Cambridge Azur 851N NETWORK PLAYER / DAC / Preamplifier
The pinnacle of performance for digital signals and streams, the 851N is the ultimate network player. Features include upsampling to 24-bit/384kHz from all sources, native playback of 24-bit/192kHz, USB digital audio inputs and streaming over Wi-Fi, for example from UPnP or NAS drives, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay and DSD.
BEAUTIFUL SOUND
The 851N can stream almost any file and its internal engine will bring it to life. All songs first go through our 2nd generation Adaptive Time Filtering system. This upsamples all files to 24-bit/384kHz hi-res quality, no matter what the source the song originally came from. The result is virtually no jitter and your music sounds amazing. Find out more about our proprietary ATF upsampling technology here .
After upsampling, the data is then passed through the dual Analog Devices DACs (very high-quality digital-to-analog converters), which are used in dual differential configuration, meaning each channel has its own DAC. The result is a lifelike stereo sound image: you can hear the individual instruments with astonishing accuracy in specific areas of your room.
DIGITAL PRE-STAGE
As well as being an excellent network player, the 851N is also an outstanding digital preamplifier that can be connected directly to power amplifiers and conventional integrated amplifiers. By keeping the signal digital until the last moment, it is much less susceptible to degradation at the analog level, while a 32-bit SHARC DSP controls the output volume. So, because the entire signal remains digital, the best possible sound is achieved, even at the lowest volume levels.
VERSATILE CONNECTION OPTIONS
The 851N will take virtually any digital file from virtually any source imaginable and play it back to the highest possible standard, so you can enjoy any digital audio source on your hi-fi system. Wireless options include NAS drive/UPnP compatibility, Internet radio, Spotify Connect and Apple Airplay. If you complement the 851N with an optional BT100 Bluetooth dongle, you can also connect any Bluetooth device.
The components of digital sources such as TVs, smartphones, PCs or MACs can be connected via optical, coaxial, AES/EBU and asynchronous USB audio digital inputs. Music files are supported in all common formats, from MP3 to FLAC/Apple Lossless, DSD64 and WAV master files with 16 to 24 bits.