#1 · Sources & Streaming
Cambridge Audio CXN1004.6/5$1899
High-end ESS SABRE32 DAC with balanced XLR outputs
The best DACs and network streamers
By Theo Mensah · Updated 19 June 2026
Get the digital end right and everything downstream sounds better. Our picks, from the pocket-sized Chord Mojo 2 to the full-size Cambridge CXN100.
The digital front end is where a lot of audiophile money gets wasted — and where a little, spent well, makes a real difference. A good DAC cleans up the conversion from file to analogue; a good streamer makes accessing your music a pleasure rather than a fight with an app. Beyond a sensible threshold, the gains get small fast, so the trick is buying enough and no more.
These two cover the bases: a do-it-all desktop/home streamer-DAC, and a remarkable portable that punches absurdly above its size.
At a glance
#2 · Sources & Streaming
Chord Electronics Mojo 24.7/5$1195
Class-leading sound from Chord's proprietary FPGA conversion
| # | Product | Price | Rating | Best for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Cambridge Audio CXN100 Sources & Streaming | $1899 | 4.6/5 | High-end ESS SABRE32 DAC with balanced XLR outputs | Amazon |
| #2 | Chord Electronics Mojo 2 Sources & Streaming | $1195 | 4.7/5 | Class-leading sound from Chord's proprietary FPGA conversion | Amazon |
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#1 · Best home streamer
Cambridge Audio CXN100
Rating: 4.6 / 5
An ESS SABRE32 DAC, balanced outputs and the mature StreamMagic app — add it to any amplifier for flexible hi-res streaming.
#2 · Best portable
Chord Electronics Mojo 2
Rating: 4.7 / 5
Chord's proprietary FPGA conversion and transparent DSP in a pocket-sized box — a giant-killer DAC/amp for phones, laptops and headphones.
A reminder from our glossary: bit-perfect data delivery is largely a solved problem, so don''t overspend chasing "musical" ethernet boxes. Put your money into the DAC and a streamer with an app you''ll actually enjoy using — that''s where the real-world difference lives.
Common questions
- Do I need a separate DAC if my amp has one?
- Not necessarily. A standalone DAC makes sense when you want to upgrade the digital section of an otherwise good system, or need specific inputs/outputs.
- Is hi-res worth it?
- The master matters more than the numbers. A great 16-bit/44.1kHz master beats a mediocre hi-res file — but a good DAC handles both well.
- Streamer or just a phone?
- A phone via Bluetooth is convenient but compromised. A dedicated streamer delivers bit-perfect playback and a better app experience to your DAC.
About the author
Theo Mensah
Digital, DACs & Streaming Editor · Perth, WA
Theo here. By day I write software, by night I argue with people on forums about whether bit-perfect playback is "solved" (it mostly is, and then it isn't). I cover the digital end — DACs, streamers, servers, the whole messy ecosystem of getting a file to sound its best. My promise to you: I'll separate the genuine engineering from the audiophile folklore, and I'll never tell you a $500 streaming bridge sounds "blacker" unless I can explain why.
Software engineer; network-audio and DAC specialist