Audiophilepure

Connecting the NAD M66 was similar to the experience of connecting my usual home theater setup, just with fewer output channels and HDMI connections. The NAD M66 can be configured via the touch screen on the front panel, but I opted for configuration via the BluOS iPad app. For viewing, I connected my LG smart TV via the HDMI eARC connection and used the internal LG apps for YouTube TV, Apple TV, Apple Music, and other video streaming services. I selected Roon for the second input, a local radio station for input 3, and my turntable connected via the balanced analog inputs for input #4. Because my turntable is about ten feet away from the rest of my system, I did not use the M66’s phono inputs, instead using the balanced outputs of my Musical Fidelity M1ViNL due to the somewhat long cable run.

While the FX-Audio L07 and DS07 both appeared to me to be designed predominantly for desktop installations, I don’t really have a dedicated desktop setup in my home that receives any consistent use. So I took the acid-test approach and inserted them both into my usual digital source system that features a pair of KLH Model Five loudspeakers that are occasionally interchanged with the  Magneplanar LRS panels, a pair of Vera-Fi Audio Caldera 10 subwoofers, a Naiu Labs Ella power amplifier, PS Audio’s Gain Cell preamplifier, an Aurender A1000 music server/DAC/streamer, and an S.M.S.L VMV D2R DAC. With cables and power conditioning, the system tops out at over $30k; you can click on my name in the header above to see the full contents of both audio systems in my suite of dedicated upstairs rooms. With the combined MSRP of $398 for the FX-Audio equipment, the L07 and DS07 inserted in that setup accounted for one one-hundredth of one percent of the total system value. If this equipment came from anyone other than Mark Schifter, I’d think my approach to this evaluation was completely nuts!

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/cambridge-audio-exa100

Taken across their prodigious functionality, superb sound quality and utterly hassle-free interfaces, there really isn’t very much at the price that can do as much as the EX units or as well as they can and, if you feel that they might be overkill as a pair, the good news is that they are no less effective individually. Cambridge Audio’s exceptional run of form continues unabated and these EX models might just be its strongest showing yet

At the heart of the device, you’ll find the AKM AK4493S DAC chip, supported by an XMOS XU316 USB processor, and a dual op-amp configuration—OPA1612 and NE5532DR. A setup designed to deliver reliable digital-to-analog conversion, compatible with a broad range of sources and formats.

What’s interesting though, is the fact that those DIP8 op-amp are now swappable, allowing you tot put much stronger solutions, like the one from Burson for example.

Upstream, the XMOS XU316 controller allows the Q6 to support high-resolution PCM streams up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 via USB, while optical and coaxial connections remain capped at 32bit/192kHz—pretty much covering any need you might have for home or office audio.

For the analog section, the brand selected a classic duo too, combining the OPA1612 and NE5532DR to maintain a wide channel separation, while keeping the noise low.

Numbers? Signal-to-noise ratio is rated at 121dB, with a quoted THD as low as 0.00012 – pretty good number for a $100 DAC, beating the SK02 to its own game!