DAC recs: fix CXN v2, use CD player, or buy new?

Jfaustus

Jfaustus

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
My Cambridge Soundworks CXN v2 appears to be giving up the ghost. Every once in a while it just sends full-on static into the speakers. Jumps me out of my seat every time. I thought it was my vintage pre so I took that out of service. But it just happened again and the only component that was there both times is the CXN. So.... options:
  1. Repair CXN. I like it, I don't love it. So I'm not super invested in the repair option. But if it's and easy fix then I don't have to spend $$$... Any suggestions on troubleshooting one of these?
  2. Switch to Musical Fidelity M6CD + CXN as streamer. I have an M6CD in storage. It's a CD player but also a standalone DAC with digital inputs (coax accepts 24/192).The DAC: 24 bit Delta-Sigma (bit stream) dual differential 8x over-sampling. It works fine but the drawer is a little finicky and sometimes it take a couple of tries for it to read a CD. Could just need cleaning and/or a new belt, could be one long listening session from oblivion. Here I would be able to use the CXN as a streamer and send the digital out to the M6CD for DAC-ing. This assumes the problem is upstream from the streaming circuit (somewhere in either the DAC itself or the opamps). I suspect that's true but who knows?
  3. Go new, or new-to-me. I'm not opposed to this at all, but I am not interested in a project. I have enough on my hands learning to repair power amps. So if I were to upgrade it would just need to work. That would nudge towards new with a warranty and whatnot. I do most of my listening this way so I would be willing to invest a bit. Say top range of $2k? Though lesser is gooder. Despite what I just said I don't mind used as long as it's from a reputable source and I can be reasonably confident it isn't a lemon.
Open to advice!

Thanks all,
jfaustus
 
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Jfaustus said:
My Cambridge Soundworks CXN v2 appears to be giving up the ghost. Every once in a while it just sends full-on static into the speakers. Jumps me out of my seat every time. I thought it was my vintage pre so I took that out of service. But it just happened again and the only component that was there both times is the CXN. So.... options:
  1. Repair CXN. I like it, I don't love it. So I'm nit super invested in the repair option. But if it's and easy fix then I don't have to spend $$$... Any suggestions on troubleshooting one of these?
  2. Switch to Musical Fidelity M6CD + CXN as streamer. I have an M6CD in storage. It's a CD player but also a standalone DAC with digital inputs (coax accepts 24/192).The DAC: 24 bit Delta-Sigma (bit stream) dual differential 8x over-sampling. It works fine but the drawer is a little finicky and sometimes it take a couple of tries for it to read a CD. Could just need cleaning and/or a new belt, could be one long listening session from oblivion. Here I would be able to use the CXN as a streamer and send the digital out to the M6CD for DAC-ing. This assumes the problem is upstream from the streaming circuit (somewhere in either the DAC itself or the opamps). I suspect that's true but who knows?
  3. Go new, or new-to-me. I'm not opposed to this at all, but I am not interested in a project. I have enough on my hands learning to repair power amps. So if I were to upgrade it would just need to work. That would nudge towards new with a warranty and whatnot. I do most of my listening this way so I would be willing to invest a bit. Say top range of $2k? Though lesser is gooder. Despite what I just said I don't mind used as long as it's from a reputable source and I can be reasonably confident it isn't a lemon.
Open to advice!

Thanks all,
jfaustus
Click to expand...

I’ve heard that the Cambridge CXN100 is a pretty significant upgrade from the CXN v2. This from several folks, whose opinions I respect.
 
Jfaustus said:
My Cambridge Soundworks CXN v2 appears to be giving up the ghost. Every once in a while it just sends full-on static into the speakers. Jumps me out of my seat every time. I thought it was my vintage pre so I took that out of service. But it just happened again and the only component that was there both times is the CXN. So.... options:
  1. Repair CXN. I like it, I don't love it. So I'm not super invested in the repair option. But if it's and easy fix then I don't have to spend $$$... Any suggestions on troubleshooting one of these?
  2. Switch to Musical Fidelity M6CD + CXN as streamer. I have an M6CD in storage. It's a CD player but also a standalone DAC with digital inputs (coax accepts 24/192).The DAC: 24 bit Delta-Sigma (bit stream) dual differential 8x over-sampling. It works fine but the drawer is a little finicky and sometimes it take a couple of tries for it to read a CD. Could just need cleaning and/or a new belt, could be one long listening session from oblivion. Here I would be able to use the CXN as a streamer and send the digital out to the M6CD for DAC-ing. This assumes the problem is upstream from the streaming circuit (somewhere in either the DAC itself or the opamps). I suspect that's true but who knows?
  3. Go new, or new-to-me. I'm not opposed to this at all, but I am not interested in a project. I have enough on my hands learning to repair power amps. So if I were to upgrade it would just need to work. That would nudge towards new with a warranty and whatnot. I do most of my listening this way so I would be willing to invest a bit. Say top range of $2k? Though lesser is gooder. Despite what I just said I don't mind used as long as it's from a reputable source and I can be reasonably confident it isn't a lemon.
Open to advice!

Thanks all,
jfaustus
Click to expand...
My suggestion is to contact Cambridge USA service. If your unit has a problem that can’t be readily addressed, they’re likely to offer you a pretty significant trade-in value on a new product for your CXN. When my old Stream Magic 6 finally died, that was how I picked up my CXN100. They sent me a prepaid shipping label for the Stream Magic 6. All I had to do was box it up and drop it off.
 
2FarGone said:
My suggestion is to contact Cambridge USA service. If your unit has a problem that can’t be readily addressed, they’re likely to offer you a pretty significant trade-in value on a new product for your CXN. When my old Stream Magic 6 finally died, that was how I picked up my CXN100. They sent me a prepaid shipping label for the Stream Magic 6. All I had to do was box it up and drop it off.
Click to expand...
That's amazingly helpful info. Thx!
 
The WiiM Pro Plus has a good DAC in it and does everything your CXN does (I think) for $219, but no LCD screen like the CXN.

 
Alas Cambridge Audio has now farmed out it US distribution to a third party which is not offering the same trade-in/trade-up deal as Cambridge. I do have the opportunity to pay shipping plus an $80 non-refundable diagnostic fee...

Bummer.
 
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