Cocktail audio
Revolutionary HiFi Audio System with all in One CD Storage
Smart HD Music Server, Network Streamer, NAS & much more
Cocktail Audio Pro X100
Cocktail Audio BF11 - Wi Fi, Bluetooth & AUX
Cocktail Audio Mini X9
‘Cocktail Audio’В is where media streamers meet HiFi components in a seamless manner.
Our focal points are onВ great sound, brilliance, integration, balance, upgradability, build, coupled with ease of use.
The cocktail Audio devices are excellent component with a high resolution playback that produces excellent sound. Revive old cassettes & LP collection back to life using our simplest tool like the mini X-9.
152-178 Kingston Road
New Malden, Surrey KT3 3ST
Sales : +44 (0)208 942 7575
Tel: +44 (0)208 942 01 11
Secure online shopping - accepted payments:
Cocktail Audioв„ў is a Registered Trademark
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Cocktail audio
and Apple App Store. Enjoy it for X12, X30, X40, X50,
N15, N15D and X35
X35 models to support MQA playback soon .
● 200Watts Class D amplifier built-in
● DSD is supported
for audiophiles who have already external DAC and Amplifier
● High quality USB Audio Class 2.0 Output
● I²S Out x 2(HDMI, RJ45)
● Full aluminum chassis with CNC cutting
● High performance USB DAC(Digital to Analog Converter)
● 2.5" HDD or SSD storage deck is ready
● Native DSD file playback
● 'Roon Ready' is supported
Server and more
● ES9018K2M Sabre³² Reference DAC built-in
● 5" TFT LCD on the front
● Native DSD file direct playback
● Phono Input for connecting turntable directly
CD Ripper and more
● 100Watts Class D amplifier built-in
● Recording with max 192Khz sampling rate
● 60Watts Class D amplifier built-in
● Supports Online Music Services like TIDAL, Deezer,
Cocktail audio
Premium DSD DXD Audio DAC featuring native DSD file direct playback,
Music Server with database, CD Ripper, Network Streamer
• Playback of DSD64 (2.8224MHz), DSD128 (5.6448MHz), DXD (24bit/352.8KHz), PCM signal up to 32bit/384KHz including
24bit/192KHz WAV/FLAC and full range of hi-res audio file formats
• ES9018K2M Sabre³² Reference DAC built-in
• XMOS 32Bit/500MIPS digital signal processing unit
• Phono INPUT (Moving Magnet) for turntable
• Load your vinyl and cassette tape collections to the X40 in 192kHz sample rate
• Music Streaming Services like Qobuz, Simfy and Internet Radio.
• UPnP Media Server & Renderer for streaming playback and control remotely via network.
• 5 inch full color TFT LCD for intuitive GUI
• HDMI Out connector for using an external screen like TV as its GUI screen
• Supports up to 3.5" SATA hard disk 4TB, 2.5" hard disk and SSD
• Toroidal transformer minimizing idle noise
• FM Radio Tuner built-in
• Recording with hi-res 24bit/192KHz sample rate
• Provides the customized Web Interface(WebUI) for remote control and MusicDB management
• Works with various free apps available at app stores
• Rugged chassis construction with 12mm thickness aluminum front
• Versatile software functionalities
Store DSD files in the X40 storage and just play it with the X40 directly.
The power supply features toroidal transformer minimazing idle noise.
The high quality analog out terminal guarantees lossless singal transmission.
Enjoy ultra high quality sound via Analog Out and Headphone Out of the X40
· Unbalanced RCA, L/R, Pre-Out, Dynamic Range: -120dB THD+N (Max 2Vrms, Stereo), 127dB DNR
· Balanced AES/EBU XLR, L/R, Pre-Out, Dynamic Range:-120dB THD+N (Max 4.5Vrms, Stereo), 127dB DNR
in Hi-Res digital audio file
Load your vinyl and cassette tape collections to the X40 in 192KHz
sample rate and even edit them after recording
Connect turntable to the X40 Phono IN directly to play or record. Load your vinyl collections to the X40 in 192KHz, 96KHz or 48KHz sample rate and even edit them after recording
external screen as GUI screen
Connect to your TV to view bigger GUI or a slideshow of photos while listening to your tracks
Connect external big screen through HDMI out
Front panel is based on 12mm thickness aluminum by CNC cutting. Volume knob and button are all aluminum by CNC cutting
Cocktail Audio X30 review
The Cocktail Audio X30 is a great idea: a high-res streamer, server, CD player and digital amplifier all wrapped up in one box.
It can also stream songs from your smartphone or tablet, play internet and FM radio, and record tunes at the press of a button. Just add speakers.
Ripping CDs
Cocktail Audio X30
The first thing you’re going to do with the Cocktail Audio (after turning it on and admiring that bright blue cocktail logo on the display screen) is rip all your CDs.
The X30’s main aim is to store your CD collection in one place, and it does so seamlessly. Ripping a CD is fast and quiet (unlike on the smaller X10), plus you can listen to stored music while ripping.
You can also select individual tracks to rip, instead of the entire CD, rename tracks and create playlists. It's swift and easy to customise each album or track with the bulky but useful remote control at hand.
You’ll also need to be connected to the internet to get all the metadata on a CD, so make sure the X30 is always online.
It’s worth noting that you can’t play the CD itself while ripping it, and you can’t change tracks or start playing a track (if you aren’t already) when in the ripping status screen.
You can’t return to the menus, either, but you can at least change the volume. It’s an irritation, but you can solve the problem by having an album or playlist queued up when ripping CDs in bulk.
Cocktail Audio X30
Connect the X30 to your home network, via either wired ethernet or the supplied wireless dongle, and the X30 turns into a streaming machine.
If you already have music files stored on a NAS device you’re in luck. The X30 will stream from connected NAS devices (via the Browser folder), as well as from any other DLNA-compatible smartphone or tablet.
It sounds like a wonderfully versatile system (and it is), but it’s tricky to actually get streaming. There’s no dedicated app, so Cocktail Audio suggests a variety of generic third-party apps, none of which worked well enough for us.
It requires much patience and many false starts, and can be a frustrating experience.
We hope Cocktail Audio develops its own app, but in the meantime, we’re sticking with hard-wiring our smart devices to the unit’s 3.5mm input for convenience.
The network connection is also crucial for streaming the X30’s internet radio service, which offers a multitude of stations you can scroll through according to country or genre.
Sound quality takes a predictable dip in quality compared with ripped CD tracks, but it retains the same tonal characteristics.
Format support
Cocktail Audio X30
The Cocktail Audio X30 supports most popular audio formats, from compressed MP3s to high-resolution WAV and FLAC files up to 24-bit/192kHz. Other formats include AAC, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WMA; DSD support is still pending.
Also, before you start ripping CDs, you can choose the type and quality of file you want them stored as, as well as the bitrate for the MP3s and also a ripping speed.
A rule of thumb, fast ripping speed equals lower-quality resolution. Since the X30 is pretty swift at ripping CDs no matter what the speed set, we’d always aim for the highest quality setting with WAV.
We wouldn’t compress files into MP3s, as not only does the audio quality suffer, but the X30’s storage options are large enough anyway to store hundreds of CDs.
From a 500GB to 2TB hard drive, or up to a 500GB solid-state drive, there’s a huge amount of storage on offer.
Our review sample’s 2TB hard drive can reportedly store around 2600 CDs, or 5200 FLAC files, or 20,000 MP3 files in 320k. That’s a lot.
More after the break
Recording feature and user interface
Cocktail Audio X30
One nifty feature of the X30 that’s rarely seen on other streamers or servers is the recording feature.
You can record from internet radio, your smartphone-stored tracks and even from your vinyl records to fully digitise your entire collection.
It records instantly at the press of a button on the remote, and is automatically saved in the Browser menu.
With all its features and options, the Cocktail Audio X30 could easily be the most convoluted and frustrating piece of equipment to operate.
But we were relieved and surprised to find that it is fairly straightforward – after a quick perusal of the manual, of course.
The menus and controls are responsive and easy to navigate, with only minor hiccups such as lag in operation.
We like the large 5in colour interface on the front panel. While it’s not as sophisticated as some, the display is nevertheless easy to read from a distance.
It’s not a particularly high-res screen (800 x 480 pixels) but the writing and artwork are displayed clearly.
The remote control is a big and bulky affair that has a button for nearly every feature of the X30. Instead of fiddling with the control knob and buttons on the front panel, the remote lets you rip CDs or record songs with a single button press.
It may look dated, but it gets the job done.
Cocktail Audio X30
The X30 houses a 50W per channel amplifier under its sturdy metal chassis, with a decent spread of digital and analogue connections.
The coaxial and digital connections (input and output) all support files up to 24-bit/192kHz, as does the AES/EBU output.
A pair of line-level outputs is available if you want to connect an existing amplifier to the streamer, while three USB ports (two at the back, one in front) are there for playing high-resolution files or for attaching the included wireless dongle.
Speaker terminals, line-level inputs, an FM radio tuner (the antenna is included), and an ethernet port can also be found on the back panel.
On the front panel, there’s a 3.5mm input for hard-wiring your smart device, and a 6.3mm headphone port.
Cocktail Audio X30
Now that all the features are dealt with, it’s time to tackle the Cocktail Audio X30’s most crucial function: sound.
And this is where its major flaw is exposed because, despite all its fancy features, the X30 isn’t really that interesting a listen.
There’s nothing unpleasant about the sound by any means – a decent amount of detail, punch and the ability to go loud is all on the cards here.
But there’s no real engagement beyond the surface detail; the X30 doesn’t seem able to dig out the subtleties of a song, and is content to deliver a superficial summary.
There’s impact and decent clarity, but the dynamics aren’t fluid, and the overall sound is rather one-dimensional.
Cocktail Audio X30
The Dead Weather’s intricately arranged 60 Feet Tall sounds flat and emotionless, with no build-up of tension in this brooding song. The X30 doesn’t time particularly well, either.
Eminem’s The Way I Am has a good amount of bite and attack, but we’d like a touch more precision and agility to get the full impact of that punchy rhythm.
High-res performance
High-res files have a touch more detail and openness to them. You can hear the rough edges of Lorde’s vocals on Royals (on a 24-bit/48kHz file), but there’s still a lack of dynamic subtlety to the track.
You’ll also need to turn up the volume quite high to get any real sense of punch and excitement.
If this review were based on the X30’s features set alone, then it would get a solid four stars.
Despite some operational hiccups, the sheer versatility of the X30 is impressive and clearly its biggest attraction.
Nothing else we’ve reviewed so far has come close to the combination of amp, streamer and server here offered by Cocktail Audio.
We’d be worried, though, about recommending this as your sole music system, as it simply doesn’t sound good enough. You’d be buying the X30 for its features, not for its sound quality
And for £1000, we could easily point you in the direction of far more exciting, involving and interesting hi-fi set ups.
I had not heard of Cocktail Audio before beginning work on this review, but my initial research into its X10 system piqued my interest. Cocktail Audio appears to be a subsidiary of Novatron, a Korean audio component company. The X10 system I reviewed was equipped with an internal 2TB hard drive and retails at $580. An extra $80 doubles the capacity to four terabytes. For reference, a 2TB drive will hold about 2,600 CDs stored in the uncompressed WAV format and approximately 30,000 CDs when compressed to 128k MP3 files.
Cocktail Audio describes the X10 as a HiFi Component & Music Streamer. CD Audio, LLC, the United States distributor, states that the X10 is "The Next Generation in CD Ripping." Both descriptions are accurate but do not fully describe the X10's capabilities. The X10 is a network audio player that has a slot-loading compact disc drive, an internal hard drive, and a 30-watt-per-channel stereo amplifier. All you have to add is a pair of speakers (it is designed for eight-ohm speakers), and you've got a complete digital music system that can play CDs, as well as locally stored music and network-streamed music files and Internet radio. That's a lot of functionality provided by the X10 for its $580 price point.
The price is not the only thing that is small about the X10. The device is also diminutive in size, measuring roughly seven inches wide, six inches deep, and four inches high. A 3.5-inch color LCD screen below the CD-loading slot dominates the glossy black front panel. A row of eight buttons on the top of the unit provides basic control functions, but the full-functioned remote is needed for full access to the X10's controls. Build quality seems to be a step above the mass-market mid-fi units that populate the big-box stores. The chassis' sides and top are made out of a fairly attractive matte-black plastic with silk-screened labeling on the top. The back panel is densely populated with numerous connectors, including spring-loaded speaker connections, two USB Type A and one USB Type B port, Ethernet, a Toslink audio output, and headphone and eighth-inch stereo jacks for line in and out. The rest of the small back panel is occupied by a power input for a cord that contains an inline power supply, a power switch, and a fan vent.
The included remote control is a fairly conventionally styled plastic unit with directional cursor buttons in the center. The buttons are small and not backlit, but they are clearly labeled. With regular use, it became apparent to me that their functionality had been well thought out.
CDs can be ripped into any of several formats chosen by the user. Those looking for maximum capacity can choose low-resolution MP3 files. Personally, I opted for FLAC, which offers full resolution with some space saving. The X10 system can handle audio files in the following formats: MP3, FLAC, WAV, WMA, M4A, AAC, OGG, PCM, M3U, and PLS, with resolutions up to 24-bit/96-kHz. The X10 can be connected to your network via the Ethernet port mentioned above or via an included WiFi antenna that plugs into one of the Type A USB ports. When connected to a network, the X10 can access Internet radio and the Simfy music streaming service (but not Spotify or Pandora), play music files from other servers on the network, or act as a server to other devices such as Sonos. The X10 is Samba- and UPnP-capable for network audio playback. A Web interface allows for control and editing of audio files and playlists when the X10 is connected to a network. Do not despair if you do cannot or simply do not want to connect the X10 to a network, as the USB ports allow for the import and export of audio files via external USB drives. The X10 even comes with the FreeDB database on CD (updates available) that can be loaded onto the unit so that the metadata can be accessed for CDs being ripped without an Internet connection.
In line with the X10's clock radio size, it has sleep and alarm functions, and the front display can even be configured to be an easily read clock.
The Hookup
The X10 is pretty much a standalone system, so my physical connections were limited to the speakers. I connected an Orb Audio Classic One speaker system. This system features a pair of passive, softball-sized spherical satellite speakers and a powered subwoofer. I used the included WiFi dongle to connect to my network and obtain Internet access, but you can easily use an Ethernet cable if you prefer.
The X10 comes with a setup wizard and a quick start guide that got me to ripping CDs onto the internal hard drive in just a few minutes. As I mentioned above, I selected the FLAC format for my ripped audio files.
When I added the X10 to my network, I inadvertently connected it to a secured portion of the network that had Internet access but could not access my main server. This made it frustrating to try to play music off my server: I could see that the X10 was on the network, but it could not access my server. Once I recognized the problem, which was no fault of the X10's, the fix was quick.
Click over to Page Two for Performance, The Downside, Comparison & Competition, and Conclusion.
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HTR Product Rating for Cocktail Audio X10 Music System
Disagree with our product rating? Email us and tell us why you think this product should receive a higher rating.
Cocktail audio
X10 is a perfect HI-FI audio system with a CD storage & a media streamer. X10 can play audio CDs like an ordinary CD player as well as having amazing features such as Hi-Fi CD storage with a database, music streamer, internet radio, networking, smart phone support & much more. Load all your CD collection onto X10, which gives you instant access to any or your repertoire.
X10 has a high speed frontal sliding optical drive with internal storage to load all your CD collection. X10 has a high quality 60W amplifier inside, which can deliver great sound through any HI-FI system or speakers. X10 only measures 18cm (w) X 14.7cm (d) X 9.8cm (h), small enough to fit into any space. Its simple design & high quality finish will make your living room more enjoyable.
How many audio CDs do you have? About 500 CDs, 1000CDs or more? Just load all your CDs onto the X10. Having uncluttered, you can now scroll your music collection on the X10 with a remote control. Rediscover your unplayed CD collection that had been kept away for years. How many CDs you can store and what memory capacity ?
WAV (uncompressed) - 650 CDs
MP3 compressed rate 128 k - 7,500 CDs
MP3 compressed rate 192 k - 5,000 CDs
MP3 compressed rate 320 k - 3,000 CDs
WAV (uncompressed) - 1,300 CDs
MP3 compressed rate 128 k - 15,000 CDs
MP3 compressed rate 192 k - 10,000 CDs
MP3 compressed rate 320 k - 6,000 CDs
WAV (uncompressed) - 2,600 CDs
MP3 compressed rate 128 k - 30,000 CDs
MP3 compressed rate 192 k - 20,000 CDs
MP3 compressed rate 320 k - 12,000 CDs
The remote control or a USB keyboard makes it easier to search your collection by title, artist, album or any matching string. Pressing the assigned key on the remote control & typing a few letters/characters, will display a list of matched data on the 3.5” full colour screen.
5. Your old collection of LP or cassettes !
X10 can be added to your network through the Ethernet (100Base-Tx/10Base-T) LAN or through WIFI. X10 supports SAMBA as well as UPnP (server/client). With the network connectivity, X10 can stream,playback & copy files from a remote computer to the hard drive (X10). Any shared folders on your computer can also be viewed on the X10 colour screen. Multiple X10's can also play or stream music from one source (X10 or another music streamer device).
(USB WiFi Dongle(Optional))
Enjoy internet radio – streaming media as well as dynamic internet radio in .PLS & .M3U formats.
Search for favourite stations by continent, country, genre & much more.
Add desired internet radio stations to a favourites list for easy access as well as record your favourite programs.
X10 provides SPDIF(Optical out), Line(AUX) in, Line out and loudspeaker connectors. Just connect X10 to an
amplifier with optical audio cable or a line-in cable. Enjoy
brilliant sound through any audio system. Hence X10 will act as an audio source.
9. USB Host Port of X10
Backup all the stored music onto an external source - storage devices, network drives or NAS devices.
1. Power : AC Adapter(24V/3.5A)
2. Loudspeaker connector : Loudspeaker
3. Headphone output : Headphone
4. Line out : Amplifier
5. Line-in(AUX-in) : 3.5mm Jack
6. USB host : USB devices
7. USB target : PC
8. Ethernet/RJ45 : LAN
9. Optical out : Decorder or Amplifier
10. Power Switch
UPnP Server/Client/Renderer and Samba Server/Client:
Supports streaming playback of music stored on various storage devices like PC, NAS and other network streamers.
В« Controlled by iPad/iPhone and
152-178 Kingston Road
New Malden, Surrey KT3 3ST
Sales : +44 (0)208 942 7575
Tel: +44 (0)208 942 01 11
Secure online shopping - accepted payments:
Cocktail Audioв„ў is a Registered Trademark
Performance
Powering up the X10 takes a little over a minute, which can seem like an extremely long time for those who are used to modern, solid-state stereo systems. Once the X10 is booted up, the home screen comes up, which has six icons arranged in two rows of three. The icons are Music DB, Playlist, iService, CD Player/Rip, Browser, and Setup. Using the directional keys on the remote, I selected the iService icon that contains the Internet radio services. The X10 can also be controlled by via Web browser, which I used with ease on both a laptop and iPad.
The X10 comes with the Reciva Internet radio platform and the Simfy service built in, which are located in the iService section. Simfy requires an account that I did not have set up, so I started with Reciva. Reciva is said to have over 20,000 Internet stations, which is easy to believe once you start exploring your listening options. Genres and geographical areas sort stations. I had no problems searching stations and finding lots of decent music to listen to. The X10 even allows recording of Internet radio, in case you find something new you would like to listen to again. If there is a particular radio show that you would like to hear, you can set the X10 to record it. This feature made me think of my father-in-law: there are a few radio shows that he loves, and this would let him listen to these shows (assuming they are on one of the 20,000-plus internet radio channels) without having to worry about any scheduling concerns.
Sound quality of the Reciva stations varied from downright terrible to comparable with a higher-resolution MP3 file, with most stations on the better side of the spectrum. Most of the stations I found myself listening to had audio quality that was more than passable for background or casual listening, even if not up to audiophile standards.
Ripping discs onto the X10 was painless. Insert the CD into the slot on the front panel, and select the CD Player/Rip icon to play the disc. Pressing the Rip button on the remote pulls up the Ripping Option window, which provides the available format options. I stayed with FLAC, which was pre-selected from my prior setup. The metadata window pops up from the FreeDB website. The data was generally okay, except the year comes up as 9999 and the genre needs to be filled in. Moving the cursor to select disc image results in a pop-up menu with the option to get the cover art from different sources, including local storage and Google. I used Google with success each time. Once the X10 is done ripping the disc, a message pops up letting you know that the rip was successful.
Listening to music--whether it's directly from a disc, from the internal hard drive, or from a UPnP-capable network drive--involves selecting the source, then searching for the music you want to hear. The X10 allows you to configure how the music information is sorted and displayed. Once the desired music is selected, it starts playing within a couple of seconds, and you can continue browsing your music collection to figure out what you want to listen to next.
This is the portion of the review where I typically discuss the nuances of the sound quality of the component. To be honest, the X10's sound quality is fine but not spectacular. What makes this product so interesting is that it is a self-contained CD-ripping device with built-in storage, streaming, and Internet radio capabilities. Those seeking an audiophile experience should utilize the optical digital audio output to feed the content to their favorite DAC-equipped stereo system.
The X10 also allows for the importing, copying, editing, and converting of music files. Playlists can be created on the unit via the remote or Web browser, and the browser interface makes it easier to see a larger portion of the available tracks or playlists. Manipulating the playlists was not as easy as with Sonos or JRemote, but hopefully this can be refined with future versions.
The X10's user interface is effective but not particularly intuitive. The development of a control app that can be run on your smartphone or tablet might be able to rectify this. Some tweaks to the user interface and a well-designed control app would make the X10 a lot more inviting.
While the X10 has network and Internet music capabilities, it does not have any of the popular streaming services, such as Pandora, Beats, or Spotify. These services can easily be incorporated via a smartphone or tablet, but that device will need to be connected through the auxiliary input, as there is no Bluetooth or AirPlay connectivity.
I know that the X10 is about convenience, ease of use, and affordability, not about audiophile sound quality; so, my sound-quality observations should be considered in that context. The non-defeatable EQ and 24/96 resolution limit may pose a legitimate concern if you are looking for an audiophile-grade digital music system, but they were not a limitation for casual listening. The X10's internal amplifier and DAC worked perfectly fine with easy-to-drive speakers and non-critical listening, but they have their limits, which need to be considered. While the X10 did a fine job driving the Orb Audio speakers, it struggled with the hard-to-drive B&W 805 Diamonds and the MartinLogan Summits. It did successfully drive an older pair of Canton Ergo desktop speakers. I tried the X10's line-level analog outputs as a source to my reference system, and bypassing the internal amplifier made a definite improvement in sound quality. The X10 was still limited by its internal DAC, which did not provide the detail or linearity provided by any of the standalone DACs I had on hand. I was able to circumvent this by using the digital output to feed my DAC. In short, the X10 has its sonic limitations as a standalone device, but you can raise the performance level by using it as a source and connecting it to an external system.
Comparison and Competition
The product lines with functionality similar to the X10 include Olive and ReQuest. Both the Olive and ReQuest current product lines appear to be more refined and capable, but they are also more expensive. It's worth noting that Cocktail Audio plans to release higher-end units (the X12, X30, and X40) that will provide more direct competition to the Olive and ReQuest products. The top-shelf X40 will support DSD64, DSD128, and DXD (24/352.8), as well as HD FLAC (24/192), HD WAV (24/192), and the normal WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, AIF, and AAC formats.
The X10 is a great way to listen to your CD collection without the hassle of actually having to use the physical discs or a computer. With the X10, you can quickly and easily import the music off of your discs or from another hard drive so that all of your music is stored on the pint-sized X10. With a little bit of use, I was able to quickly navigate my way through the X10 to find the music I wanted to play, whether it was on disc, the internal drive, somewhere on the network, or on Internet radio. The X10 has a wide array of options to edit metadata and manage your audio files, which also makes it not just a convenient standalone music system or source to a more ambitious system, but an easy way to get music off of your discs and onto hard drives that can then be used any way you would like.
All in all, the X10 makes it easy to load and listen to CDs. Simply add a pair of speakers, and you can be up and running a few minutes after opening the box. It would make a great self-contained bedroom or office system. If you are looking for more refined sound or have more difficult-to-drive speakers, the X10's digital output allows it serve as a source for the vast majority of available audio files. The fact that the X10 does this at such an affordable price makes it that much more attractive.
HTR Product Rating for Cocktail Audio X10 Music System
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Media Server Reviews
Cocktail Audio X30
Input: Ethernet, 1x Coax S/PDIF, 1x Toslink, analog RCA, analog 3.5mm, 3x USB for USSB storage, WiFI through optional USB dongle
Output: analog RCA line out, 1x Coax S/PDIF, AES/EBU, HDMI (video only), 2 pair speaker binding posts, 6.35mm headphone out
Dimensions: 435mm(W) x 325mm(D) x 98.5mm(H)
Availability: Online and through Authorized Dealers
Cocktail Audio is, to the best of my knowledge, a division of Novatron a Korean company specializing in the manufacture of "Multimedia Devices". I first came across the Cocktail Audio X30 at CES 2014 and I was intrigued by its all in oneness. The X30 incorporates a 50W digital amp, DAC, server, UPnP network player, and CD ripper all in one package. Just add speakers.
The computer inside the X30 sports an embedded 700Mhz MIPS processor, 4Gbit/DDR2/800Mhz Main Memory, and 4Gbit of Firmware Memory. The disk drive is a high speed optical disk drive capable of ripping an hour-long CD's worth of music in less than 10 minutes according to Cocktail Audio. The DAC and 50W digital amp are both from Texas Instruments, the former being the fairly ubiquitous Burr Brown TI PCM1792a capable of handling up to 24/192 data. The X30 supports APE/CUE, HD FLAC, HD WAV, MP3, FLAC, WAV, WMA, M4A, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, AIF, Ogg Vorbis, PCM, PLS, M3U, etc. file formats as well as gapless playback and Playlists. Internet Radio is provided via the free Reciva i-Radio service and the X30 also supports the Simfy streaming service. Additional streaming services are planned for the future.
The X30 can accept a single 2.5” SATA (up to 1TB), 3.5” SATA (up to 4TB), or SSD (2.5” SATA, up to 500GB) and buyers can opt to roll their own. The review unit came preloaded with a 500GB Seagate drive as well as boatload of music. Installation is simple and accomplished through a rear-mounted removable storage tray. Literally plug in and play. Also around back are most of the inputs and outputs as well as input for an FM antennae and IEC inlet for the included removable power cord.
The front of the X30 sports a nice big 5" TFT LCD (800x480 pixel), volume control, function control knob, four function buttons, headphone input, a single USB input, a 3.5mm analog input, and the slot load CD drive. The font panel consists of an 8mm thick slab of aluminum while the rest of body is your basic metal. That front panel comes in your choice of silver or black.
There's also an included remote which allows for a dizzying array of functions. Cocktail Audio also recommends ‘Eyecon’ for Android and ‘Sitecom media controller' for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod) for remote control which allows playback of internally stored media. I preferred the Creation 5 Pro app or Linn's Kinsky player since they allowed me to play back from both internal storage and my NAS.
You can rip your CDs to a number of formats including MP3 (yuck), Ogg, WAV (default), FLAC, and ALAC. I chose WAV and ripped a CD, Don Cherry's Art Deco (55:44) which took all of 9 minutes. You can elect to install the FreeDB database for metadata on your internal drive through the included CD or let the X30 use the internet-based service which obviously requires a network connection. There's a simple backup program included for backing up your internal storage to an external USB drive. Nice.
Playing back files from my NAS was simply a matter of going to the "Browser" menu on the font display using the function control knob, then selecting UPnP, and then my NAS. My NAS-based music library appeared pretty much immediately and played without a problem. Nice. Playing back music from internal storage was simply a matter of going to the "Music DB" menu and browsing away. There are three views for the TFT display when playing music; Cover and (Track) List (default), Music Info which show just the album info, and List Only which displays just the tracks. You can also scroll through these views by hitting the "Info" button on the remote.
There's also a built-in equalizer with various presets including Normal, Classical, Club, Concert Hall, Dance, Live, Party, and many more and you can also create your own eq. I went with Normal. The X30 is really chock full of features including the ability to record from Internet radio, set the recoding sample rate, play a CD directly without ripping, a Dynamic Range Compression Mode (default is "On" I turned it "Off"), and much more. For anyone interested in the full story, check out the X30 Manual.
It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
The Cocktail Audio X30 falls on the slightly dark and relaxed side of the sonic coin, similar to the recently reviewed Pro-Ject Stream Box RS (see review). You could point to the fact that they both employ the TI Burr-Brown PCM1792a DAC and I wouldn't argue the point but let's keep in mind we're also listening to a 50W integrated digital amp with the X30 as well. The amp drove my DeVore The Nines with no problem.
To reach further into that relaxed descriptor, I'm really talking about a sense of resolution and dynamics both of which I've heard better reproduced with other combinations albeit more costly than the X30 since they include my Pass INT-30A ($7,150). But even pairing the Pass with the relatively inexpensive iFi micro iDSD DAC ($499) delivers more resolution and greater dynamic slam. In comparison, the X30 sounds, well, more relaxed. Tone colors are also shelved down a bit from other combo's including the Pass/iFi but there's a nice sense of differentiation nonetheless. Bass response is a tad loose but hefty enough to deliver. There's certainly no sense of glare in the upper frequencies and if anything the overall sonic picture seems to be weighted toward the midrange.
The recently reviewed Sony UDA-1 integrated amp/DAC (see review) offered a more exciting sound but of course you're not getting a lot of the functionality of the X30 with the Sony including the network player/server piece, which is a big piece for those looking for an all-in-one piece of kit. But the Sony lit things up, upping the ante in terms of both dynamics and resolution.
I heard no sonic difference with the X30 playing music from internal storage or NAS to speak of and both methods were a breeze to navigate with Creation 5 and in a pinch through the front controls of the X30. The screen is a nice size, nearly readable from my listening seat. The included remote came in handy mainly for adjusting volume. Internet radio sounded its usual self, a bit muted, compressed, and gray but just fine for casual listening and music discovery.
Using the NAD VISO HP50 headphones, I took the X30's 'phone jack for spin and was pleased with what I heard. The relaxed quality I've been talking about did not seem to travel to the headphone output and music sounded resolute, relatively rich and full.
If you're looking for an integrated amp, network player, music server, and DAC all in one box the Cocktail Audio X30 delivers a goodly amount of what you'd expect from such a device. While I've heard better sonic performance from more costly separates and less well endowed players in terms of features, the X30 errs on the side of what I consider to be an easy to listen to sound.
Also on hand and in use during the X30 review: Pro-Ject Stream Box RS, iFi micro iDSD, Sony UDA-1
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I've been interested in the Sony HAP Z1ES but I don't like how Sony 'colonizes' the external drive and forces the user to use their proprietary software to move the music onto the internal drive. I love the fact that the owner of this unit can install their own drive. Seems like Sony could take some lessons here.
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as a budding 'young' audiophile who is looking for an all-in-one device like this, should I really consider this unit. It seems like more of a general-consumer level product, which is fine and it has great functionality. But will it scratch my audiophile itch? I suspect it really won't.
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I actually really like this all in one approach from a transport perspective. I could do without the Dac and amp honestly but as someone who is looking to ditch their laptop from the chain, this is a pretty attractive transport solution with ripping storage and playback all rolled into one.
I think the value in their lineup is in their X12 model which includes ripping, storage, streaming and playback but is less than half the price at $699. Dual drive storage for RAID support and It also has a converter and 60 watt speaker taps and it has a touch screen. It strikes me as a Squeezebox Touch with ripping and built in storage. The DAC and amp are nice to have in a pinch but still probably bypass those and use it exclusively as a ripper/ transport.
I know this is a long forgotten review but I'd be curious to know if you did any listening with the X30 from its digital outs as transport? Was it the source feeding your ifi iDSD or was the iDSD tethered to another source? Sorry for the review necromancy
Cocktail Audio X40 HiFi Music Streamer and CD Ripper
Network Player, CD Ripper with DSD/DXD Support and Built-in Phono Preamp
If you thought that Cocktail Audio’s X30 gave you the whole cocktail of audio entertainment, wait until you take a taste of the X40’s features. The X40 is a revolutionary hi-fi component consisting of an all-in-one smart HD music server, network streamer, CD ripper, and more. It comes with 4GB of built-in memory, and you can add your own internal hard drive for other storage options.
The X40 also provides a built-in ES9018K2M Sabre32 Reference DAC with support for high-resolution DSD/DXD files, a MM moving magnet phono stage, and even an FM radio tuner. Unlike the X30, it does not include an onboard integrated amplifier section, which makes it the ideal source component for audiophiles to connect into their existing power amp, receiver, or powered speakers. Easy-peasy!
High-quality Audio Performance
The X40 offers 32-bit, 384 kHz resolution using an extremely powerful ES9018K2M Sabre32 Reference DAC with XMOS 32Bit/500MIPS Digital Signal Processor. It the X40 supports a wide range of digital file formats. It plays DSD64 (2.8224MHz), DSD128 (5.6448MHz), DXD (24Bit/352.8KHz), up to 32Bit/384KHz PCM signal including HD FLAC (24Bit/192KHz), HD WAV (24Bit/192KHz), APE/CUE, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, AIF, AAC, M4A, MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, PCM, M3U, PLS, and more.
The CA X40 can play back multiple tracks with no gap between them. This is a useful function for fans of operatic or classical music, which is composed of multiple tracks.
The CA X40 includes a recording function for analog sources via its line-in RCA input and MM moving magnet phono input. The built-in phono preamp sounds great and allow you to record your LPs at 192 kHz, 96 kHz or 48 kHz sample rates and even edit them after recording. Using the RCA analog inputs, you can record other analog material such as your favorite cassette tapes up to 24-bit/192 kHz sound quality.
High-speed Optical Drive for Ripping CDs
For fast CD ripping, the CA X40 uses a front-loading optical disc drive (ODD) with 24x high speed. It can rip a CD with a 60-minute playing time CD in less than 10 minutes. Once it's done ripping, the X40 will catalog your CD collection by album, artist, genre, and year, and will also store all ripped CDs into the music database. The X40 provides various encoding options for ripping. Choose FLAC, ALAC, WAV, MP3 or Ogg.
Balanced and Unbalanced Analog Pre-Outs
In addition to its digital connections, the X40 gives you high quality analog pre-outs for playback through your AV gear. The unbalanced RCA outputs offer a dynamic range of -120 dB and THD+N (Max 2Vrms, Stereo) of 127 dB DNR. The balanced AES/EBU XLR outputs provide a dynamic range of -120 dB and THD+N (Max 4.5Vrms, Stereo) of 127 dB DNR.
For an intimate listening experience, the high quality headphone out with 1/4” jack provides 500mW+500mW at 1KHz, 32 ohm, 0.1% THD.
Multiple Digital Inputs and Outputs
The CA X40 offers a variety of digital audio inputs and outputs for connection to other audio devices. The three digital outputs consist of Toslink optical, coaxial, and AES/EBU XLR, which support up to 24-bit/192 kHz. This means the X40 can be used as an audio server and source device if you wish to use an existing external amplifier and/or DAC. The dual digital inputs (Toslink optical and coaxial) mean the CA X40 can be used as a DAC with other digital audio sources. It also has three USB Host ports for use with external drives.
Connect to Your Network
The CA X40 features GigaFast Ethernet LAN for a wired network connection and USB host ports (one on the front, two on the rear) for the optional 801.11b/g/n WiFi USB dongle or other external USB devices.
A built-in Web Interface (Web UI) for various web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari allows the management and controlling of the music collection on the X40, such as adding album covers, creating playlists, playing internet radio, editing metadata, displaying the collection, and much more.
Using the Ethernet connection or the optional WiFi dongle allows you to connect the CA X40 to your home network to access tens of thousands of internet radio stations (Reciva). Online music streaming services like Spotify and Rhapsody will be added at a later date.
Intuitive Front Panel Controls and LCD Screen
Intuitive front panel controls provide quick access to basic functions such as power, volume/mute, OK/Pause/Scroll, and four menu keys for the GUI of the full-color 5" LCD screen. The input selector key allows you to seamlessly switch between input devices and also features a mute mode that can be toggled at the push of the volume knob.
Using its HDMI output, you can use an external big screen, such as a monitor or TV, as its GUI screen. You can also view a photo slideshow while you're listening to music. The CA X40 supports various picture file formats like JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF and BMP.
App for iOS and Android
With the help of a free app, you can control the CA X40 using a smartphone or tablet PC. Cocktail Audio recommends ‘Eyecon’ for Android and ‘Sitecom media controller' for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod).
Add Your Own Hard Drive for Digital File Storage
For storing digital music files, the CA X30 supports a 3.5” SATA hard disk or a 2.5” SATA hard disk or solid state drive (SSD) as storage. A customized storage drive bay drawer allows quick and easy installation. If you install an SSD as storage, the X40 will offer noiseless operation, as it has no cooling fan.
Currently, the CA X40 supports up to 4TB with a 3.5" hard disk, up to 4TB with a 2.5" hard disk and up to 4TB of SSD.
Rugged and Durable Casework
The CA X40 front panel is 8mm thick aluminum with CNC cutting and metal chassis. The die-cast aluminum feet provide rigidity along with additional resistance from external vibrations.
Overview
- Versatile network solution for hi-res streaming playback and file management
- Playback of DSD64 (2.8224MHz), DSD128 (5.6448MHz), DXD (24Bit/352.8KHz), up to 32Bit/384KHz PCM signal including HD FLAC (24Bit/192KHz), HD WAV (24Bit/192KHz), APE/CUE, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, AIF, AAC, M4A, MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, PCM, M3U, PLS
- 24-bit/192 kHz WAV/FLAC and full range of hi-res audio file formats
- ES9018K2M Sabre32 Reference DAC built-in
- XMOS 32Bit/500MIPS digital signal processing unit
- High-speed optical disk drive for quick CD ripping
- Phono INPUT (Moving Magnet) for turntable
- Load your vinyl and cassette tape collections to the X40 in 192kHz sample rate
- Music Streaming Services like Qobuz, Simfy and Internet Radio.
- UPnP Media Server & Renderer for streaming playback and control remotely via network.
- 5 inch full color TFT LCD for intuitive GUI
- HDMI Out connector for using an external screen like TV as its GUI screen
- Supports up to 3.5" SATA hard disk 4TB, 2.5" hard disk and SSD
- Toroidal transformer minimizing idle noise
- FM Radio Tuner built-in
- Recording with hi-res 24bit/192KHz sample rate
- Provides the customized Web Interface (WebUI) for remote control and MusicDB management
- Works with various free apps available at app stores
- Rugged chassis construction with 12mm thickness aluminum front
- Versatile software functionalities
- Embedded: 700Mhz MIPS
- Main Memory: (4Gbit, DDR2 800Mhz)
- Type: Front Loading
- Supported media: CD, CD-DA, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R/RW
- 5" TFT LCD(800x480 pixel) on the front
- External screen like TV may connected through HDMI connector
- Remote Control
- Customized Web Interface (Web UI) for Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari
- Free UPnP app available in app store or market for iOS and Android
- Balanced Line Out x 1: L & R XLR
- Unbalanced Line Out x 1: L & R RCA
- Headphone Out: 6.35mm jack on the front
- Line In x 1: L & R RCA
- Aux In x 1: 3.5mm Phone Jack on the front
- Toslink Out x 1: Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- Coaxial Out x 1: Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- AES/EBU XLR Out x 1: Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- Toslink In x 1: Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- Coaxial In x 1: Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- MM phono input
- HDMI out (video only) x 1: for GUI or for photo slide shows
- 3 x USB host ports
- Wired: Giga Fast Ethernet(10/100/1000Mbps) LAN
- Wireless (optional): 801.11b/g/n WiFi using optional USB dongle
- Audio Power Supply: Toroidal transformer, 75W
- Removable storage tray drawer is provided for adding optional HD storage
- Hard disk, 2.5” SATA, up to 4TB
- Hard disk, 3.5” SATA, up to 4TB
- SD, 2.5” SATA, up to 4TB
Analog Connections
- Line Out (L & R RCA): Dynamic Range : 127 dB(2 V rms, Stereo) THD+N : 0.0004%
- Line Out (L & R XLR): Dynamic Range : -120dB THD+N (Max 4.5Vrms, Stereo), 127dB DNR
- Headphone Out: 500mW+500mW@1Khz, 32 ohm, 0.1% THD
- Line In x 1: 2V rms
- Aux In x 1: 800mV rms
- MM phono in: 7.5mV sensitivity
- Toslink Out x 1: Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- Coaxial Out x 1: SPDIF 75 ohm RCA, Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- AES/EBU XLR Out x 1: 110 ohm, Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- Toslink In x 1: Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- Coaxial In x 1: Sample Rate up to 24-bit/192 kHz
- Dimensions (without feet): 17.1" wide, 12.8" deep, 3.5" high
- Dimensions (with feet): 17.1" wide, 12.8" deep, 3.9" high
Does everything I needed and more: streaming, ripping, storing, etc. Backup is simple as is downloading artwork. Sound is excellent. The only negatives are no built-in bluetooth, the remote is poorly laid out, and smartphone app isn't here yet --they say soon.
For what this little gem can do. there isnt anything out there you can compare it to until you triple the price. I find that the Sabre DAC is the star here as it does bring the sound up to audiophile quality. Silky smooth and detailed while never appearing forward or etched. Although it had some minor bugs, the firmware update addressed most of them, The learning curve is quick and easy while the feature set is top notch. Spotify was added recently to services which was a needed boost. Tidal anyone? It may not be the best, but it is the best at this price level. Listen and see for yourself. Highly recommended. Enjoy.
This is a great piece of technology that offers tremendous versatility, good sound quality, at a decent price point. On it, I have ripped some 700 titles from my collections of Vinyl, CDs, and SACDs, and am very pleased with the how easy it is to use, as well as its sound quality. There were three other piece of gear I considered before deciding on the x40. The Sooloos Music Server System, NAD M50 with M52 vault, and Sony HAPZ1ES. All of these are easy to run and sound great, but with an extensive record collection containing many titles that are not available on CD. The x40s ability to rip vinyl directly to it, is what sold me. The second consideration was space in my rack is limited, so trying to place a two piece solutions would have been too much a hassle. I was looking for a one box solution that could do it all, and with x40 I got it. Sound quality of the x40 is very similar to HAPZ1ES and M50, its presentation is not as crisp and punchy as these two, but very accurate and velvety smooth, with not a trace of grain or tininess. It especially excels at intimate acoustic and vocal recordings. giving them a depth and richness that is wonderful to listen to. Nonetheless, I make no allusions, it is not capable of the same degrees of inner detail, separation, nor slam that an Ultra-High End Digital Player is capable of. Bass from it is tight and has weight, but it just does not deliver the same amount of punch that my Compact Digital Player is capable of. That being said, the x40 is less than half the CDPs price. So obviously, my comparisons here are far from scientific and in a true double blind listening test, I wonder if I would really be able to pick out the x40 from my CDP. So take my nitpicking with a grain of salt. There are some considerations about the x40 I do feel worth mentioning. The first being. unlike, the other products mentioned here, with x40 you have to purchase a hard drive and install the music DB software yourself. This is not hard to do. However finding a suitable drive that works well with it took some experimentation. Even the highest end platter drives. are noisy, vibrate like hell, and generate lots of heat. Thus the ideal choice is a Solid State one, right? However, there is no ability to run a 3rd party trim command with the x40; Which you need to do frequently in order to maintain a SSDs performance, so I had concerns about a $500.00 plus SSD turning into a dog. Thus I installed a number of different platter drives, Which as mention earlier, either ran too hot, or too noisy I finally settled on a hard drive that is specifically designed for Digital Video Recording/Surveillance Systems. For about $150.00, I wound up with a drive that has large storage capacity, low vibration/noise, and designed to run in an environment like the x40s. where there is no internal cooling. The one I settled on works wonderfully, with no noticeable lag, and plus more storage than what is currently available on a SSD. The last concern, is the x40s entry into the US is new, so out of the box it is more compatible with services that are based in the Europe. Currenly, there is no access to Spotify or other US based streaming services. That is supposed to change with some future firmware update, but with no date announced on the factory website, who knows when that will be?
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