DENON DN-C640 Network CD-Player

Introducing the Denon DN-C640, a fully specified Network Audio/CD player for use in all broadcast, installation and professional audio environments. The DN-C640 is a 1U rack-mount unit featuring a slot-load CD/DVD drive, able to read CDA, MP3, WMA, MP2 and PCM .wav files from CD or DVD media. It is also equipped with an inbuilt LAN port offering complete access to network audio files and remote control via a web based GUI.

With balanced, unbalanced, SP-DIF and AES outputs, an RS 232 port, an IR receiver and a parallel remote port, the DN-C640 fits into any and all pro audio environments requiring the playing of CD and the versatility of network audio selection, locally or remotely. Additionally the use of DVD media and compressed audio files can result in days of playback accommodating the most demanding of users.

The product is completed with a high visibility, fully featured fluorescent display and large backlit transport controls.

•  Supports CD-DA (.cda), WAVE (.wav), MPEG-1/2 Layer III (.mp3), MPEG-1

•  Layer II (.mpg), Windows Media Audio (.wma)     

•  Slot in CD/DVD drive    

•   +/- 12% Pitch Control    

•   Quick Replay Feature    

•  End Monitor and User-selectable Finish Mode Features    

•  Cue to Music (with dedicated button)    

•  Program Play    

•  Balanced Audio Output    

•  Reads CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, and DVD+R/RW discs    

•  1U/1HE Rackmount Size
  

Key to the audiophile performance offered by the CXC CD transport is our S3 servo solution. The vast majority of optical drives in use today are designed with computers in mind. While they can read all manner of disc media, they lack the precision and finesse of a dedicated audio drive. To address this, we have written our own software to precisely control the driveʼs laser and motor assembly.

The CXC is simplicity itself to setup and use, because we handle digital to analogue conversion in our amplifiers. Thereʼs a good reason behind this philosophy. Maintaining the audio signal in the digital domain for as long as possible minimises potential analogue signal degradation. Our CXC transport has one job to do and it does it very well indeed.

Our proprietary Cambridge S3 servo solution effectively turns a universal disc drive into a dedicated CD spinner; it can calibrate and monitor the speed of the disc, holding it steady and constant. By managing where the laser head is and what itʼs reading, as well as maximising error correction, we can get the maximum amount of clean data off the disc as possible, with the minimum jitter.

The CXC utilises a low-resonance acoustically damped metal chassis, with an ultra-clean low noise power supply. Beneath the hood, our PCB design employs double-sided surface mount technology, which eliminates wire links and ensures an ultra short signal path, thereby reducing signal deterioration.

Cambridge C-BUS connection means that one remote can be used to power on and off both CXC and CXA in sync.

• Digital audio outputs:S/PDIF coaxial and TOSLINK optical
• S/PDIF output impedance:

The CXN is our fastest, slickest network player yet, and this is helped by the processing power of our bespoke new Cambridge Connect app. The app, which offers a new menu system plus a more graphical and intuitive interface, locates uPnP servers on your network, makes sense of the folder structure and lists content metadata, all without skipping a beat.

The CXN also supports C-BUS control, allowing power and volume to be controlled via the Cambridge Connect app. The CXN can be employed as a digital pre-amplifier, with volume control performed by the Sharc DSP; for maximum quality, this resamples at every volume step. Thereʼs also asychronous USB (24-bit/192kHz resolution) with DSD64 playback support. Using the app to find the track you want to play, not the player, results in a faster, more satisfying user experience. We believe this switcheroo is ingenious. Before, our streaming module would have to go find the uPnP servers and serve up the file structure back to the app - a relatively slow process. In the CXN ecosystem, your smartphone or tablet app handles all the browsing, searching and finding.

Naturally file playback support is wide, with all popular codecs and wrappers supported, including WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, MP3, HE AAC and AAC+ OGG Vorbis. UPnP media playback is joined by AirPlay, Spotify Connect and Internet radio.

Just as with other components in the CX series, the CXN features a low-resonance, acoustically dampened chassis, allied to a high quality power supply - and for the first time on a Cambridge network player, thereʼs also a high resolution, full colour TFT display, which compliments the browsing experience on the Cambridge Connect app.

With the CXN, weʼve been able to unlock more of our extremely powerful Zander audio streaming module. Incredibly, itʼs currently utilising only about 20 per cent of its potential. Expect firmware updates to unlock more features and functionality over time.

The two Wolfson WM8740 DACs within the CXN are used in a dual differential mode. Put simply, this means we use one stereo DAC per channel. Not only does this give us terrific stereo separation, but also enables us to multiply up and convert at 24-bit 384kHz (2 x192Khz) per channel. Why do we use Wolfson WM8740 DACs? Because they sound great, of course!

The CXN employs Cambridge Audioʼs proprietary 2nd Generation Adaptive Time Filtering (ATF2) upsampling technology, which is implemented in the CXNʼs Analog Devices Sharc DSP. Traditionally, upsampling algortithms consider two bits of data then draw a line between; our ATF technology considers both the data and its overall shape, then interpolates where itʼll best fit the waveform. We believe this is a more accurate, realistic way of handling audio upsampling, and results in a more convincing soundstage.

If you want to use the CXN with a Bluetooth source, we offer an optional BT100 audio receiver.

From the ground up, this is an audiophile Bluetooth device. All the coding for the BT100, from the XMOS interface to the aptX implementation, is done in-house. We even include an extension cable which enables you get the best Bluetooth range.

• DACDual Wolfson WM8740 24-bit DACs
• Digital filter2nd Generation ATF2 up-sampling to 24-bit/384kHz
• Analogue filter2-Pole Dual Differential Bessel
• USB Audio InputUSB Type B conforms to USB Audio profile 1.0 or 2.0 (user selectable) and DSD via USB
• Digital audio inputsS/PDIF Coaxial and TOSLINK Optical
• Analogue audio outputsBalanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analogue
• Digital audio outputsS/PDIF Coaxial and TOSLINK Optical
• CompatibilityUPnP, Local USB media, USB audio 1.0 and 2.0, S/PDIF Toslink and Coaxial, Airplay, BT100 Bluetooth receiver (not supplied), Internet radio, Spotify Connect
• Audio formatsALAC, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, WMA, MP3, AAC, HE AAC, AAC+, OGG Vorbis
• Max power consumption30W
• Standby power consumption0.5W
• Dimensions (H x W x D)maximum including sockets and controls: 85 x 430 x 305mm (3.4 x 16.9 x 12.2“)
• Weight3.5Kg (7.7lbs)

Key to the audiophile performance offered by the CXC CD transport is our S3 servo solution. The vast majority of optical drives in use today are designed with computers in mind. While they can read all manner of disc media, they lack the precision and finesse of a dedicated audio drive. To address this, we have written our own software to precisely control the driveʼs laser and motor assembly.

The CXC is simplicity itself to setup and use, because we handle digital to analogue conversion in our amplifiers. Thereʼs a good reason behind this philosophy. Maintaining the audio signal in the digital domain for as long as possible minimises potential analogue signal degradation. Our CXC transport has one job to do and it does it very well indeed.

Our proprietary Cambridge S3 servo solution effectively turns a universal disc drive into a dedicated CD spinner; it can calibrate and monitor the speed of the disc, holding it steady and constant. By managing where the laser head is and what itʼs reading, as well as maximising error correction, we can get the maximum amount of clean data off the disc as possible, with the minimum jitter.

The CXC utilises a low-resonance acoustically damped metal chassis, with an ultra-clean low noise power supply. Beneath the hood, our PCB design employs double-sided surface mount technology, which eliminates wire links and ensures an ultra short signal path, thereby reducing signal deterioration.

Cambridge C-BUS connection means that one remote can be used to power on and off both CXC and CXA in sync.

• Digital audio outputs:S/PDIF coaxial and TOSLINK optical
• S/PDIF output impedance: