Cambridge Audio Sonata NP30 hi-fi streamer

Cambridge Audio? Hi-fi?

These terms don't belong in the same sentence. Ever since it became Richer Sounds own-brand, it's been little better than dross. Dross that they convince unsuspecting punters to buy whilst they slate the manufacturers of true premium hi-fi.

SqueezeBox

IIRC, the Squeezebox also uses a 24 bit / 96 kHz Wolfson DAC

How much?

Did I miss something here? Why would you pay £400 for something that is basically a media streamer - which can be bought from as little as £45 (or £20 if you don't need a network) and includes HDMI which will plug right into the AMP. Hell, just buy an Apple TV for £99 and that comes with some superb control apps via the iPhone and iPad. And I'm sure you can get Amps to take care of the 24-bit sampling...

Just because it's from a Hi-Fi company doesn't mean it's actually any good or good value.

Not quite

Full disclosure first, multiple Squeezebox owner here. However, contrary to the article, the current SB, the Touch, does indeed natively support 24bit/96Khz (and the Squeezebox Server supports 24-bit/192Khz files, which it downmixes before streaming to the SB). It also has a Web frontend (in fact, the server with Web frontend, is free, even if you don't have any physical devices, and there is also a software "SoftSqueeze" player that runs in Java). There is also an iPod like "Controller" for hand-held, colour screen, high-speed navigation/control including artwork. There are iPhone and Android apps, some free, which don't have multiple second delays to the controls.

I like CA stuff, I have some myself, but this player seems a bit rough and ready, and expensive, for this market (though they should do well, as Richer Sounds, being the only distributor, don't sell the Squeezebox, nor push the Sonos much (I was in there last week enquiring about Digital Streamers in fact, and it's currenty not their thing)).

The mention of the WEP key made me check CA's website, it does support WPA, so that's alright then ;)

Good luck to CA though, anybody that helps get the message across that Digital Music playback doesn't have to revolve around Apple, the better!

400 quid.!!!! no thankyou

Far too expensive for a streamer that offers little more functionality than my 50 quid 'Logik' box - which doesn't have a 4 second delay when I press the buttons on the remote; as for 24/96; why bother when so few people can hear any difference, and only then when played really really loud, see following for example:-

http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=14195

SB Touch most definitely does 24/96

I stopped reading the review after the first couple of paragraphs 'cause it was obvious that either the reviewer was biased or ignorant or both. The SB Touch most certainly does 24/96 and it does it very well indeed.

erm, did anyone actually listen to it?

considering is supposed to be a review of a hi-fi device, not just a toy, one would hope for a few more comments on the sound quality over and above half a sentence tucked away near the bottom.

Thats not hifi

its a toy!

http://www.linn.co.uk/klimax_ds

for the real thing :)

24 bit marketing myth.

For any domestic setting 24 bit sound improvement is a marketing myth - it just gives a studio engineer extra amplitude bandwidth to play with in the mastering process - a cheaper 16 bit would sound as good if connected optically in the chain - it's the interface you have to worry about with these doo-hickies.

Hmm

no access to Radio 3's HD audio service then?

What on earth are you wibbling on about?

Why would it matter that you have a 24/96 DAC at the end of the digital path when the source material is a CD or internet radio station or CD-quality (or sub-CD-quality) digital file? That Wolfson DAC is used in lots of devices like this; I'm sure it's very good but it doesn't magically increase the sampling rate or bit rate of the material.

Did Cambridge Audio press release print the details on the DAC in upper case bold or something?