Cambridge CXA81 bluetooth Vs Cambridge MXN10 streamer

[TK421]

So what's the difference between listening to Spotify via the bluetooth on my Cambridge Audio CXA81 amp and a Cambridge audio MXN10 streamer?

 

[nopiano]

Presumably, one less device if using the amp and listening on speakers. Are they both the same Bluetooth standards?

I’ve heard amazingly good Bluetooth on a high end system which astonished me, given it is usually frowned on in hifi circles. But personally it never occurs to me that I might use Bluetooth other than if the car chooses that rather than CarPlay to connect my phone when driving.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Had a quick glance at the product pages
Cambridge Audio CXA81 has a build-in Bluetooth receiver. You must use an external device e.g. mobile and it will send the audio to the amp using lossy compression. For best results your mobile must support APTX-HD ( 576kbps) othwerwise it will be SBC (320 kbs)

Cambridge audio MXN10 is a streamer. It connects to the WiFi/Ethernet so no lossy compression as far as the network protocol is concerned.

 

[TK421]

Had a quick glance at the product pages
Cambridge Audio CXA81 has a build-in Bluetooth receiver. You must use an external device e.g. mobile and it will send the audio to the amp using lossy compression. For best results your mobile must support APTX-HD ( 576kbps) othwerwise it will be SBC (320 kbs)

Cambridge audio MXN10 is a streamer. It connects to the WiFi/Ethernet so no lossy compression as far as the network protocol is concerned.

So the signal from the phone is lower quality than a streamer being connected directly to the Wifi?

 

[Vincent Kars]

Yes.
Bluetooth audio is limited to approximately 1000 kbs = 1Mbps
WiFi 802.11g (2003): Combined features of 802.11a and b, achieving speeds up to 54 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.
For reference
CD =2x16x44.1=1411 kbs
Highres like a 2x24x192=9216 kbs

 

[manicm]

So what's the difference between listening to Spotify via the bluetooth on my Cambridge Audio CXA81 amp and a Cambridge audio MXN10 streamer?

You'll simply get better sound. Bluetooth is bandwidth restricted.