Bypassing your PC’s audio circuitry for the 24-bit/96kHz DACs in Cambridge Audio’s Sonata Network Music Player improves the sound quality of any computer-based music library and, with high resolution FLAC, WAV and PCM encodings, delivers a better-than-CD-quality level of performance.
Connected wirelessly or via Ethernet to a home network via the UPnP standard (universal plug and play), the NP30 provides entrée to the tunes on your PC, notebook or NAS drive and, with the UuVol app (above) downloaded to an iPhone or iPod Touch, access to more than 20,000 internet radio stations and podcasts.
Navigation and control of the available content is via the same app on your iDevice, or the front panel display on the NP30.
The Sonata NP30 needs to mate with an amplifier component and speakers, with Cambridge Audio recommending its Sonata DR30+ 2.1 FM/DAB+ receiver system for the job.
Both components cost $699 and are available in black or silver finishes.
Out of curiosity, what is best, ethernet or wireless? Is there a significant difference in speed etc? And is there a maximum length an ethernet cable shouldn’t exceed?