Moved from Logitech Squeezebox to Cambridge CXN V2 w/NAS - sound not as good


Hello,

   I recently made a change to my system. I moved my digital music library from my PC to a NAS device (QNAP), and replaced my old streaming interface, a Logitech Squeezebox, with a Cambridge audio CXN V2. I feed the streamer into an external DAC, a Chord Qutest. 

Since I made the change, the sound is different. A bit more "relaxed" sounding. Not sure I like it as much. The old system had a bit more punch and maybe was a little brighter. 

Any thoughts on why this might happen, and how I might remedy it? Going back to the PC and Squeezebox isn't really an option.  

tfkaudio

Since I still use three Squeezeboxes on various systems why is it not an option to stick with what works? 

 

I run LMS on a NAS no PC involved and Squeezebox streaming to the systems where needed.     This works well and I have been looking at streamers for years just havent made a move.

The current solution works well and I control all with an IPAD or Iphone using the IPeng app .

 

The CXN could simply have less noise in the chain.  With digital sometimes noise can cause things to sound brighter.  The CXN might be a quieter streamer creating a lower noise floor which is allowing the files being transmitted to your DAC to be reproduced with a more natural, truer to the file / recording rendering.  

Thanks for all your responses. I am fairly confident in saying that the setup using the squeezebox had superior sound to the Cambridge. One person asked why I'm switching. The Logitech Squeezebox has been discontinued for years, and I figured it would stop working entirely at some point. Also, I didn't think it would be able to find a NAS device, but one person (searchingforthesound) seems to have accomplished it. I'd be interested in how that was done.

Thanks again,

Tom

Hey, i have something to try that surprised me on my system.

try a superior power cord on both the Streamer & possibly the DAC 

you can find something that was close to top of the line that's a decade old used 

so not suggesting you over spend

on my previous dac is very much changed its personality for the better

it was like moving up to a take of higher octane gas 

Pump up the volume!  

(Seriously, it could be as simple as less gain through the new config.)