Cocktail audio x50 test

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.

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New Malden, Surrey KT3 3ST

Sales : +44 (0)208 942 7575

Tel: +44 (0)208 942 01 11

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CES 2017

Cocktail X-50 Music Server/Player

Plenty of formats and services are supported: PCM up to 24/192, up to double DSD, TIDAL, Deezer, Qobuz, Airable, Airplay, FM (yes the old fashioned radio thing) and Spotifiy Connect. There is also UPnP(DLNA) Server/Client/Media Renderer for streaming playback and control remotely via network, in addition to a Samba Server/Client capability. On the back are plenty of digital outputs and you can add internal storage up to 6TB either as HDD or SSD, and you can double that for RAID redundancy.

There are also Android and iOS apps to control the thing and the retail price is pegged at a reasonable $2,695 considering the build quality and feature set.

Cocktail audio x50 test

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 x50 test

● DDR-1066 1GByte Main Memory and 8GByte Nand Flash Memory

● High speed internal data processing for backup, copy, etc

● RAID storage for up to 12TB storage expansion

● Hi-res 24bit/192Khz WAV, FLAC files are also supported

● Customized Remote Control App for iOS and Android

● HDMI Out Connector for an external screen as GUI screen

● DAB+/FM Tuner built-in

● Versatile software functionalities

● CD Ripping capability with CD metadata and album cover art

● 'Airplay' function will let you play music in iOS devices via X50.

● Soptifiy Connect is supported

streaming playback and control remotely via network

● I²S Out x 2 (HDMI, RJ45)

● 12V Trigger IN/OUT

● USB Audio Class 2.0 Output for connecting to USB DAC

● USB Host 3.0 x 2 at rear

● USB Host 2.0 x 1 at front

※ In countries where DAB is not available, the X50 DAB+ doesn't work.

including: iPhone, iPad and Android

smartphones and tablets with customized App, NOVATRON MusicX

You can record iRadio music also with high qualtity of audio via the X50's recording function

Connect to your TV to view bigger GUI or a slideshow of photos while listening to your tracks

3.5"/2.5" Hard Disk or SSD

If needed, you can set two storages with RAID system for mirroring mode or big mode.

Based on high performance hardware specification and advanced commercial version of file system, you can enjoy high speed backup performance. Also, you can do other works like file playing even in backup processing if you set 'Background backup' mode.

The X50 is based on whole CNC-cutting aluminum casing with 12mm front cover and 8mm chassis. And its die-cast aluminum feet including full aluminum chassis provide rigidity along with additional resistance from external vibrations.

Cocktail audio x50 test

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Cocktail Audio X40 Music Server

Over the past few years, the vast majority of my music purchases -- and I’m not alone in this -- have been of downloadable files rather than discs. Nonetheless, I still have a substantial collection of discs that I continue to listen to. On the home-theater side, most audio/video receivers now include the ability to play music files -- including high-resolution FLACs and, in some cases, DSD files -- from USB keys and network storage devices. Two-channel integrated amplifiers and receivers still, generally, eschew such features. Thus, connected to my amplifier are a disc player and a computer.

Designers of music servers are now combining these functions in a single source component that can handle both file- and disc-based digital music. In 2012, I reviewed a music server from Autonomic Controls and was less than impressed, especially at the price. In fact, I remained unconvinced of the usefulness of the product category. The competition, or more accurately the baseline of comparison, is not simply other audio components of the category, but a computer. To replace a computer, a music server must be able to play all relevant formats, quickly, and get out of the way, and do all of this more elegantly than a computer. And the sound quality needs to be more than an afterthought.

Over the past few years, Korea’s Novatron has released four music servers under the brand name Cocktail Audio: the X10, X12, X30, and X40. They share a core of features, particularly those related to ripping and organizing music, along with an interface for playback, a headphone output, lines in and out, Ethernet connectivity, and USB host ports. However, the feature sets vary with the price.

The X10, starting at $580 USD (with 2TB hard drive), is a compact component measuring 7”W x 3.9”H x 5.9”D with a 3.5” screen, a CD drive, a ripper, a music database, a hard-drive caddy, USB and network playback, and Internet Radio based on Reciva’s system. It also has an optical output capped at 24-bit/96kHz, a headphone amp, and a power-amp with speaker spring clamps that outputs 30Wpc into 8 ohms.

The X12 ($699), the same size as the X10, upgrades that model’s spring-clamps to binding posts, bumps the screen size to 4.3”, replaces a fan with passive cooling, and can pass 24/192 PCM from its optical or coaxial outputs, or decode it with its Cirrus Logic CS4351 DAC.

The X30 ($1695), a full-size audio component at 17”W x 3.9”H x 12.7”D, received much praise at its launch. It has a 5” screen, the ubiquitous Burr-Brown PCM1792A DAC, an FM tuner, optical and coaxial inputs, the addition of an AES/EBU digital output, HDMI output for its graphical user interface (GUI), and an increase in amplification to 50Wpc.

New in 2014, the X40 ($2695), which is the same size as the X30, is marketed as a true audiophile component that can play DSD64/128/256/DXD and PCM up to 32/384, and that boasts a Sabre ES9018K2M DAC, a moving-magnet phono stage, and balanced analog outputs on XLR connectors. In contrast to its less-expensive siblings, the X40 has no built-in amplification.

My review sample of the X40 arrived in a cloth bag and double-boxed. Included were a remote control, a power cord, an FM antenna lead, and a data disc containing a copy of FreeDB, software for tagging the contents of CDs ripped when offline. (When connected to the Internet, the X40 will directly consult the online version of FreeDB.) What I first noticed as I set up the X40 was how nice it looked -- its 12mm-thick faceplate of brushed aluminum exuded quality. Also on the front are a slot-loading CD-ROM drive, a headphone jack, a USB Type A port, a 3.5mm Auxiliary input, an On/Standby button, and buttons for menu navigation: Input, Return, Stop, Menu. At either end of the front panel is a 1.5”-wide knob: Mute/Volume on the left, and OK/Pause/Scroll on the right; the knobs turn smoothly, with detents. To the right of the disc slot is the 5” LCD screen, with a resolution of 800x480 pixels.

On the rear panel are the phono ground, the power-supply switch, and the grounded IEC connector. The power supply is rated for 80W, similar to what one finds in small-form-factor computers. The balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) analog audio outputs are widely spaced -- I had to peel back the molding of my unbalanced interconnects to separate the ends. The digital outs comprise TosLink, coaxial, and AES/EBU (XLR). There are TosLink and coaxial digital inputs, a moving-magnet phono input, and an analog line in. All RCA connectors and XLR pins are gold plated. The FM antenna connector is of the push-in rather than screw-in type, so I had to adapt the screw-terminal lead of my Fanfare antenna. An HDMI video output is provided, but this is for only a larger screen display; it does not pass along audio signals. The X40’s GUI can be displayed on its front panel or on an external TV, not on both simultaneously. Unfortunately, every time I tried to toggle to display on my television, the X40 froze -- or so I thought. It turned out that the X40 was just very slow: 46 seconds to switch to sending a 720p signal via HDMI, and 62 seconds to switch back. For most of my listening, I used the front-panel display.

The X40 connects to a network via a gigabit Ethernet port or optional Wi-Fi USB adapter; I plugged the Ethernet into a nearby 100-megabit switch, which proved fast enough for playback from my Synology networked-attached storage (NAS), but I swapped in a gigabit switch for transfers of larger clumps of data (e.g., entire albums). The X40 can serve as an UPnP media server and renderer. I was able to access and mount as read-only the X40’s Music Database share, which contains the music files, by simply accessing the Uniform Naming Convention (UNC) \\X40 in Windows. As it is read-only, a way to load music (such as eClassical downloads) is to mount the X40’s My Recordings folder (which is writable) and copy the music there. The X40’s Import function copies from storage to the Music Database. In my setup, I download to my PC’s hard drive and run Microsoft’s SyncToy to push new music files to a “music” share on my NAS. I also have this action set to run weekly in Windows Task Scheduler. (In Linux, one can similarly set up rsync and crontab.) I then pushed files to the X40 from my NAS and imported them to the Music Database for playback. It’s a roundabout procedure, but it worked.

The rear panel has two USB Type A host ports and a hard-drive caddy for connecting storage. The caddy supports 3.5", 2.5", and SSD drives with SATA data and power connectors, much as in a laptop computer. The X40’s bottom plate is vented; it has no fans. The only noise is the occasional sound of the hard drive seeking from the Seagate SATA 400GB DB35.3, which StorageReview.com has rated in the middle of the range for idle noise, at around 40dB. While I could hear the X40’s hard drive from across the room -- it added 2dB to my room’s level of noise, as measured at my listening chair with Smart Tools’ Sound Meter for Android -- the noise was not distracting when playing back music.

The X40’s innards consist of a MIPS 700MHz processor, LG Super Multi DVD Writer GA50 (slot loading), a variety of custom PC boards, and a toroidal power supply that would be more at home in an audio component than a computer. All in all, Cocktail Audio’s X40 is a well-put-together component that offers the user plenty of flexibility in use.

The X40 is a complex device, but I got started with it without too much trouble. I began by plugging in its power cord and Ethernet cable, and connecting its unbalanced analog output to my NAD C 356BEE integrated amp. Eventually, more for testing than for daily use, I added connections for digital in/out and my turntable. As delivered, the X40 could serve as one’s sole digital source, with the caveat that it can’t support high-resolution discs, such as DVD-Audio or the DSD layers of SACDs. Unlike with some solutions, you don’t have to connect the X40 to an external display or control it with a mobile device or PC. In fact, the X40 could be used in a computer-free household -- just add amp and speakers.

The boot-up process took about a minute, during which the X40 displays an image of a martini glass, as a reminder that it’s made by Cocktail Audio. Given that this boot time is much longer than that of any of my recent computers, I tested how much power the X40 would use if I left it on at all times, and whether leaving it in Standby or Sleep would shorten the startup time. According to a Kill-a-Watt, the X40 used no power in Standby or Sleep but between 14 and 20W when on, depending on whether the disc drive was active. Startup from Sleep still took a minute. Given its thirst for juice, I decided that I could wait a minute for the X40 to boot.

When the X40 is ready, its screen displays icons for Setup, Music DB, Playlist, i-Service, CD Play/Rip (grayed out if no disc is inserted), FM Radio, Browser, and Input. i-Service accesses the three Internet streaming services -- Reciva, Simfy, and Qobuz -- while Input switches among the digital inputs, phono in, and analog line in. As measured with Audacity’s Contrast routine, the built-in phono stage has a relatively high noise floor. I wanted to compare the X40’s built-in phono stage to my Cambridge Audio Azur 540P phono preamplifier, but when I connected the Azur to the X40’s analog line input, I heard nothing. Connecting a CD player, SACD player, or tuner also produced no sound -- clearly, the analog line input was not working. Browser accesses the Recordings folder on the X40’s internal hard drive (i.e., recordings made from FM radio and the various inputs, not ripped music), connected USB devices, network shares, and UPnP servers. My Synology DS211j NAS had both Samba and DLNA servers running, but the X40 was able to connect only to the DLNA; I was able to connect to the Samba server via Android, ChromeOS, Linux, and Windows devices.

To load the Music DB, I inserted Anat Cohen’s Notes from the Village (CD, Anzic ANZ-1302) and was presented with a list of the disc’s tracks. At that point one can play the album or, by pressing Menu, rip it to Music DB. I’d previously, in the Setup menu, set the X40’s default ripping format to FLAC; other choices are WAV, MP3, OGG, and ALAC. The X40 took 9:29 to rip and compress the CD -- much slower than the 2:21 it took Exact Audio Copy to rip and compress to FLAC on my computer. Nonetheless, ripping on the X40 is very simple and straightforward. Music can also be imported from the internal hard drive (such as recordings from the FM tuner or turntable), USB (flash drive, or self- or bus-powered hard drive), or CD-ROM. Importing from a UPnP source is not supported. I was able to import a FLAC rip of Patricia Kaas’s Tour de Charme (16/44.1 FLAC, Sony) from a bus-powered USB hard drive in just under two minutes. Importing across the network would be a very useful feature to include in a software update. As it is, one would need to copy files to \\X40\LocalStorages\hdd1\My Recording, then import them to the X40’s local hard drive. Having the X40 suck files in from a NAS would be more convenient.

Backup, too, was slow. I did a full backup of the 187GB stored on the X40’s internal hard drive to a USB hard drive using the Cocktail’s backup utility, and it took 28 hours, 39 minutes (the front panel includes a timer) -- a rate of 1.81MB/s when USB 2.0 can, in theory, transfer at 60MB/s. I popped out the X40’s internal drive and connected it to my Windows computer using the same Vantec USB 2.0 drive adapter, and transferred data at 24MB/s; hooking up a SATA cable would be even faster. Fortunately, the X40 uses a standard file system that both Windows and Linux can read, and lists files by album and track title. I recommend performing backups using a computer. One could even map the X40’s Music DB share to a drive letter and schedule a backup task -- in Windows, I like SyncToy for this -- to copy over the network. Still, over a 100mbps network, it was relatively slow at 4.8MB/s.

The X40 offers several ways to browse music that have been loaded into the database. While falling short of the multiplicity of choices SoundStage!’s Vade Forrester enjoyed with the Digibit Aria, what the X40 provides will meet most users’ needs. The eight browse options for the music database, called Display Modes, are selectable in Setup: Track Title, Album, Artist/Track, Artist/Album, Genre/Track, Genre/Album, Composer/Track, Composer/Album. The Composer option -- not found in all such products -- is especially helpful for browsing recordings of classical music. Of course, the organization is only as good as the metadata, which relies on FreeDB and manual changes made by the user. These edits to the tags -- title, artist, album, composer, year, genre -- can easily be made on the X40 itself by connecting a USB keyboard.

One problem I’ve always had with music servers is their scalability: It’s easy to manage a few albums, but how well does a server deal with hundreds? By offering a variety of browsing mechanisms, the X40 scales fairly well, showing eight items per screen and scrolling fluidly -- but there’s no way around the fact that large collections will require a lot of scrolling. For such collections, controlling from an iOS, Android, or Web app is a good choice. Cocktail recommends PlugPlayer for iOS, and PlugPlayer or BubbleUPnP for Android. The X40’s built-in Web server provides a Web-based interface with the media library. Then the user can browse, search, and filter the list by Track Title, Artist, Album, and Genre -- and, surprisingly, by Track Number, Year, Time (duration), and Bitrate. Cocktail Audio, if you’re reading this: Composer, format, and sample-rate fields would also be useful. When a track has been found, a menu button brings up several options, including start play, add to queue, add to a playlist, edit tags, and trigger filters, to find tracks that match the selected track’s artist, album, genre, or composer. I often built a queue or playlist from my Chromebook, then switched to the X40’s infrared remote to control playback.

The X40 is a new product, but with the X30 Cocktail has established a good track record for issuing firmware updates, with three releases in the last year for fixes and enhancements. This is essential -- a product with so many features is bound to have problems that need to be addressed. If you’ve ever spent any time reviewing the changelog notes in firmware, OS, or software updates, among the most common are “stability improvements” -- boring but essential. While the X40 was rock solid during playback, there were several scenarios in which it would freeze, mainly while I was navigating the menu and/or switching out of playback.

For example, after playing a 16/44.1 FLAC album for half an hour from my NAS, connected by Ethernet over a 100Mbps network, I pressed Stop on the X40’s remote to switch to another album. The X40 promptly froze, and its screen blanked out to a dull gray -- but the playback did stop. Other buttons, of Cancel, Back, and Power, had no impact, whether pressed on the remote or on the front panel. After several minutes of waiting, the only escape was to turn off the X40 using its rear-panel power switch, which can’t be good for the internal hard drive. I experienced the same problem when stopping Internet Radio playback, though sometimes it was merely slow -- it took ten seconds to halt music playback from Naim Records’ Internet station. Controlling playback off of the local hard drive was always responsive.

Using the Cocktail X40’s digital output, I was able to compare its Sabre ES9018K2M DAC with the Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC in my integrated amp. This was my first experience with the Sabre chip, but I’d been impressed with Sabre’s ES9023, used in the Resonessence Concero DAC. The X40’s digital output can be set to resample signals of any resolution up to 192kHz or pass it along. I selected pass-through, which includes DSD -- which, like many DACs, my amp’s DAC doesn’t support. Another useful option would be to distinguish PCM from DSD: “Pass-through PCM and convert DSD to 192kHz PCM.” My Sony BDP-S590 BD player uses a similar logic. When I listened to the Quartetto Italiano’s recording of Schubert’s last four string quartets (16/44.1 FLAC, Philips), the X40 offered greater clarity and a sense of a third dimension to the soundstage. Although there was less punch in the forte passages, there was greater control and separation. Switching to the digital output stripped the far left and right extensions from the soundstage. The tonalities of the violins, viola, and cello also became less distinct. Only when I switched back to the Cocktail’s Sabre was I able to be sure that the Quartetto Italiano was using mutes in these performances. Each step higher in Cocktail’s product line provides a better DAC, and part of what one pays for with the X40 is its quality of digital-to-analog conversion. And remember, it was listening through the X40’s unbalanced outputs that so pleased me. The X40 also provides balanced outputs, for those with amps that can accommodate it.

With hi-rez recordings, such as guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli’s Swing Live (24/96 FLAC, Chesky), the X40 presented a precise image of an ensemble arrayed across a live stage. Peter Appleyard’s vibraphone resonated musically in “Lester Leaps In,” with a natural rate of decay following each stroke. Throughout the album, the solos were handed off fluidly. The X40 exuded clarity, detail, and precision, all while maintaining a tone that was neither too bright nor too warm. This was particularly evident with clarinetist Allen Vanche’s stratosphere-scraping solos and the well-controlled patterns of Bernard Purdie’s tom-toms. Throughout, this recording was rendered in an engaging manner; the advantages of hi-rez recordings were unmistakable.

Listening to Tor Espen Aspaas’s recording of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.32, Op.111 (DFF/DSD64, 2L), and using the X40’s built-in DAC in both cases, level matched on my easy-to-drive Grado SR80 headphones, the X40’s headphone output, while quite powerful, was less crisp and well defined than the headphone amp built into my NAD integrated amp. Each keystroke had a bit of haze and sounded less lifelike, particularly in the midrange, which sounded plasticky; and in the low range, the X40 boomed. The NAD delivered somewhat more dynamic range -- the X40 was never able to get down to “dead quiet.” At the end of each track or album or playlist, an annoying click was audible through headphones directly connected to the X40, though I never heard this through speakers or an external headphone amp. While the X40’s headphone amp is serviceable, the X40 should be paired with an external headphone amp.

Despite the few problems described above, I was, on the whole, very impressed with the Cocktail Audio X40. This was the first music server I’d encountered that convinced me of the usefulness of this product category. In the X40, Cocktail has paired the ease of use of an audio component with the scalability of a computer. The X40’s GUI and display work well for pulling together collections of files from various sources -- rips and downloads, local or on the network -- and it can play directly from a CD, FM radio, or a connected turntable. I’ve never seriously considered ripping all my CDs -- it would be a big project -- but with the advantages in organization of the X40’s Music DB, I’d likely do so if I owned one. In the X40, one gets a ripper, a server, a renderer, a tuner of both Internet and FM radio, and an excellent DAC, all tied together with a well-thought-out user interface. What’s not to like about that?

Speakers -- Wharfedale Diamond 8.2, PowerCube 10 subwoofer
Headphones -- Grado SR80
Analog sources -- Goldring GR1 turntable, Rega Research RB100 tonearm, Goldring Elektra cartridge; Cambridge Audio Azur 540P phono preamplifier; Sangean HDT-1 tuner
Digital sources -- Music Hall MMF CD-25 CD player; Pioneer DV-563A DVD/SACD/CD player; Sony BDP-S590 BD player; Roku XDS; Intel H61 desktop (2.6GHz, 8GB RAM, Crucial SSD) running Windows 8.1 Professional (64-bit), foobar2000, with Realtek ALC887 DAC/optical output (WASAPI/ALSA drivers); Synology DS211j SMB/DLNA server
Amplifier -- NAD C 356BEE with MDC DAC2
Antenna -- Fanfare FM-2G
Television -- Panasonic TC-P50S30
Remotes -- Logitech Harmony Smart Control; Samsung Galaxy Player 5 (Android 2.3); Asus Nexus 7 (Android 5)
Power conditioner -- APC Line-R LE1200

Cocktail Audio X40 Music Server

Warranty: Two years parts and labor.

Novatron Co., Ltd.

Room 1607, 13 Heungdeok 1-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si

Phone: +82 31-898-8401

Fax: +82 31-898-8413

Audio Plus Services

156 Lawrence Paquette Industrial Drive

Champlain, NY 12919

Phone: (800) 663-9352, (450) 585-0098

Fax: (866) 656-0686

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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

Host CPU and Memory

Embedded: 700Mhz MIPS
Main Memory: (4Gbit, DDR2 800Mhz)

CD Player

Type: Front Loading
Supported media: CD, CD-DA, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R/RW

Interface

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

Analog Connections

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

Digital Connections

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

Network/Hard Drive Connectivity

3 x USB host ports
Wired: Giga Fast Ethernet(10/100/1000Mbps) LAN
Wireless (optional): 801.11b/g/n WiFi using optional USB dongle

Power Supply

Audio Power Supply: Toroidal transformer, 75W

Supported Storage

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

Digital Connections

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

General

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?

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.

Cocktail audio x50 test

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Cocktail Audio X50

The CocktailAudio X50 is a complete element of digital hifi. In terms of these devices, they've been consistently moving away from analog interfaces. Of course, the X50, like its siblings X30 and X40, is also capable of ripping and importing a wide variety of music formats. Since the evolution still won't come to a halt with Cocktail Audio, the X50 has been upgraded in some aspects from the X30 and X40. These are most notably the 7 inch display, 2 hard drive inserts, the aluminum lid and side panels, the faster processor and USB 3.0.

Database-supported music server
7 inch display
HDMI output to output the menu on an external screen
Support for 2x 3.5 inch and 2.5 inch hard drives and SSD
Dual Core Cortex A9 1 GHz ARM processor
FM + DAB + radio receiver
Multiple digital outputs
High-quality metal case with 12mm thickness, milled aluminum front + aluminum lid and side parts

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Cocktail Audio PRO X100

High Resolution Digital Streamer, NAS and Ripper with DSD/DXD Playback.

вЂў Cocktail Audio Pro X100 can be customised

вЂў HDD/SSD: Currently supports 500GB вЂ“ 10TB

вЂў Built-in SSD boot drive 128GB plus hard drive choice

вЂў 8GB RAM Edition

вЂў 64 Bit Operating System Handler

вЂў ROON Ready & Server Edition

вЂў Intel T-D Quad Core CPU 2.0Ghz

вЂў Auto tags all ripped CDs including album cover arts

вЂў Private cloud based online music metadata service

вЂў Share files via streaming protocols like SMB, NFS, UPNP, Airplay, DLNA вЂ¦

вЂў Indexes through Squeezebox Server integration

вЂў Media server for video, audio and picture streaming

вЂў Sonos module for easy configuration

вЂў Fanless design for silent operation

вЂў Multitasking web interface

вЂў Easy backup mechanism with fast incremental

вЂў USB Audio interface (asynchronous output)

вЂў Grade 32bit/384KHz and DSD music player

вЂў Adaptable technology and firmware updateable

вЂў No delayed background conversions

вЂў Open editable database вЂ“ stable structure

вЂў Music library mirroring option

вЂў Minim Server , MPD, Squeezelite, HQPlayer Network Audio Adapter .

вЂў Shairport, Plex Media Server,BubbleUPnP Server .

вЂў Multiroom network playback

вЂў Power efficient & much more .

1. Evolving from the revolution:

The current cocktail audio models have been good but lacks that touch of satisfying the astute music lover in an all round style.

We have stripped ineffective elements to make room for the essential features based on the current trend(s).

Due to the emerging market of high resolution acoustics, the act of handling digital audio must be without distortion regardless of the device.

This is the reason for the Cocktail Audio Pro X100; which merges CD ripping, Network Attached Storage (NAS) and multi media streaming with in an open platform.

As a result supports most audio devices and can cope with a hefty digital library, such as music, videos and images.

The X100 stores (rips) thousands of CDs in lossless FLAC, retrieves the album art and metadata automatically without the need for background conversion. X100 supports 32 bit/384 KHz HD audio and DSD music player with flawless audio output through USB interface, streaming services, numerous internet radio services and much more.

Whether using a high-end or typical audio system, the output on the Cocktail Audio Pro X100 will emerge flawlessly with no audible limitations or misrepresentation.

2. Auto CD ripping & tag with album cover art:

Insert a CD and the Cocktail Audio Pro X100 will convert the songs into lossless FLAC, embed the metadata (tag), add the correct album cover art, fingerprints and ejects the CD.

3. Ripping engine & error checking:

The ripping mechanism reads each track several times (at least twice) compares and ensures accuracy.

The algorithm checks the data before incorporating the latest cloud based technology with fingerprinting for optimal CD tagging and album cover art retrieval.

4. No background conversion on the Cocktail Audio Pro X100:

5. Open file (db) structure:

The database structure and directories on the Cocktail Audio Pro X100, can be edited, deleted, moved & tagged from any compatible program.

This gives the user full control on how the media is вЂ˜exhibitedвЂ™.

6. Fast loading optical drive & abort feature:

The Cocktail Audio Pro X100 is able to abort ripping amidst session with a single torch or click and reload. The disc drive has an enhanced optical lens and rips faster.

7. Network shares for Sonos, Airplay & other devices:

With the range of supported protocols, it is easier to configure the X100 with many devices.

The X100 can be networked in various locations at your home via protocols like UPnP / DLNA / Airplay.

There are Apps on the Cocktail Audio Pro X100 to easily configure devices like Sonos, wireless solution devices and so forth.

The Cocktail Audio Pro X100 can be a вЂ˜clientвЂ™ or a вЂ˜serverвЂ™ on a network. The X100 connects through a Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbps) via an Ethernet cable.

8. Fan less design, power efficient & less noise.

Cocktail Audio Pro X100 is an exceptional and considerably more powerful all-rounded multimedia entertainment centre: for ripping, storing and great for playing back all your media from one device via a user-friendly web interface.

The usual level of noise that emanates from many media players is unwanted.

We have built the X100 without the whirring fans and masked the crunching hard disks noises for usersвЂ™ that intend to run the X100 around the clock as a server.

The X100 has integrated heat-sinks for passive cooling that minimises noises and heat.

Power consumption is vital: the X100 incorporates вЂ˜lowвЂ™ power parts which generate less heat and thus require less cooling.

The X100 remains quiet during operation and blends in with any living space.

9. Network Attached Storage (NAS) :

Building a centralised storage for your media on the X100 is more stable than any of the other Cocktail Audio models. The X100 allows you to share media files between several devices such as TV, computers, wireless speakers, high-end audio devices and much more.

The added benefit is that many servers can be setup to mirror media files and also stream other media types like photos and video.

10. Stream additional media types:

The Cocktail Audio Pro (X100) enables users' to stream video, audio & imagesвЂ¦

There is no limit to how many viewers can stream and the device is more stable & features many more preferences. Stream via apple TV, media boxes, tablets, smart phones, laptops and so forth.

11. Private Cloud based metadata service

The metadata service is privately supported, updated & catered for by our technical team. We also support Picard (program to submit cd metadata); therefore users can easily submit CD information / metadata. PicardвЂ™s service will update our metadata service too.

Having a private metadata service means less reliant of inaccurate CD metadata, as well as the need to tag or retag albums unnecessarily. Users' can contact us on metadata issues, unlike other services used by similar devices.

12. Customised web Interface/ Controller

What makes our newest web interface better is the capability to multitask.

The web interface doesnвЂ™t lock up during ripping or require verification between ripped folders (songs) or any simulated sql file structure (Music DB).

The web interfaces allow usersвЂ™ to control and interact with the Cocktail Audio Pro X100 through a web browser.

The X100вЂ˜s web interface enables the usersвЂ™ to add and remove features which makes it ideal for users' that might wish to customise in accordance with their controllers.

The web interface can be used as a remote control, library management, visual feedback, app & device manager and much more.

The web interface is intuitive, light and quick to load.

Any device with a web browser can access the web interface, such as a smart phone, tablet, notebook, computer etc.

13. Backup (Incremental & Fast)

The next backup will add the newer files as well as any added changes.

The added interface of USB 3 provides realistic and a faster transfer rates of around 4.8 Gbits/s with a full duplex data rate.

The support for USB audio interface over TOSLINK or Coax SPDIF DAC means:

USB DACs maintains a two-way communication and sends supported resolutions to the Cocktail Audio Pro X100.

Other audio interfaces do not report information about the driven devices.

An asynchronous USB DAC can control the data flow from the driving device whilst other DACs might require complex circuitry to minimise jitters.

Some USB DACs can be powered from the USB post/host, hence no additional power is required.

Note: End users with M-Dacs might need to swap from USB to SPDIF/TOSLINK or vise versa. This is due to some MDacs unstable & older firmware/USB ports. SPDIF will still play High Res files.

15. Firmware Updates/ Optional Software (add-ons):

To check out the latest improvements, just click the ‘update option’ via the web interface.В

At Cocktail Audio UK we heed and empathise with our users’ concerns and will endeavour to meet all pertinent requirements.

Users' can also install additional software/apps via the web interface.

Extra features and add-ons can be requested by email or by visiting our UK forum

16. Integrated Squeezebox Centre:

The Squeezebox Server is customisable and has a great community supported by Cocktail Audio too.

Have control of your music with various music services, international radio services and much more.

Squeeze network - an online service that makes it easy to access/configure the Internet radio stations and music services.

Sign up for free and get connected via your Cocktail Audio Pro X100.

The world of music a click or touch away

High resolution encoding support for high quality sound experience

Add more add-ons & plug-ins

Squeezebox radio all-in-one

Favourite tracks

Sync with iTunes

Intuitive menus

Much more вЂ¦

There are over 50 thousand plus world internet radios, podcasts & multiple streaming services such as BBC iplayer/radio, Spotify, Deezer, Qobuz, TuneIn, YouTube, ROON etc

18. ROON Ready & Server:

Roon Labs audiophile music service has now been integrated with the Cocktail Audio Pro X100.

Roon categorises indexes & identifies your repertoire on your local and streaming services.

Roon then delves into the whirlpool of stats, data, links, reviews, metadata and much-much more to build a digital glossy for your music.

Roon is one of the best musical tools for managing music libraries and has a comprehensive structure.

The integration with Tidal & Tidal library means that whatever size your collection there is something for any audiophile.

Both вЂ˜Roon serverвЂ™ and вЂ˜Roon readyвЂ™ runs on the Cocktail Audio Pro X100 allowing direct playback of Roon music using the Roon App.

A Roon Server utilises the streaming services in conjunction with Roon services and or Roon remote.

This will provide control and functionality with fewer resources.

The Roon Ready feature customises and embeds the Pro X100 for streaming via the Roon service - certified by Roon Labs or approved partners.

Roon takes your collection to a whole new level.

A Roon service requires membership & there is also a free trial.

Check out what's so great about ROON

NB:Ensure your device is configured (inc spec) to RUN the ROON service better.

19. SSD Boot Drive + HDD/SSD:В 500GB вЂ“ 10TB:

Each Pro X100 has a solid state boot drive (128 GB) that holds the system software and handles all processing, thus the device simply grabs the media from the main drive or the chosen media hard drive with ease.В The Pro X100 has a better performance, quick boot up and is more reliable.

The Cocktail Audio Pro X100 supports up to 10TB SATA HDDs (Hard Disk Drives/Solid State Drives).

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New Malden, Surrey KT3 3ST

Sales : +44 (0)208 942 7575

Tel: +44 (0)208 942 01 11

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Cocktail Audioв„ў is a Registered Trademark

Cocktail Audio X30

Hardware Review

Not many audio companies make streamers with built in storage and amplification, scratch that, nobody seems to make a streaming audio system in one box apart from Cocktail. There are a few streamers with onboard storage made by the likes of Naim, Sony and Olive and there are quite a few computer based options. But the hi-fi brands tend to charge two grand and upward for an HD streamer with hard disk drives with which to store your music, they are also exclusively network devices that require an app on a smart phone or preferably tablet to control them. Cocktail Audio’s X30 is both relatively inexpensive and (just about) possible to run without a network, Cocktail itself does not have an app for its streamers but third party options can be used.

The X30 is a complete solution that only requires a pair of speakers and a CD collection to get up and running. That slot in the front will suck in your disc, rip it to the HDD and spit it out again. It even has an onboard library to refer to for artist, album and track information so that those discs can be easily found and selected. That said the advantages of having the X30 on the network far outweigh the inconvenience of setting it up, not least the ability to access internet radio and an ever expanding library of metadata for your discs. It can be wired or wirelessly connected (with an optional dongle) to the network provided by your domestic wi-fi router, and while we would recommend running an Ethernet cable rather than relying on wi-fi it’s unlikely to effect the sound of low bitrate stations. The X30 can’t access popular services like Spotify and nor does it receive Bluetooth signals, it does however receive Airplay, not that the manual mentions it. Alternatively it will play material on a NAS drive on the same network, but given that the internal drive can be as big as 4TB a NAS would be better used for back up purposes.

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As an amplifier it has analogue and digital in and outputs, including balanced digital out, alongside an FM tuner and CD player – that slot is not only for ripping. There is also HDMI out and three USB ports plus the necessary RJ45 socket for network cabling. A SATA drive drawer means you can put more memory in as it’s needed. There is a full size headphone socket on the front panel and a minijack input for mobile devices, the amplifier is a digital type with a specified 50 watts a side. The Cocktail supports all the usual formats plus one unusual one in 24-bit/352.8kHz DXD, an ultra high resolution format used by only one record label to my knowledge. Streaming is limited to 24/192 as per usual and does not include DSD.

The X30 was designed to be used with the button festooned handset that comes with it and while this seems a bit odd to the hard bitten computer audio enthusiast it might make the transition to streaming easier for newcomers. Basically you use the handset to navigate the on-screen display, and after a while you get to know where all the important buttons are, but it still took me a little while to get my head around the operating logic. This is largely because there are some things you have to tell it to do that most standalone streamers achieve on their own. Primarily connecting to the network requires that you select the right part of the set up system and press OK a few times. Moving music files onto it via the desk top of a Mac does not come very naturally either and I ended up using the X30’s interface to import songs from the NAS instead. I used the PlugPlayer app to select material from the onboard drive but note that Cocktail recommends Linn’s Kinsky, which looks nicer but lacks volume control.

It took a while to find a pair of speakers that worked with the Cocktail, its amp is not the most powerful of devices so requires something fairly sympathetic to give of its best. Having tried Cambridge Aeromax 6 floorstanders and PMC fact.8s I discovered that the little Q-Acoustics 1010i stand mounts made the best partners. They let the X30 deliver decent three dimensionality with Bugge Wesseltoft’s marvellous new album Trialogue. It revealed much of the space in his take on Round Midnight, I pressed play with the level higher than expected but both amp and speaker coped and the latter ‘disappeared’ to let the sound take over remarkably well. Dynamics are pretty good too, not best in class but consistently entertaining, I played Steely Dan’s Peg (Aja, ABC) and was pleasantly surprised at how good the guitar break sounded alongside a nice taut bass line. It also seemed like an idea to try something at higher resolution, this time Muddy Waters’ Folk Singer, a remarkable early 24/192 remastering by Classic Records. This didn’t have the transparency that it can but you got a good helping of the attitude and range in his voice.

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With internet radio I was impressed that the X30 can access on-demand radio shows, material that is available online but which not all streamers seem able to deliver. I also like the ease with which you can ‘favourite’ a station so that it can be found again. I ended up listening to one favourite station, Fluid, for sometime in the background and enjoyed the fact that there was so little drop out – another problem with some streamers.

The Cocktail X30 can probably be bettered in sonic terms by a separate streamer, amp and NAS drive if they’re carefully chosen, and Denon among others have streaming amps at pretty competitive prices that include a lot of extra features. But I would be surprised if there is anything out there that offers everything that the X30 does in one box at a better price. It may not have the latest wireless features but if you don’t store your music on your phone that’s not really an issue. And should you feel the inclination to listen to YouTube on your iPad, it turns out that it’s Airplay compatible as well.

Type: music server with HDD, DAC, FM tuner and amplifier

Storage: 2TB hard drive

Analogue Inputs: one RCA, aux 3.5mm jack

Analogue Outputs: stereo unbalanced RCA, 6.35mm headphone jack

Digital Inputs: coaxial S/PDIF, optical TOSLink

Digital Outputs: AES/EBU LXR, coaxial S/PDIF RCA, optical TOSLink

DAC Resolution: 192 kHz/24 bit

Supported Digital Formats: DXD 24bit/352.8Khz, APE/CUE, MP3, FLAC, WAV, WMA, M4A, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, AIF, Ogg Vorbis, PCM, PLS, M3U

User Interface: 5-inch display, remote handset

Other Features: unofficial Airplay support

Dimensions (HxWxD): 98.5 x 435 x 325mm

Weight: not specified finish: black or silver