Cambridge Audio brings Qobuz Connect to its streamers

Just a few months ago another firmware update had given users of the affected hardware the ability to access Spotify Connect and TIDAL Connect content. On a practical level, this means that it is possible to stream music by establishing a direct connection between the server and the network player, thus without the need for additional hardware. In this context, the app (Qobuz in this case) merely plays the role of a controller, that is, a kind of remote control that does not enter the signal path in any way. Previously, for those using a smart device, accessing content from Qobuz or any other streaming service required connection via Bluetooth, AirPlay or Chromecast in order to transmit the signal from the smartphone (or tablet) to a compatible device. However, such a solution implies limitations that are as qualitative as they are practical, such as the smart device’s battery running out or even a simple notification from social media causing the playback to stop.

Why is the news of Cambridge Audio’s firmware update interesting? Because the list of affected models includes:

• • StreamMagic 6 V2 (September 2014);
  • CXN (January 2015);
  • CXR120 and CXR200 AV (January 2015);
  • Azur 851N (February 2015);
  • CXN V2 (January 2018);
  • Edge NQ (June 2018).

These are rather dated models, some of them more than a decade old, and they can be upgraded by virtue of the fact that they are based on a proprietary platform that Cambridge Audio can manage as it pleases. In our industry, in the streaming industry in particular, ten years is a very long time. Suffice it to say that in 2014 Tidal had just been founded, that the older Qobuz (2007) operated only in France, and that Spotify Connect (2013) was already working but only in lossy mode (and so would continue for a very long time).

Without wishing to bring up the catastrophic stories regarding the 2024 SONOS upgrades, or the divestment of BOSE’s SoundTech platform, there is no doubt that one of the fears that keep some enthusiasts away from streaming audio is related to the durability of the services and the obsolescence of the products that these services are supposed to use. Cambridge Audio’s virtuous example could perhaps serve to build more confidence among those enthusiasts who only consider physical media such as CDs, SACDs, and vinyl.

Giulio Salvioni