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Cambridge CXC Transport

Posted by DrN (A) on July 6, 2015 at 12:02:04

Posting just a few pertinent comments on the CXC not exactly a full review I'm not that well versed at reviewing.

Purchased through Crutchfied at the going price of $500 free shipping it was here in 2 days. Return privilege in 60 days. Let me say the shipping packaging is very good with attention to detail like the way it's wrapped and the way they packed the documents etc. No plastic bag stuff here. I mention this only because I was impressed with the care they used.

This purchase came about because I was using my Marantz SA15S2 ltd as a transport for my Chord QuteHD. At 30lbs this player is no slouch in build or sound. As a transport it was very good too but came down to a waste not using it to it's full capability, that is the SACD capability included I only have like 8. The Chord was purchased to get into Computer audio which I had been putting off for a long time.

I did run the CXC on repeat for around 24 hours if concerned about break-in at all.
The CXC weighs in at 13lbs and is finished very nice. I do not detect any case vibration although it sits on 4 Herbie's tall tender feet. I think I read the case is dampened, It is servo controlled to protect the bit integety from jitter.
Front panel is a thick piece of engraved aluminum, plain and attractive. You can dim the readout and shut it off. it has minimum front panel controls that duplicate the remote. The remote is more than adequate but not like your solid metal remotes you sometime see in a costlier unit. It's about the same as the Marantz remote and that's a 2k unit. Only the bottom third is for the CXC since it is universal to their CX stack of equipment.
There are no direct numbered track buttons on the remote so you have to ping through the tracks. All very quiet no pops or ticks of any kind. You can turn the unit on and off and open and close the drawer from the remote. A little clunky sounding but smooth, consider the price. Reminds me of a Cary 308T or CAL Icon MKII CD I had. It has a nice "standby mode" that will shut down after 20 minutes of inactivity. So it will also cut the connection off to the Chord. Nice!

You can check my system is members area, The CXC is Red book CD only but that is what I bought it for. Your requirements may be different. The sound well surpasses the Marantz to Chord combo. The Chord alone surpasses the Marantz DAC. Connection is via a WyWires SPDIF Litsepeed cable and a Juice II Power Cable. Chord makes an outstanding DAC and of course you pay for that and it should sound outstanding. The sound with the CXC and Chord is wider deeper with excellent PRAT nothing lacking there. It surprised me on some older CD's I have not played in some time. Separation of instruments in space, a quiet background makes things really involving, slam is all there. Female voice nice, drums and bass VERY good.
I listen mostly to jazz. Paul Brown, Spyro, 4Play, Diana Krall, Joe Sample, Peter White, Mindi Abair, Fleetwood, big band, Michel Buble' to get a flavor of what I'm taking about. Extremely pleasurable also since I added the Cable Asylum discussed Belden 8402 Interconnects Jeff Day recommended. The best digital I have had here. Actually remarkable is the choice of words of what I am hearing. Maybe mostly the Chord DAC.

A nice purchase and worthwhile addition to my system. You will have to be the judge if it is right for your system and tastes. Spending upwards of 1k on a transport you might as well get a whole Player for that cost and that is what I got away from. I purchase everything used So the purchase $$ was right for me. The CXC came out in Jan CES and timing was perfect for this situation. Most places have the return policy for this item.

There was a MF M1CD but no longer available. It was slot loaded and I hate slot load CD I hated it on the Mac's too. Ever get one stuck? You get my point.

I say check it out if you are in the market for a transport.

Edits: 07/06/15 07/06/15 07/06/15 07/06/15

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