https://www.whathifi.com/advice/cambridge-audio-cxn100-vs-mxn10-what-are-the-differences-between-the-two-super-streamers
The CXN100’s sonic profile is resplendently clean and refined, boasting a soundscape that feels spacious, open and immensely detailed ... It’s also terrifically precise with the edges of notes ... the CXN100 is certainly superior in terms of detail resolution, soundstaging and tonal balance.
Switching over to the MXN10 made everything seem more compact, forceful and focused, and while there’s less overall space and insight, there was also a greater sense of robustness and fun ... The CXN100 offered more detail and textural refinement, yet the intimacy and emotional connection upon which the performance hinges was much more evident through the richer tone of the MXN10.
The MXN10 is unquestionably less spacious, less precise and less refined than its bigger brother, yet it’s just such an easy product to listen to ... the MXN10 is masterful at getting to the heart of your music’s, well, musicality.
**Winner: Draw**
*** Note: this comparison is made for strictly out of the internal DAC.
I’ve had the MXN10 for about three weeks and am considering purchasing the CXN (V2) for a comparison based on the aforementioned review. I think the MXN10 sounds better than the Wiim Pro Plus and provides a more spacious and weightier bass than the iFi Zen Stream paired with a Schiit Modius DAC (both comparisons using their internal DACs). I’m currently in the process of acquiring the well-reviewed Gustard R26 and will conduct a more thorough review of the streamer with an external DAC to satisfy my own curiosity.
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I have a mxn10 digital out to Bel Canto c5i. All I can say is it is in same league as pretty much any streamer I have heard recently and I’ve heard quite a few, mostly at higher price points.
Also have a evo150 with streamer and DAC integrated. Same story. I have both systems tuned in quite well overall these days and I can strongly recommend either. I stream almost exclusively using Roon.
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I have the CXN100 but, thinking about another streamer for the garage system. I put a Cardas Iridium cable on the CXN100 and I think that took it where I wanted it. Very happy with it overall.
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You might have amp already but if you don’t and the form factor is the desire in the garage, I highly recommend this combination (Wiim Pro plus + Fosi v3) even I said mxn10 sound ’better’ than wiim. In isolation, the combo renders as wide SS, satisfactorily pleasant tonal balance and sweet sound that stands out from traditional class D. Mxn10 gives more controlled bass and noticeably better image when paired with my Parasound A23. But we are talking about 10 times price difference in amp.
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@lanx0003 ,
Thanx, I think a Fosi V3 would work well with the LS-50s I have in the garage. Or maybe a pair of V3 monos. But alas, I run an older Jolida tube integrated and I just upgraded the tubes. I also run a tuner and a CD player and would need more inputs. I like the idea of your compact system, worth thinking about.
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The Wiim streamer does offer some fantastic flexibility! The line-in and optical inputs make it versatile enough for adding external sources like a tuner / vinyl setup, and a CD player. The subwoofer connection is also possible through the pre-out on Fosi V3. I think v3 could comfortably drive 85-86dB sensitivity speakers like your LS-50 or my NHT SB3. Compact systems with high versatility like this are always fun to experiment with outside my listening room.
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I have always experienced muffled sound quality from the WIM system. I’ve used a couple different models. I’m wondering if I’m doing something wrong! I know at least one other person who has the same conclusion. Any thoughts on that?
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Perception of sound is, as always, subjective. However, to describe the sound from the Wiim, particularly the Wiim Pro Plus, as "muffled" is something with which I will respectfully disagree. The Wiim Pro Plus has comparably high SINAD and THD measurements similar to those of the Chord Qutest, Benchmark DAC3, and RME ADI-2 from its analog output section.
That said, the Wiim is a "weird" music player in the sense that one needs to turn on the EQ to achieve a dynamic, engaging sound. You might want to try its "Loudness" EQ, which is designed to mimic the equalized loudness contour (ELC) or Fletcher-Munson curve, to see how it performs.
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@peter_s
I have always experienced muffled sound quality from the WIM system. I’ve used a couple different models. I’m wondering if I’m doing something wrong!
I have heard that when using the room correction and perhaps Bluetooth.
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Yes! That is exactly what I bought it for, Bluetooth. Everything else I handle directly with my DAC. But my DAC does not have Bluetooth. I am really disappointed at the quality of the Bluetooth.
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Unless you don’t have an iPhone or iPad, AirPlay generally offers better sound quality than Bluetooth. Even if you don’t use Apple devices, why use Bluetooth when Wi-Fi is an option? I haven’t used Bluetooth with my setup, so I haven’t encountered the muffled sound issue people mention. Also, RC isn’t really my preference after multiple trials in different listening spaces around my house. I stick to GEQ with some tweaks. I haven’t noticed any 'muffled' sound from my Wiim Pro+ but will report if I encounter it in the future.
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I ended up with two Cambridge steamers. Both sound good but can't really compare because the two systems are totally different.Thanx for the input guys.
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@russ69 OP, you could choose the more revealing system of the two and swap the MXN10 and CXN100 for comparison.
Could you also let me know if you experience any dropouts or pauses with either streamer, especially during high-resolution playback like 24/192? My MXN10 occasionally has this issue, while two other brands of streamers I use do not.
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@lanx0003 Good idea. It's takes two people to change my stack, want to come over and help?
I've have no problems with WI-FI or streamer dropouts with either machine, streaming with Qobuz, or bluetooth streaming through my phone with Pandora to my bluetooth speaker.
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@russ69 I would be more than happy to lend a helping hand if I were close by. It’s hard to imagine such complexity without seeing it firsthand.
I prefer variety when two devices offer equal sound quality (SQ), so I decided to try the highly praised Wiim Ultra. After putting in a good number of hours with it, I was disappointed—not only with its internal DAC but also with its performance as a streamer compared to the MXN10. The Ultra’s internal DAC sounds dull, and while pairing it with a capable external DAC improves the sound significantly, the notes still feel noticeably softer compared to the MXN10. The clarity, crispness and dynamics from MXN10 are in another league.
Ultimately, I decided to purchase another MXN10 (in a different color) for my second system, replacing the iFi Zen Stream. In my setup, the MXN10 > iFi ZS > Wiim Ultra. The gap between the MXN10 and the iFi ZS is relatively narrower than the gap between the iFi ZS and the Ultra, though.
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