Hasta La Gadget!

UK-based Cambridge Audio has long made very well-regarded high-end audio equipment, but recently that’s a market that has changed considerably, thanks to the advent of digital audio and online streaming services. The company has changed, too, and one example of that change is the new Minx Xi all-in one streaming device, which adds to Cambridge Audio’s growing family of digital-focused Minx products.

Basics

• Wi-Fi & Ethernet
• 2x USB 2.0
• Toslink Optical audio in
• Digital S/PIDF input
• BT100 Bluetooth receiver included
• 2x RCA inputs
• 3.5mm audio input
• Headphone out
• 2x speaker out
• Subwoofer out
• Built-in Dual Wolfson WM8728 DAC
• MSRP: £600, $899 in the U.S.
• Product info page

Pros

• Excellent sound
• DAC works wonders for Bluetooth or when connected via optical to a Mac

Cons

• Wi-Fi but no AirPlay support

Design

Cambridge’s Minx Xi is not dramatically different from what you might expect of any home theatre or hi-fi stereo component device; it’s essentially a black box (or white, if you choose that option) with ample venting on top, a face with knobs and buttons, and a rear with the majority of inputs and outputs. But small design flourishes make this a very attractive, and decidedly modern piece of stereo kit.

The rounded rectangle border that surrounds the face is a nice touch, and frames the tall and wide display nicely. The display itself provides just enough information for easy navigation, without overwhelming or drawing the eye unduly. The low-res, basic LCD readout is a little behind the times in a market flooded with OLED panels, but it’s actually pretty refreshing in its retro appeal, and still gets the job done just as effectively as more advanced screens.

The Minx Xi case houses a lot of complicated internals, but it’s still relatively compact, and would look at home either in a stereo cabinet or on its own atop a dresser, bookshelf or cupboard. Paired with Cambridge Audio’s new Aero 2 bookshelf speakers, it makes a good-looking and minimalist setup that’s still capable of putting out impressive enough sound even for watching the occasional Hollywood blockbuster.

Features

Movies are now where the Minx Xi shines, however. Instead, it’s at its most impressive when it’s working with streaming audio, an area that’s always a challenge when it comes to sound quality. The Minx Xi connects direct to your network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and can stream thousands of Internet radio stations directly, access BBC’s iPlayer feeds, subscribe to podcasts and more – without the need for a computer or mobile device for playback.

The Minx Xi does a great job of making even, for example, the 128kbps BBC Radio 4 stream sound excellent, with terrific channel division and a natural rendering of voice and music. If you’ve been listening on computer speakers or even a very capable standalone radio, you’ll probably actually be amazed that what comes through the Minx Xi is the same thing as what you’re used to listening to, the difference is that marked.

Subscribing to podcasts on the Minx Xi is as simple as registering your unit via the web and inputting RSS feeds via that dashboard. This provides you direct access to the latest episodes, and again, its ability to really highlight high-quality voice recording comes through.

The Bluetooth adapter included is external, but it doesn’t cost any extra, and it works tremendously well. There’s generally a big step down in quality when you’re listening to anything streaming via Bluetooth, even though it’s gotten a lot better over time. With Cambridge’s BT100 and the Minx Xi’s special Bluetooth DAC capabilities, performance of A2DP streams get a big boost.

Performance

Just to expand on what I already mentioned above, the Bluetooth streaming powers of the Minx Xi make it so that streaming from your mobile device and listening through headphones is in some cases arguably better than listening to the stream on the device itself. It really is that good. That said, it leaves me wishing even more that Cambridge had included AirPlay functionality on the Minx Xi, since Apple’s Wi-Fi audio streaming protocol offers better performance than Bluetooth to begin with.

Performance for streamed connections is excellent, as mentioned, with 802.11n support and no drop-outs for streams during my usage. Connected to my Mac as a DAC, and used in tandem with both the Aero 2 speakers and my Sennheiser HD 598 headphones, the Minx Xi really starts to show off its magic abilities in terms of boosting audio that you might not even have realized could be improved to begin with.

With both locally resident files, and streaming services like Rdio, the Minx Xi delivers noticeable improvements in quality to attached audio output devices, versus having that same hardware simply plugged directly into the Mac. There’s significant improvement in sound separation and clarity on all files and streams, in my testing experience.

Bottom Line

The Cambridge Minx Xi isn’t an impulse purchase for most at £600 ($899 MSRP in the U.S.), but it’s a big step up in terms of the audio quality not only for Internet radio and service streams, and also for connected computers and devices. The service library is a little limited for my liking (Pandora and Rhapsody, but no Rdio/Spotify!), and I’d love AirPlay, but Cambridge Audio does say that firmware updates will be pushed out regularly, and support for those kinds of things could follow.

That fact that it improves any source dramatically with a built-in DAC that would be expensive on its own, and also operates as a very capable and fairly comprehensive audio streaming box in and of itself, makes this a very desirable piece of kit for anyone looking to take their digital listening habits to the next level.

A little while ago, I reviewed the Cambridge Minx Air 200 and found it a solid new performer in the UK-based company’s new lineup of wireless speakers. Today, I’m looking at the Cambridge Audio Minx Go, a portable Bluetooth speaker with 18 hours of advertised battery life and a $149 price tag. It’s bigger than cheaper competitors like the Jawbone Jambox, but it’s got plenty more juice, too, and Cambridge’s high-quality pedigree.

• Bluetooth
• 3.5mm input
• Built-in digital signal processing
• USB charging port for phones and devices
• 18 hours battery life
• MSRP: $149
• Product info page

Cambridge is sticking to a common design language with its Minx line of wireless speakers, and the Minx Go resembles its older sibling the Minx Air almost exactly, but shrunk down to about a quarter of the size. That still makes it larger than the comparably priced (though more expensive) Jawbone Jambox, arguably the most recognizable competitor in this category.

The size is still fairly portable, however, and the same design principles that give the Minx Air 200 such room-filling sound are at work here, too. The arc of the front grille projects sound out, and the narrow base is supplemented by a small, extendable foot that keeps it upright. It can do without, as well, in my experience, but those wary of the thing toppling off a deck railing will want the foot.

As far as Bluetooth speakers go, the Minx Go is pretty barebones. It connects to your smartphone, tablet or computer via Bluetooth, and streams audio from that source (or from a hardwire connection via the 3.5mm jack). The device itself features a volume up, volume down and power button for controlling music, without any kind of back/forward or play/pause features like you might find elsewhere. It’s simplicity defined.

Simplicity is nice in terms of offering a straightforward user experience, but competitors like the Jambox offer speakerphone capabilities, and remote control is nice if the speaker is more portable than your source, for instance. Plus with gadgets like the Boombot Rex, which I also just reviewed, that speaker function is very useful, especially when hanging out lakeside.

One very nice feature is the USB charging port, however, which unfortunately only works for pass-through charging when the AC adapter is plugged in. The Minx Go also charges very quickly, topping up completely in just two hours.

The battery is the real star for features: 18 hours of advertised battery life isn’t an extreme exaggeration. I’ve used the Go extensively, and have charged it only twice during that time. It’s been a cottage companion, and a daily work soundtrack provider, and it goes so long you forget it isn’t plugged in. Truly a category leader in this regard.

Battery is impressive, as mentioned, but audio performance is also obviously important in a Bluetooth speaker. And in my experience, the Cambridge is one of the top contenders in that area. Cambridge has a long pedigree of building high quality audio products, and the Go is no exception. It delivers plenty of clarity at even high volumes, along with impressive bass performance from such a small package.

At least one other review I’ve read suggested that the bass performance on the Minx Go led to undue case rattle and distortion, but I haven’t found that at all with my unit. To the contrary, the bass remains strong and clear at even high volumes, which is in contrast with more muddy speakers like the otherwise excellent Big Jambox. The Cambridge at $149 rivals many AirPlay speakers that cost $200 and up, in my opinion, which is all the more impressive since it’s primarily using Bluetooth as its source.

Cambridge’s Minx Go is a new bright spot in the portable wireless speaker category, and the battery life along paired with the relatively low price tag should turn a lot of heads. If you don’t mind missing a few bells and whistles like a speakerphone function, this is the Bluetooth speaker I’m recommend, for summer adventures and beyond.

When it comes to portable speakers, I guess you can say that this particular segment of the market has grown tremendously over the years simply because of a greater degree of mobile device adoption among the masses, not to mention better battery technology which naturally results in superior battery life, in addition to the advancement and proliferation of Bluetooth capability embedded in just about every modern day mobile device like smartphones and tablets. Having said that, the portable wireless speakers of today are what boomboxes were to a previous, bygone era, and Cambridge Audio intends to usher in a new reign of such portable wireless speakers by announcing the availability of the Minx Go.

The Minx Go is a high performance, portable Bluetooth speaker that is capable of delivering deeply expansive, crystal clear audio. Similar to other Cambridge Audio product, the Minx Go will carry the company’s design DNA thanks to their design team who are based in London. The Minx Go will come acoustically loaded with an array of five premium quality speakers as well as the latest Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology, ensuring that your ears will always be treated to massive power at all times, without taking up too much space no matter where you are. What would most probably be the most impressive feat of the Minx Go would be the amount of detailed bass that it is capable of pumping out, and this is made possible thanks to the Bass Radiator that has been neatly integrated into the rear panel.

Just how long can the Minx Go last? Well, it boasts a battery life of up to 18 hours, which is lengthy enough for an entire day out, even stretching into the wee hours of the night. From a flat battery, it takes just a couple of hours to juice up fully, and while it is being recharged, it will even allow you to charge a tablet or phone thanks to the integrated USB charging port. You will be able to choose from high gloss black or white colors for the $149 Minx Go.

Press Release
[ Cambridge Audio announces Minx Go copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Does the world need another AirPlay speaker? Cambridge Audio thinks so, and the new Minx series of streaming media players is the result: the Minx Air 100, on the SlashGear test bench today, and its doubly-powerful Air 200 sibling. It’s not hard to see where Cambridge Audio got their style inspiration from for the Air 100, either: it looks a whole lot like a Sonos PLAY:3, though the functionality is different. Rather than focus on multi-room use, the Air 100 instead positions itself as an individual hub for all gadgets musical, whether that’s AirPlay, Bluetooth, internet radio, or something more old-school. Read on for our full review.

Hardware

Happily, while the Air 100 looks like a Sonos, it also has similarly high build quality. The speaker grill covers the entire bowed fascia, though the Air 100 does offer more on-device controls and connections than its Sonos counterpart. Up top there’s power and volume keys, along with buttons to switch between Bluetooth and aux-in sources, as well as five preset keys for internet radio stations. If you’ve ever been frustrated by having to reach for your phone or tablet to manage a Sonos stream, the direct controls on the Air 100 could save you some time.

On the back, there’s an AC power input, bass control knob to adjust the lower frequencies, a WPS button for easier pairing with compatible routers, an ethernet port, “service port” that Cambridge Audio warns shouldn’t be used by owners, a 3.5mm aux-in port, and L/R RCA inputs for a CD player or other analog source. The Air 100 comes with a compact remote which can be used to tweak volume and bass, as well as flip between sources and up to ten internet radio presets.

Inside there’s a 100W amplifier and two 4-inch balanced mode radiator drivers, along with a WiFi b/g radio and Bluetooth. The Air 100 also supports Apple’s AirPlay, for direct streaming from iPads, iPods, and Macs/PCs running iTunes, while the Bluetooth aptX, SBC, and AAC codecs are supported for higher-quality streaming from other phones and tablets.

What you don’t get is any sort of docking station. There’s no way to physically connect your iPhone or iPad to the Air 100 to recharge it, though that does mean that there’s no messing with different 30-pin/Lightning dock connector plates and cradle adapters.

Usability

The Sonos-esque looks are deceiving. There’s no grouped playback support from the Air 100; unlike, say, a collection of PLAY:3 units, you can’t hook them all together and syncronize playback of a single track. Instead, each Air 100 is controlled in turn, either from the local buttons, the bundled remote (which is on the flimsy side, but functional), or the free iPad, iPhone, and Android apps.

Setup is straightforward, initially requiring you to connect your computer to a WiFi network hosted by the Air 100 to access its browser-based settings page and punch in your usual wireless network credentials. Then, you can access it via its IP address from any browser on the network; alternatively, you can go for a wired ethernet connection direct to your router, or hit the WPS button if your router supports it.

Cambridge Audio stores ten default internet radio presets to get you going, but changing them is a matter of opening up the MinxAir app on your phone or tablet and browsing through the list. Stations are sorted by location or genre, or you can search, and there’s a list of recently played streams along with shortcuts to your phone’s music app and Shazam, the app that identifies what’s playing by its musical fingerprint. If you’ve a Spotify account then you can stream tracks from that, too.

It doesn’t have to be internet music sources, however. Hit the Bluetooth button and the Air 100 automatically goes into pairing model; then it’s just a case of choosing the speaker from the list on your mobile device, and then starting playback. AirPlay works in a similar way, with the Minx speaker showing up as an AirPlay device from the menu in iOS or iTunes. We were quickly able to funnel music over to it from an iMac and then from an iPad mini.

Finally, there’s the analog options. If your media player doesn’t have Bluetooth, then you can hook it up to the 3.5mm input with a regular cable; the RCA inputs are ideal for a set-top box or CD player. Pressing the analog button switches over to those sources, though the Air 100 will automatically flick over to AirPlay or Bluetooth if those connections become active.

Performance

There’s a surprising amount of sound that comes out of the Air 100, given its 13.9 x 7.2 x 4.6 inch dimensions. Cambridge Audio calls its speaker technology “Balanced Mode Radiator” (BMR) but the important thing is that there’s an impressively broad soundstage during playback, though as with all single-box options the Air 100 lacks in stereo separation.

You don’t get an active subwoofer (and there’s no support for plugging in an external sub), with the carry-handle doubling as the passive bass output. Still, with some judicious tweaking of the bass knob we were able to coax low level sounds out that matched what the mids and trebles were doing, and comfortably fill a room with music without encountering distortion. Up next to a PLAY:3 we noticed a lack of the top-end sparkle that the Sonos achieves with its dedicated tweeter, but the Air 100 managed a healthy mid section with some nice stabs of bass along the way.

Wrap-up

At £329, the Minx Air 100 finds itself more expensive than the £259 PLAY:3 but competitive against other AirPlay speakers. In the case of the Sonos, you trade the potential for multi-room support and the slickness of Sonos’ remote experience for Bluetooth and native AirPlay support (though it’s worth noting that Sonos enabled direct playback of local iOS music with a late-2012 controller app update). The PLAY:3 also lacks the analog inputs; you need to step up to the £349 PLAY:5 if you want that.

Against something like the Libratone Zipp (£329), however, the Air 100 looks very solid indeed. It lacks the battery support of the Zipp, but makes up for it by throwing in Bluetooth. That makes the Cambridge Audio speaker a lot more interesting for cross-platform users, who aren’t entirely committed to Apple. The Air 100 js also more powerful and delivers a more fulsome sound than the smaller Zipp.

Yes, we’d still head straight to Sonos if we had any ambitions to outfit multiple areas of a house with music, but for bringing audio to a single location – whether kitchen, bedroom, or office – the Minx speaker covers all the bases in a convenient way. The physical controls make it user-friendly for those uninterested in digging into a smartphone app, while the iOS and Android app compatibility, as well as the presence of Bluetooth, suits it to a platform-agnostic household. It’s that versatility which gives the Air 100 the edge over other AirPlay systems.

Cambridge Audio Minx Air 100 Review is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
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