Cambridge Audio CXN v2 streamer vs Bluesound Node 2i

Thanks man

 

I owned a CXN (first version) and the original Bluesound Node for a couple of years. Then I traded up to the CXN 2, and late in 2018 to the Node 2i.

The DAC implementation and TIDAL implementation in the original CXN were good. Its DLNA implementation was flaky. Its wireless implementation was marginal - fine in a line-of-sight home WiFi installation, awful in anything else. The control app was usable, but obviously designed by engineers with only a small amount of input by UE/UI experts. By comparison, the original Node a similarly good DAC implementation, a slightly better app and notable better WiFi and DLNA for network music file access.

The CXN 2 improved the already good DAC implementation with some trickle-down from the excellent Cambridge Azur 851D. WiFi improvements helped the CXN 2 lock into and hold onto weaker WiFi installations. The app improved a bit as well. By contrast, when the Node 2i hit the market it did so with a very slightly better DAC design (despite the much smaller form factor of the component), MQA (for anyone who cares about such a thing), the same perfectly fine WiFi implementation, and a slightly improved app.

I sold off the CXN 2 because it sat unused. The Node 2i earned a place in second and third systems and lately in my test system that I use for equipment reviews and general fiddling, experimenting with and staging of new components, etc.. I think it’s a home-run product. Even it’s built-in headphone amp is respectable.

 

Have you tried plugging a hard drive into the Node 2i? Thoughts if so? Thanks

 

Read this: How USB Storage Differs From A Local Library

"BluOS Players will index and play music from USB mass storage devices formatted as FAT32, NTFS or Linux ext4 but with limitations. The index of these units, by design, is limited and sometimes unstable. USB Mass storage devices are designed for plug-and-play storage, not for an extended or permanent storage solution. For a more stable, permanent solution, Bluesound strongly recommends network sharing from a local PC, Mac, Network Attached Storage (NAS) or Bluesound VAULT or VAULT 2."

 

Thanks for that bud! Cool of you

 

Well, I guess I'll continue to use a small towel over the laptop screen to block the light lol

 

I did not try a directly connected HD. I used (and still use) network attached storage. With the Node 2i connected to my LAN by ethernet, performance is seamless. The factor that most affected my home network music streaming performance was/is the quality of the switch. A better switch dramatically improved performance by eliminating lag, dropouts, arbitration issues when the network is particularly busy, etc.

 

Thanks. The Node 2i is hardwired to my Verizon router, and network shared with my laptop wirelessly, and I've never had any issues, but I wish I didn't have to have the laptop open and on while listening.

I'm not very computer savvy, how hard is it to set up a nas?

 

Where did you see that and where does he say it will be compatible with the current CXN series?
I like my CXN v2, but I hate the app for not being able to perform any search. I hope this new app can do that

 

"The CX hardware isn’t alone in getting a refresh. Cambridge Audio’s popular Connect iOS and Android app, compatible with the CXN (V2) and the company’s other network audio streamers, has been given a major feature overhaul and rebrand. Built from the ground-up by Cambridge Audio’s in-house team of app developers, the new Stream Magic app offers smoother network performance, a customizable Hub tab giving fast access to the most-used features and an improved interface."

Cambridge Audio Introduces CX Series 2 Audio Components with Updated ESS Sabre DACs

 

So it's not the Connect app anymore but one called Stream Magic?

 

Can't say for sure...just learning about this all myself.

 

Apparently the stream magic app is a different one from Connect, and can only drive a specific range of network players, but not the cxn.
I think...

 

Where is stream-magic.com?

 

From their Facebook page post of 9/20/19:

We're looking for owners of our Network Audio Streamers to help test out our new iOS/Android StreamMagic app before its official release! If you've one of the following Cambridge Audio products - CXN, CXN (v2), CXR120/200, 851N, Edge NQ - and want to get involved, please follow the instructions here: https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/gbr/en/beta-testing

 

I hadn’t heard about this yet! Maybe I’ll try out the beta tomorrow.

 

I'll try it, thanks. Hope it's revertable...

 

Just trying out the new Stream Magic app: it finally has a search function and it's pretty fast!

 

I agree. I’ve had a Node 2i for a month now and I’ve been delighted with it.

I wanted to add streaming to my system, and had narrowed the choice down to the CXN v2 or the Node 2i. I’d actually have preferred the full width and display of the CXN v2, but ended up trying the Node 2i on the basis of the software which seemed to have better reviews. It’s also a useful £200 cheaper, but that was less of a factor in the decision.

It’s turned out exactly how I was hoping. The access to my own collection on NAS is perfect and the integration of Amazon HD is adequate. The sound from both is great, and there is a good upgrade path if I use an external DAC.

The only downside is that I’m not using my turntable very much any more! I had a very bad experience with Sonos a few years ago and went totally analogue, now I seem to be moving back.

 

I've had a node 2i for about a year now. I first streamed digital files attached to my network computer thinking the USB was only good for smaller capacity flash drives. I thought I'd just see how well it worked for larger drives so I connected my Toshiba 2TB drive with about 1TB of music files via the USB input. It took some time to get it all indexed but once it did it worked just fine and I could access my music files via usb or network drives with equal facility and sound quality.

Regarding MQA, much has been discussed regarding sound quality. I find that perhaps more of the sound quality is determined by the quality of the mastering (the one turning the knobs so to speak) than the format. I think we sometimes get too caught up in the resolution/format wars and forget about the human factor. It's a bit like photography. A gifted photographer can create a more stunning image with a relatively simple camera than a rank amateur with the latest and greatest maximal megapixel gear. One of the things I like about Tidal is there are often more than one versions of a given release. Sometimes the MQA sounds better, sometimes it does not.

 

CXN Doesn't index USB drives at all. Are you saying the node 21 does and you only have to do it once?

 

Hi All,

I am in a dilemma to choose between "Bluesound node 2i" & "Cambridge Audio CXN V2"

As far as I researched, one major Con in CXN-V2 is that it doesn't perform indexing for audio files in Hard drives unlike in Node-2i BluOS.

Another difference being lack of MQA support in CXN-V2 which I am not bothered of.

Please let me know any other major differences between these two that I should know of.

Thanks.

 

I have owned a node ii and replaced it with an auralic Aries specifically because of the indexing limitations. The blue sound will index and play files very well but if you unplug the drive to add files etc it has to reindex. When you plug a drive into the Aires it functions as an NAS and is visible on other devices. In my case that is Sonos upstairs. First world problems, but I greatly prefer the Aires for this function. Playing into the same Dac, they sound the same to me.

 

Also Meridian Explorer II, Project Box DAC, £100 and £300 respectively.

 

What did you end up buying? I have the same dilemma right now!