This week is the 2015 International CES, which means we're going to see a lot of new products. One of the first companies to crank out multiple announcements is Cambridge Audio. The company is at the show, debuting a total of six new products -- and that's just for the CX Series.
The new lineup will include a new network audio player, two AV receivers, two stereo amplifiers and a CD player. Each one will feature the company's new logo, which is simply stated as "Cambridge." We can expect to see additional product lines get that new logo in the coming months, even though the actual brand will still be known as Cambridge Audio.
But enough about logos; let's talk about actual products.
The first in the new lineup is the CXN Upsampling Network Music Player. Designed as a successor to the Stream Magic 6 V2, the CXN has a new chassis, a color TFT screen for album artwork and other info, two Wolfson WM8740 DACs, and the option to crank out a whole lot of digital music. The player can actually access those goods from any networked media server, PC or Mac, as well as streaming services such as Spotify Connect, iHeart Radio, Pandora, Rhapsody, web radio, and more. The new CXN also adds in Apple AirPlay for even more music options.
Speaking of those options, the CXN can support digital music files ranging from compressed MP3, AAC or WMA, all the way up to studio master quality WAV, FLAC, AIFF or ALAC in 24-bit/192kHz resolution. Other features include a digital pre-amp mode, ATF2 24-bit/384kHz upsampling, and more. Cambridge Audio has priced the CXN Network Audio Player at $999.
Next, the company will have a pair of new audio receivers, the CXR120 and the CXR200. The CXR200 boasts 120 watts per channel or 200 watts per channel in stereo mode. It's designed for a 7.2 configuration, but also works perfectly in setups with 5.2 plus zone 2, 5.2 plus height channels, or 5.2 with bi-amped fronts or any standard configuration of 5.2 and below. The CXR-120 can do 60 watts per channel or 120 watts per channel in stereo mode. This model can support 7.2, 5.2 plus height channels or any configuration of 5.2 and below.
Each AVR features a Toroidal transformer and was designed to be the digital hub of the living room with a full-color on-screen display (OSD). To accommodate all of your AV essentials, the CXR120 has seven HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs, with the CXR200 adding in an extra HDMI input and the option to play a completely different source in a second room with independent control. For each AVR, one of those HDMI inputs is located on the front panel and adds in Mobile High Definition Link (MHL) support.
Other features include support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, the option to upscale 1080p to 4K, and the possibility for wireless streaming via the BT100 Bluetooth receiver (sold separately). The CXR120 and CXR200 will sell for $1,999 and $2,499, respectively.
Cambridge Audio will also have a pair of stereo amplifiers, the 60-watt CXA60 and the 80-watt CXA80. Each one boasts a new amplifier circuit design over previous models, which uses Class A/B amplification. Both models also separate the heat sinks and use symmetrical and separated circuit paths for the two channels, in order to minimize left/right "crosstalk" and maximize the stereo separation between channels. The CXA80 even has a dual-mono design, with separate transformer taps for left and right channels, twin rectifiers, and separate PSUs for dual-mono operation of the left- and right-channel power amplifiers.
The CXA60 has nine inputs, which translates into five analog inputs and four digital inputs. The CXA80 adds in another one of each, as well as a 24-bit/192kHz asynchronous USB audio input and a balanced XLR audio input.
Both models include a Wolfson WM8740 DAC and the option to add Bluetooth wireless streaming via the aforementioned BT100 USB dongle (sold separately). The CXA60 will retail for $799, with the CXA-80 priced at $999.
The last product in the 2015 CX lineup is the Cambridge CXC CD Player. This CD player offers a low-jitter transport mechanism, coaxial and Toslink digital outputs, and a $499 MSRP.
Cambridge Audio will start selling all of the new products in the CX Series sometime in the first quarter of 2015.
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