Cambridge Audio MXN10 review Reported by Edward Lok Dated 28 Nov 2023
What Hi-Fi? Awards 2023 winner. Small, affordable and… superb Tested at £449 / $499 / AU$899
Cambridge Audio MXN10 (Grey) at Amazon for US$499 As hinted at above, the MXN10 is a tiny little operator; a far smaller, narrower design than its larger counterparts such as the more traditionally sized Audiolab 7000N and even the fairly compact, Award-winning Bluesound Node (2021). Finished in smooth, inoffensive lunar grey, the MXN10 features four preset buttons on the right accompanied by a clearly demarcated power button and a small white light to tell you whether or not you’re currently connected to the wi-fi. Clean, clear and simple are the watchwords here.
Size really isn’t everything. Whether it’s a pair of speakers, a dinky DAC or even a portable Bluetooth speaker, there’s absolutely no guarantee that size in any way correlates with great sound. Big and bulky units certainly have their place, and the trend towards more size equalling more sound is pretty inescapable, but that doesn’t necessarily mean improvements in actual audio quality. In reality, the finest brands in the business often know how to get a lot out of a little.
That’s just as well, because Cambridge Audio’s latest network music streamer is something of a tiddler. Neat, compact and easy to pop onto your hi-fi rack without needing three burly men and a new extension to install, the Cambridge Audio MXN10 is one of the most unobtrusive network players you’ll find, not to mention one of the least expensive. If this little thing has the sonic chops that belie its size and price, its rivals should be quaking in their figurative boots.
Reported by Edward Lok
Dated 28 Nov 2023
What Hi-Fi? Awards 2023 winner. Small, affordable and… superb Tested at £449 / $499 / AU$899
Cambridge Audio MXN10 (Grey) at Amazon for US$499
As hinted at above, the MXN10 is a tiny little operator; a far smaller, narrower design than its larger counterparts such as the more traditionally sized Audiolab 7000N and even the fairly compact, Award-winning Bluesound Node (2021). Finished in smooth, inoffensive lunar grey, the MXN10 features four preset buttons on the right accompanied by a clearly demarcated power button and a small white light to tell you whether or not you’re currently connected to the wi-fi. Clean, clear and simple are the watchwords here.
Size really isn’t everything. Whether it’s a pair of speakers, a dinky DAC or even a portable Bluetooth speaker, there’s absolutely no guarantee that size in any way correlates with great sound. Big and bulky units certainly have their place, and the trend towards more size equalling more sound is pretty inescapable, but that doesn’t necessarily mean improvements in actual audio quality. In reality, the finest brands in the business often know how to get a lot out of a little.
That’s just as well, because Cambridge Audio’s latest network music streamer is something of a tiddler. Neat, compact and easy to pop onto your hi-fi rack without needing three burly men and a new extension to install, the Cambridge Audio MXN10 is one of the most unobtrusive network players you’ll find, not to mention one of the least expensive. If this little thing has the sonic chops that belie its size and price, its rivals should be quaking in their figurative boots.