Cambridge CXN V2 functionality?

[JohnT]

Hi Marmite,

I have used Cambridge streamers since their inception and currently have a (black) CXNv2 along with a CXA80. What I like about the CXNv2 is that it has an internal queue. This means you can search your MinimServer library from the front panel, the StreamMagic app or the older Cambridge Connect app. Having selected music and added it to the queue, the CXNv2 itself interacts with MinimServer, playing whatever you have searched for, taking the burden away from the app. You could actually close the app on your phone/tablet and the tracks that are queued in the CXNv2 would still continue to play. Normally of course, you would still have the app running, in effect, acting as a remote control. You can toggle between different views, such as the list of tracks in the queue, details of the current track playing etc. This works well for me but my setup is in a single room with floor standing speakers.

Some years ago, out of interest on an early StreamMagic streamer, I did experiment with the Bubble UPnP server running on my NAS but as I didn’t need multi-room, I uninstalled it. The CXNv2 will support multi-room but I believe this uses inbuilt Chromecast functionality. This is a no-no for me as Chromecast does not support gapless playback from UPnP servers like MinimServer.

Yes, the CXNv2 does show cover art from Minim Server as described in the Minim Server documentation.

Yes, the CXNv2 is really gapless. FLAC is my default format but m4a and others including hi-res formats are also supported – see the Cambridge Audio website.

If you are listening to tracks in the queue then start playing something via Chromecast, the contents of the queue is retained but pressing play will the restart the track that was playing from the beginning of that track.

At the time I was considering upgrading to the v2 model, my local Richer Sounds were very helpful and said I could buy a v2, try it out for a few days and could return it for a refund if it wasn’t suitable.

Hope this helps.
John