with you on this. I believe separate components (in similar price range) would always trump composites when it comes to performance. I wish there are more options of pure digital streamers from major brands available.

Thanks. Do you think it is still available online ?
Just asking out of curiosity.


Regarding the philips chip, which i have in my muse mini dac, i would say philips chip are very very natural sounding. They may not have the bells and whistles. The beauty is it surely transports us to that same day when we had heard the song for the first time in our life.

And I remember many months back you had purchased and posted about cxn v2 and it was a hot topic at that time. But later i also observed that you had not posted much about the sound quality. That had given me a feeling that you were still missing something. And thereafter similar posts of streamers were there with (from other memers, eg blue sound node2i, audiolab, et,) and then declining enthusiasm or no updates in sound.

Don't worry i am also in similar boat.

 

[Analogous]

Thanks. Do you think it is still available online ?
Just asking out of curiosity.


Regarding the philips chip, which i have in my muse mini dac, i would say philips chip are very very natural sounding. They may not have the bells and whistles. The beauty is it surely transports us to that same day when we had heard the song for the first time in our life.

And I remember many months back you had purchased and posted about cxn v2 and it was a hot topic at that time. But later i also observed that you had not posted much about the sound quality. That had given me a feeling that you were still missing something. And thereafter similar posts of streamers were there with (from other memers, eg blue sound node2i, audiolab, et,) and then declining enthusiasm or no updates in sound.

Don't worry i am also in similar boat.

It’s the Honeymoon phenomenon? I think many of us have gone through this with new audio acquisitions, expectations and excitement. Sometimes it works, other times not so much after extended periods of listening.
I also feel a decently designed and engineered component sometimes may not work as we wish due to poor synergy some times. We after all hear the whole chain working together.