Antipodes CX+EX

[Thieliste]

Any experience with Antipodes CX+EX server combo ?

 

[moby2004]

Hello

It has been around 6months I am living with this combo and I am enjoying it very much ! It replaced a Melco mk2 ( and I had Aurender N10 before the Melco). It is very flexible in terms of software ( Roon, UPNP server, HQ Player, Squeezelite etc...) and in terms of storage as you can put your own SSDs. The support is great as well as Antipodes team can access your units with TeamViewer.
Sound is at the same time smooth and dynamic.
Now is it the best ? No the SGM extreme is in a different league but the price as well...
Alex

 

[wespruett]

CX+EX versus SGM Evo anyone?

 

[Audioking87]

I have the EX with the P2 platform and considering getting the CX but not sure how much more a CX would give in my scenario. I love the EX, very musical and smooth but also plenty of detail all across the frequency spectrum.

 

[Audioking87]

Hello

It has been around 6months I am living with this combo and I am enjoying it very much ! It replaced a Melco mk2 ( and I had Aurender N10 before the Melco). It is very flexible in terms of software ( Roon, UPNP server, HQ Player, Squeezelite etc...) and in terms of storage as you can put your own SSDs. The support is great as well as Antipodes team can access your units with TeamViewer.
Sound is at the same time smooth and dynamic.
Now is it the best ? No the SGM extreme is in a different league but the price as well...
Alex

I think the CX+EX in an ideal environment can give the SGM Extreme a run for it's money. Also considering the size of the Antipodes, they are well built.

 

[IanG-UK]

I'm a CX/EX user (with P1 ripper and maybe P2 too) and its a great unit - compact, discrete, with inbuilt power supply, inbuilt storage, with a ripper - and great sound quality. Mark Jenkins is really helpful and the CX/EX is solid value at £10k.

Given that the current flavour of the month, the SGM Extreme, is £20k - £22k without dedicated ripper, I'm quite happy not to go there.

 

[Audioking87]

I'm a CX/EX user (with P1 ripper and maybe P2 too) and its a great unit - compact, discrete, with inbuilt power supply, inbuilt storage, with a ripper - and great sound quality. Mark Jenkins is really helpful and the CX/EX is solid value at £10k.

Given that the current flavour of the month, the SGM Extreme, is £20k - £22k without dedicated ripper, I'm quite happy not to go there.

Thanks for your reply Ian! I just borrowed the CX from my dealer to demo in my setup. So currently its with the ex and P2 all together. Will update with my impressions as I spend time with it. By the way you guys pay quite a bit over there in the UK for the combo. Hope the GBP improves.

 

[IanG-UK]

Thanks for your reply Ian! I just borrowed the CX from my dealer to demo in my setup. So currently its with the ex and P2 all together. Will update with my impressions as I spend time with it. By the way you guys pay quite a bit over there in the UK for the combo. Hope the GBP improves.

Yes it is a factor of both the GBP and our VAT sales tax at 20%.

I've not tried the P2 yet since my recommended Devialet input is USB. The CX/PX is lovely kit and I like very minimal things so the idea of switches and special fuses and ... does nothing for me!

 

[the sound of Tao]

The Antipodes CX is a gem... even better with a Sotm Ultra as the renderer and a Sotm switch up front. I struggle to imagine how good an Extreme is but I do love the build and the sound with the Antipodes CX. Very happy in that middle place.

 

[moby2004]

I can concur that Antipodes CX+EX is a great digital source. I switched from Aurender then Melco with Lumin as well and the combo which gave me the fuller, deepest sound was the Antipodes combo.
To me CXEX combo is one of the best digital source, extremely flexible on top of that, and the best Value For Money (at least in my country in Asia , dunno in Europe ), the best in absolute being the SGM Extreme.

 

[Audioking87]

This Antipodes stack is very underrated. It's pretty impressive. Musical and organic sounding, I tested local playback and didn't think I could squeeze any more performance out of my speakers but there is even better separation and ease now. Will have to see how good Santa is and gift me this haha. Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy holidays!

 

[Tuckia]

I’ve been running the CX+EX for over two months now and think I have a handle on what it sounds like. When purchasing, the dealer said that adding the Innuos Phoenix to the chain pushed the performance beyond the level of the Innuos Statement. Adding the Phoenix to the Statement doesn’t help at all because it’s functionality is already built into it. The dealer handles both Antipodes and Innuos.

I haven’t tried this. Has anyone here tried this combination with the Phoenix yet?

 

[the sound of Tao]

I’ve been running the CX+EX for over two months now and think I have a handle on what it sounds like. When purchasing, the dealer said that adding the Innuos Phoenix to the chain pushed the performance beyond the level of the Innuos Statement. Adding the Phoenix to the Statement doesn’t help at all because it’s functionality is already built into it. The dealer handles both Antipodes and Innuos.

I haven’t tried this. Has anyone here tried this combination with the Phoenix yet?

Hi Tuckia,
+1 I’d also be interested to hear what the Phoenix might do for the Antipodes.

Also have to say that the CX just keeps opening up beautifully with use... I’ve probably clocked 800+ hours or so now and it surprises me each week by just keeping getting incrementally better... and in the best ways musically by having even more flow but also becoming more incisive, insightful and with a natural sense of ease.

It really clearly benefits from those kind of hours, the only other gear that I’ve had that’s worked opening up like that was my Magnepan 20.7s, most gear settling in much, much less time. Not complaining tho .

So while it’s never sounded other than great but it really has shifted up again a notch or two in the last month or so.

 

[Tuckia]

Tao,

I may be experiencing the same thing with continuing improvement. I say “may” because I can’t be certain it’s the only thing improving. I made many changes in the last year, but wasn’t really anticipating more improvement with anything at this stage. Usually after 400 hrs. on anything the sound plateaus.

This server sounds a bit more organic and dimensional compared to my previous N10. I think it’s really good, the best I’ve had the opportunity to hear. Just don’t know how much better it can get with more time and maybe a reclocker. It’s not a small cost to add this when considering the Phoenix ($3200) another usb cable ($850) and a power cord ($500 to $1000). This pushes the package price past the Statement.

I see you list a microzotl in your equipment. Which one? I have the Microzotl Preamp. Very happy with it.

 

[the sound of Tao]

I’d also be up for a few more $k again on top if I add another box for the front end just in additional cables and footers so I’m also wary of wandering naively into adding another component to support and feed. I’ve also stopped at one Sotm switch.

I use a MZ2 (but with a Vinshine psu) but the MZ3 is next up on my list for upgrade. The MZ2 will then do very nicely for headphone duties in the office.

 

[Audioking87]

I think the EX+P2 reclocker closes the gap between the CX+EX. The combo does sound good but I suppose depends on how revealing the system is. In my experience the addition of the CX on my system does make an improvement even with the P2 but not major so hard for me to justify adding it into the system. If it was the price of a regular computer/server I would maybe keep it.

 

[Tuckia]

I’d also be up for a few more $k again on top if I add another box for the front end just in additional cables and footers so I’m also wary of wandering naively into adding another component to support and feed. I’ve also stopped at one Sotm switch.

I use a MZ2 (but with a Vinshine psu) but the MZ3 is next up on my list for upgrade. The MZ2 will then do very nicely for headphone duties in the office.

I found the move up from the MZ2 to be meaningful. Some have dismissed the Preamp, or the sonically similar MZ3, as a modest move. I disagree. If the system is up to the task, it is meaningful.

Cost expansion from box addition can be a real issue, but the option to upgrade is certainly appealing. I acquired the CX and EX at the same time, but I find it curious that some start with the CX and others the EX. So many configuration options and connection possibilities. Modular Swiss Army knives.

 

[the sound of Tao]

I found the move up from the MZ2 to be meaningful. Some have dismissed the Preamp, or the sonically similar MZ3, as a modest move. I disagree. If the system is up to the task, it is meaningful.

Cost expansion from box addition can be a real issue, but the option to upgrade is certainly appealing. I acquired the CX and EX at the same time, but I find it curious that some start with the CX and others the EX. So many configuration options and connection possibilities. Modular Swiss Army knives.

Meaningful is a great benchmark to use. With both the Maggie 20.7s and the Pap horns even fairly modest changes are reasonably easy to distinguish but only when I’m then enjoying music more as the outcome is where that meaningful is completely for me.

I am trying hard not to chase my tail with endless sonic upgrades these days and final review on how worthwhile gear changes are (in some summative assessment) simply now comes down to how much I’m enjoying and exploring music (constantly) and that equates as music appreciation as opposed to ideas of chasing criteria like bigger soundstage or blacker backgrounds as proof of performance and as some ultimate goal of an upgrade.

AB shootouts on digital paraphernalia seems often focussed on sonic minutiae and then the current trend towards an exploding digital box count makes putting the real big picture return on investment from investing in a near infinite combination of multi boxes and cables and power supplies (with sometimes seemingly small and very specific sonic shifts) into some greater whole listening perspective is just becoming difficult.

But I am feeling really good about everything I’ve read on the MZ3 as a solid forward move... many thanks for your thoughts here as they help build on that.

 

[Tuckia]

I thought we came here to normalize our OCD. Having the socialization aspects of AA, but with a stocked bar.

Like many others here, I'm a fan of simplicity and extra boxes are a major negative. Adding all of the peripherals does push the budget within sight of SGM Extreme territory. But it does present a sloped upgrade path.

Some days an ipad with a pair of cans and youtube gets the job done. But for evening de-stress, the more satisfying the system, the more effective the treatment. That judgment doesn't need a comparative assessment.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Ha, a stocked bar yes, and a Roon full of streams and all lit by tubes... say, where did I put that OCD?? Hehe.