CAMBRIDGE AUDIO CXN (V2)

To improve on something that’s already pretty good, sometimes all you need is a light touch. That’s what Cambridge Audio did with the second iteration of its CXN streamer – an update to the Award-winner we reviewed in 2015.

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Alongside Tidal built-in and Spotify Connect, you can also stream music via Google’s Chromecast, on this, the Cambridge Audio CXN (V2).

We play Landslide by Fleetwood Mac, and Stevie Nicks’ soulful, sweet singing is full-bodied and beautifully conveyed. The way she shifts between notes is smooth, and the occasional words clipped to keep her rhythm are snappy and insightful. Even the odd vocalisation – the hums and aahs – are detailed and full of melancholy musings.

Most half-decent streamers could reproduce the basics of this song, but it takes something more talented to dig into the emotional core of this track and deliver it generously – and that’s what this Cambridge does.

Highs and lows in harmony

With something more bouncy and upbeat, such as Warren Zevon’s Werewolves Of London, the CXN delivers both a punchy bass and a tinkling treble simultaneously. A good streamer, tackling those few opening bars, needs to balance both the deep drum and the piano – which the CXN (V2) does impressively. The bottom end is weighty, but lithe enough to give you a good kick, while the piano is light and airy without being overly bright. The timing is tight too, and gets your foot tapping almost as soon as the song starts.

We move on to Childish Gambino’s