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Cocktail Audio's New and latest X50pro Audiophile Music Streamer/server...Any Love?

So, I have been searching for the holy grail of music streamers from some time now. I have had several oppo blu-rays being used as streamers, their Senica, the Mytek Manhattan II, Metrum Acoustics Ambre, and the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400. All sounded pretty good for their respected price range, the Ambre sounded best. But, I was never totally happy with the features, etc of all these. Then I came across the newly released Cocktail Audio X50Pro, their new flagship audiophile streamer. It’s so new that there aren’t any reviews out there. It was the 1st streamer to check all my boxes of what I wanted in a streamer (except for one).  This has every digital output including three, yes three I2S outputs, 2 bays for hard drives, 7” screen and an HDMI output to also see on your big screen, CD ripper built in, works with Tidel, Roon, and just about every music streaming service, can be controlled with phone apps, even has digital inputs to rip your vinyl to the internal drives if installed. It uses dual 82 femto seconds Crystek CCHD-575 Ultra-low Phase Oscillators, completely encased in aluminum power supply, It has WIFI and Ethernet, build quality is great, and has great looks to boot. So, I guess my question is there anyone out there have any experience with this music streamer? I received mine about a week ago and so far, so good. The sound quality is excellent, but wonder how it would compare to the Auralic Aries G2, or the Aurender N10 that I have not yet tried? I would love to hear feedback from any other users out there. Oh, and as I mentioned, there is only one thing this did not check off my want list, I would have liked to see a HDMI input for SACD use and support.


ron1264
jrapp
24 posts
 
I have an X35 which uses the same everything except has a slighly lower grade ESS dac chip. It;’s far from bad. a agree with the people who disliked the old app, I find the new one just issued to be workable although not Roon like. What really makes the CA units sing is proper set up, and a good and knowledgeable dealer is worth their weight in gold.  I wouldn’t call the SQ top drawer it’s far from bad and the ability to rip CDs at a very fast rate is superb. I’m thinking of swapping up to the X50 which will allow me to utilize a Brooklyn DAC.
tom6897's avatar
tom6897
1,484 posts
 
Do any of the owners of the X 50-D know of any tweaks to get “better than stock” sound out of the unit? Any upgrades besides power cord and cables which I do automatically?
maybe extra isolation, shorter signal path or upgraded capacitors etc. TIA🙂
alecela
13 posts
 
So does anyone have first hand experience comparing the X50 PRO w/ Zenith mk3?   Looks like they're both top of the line streamer/ripper/music server and reasonably close in terms of pricings.   I do like the fact that X50Pro does offer additional function of radio but the SQ/ripping quality would be more important to me.   
pedroeb
493 posts
 
Hi Tom6897, I find that I can tweak most equipment by opening the case and adding earthed shielding around power supplies (critical) and other boards. Shielded dummy plugs can also be worth considering as they can stop external interference having a direct path to boards (sometimes only minor), but still worth considering if you are hoping to extract the best from your equipment.
allhifi
59 posts
 
gtaudio said it right:

" ...The trouble I find with most of these streamers is not the actual hardware but the wifi connection between the streamer and the router. That's why the X50Pro having a proper control screen and selection controls on its front panel is so attractive."
It's absurd that so many Streamers/Transport's must rely upon another make/brand, app, remote/controller for operation of the device ! Crazy.
It's a cheapo short-cut on those manufacturer's part that see's them loosing out to more senisble designs. 

As fast, functional, stylish, quiet and slick my previous InnuOs Zen mini III was, it erked me to no end to look at this well-made black box and then have to search for a phone/tablet/computer to opeate the damn thing that I was standing in front of moments earlier. 

Speaking of the CA X-50, I did have one for a week or so and loved its front-panel controls that enabled precise (and immediate) control of its myriad of functions. 
Addtionally, what many fail to recognize was/is the X-50/X-50D's excellent digital I/O's including the much desired i2S Dig. OUT that proved to be a great connection to the internal SSD drive used.

And let's not forget the units price-point; it's a heck of a lot of device Streamer/Transport/Renderer, built in storage, accessible outboard storage/NAS, Internet Radio, FM radio ! lol, full-function remote control, 7" color display (monitor/HDMi OUT) -a one-stop shop for cataloguing audiophiles treasured CD collections -and feeding the signal via USB, spdif (AES/EBU, coaxial, toslink) or i2S over HDMi or RJ-45 !

Hard to beat.

pj

  
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