Cambridge Audio CXC Volume Control?

b_limo

The Cambridge Audio CXC, is a cd transport only (good one BTW), it has no volume, it will be up to the dac you use to have that or not.

Cheers George

@georgehifi  Thanks George!  
So to get deeper into my issue, I just purchased a modified Anthem I225 and may have to return it.  It has a modified XLR input.

I am using a Bluesound node 2i connected to a Schiit Gungir Mulibit via digital co-ax.  From the Gungir, I am using XLR cables (which sound far superior on the Anthem than RCA’s) into the Anthem.

When I have my volume on my Bluesound set at “Fixed” or if I have it turned all the way up, I have horrible distortion and waaay to loud a level coming from the Anthem.  I figured that the Anthem was broken but then I set the maximum level on the Bluesound down -15 db and the distortion is gone.

Comparing this modified Anthem I225 to my stock Anthem I225, the modified one is the clear winner.  
My thought though is that my next purchase will be a cd transport and if its putting out a signal comparable to the Bluesound Node on “Fixed”, it’s not going to work.

It seems to me like a serious gain issue on the Anthem’s xlr input.

Why I’m even considering keeping it is because when I back the volume on the Bluesound -15db’s, the modded Anthem sounds fantastic.

Should I just return this modded Anthem, ask for my $ back and move on?

Thank you to anyone for some input on this!

I think it's a gain problem. I had a NAD C658 I set to fixed that ran into an integrated McIntosh and had the same problem. When I reduced the volume on the NAD sounded fine. I returned the NAD got annoying adjusting two volumes. A question not related have you ever had the Anthem volume ramp where it locked and you had to unplug it to get control? It was a problem on certain units which needed a firmware update. 

So it def. is a gain issue but I won’t be able to adjust the gain on a different source component, like the CXC for instance.

I’ve got to send the Anthem back to the seller.  Hopefully it’s not too much of a hassle.  It’s too bad because the modded Anthem sounded fantastic but I don’t see any way it was going to work with any other source component without a way to adjust gain on that component.

As far as a runaway dial, yes I experienced that on my last I225 but not my current one.  My current one has a remote that doesn’t work now, which seems to be another issue with them, as the modded units didn’t work either.
The runaway volume had me doing a football dive across my listening room one time to save my speakers; kinda sketchy, lol.

To get back to the modded one though, it had the sand cast resistors replaced with mills resistors, hifi tuning fuses and a completely different xlr board and op amps.  It sounded really smooth and powerful, great bass / punchy and great imaging.  I’m really bummed about the xlr gain issue because the mods def. took the amp to another level sonically.  

The XLR input is usually +6db over RCA? The CXC output is <75 Ohm the Schiit XLR output is 75 Ohm . I think the problem is the high output of the Node set to fixed I don't think you would have a problem with the CXC. Try another CDP if you have one around or could borrow. 

I got lucky the volume on mine would go down and lock instead of up. After I did a firmware update it was fine, wish I would have kept it . I think it was a great sounding amp stock. Of course as they get older they need new parts might as well improve it. 

@djones... I have to lower the gain on the Bluesound 15dbs though.

I have a stock Anthem I225 that I have been using and that is back in my rig right now, and have no issues running the Bluesound full volume... 🤷🏼‍♂️

Do you think the bluesound on fixed volume is that much higher output than a CXC?  15db’s?

To add, I can tell a 6 db difference on my stock Anthem between rca and xlr but on the modded Anthem it is more like 20db’s... the xlr input sensitivity on the modded unit seems really really high.

if I had a cd player with a digi out sitting around, I already would have checked it.  I even looked on my local craigslist snd couldn’t find anything under $50, which I really don’t want to spend for a diagnosis...

I guess what it comes down to, which is what I am trying to figure out, is if the node 2i’s output at “fixed” is 15db higher than anything else I might connect to my dac, ie a CXC...

Have no idea it's hard to find a lot of specs on the Node2i. When I had the problem with a NAD I only had to reduce the volume about 5db not 15db that does seem a lot.