- Joined
- Oct 25, 2019
- Messages
- 11,139
- Likes
- 14,814
What do you mean zero dac capabilities? It has a dac.The biggest downsides of Cambridge streamer for me are zero DAC capabilities and quite a steep price.
What do you mean zero dac capabilities? It has a dac.The biggest downsides of Cambridge streamer for me are zero DAC capabilities and quite a steep price.
Maybe have to use internal DAC only?What do you mean zero dac capabilities? It has a dac.
What do you mean zero dac capabilities? It has a dac.
Care to share the measurements you've seen. I own the Cambridge and haven't found any.You're right. It has a DAC built in but it measures even worse than NODE so it's as if it didn't have one.
It has an internal dac and optical and coax outs too. Poster was referring to its poor dac performance. I've not seen it measured so hoping they provide a link.Maybe have to use internal DAC only?
It has an internal dac and optical and coax outs too. Poster was referring to its poor dac performance. I've not seen it measured so hoping they provide a link.
Absolutely can't infer anything about the Cambridge from that.Here is a measurement of a single DAC chip that's used in Cambridge CXN v2
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/wm8740-dir9001-dac-board-review.10608/
I honestly doubt two of those can offer meaningfully better results. It might have been a faulty specimen though.
Absolutely can't infer anything about the Cambridge from that.
We know it's not going to be a 120db sinad performance as thats above manuf spec for this chip but you'd need to measure as it's executed in the cxn, not infer from a shoddy installation like the one reviewed in that link.
Fwiw though, had I known when I bought mine what I know now, I wouldn't have bothered and either just used USB or looked at a far cheaper Pi based solution. But the cxn functions well, it's just expensive and doesn't allow for eq in the chain, which I now need.
No, you said it had zero dac capabilities. Which is just wrong. What we don't know is how it performs as a DAC.I never said it was a bad product but I think the value for money might be even lower than is the case with NODE.
I assume the equalizer function in ROON would be the advantage that Amir speaks about that’s not available in Bluesound environmentFor those who just like to listen to music the internal Dac will be fine and for those who really dig into the sound the spdif out provides a good clean signal to any good Dac.
BlueSound is more than just hardware though, its software too and on the software side you get everything you need in a good, easy to follow, ergonomic GUI, which also allows listeners access to music subscriptions like Tidal, listen to their own library as well as Internet radio. I own Roon and Audirvana, side-by-side navigation seems better in BluOS with more relevant and easy to follow menu selections.
Measurements alone paints a picture to a consumer that they will never realize, this is to say, we don't have measuring devices in our ears. Therefore a distortion or jitter measurement that is not audible although not ideal serves no real purpose. Its like not buying a matching blue jacket because in the light spectrum beyond your sight it gives off another color.
I assume the equalizer function in ROON would be the advantage that Amir speaks about that’s not available in Bluesound environment
This reminds me that you can set output to fixed or variable, wondering if you could get better DAC performance at a different output level? @amirmYeah no parametric EQ etc., only Tone Controls and a Sub Crossover. Certainly not up to modern Audiophile standards.....but then Audiophiles are all about purity so signal manipulation is not required....
View attachment 149897
Does anyone know if the USB output is working yet? Does it play nice with DSD and MQA?
It's fine. I have a total of 1 DSD album. But MQA works with USB out?No DSD.
Not yet? Firmware update coming supposedly.It's fine. I have a total of 1 DSD album. But MQA works with USB out?
Hmm, the native sampling rate remains at 192 kHz, so even DXD requires resampling.Not yet? Firmware update coming supposedly.
I read in the Bluesound website that DSD is converted to PCM/FLAC or something in order to play through the Bluesound system.
Type in DSD playback in the Bluesound support search
Hmm, the native sampling rate remains at 192 kHz, so even DXD requires resampling.
If I am getting one strictly as a streamer, I might as well get the old Node 2i hopefully at a discount.