Cambridge Audio EXN100 review

Cambridge Audio’s music streamers have had a terrific run recently. From the budget MXN10 to the mid-priced CXN100, the brand’s network audio players have achieved five-star success thanks to a mix of strong features, ease of use and great performance for the price.

And now it can add another string to its bow. The new Cambridge Audio EXN100 aims to bridge the gap between the mid-range CXN100 and the flagship Edge NQ streamers and is priced competitively at £1599 / $1799 / AU$TBC.

Build & design

While it follows a similar design language to the existing CX range with an uncluttered, metal chassis in the customary ‘lunar grey’ finish, the EXN100 is slightly taller, has a thicker casing with a milled aluminium front, and a larger TFT colour display screen. It may not be the most avant-garde in terms of styling, but overall it’s a smart, well-built unit.

The knurled control/volume dial feels classy – both to the touch and in how it smoothly turns. The EXN100’s 1280x720 screen has pleasing contrast and shows off colourful album artwork, song information and more in a crisp, bright manner that’s easy to read.

The simple buttons and dial on the front panel offer basic playback and source selection, but you’ll need the accompanying StreamMagic app to fully control this streamer.

You don’t get a physical remote in the box here; you do get one with the partnering EXA100 integrated amplifier, but we find the app to be the most useful and pertinent way of controlling the EXN100.

Cambridge Audio’s streamers tend to be well-oiled machines and the EXN100 is no different. Whether it’s through the well laid-out app or the physical controls, the EXN100 is responsive and smooth in use. When used as a preamplifier, the numerical digital display moves intuitively in perfect concordance as we turn the volume dial. A small thing, but pleasing nonetheless.

Features

The latest fourth generation of the StreamMagic module – Cambridge Audio’s proprietary streaming platform – forms the beating heart of the EXN100, and it supports a comprehensive variety of streaming methods so you can play music however and wherever it’s stored. The EXN100 can play songs stored on UPnP-compatible media libraries and NAS storages on the same home network, it is Roon Ready and can stream music from any smart device using Bluetooth aptX HD.

It also supports AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect, while the app gives you access to Qobuz, Deezer and internet radio stations. A neat trick is that you can save your favourite radio station, playlist or album as presets on the app’s home screen, so you can access BBC 6 Music, the best indie folk songs playlist or the latest Fontaines D.C. album with just one tap.

The DAC module is the same 32-bit ESS ES9028Q2M Reference chip as used in the £899 / $1049 / AU$1899 CXN100 streamer. Cambridge Audio claims its engineers have managed to eke out even greater performance from this DAC chip than before, with a carefully tuned signal path, and significant changes made to the post-DAC analogue stage using premium components chosen for better clarity, separation and stereo imaging.

In terms of file formats supported, the EXN100 can handle high-resolution audio files up to 32-bit/784kHz PCM and DSD512, and MQA files – the very same as its MXN10 and CXN100 siblings. All the relevant sampling rate and file format information can be seen on screen and in the app, for those curious about their music library.

The big headline here is the inclusion of an HDMI eARC input. It’s the first Cambridge streamer to include an HDMI connection – thanks to popular demand! – so you can hook it up directly to a TV.

Other physical connections include optical and coaxial inputs and outputs, a USB type B input as well as a USB type A port for plugging in flash drives. There are balanced XLR and RCA line level outputs, while the short antennae for wi-fi and Bluetooth come fitted as standard.

Sound

We connect the streamer to our reference system of Burmester 088/911 MkIII pre/power amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers, and try it out with more price-compatible kit such as the Cambridge Audio EXA100 and Naim Nait XS 3 amps, and Epos ES-7N speakers.

The EXN100 impresses us with a sound that’s clear, spacious and balanced. If you’ve heard the CXN100 streamer you will recognise the familial presentation, and the EXN100 successfully offers a notable step up in every area. It delivers a stable stereo image, a larger and more open playing field for music to flourish in, and offers up a huge helping of extra detail.

We play test track favourite Breezeblocks by Alt-J and it flows well through the streamer. There’s a controlled sense of rhythm, attack and drive, while also moving with just enough fluidity to sound at ease. The bass notes on Major Lazer’s Pon de Floor go satisfyingly deep and are pulled taut – it’s impressive to hear just how clean and shapely they are, too. There’s no flab; there’s ample punch. The sharp, staccato drum hits are snappy, speedy and full of bite but never sound shrill or sharp. There’s enough body to the sound that music never sounds thin but also not overly warm; it simply sounds well balanced.

The streamer delivers spry, composed and room-filling sound – elements that could be difficult to juggle, but the Cambridge Audio streamer handles it all in an almost understated manner. Voices are clearly defined with natural tones and nuances brought to the fore; Waxahatchee’s lilting, Americana vocals in Right Back To It are focused, set dead-centre and delivered with a pleasing immediacy. In absolute terms we would like a bit more subtlety with the way it handles shifts in dynamics and a touch more grit to certain songs that require it, but it’s a small complaint at this level.

We spin through a variety of music – CD-ripped classical, jazz and Kate Bush tracks from our NAS drive, hi-res Tidal playlists and Sabrina Carpenter’s latest album AirPlay’d from our iPhone – and the EXN100’s wonderfully clean, controlled and balanced character remains consistent.

Feed it high quality tracks and it will perform at its best, but the streamer doesn’t penalise you for playing lower MP3-quality radio stations or Bluetooth streams in the slightest.

When used as a preamplifier, the EXN100 sounds decent for its price level and is a useful addition if your system already includes a power amplifier, or all you need to drive is a pair of active speakers. In this mode, it sounds a little flat at lower volume settings but improves markedly as we turn the level up.

How does the EXN100 perform against the older Azur 851N streamer, a former Award-winning model that is effectively its spiritual ancestor? We bring out our sample of the 851N from our stockroom, and are struck by just how stark the difference in sound quality is. The 851N sounds rather muddled, dynamically squashed and smaller-scaled; the EXN100 is leaps and bounds ahead with better dynamics, more power and easily reveals subtler and clearer details.

Where we perhaps quibbled with the leaner presentation of the CXN100 compared with its less-refined but richer, more musical MXN10 little brother, the EXN100 is a more solid and muscular performer, and delivers a far more convincing step up from the budget offerings. If you do want a greater dose of dynamic subtlety and verve, you have to pay about a grand more for the genuine next step up in performance, which are the terrifically capable Naim ND5 XS 2 and Audiolab 9000N (both five stars at £2499).

The EXN100’s natural amplifier partner is the matching EXA100 integrated, and the sonic signatures are a perfect match. When paired together, the two products complement each other beautifully and you may never even think about finding an alternative. But we would try alternative amplifiers, such as the Naim Nait XS 3, which brings out a more upfront presentation and energetic performance from the EXN100 that could surprise and delight you even more.

Verdict

The Cambridge Audio EXN100 streamer is exhaustively featured and slick to use, and the addition of HDMI will be a draw for many looking for a one-stop versatile streaming source for their home audio set-up. Its impressively clear, open and refined presentation will draw even more fans and, with a bit of creativity with partnering kit, will deliver an engaging, involving performance that can’t be bettered at this price.

First reviewed: October 2024. Review updated: November 2024.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Cambridge Audio CXN100

Also consider the Naim ND5 XS 2

Read our review of the Audiolab 9000N

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