Affordable Network Audio Player with best mobile app?

[branon]

Folks

I was wondering if some of you could kindly chime in on their experience with user friendliness of Network Audio Players in the market. Some of the ones I have in mind are Marantz NA8005 , Cambridge Audio CXN etc in that price range. I am not sure which other network players offer at least one of the two (i) DAC (ii) Airplay. The CXN seems very attractive but the whathifi review is more about quality of sound and less of it the user interface on a smartphone /tablet which is the way I would control it.

Sonos of course sets the standard in user friendliness but it does not satisfy the above two requirements and neither does it play hires. I used to have a pioneer n50 a few years ago but I thought the app was half baked. And there seems to be no sign of Pioneer releasing the newer models stateside.

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[rainsoothe]

hey - I think the CA has does everything the Pioneer N50A does, don't know about the app though. If it's the same as the one for the CA Minx XI, I've read about some complaints - whitch wasn't the case with Marantz. But both will sound radically different, so you should audition if you can. Others who make praised streamers are Linn and Naim (the ND5XS, which is Naim's cheapest streamer, doesn't do USB dac though), so look into those as well. If you tell what the rest of your system is, what you wanna connect to it (your sources) and what music you're into, people might be able to give better suggestions.

But there's no better suggestion than this: make a shortlist, and audition - let your ears decide

 

[iQ Speakers]

Hi Adrian, I use my CXN with Spotify most of the time so dont need to use the app at all. When I have its OK, depends on what you are looking for, if you let me know what you want to do with it ill take a look at the app and let youn know. Brilliant SQ.

 

[steve_1979]

Have you tried searching through the videos on YouTube for these streamers? They sometimes include video of the apps in use.

Or even better can you demo/borrow one from a shop and try out the apps yourself.

 

[branon]

Thanks for all your comments. For some reason, I had not switched on the email notifications.

My plan is to use it to stream music from two sources- my Synology NAS which houses FLAC files and a lot of music that I listen using Google play via airplay (from my iphone via an apple tv right now).

To answer some of your quesitions:

It will feed into a peachtree nova 125 which in turn is connected to a pair of Paradigm Studio 10s.

The other option is of course to ditch all this and simply get a naim unitiqute or a used unitilite (dealer demos are usually available for USD 2000-2500 stateside)

-Adrian

 

[branon]

iQ Speakers

I was wondering if the airplay connection is stable? Other than apple TV , i have found that airplay tends to be iffy when incorporated by third party manufacturers even through ethernet.

 

[iQ Speakers]

iQ Speakers I was wondering if the airplay connection is stable? Other than apple TV , i have found that airplay tends to be iffy when incorporated by third party manufacturers even through ethernet.

Its not as good as Sonos or Spotify Connect you need good wifi coverage but offers up a whole new world of possibilites in terms of streaming services, I dont use it much, if i relied on it I would make sure i had a wifi exteder in close range to the CXN then I think you would be OK.

 

[Seakiwi]

I use the Synology DSaudio app to stream FLAC files from my synology NAS to an Oppo 105D, and quite like the way the app works on my android tablet (N7) or phone (N6). Has a couple of issues occassionally drops the player but the interface with album art etc works just fine.

 

[ifor]

I use a couple of raspberry pis. One with a HiFiBerry Digi and the other with an IQaudIO Dac and amp. With Rune audio software it couldn't be much simpler or more affordable.

 

[philpot1001]

Can you use a streamer i.e. the CA CXN as a DAC for a CD player, or only streaming? Im planning my new build and im eye balling trhe Arcam IrDAC and Audiolab MDAC, however if i could just get away with the CXN for everything i would consider that......looking at the ports there is a digital optical input, could i plug my Marantz CD-6005 into that?

 

[wilro15]

I've used systems from Naim, Pioneer, Cambridge Audio, Sonos and Bluesound. I found that Naim, Sonos and Bluesound have the best apps - to be fair I think CA have updated theirs since then.

The Pioneer app was terrible, a shame as the hardware is very nice.

In the end I settled on Bluesound: it beats Sonos on sound quality and support for hi-res audio. Bluesound also beats Naim on value for money.

 

[branon]

Thanks for the replies. It seems like the Cambridge CXN is off to a poor start on amazon.com and itunes reviews.

I ended up going unaffordable - took advantage of the now discontinued first era linn majik dsm. Awesome!

 

[MrTeroo]

I still haven't forgiven Logitech for dropping the Squeezebox...

 

[cheeseboy]

I still haven't forgiven Logitech for dropping the Squeezebox...

there's a thriving non logitech community dedicated to the squeezebox and people still update the software for it and there's hints and tips on how to build your own

 

[Jota180]

I use the Naim app on iPad and BubbleUPnP on Android tablet. Both have their good points. Naim 'pulls' the music from the NAS and can only store 500 tracks on the player so I can't properly select my entire music collection and random play it. I can do that with BubbleUPnP control app because it 'pushes' the music from the NAS so having 32,000 songs isn't an issue for Bubble.

 

[MrTeroo]

there's a thriving non logitech community dedicated to the squeezebox and people still update the software for it and there's hints and tips on how to build your own

Yes I know about that. I have three working SB's and two backup ones in storage. I just think it was too good a product to discontinue. It wipes the floor with Sonos.

 

[cheeseboy]

there's a thriving non logitech community dedicated to the squeezebox and people still update the software for it and there's hints and tips on how to build your own

Yes I know about that. I have three working SB's and two backup ones in storage. I just think it was too good a product to discontinue. It wipes the floor with Sonos.

it was too ahead of its time imho. I'm actually surprised they haven't brought it back to be honest, but I guess the market is getting a little crowded now.