Arcam ST25 vs Cambridge Audio EXN100: which premium music streamer should you buy?

“No one really makes a bad product anymore.” That’s the comment we’ve been hearing for the past couple of years when meeting with hi-fi manufacturers, and they’re not wrong. The world of hi-fi has shrunk since its glory days, but it means that brands making products on the premium side (let’s say, anything above £1000 / $1500) have little room to make mistakes, in a bid to deliver their very best in today’s challenging economic climate for those discerning souls that still value separates hi-fi.

In fact, we’d go so far as to say that most hi-fi products these days are really rather very good, and nowhere is this more evidenced by the two premium music streamers going head-to-head here. Arcam and Cambridge Audio have been around for 50 years in the hi-fi business, and each brand has pooled their audio expertise into network audio players that meet the modern demands of wireless music streaming.

The Cambridge Audio EXN100 (£1599 / $1799) came first, offering an elevated, more powerful step above the established CX range that we have regarded highly for a decade. Arcam’s impressive Radia range is a more recent rebirth for the brand, with the slightly less costly ST25 streamer (£1499 / $1650) only entering our test rooms last year.

In such a short time, both models have made a strong impression. At this price range, our expectations for a dedicated music streamer are high, especially considering that many emerging brands can offer the same features for a slice of that asking price. But it all comes down to performance, and getting the very best out of your digital music library.

Arcam ST25 vs Cambridge Audio EXN100: build & design

In terms of design, both music streamers are housed in sturdy, rectangular boxes that are built to a high standard. The ST25 and EXN100 look and feel impressive in the flesh, with minimal styling and a large screen dominating both designs.

They both occupy roughly the same footprint on our hi-fi racks. Cambridge’s customary ‘lunar grey’ finish looks smart, if a little safe. We particularly like the knurled volume/control dial on the thick aluminium front panel – it turns smoothly and is a classy detail.

Arcam cuts a fresher, more striking all-black figure whose modern styling and certain details – such as the furrows cut into the top panel and the stripe of yellow along the sides – make it stand out from the crowd. As with its Award-winning amplifier siblings, it has an overhanging lip on the back panel that protects the connections from collecting dust.

In contrast, the front of the ST25 doesn’t have any controls, dials or buttons in sight, whereas the EXN100 does have a smattering of buttons for easy access to menus and playback controls. It’s worth noting that the Arcam streamer includes a slim remote control in the box; you have to buy one separately for the Cambridge.

The large, high-resolution display screen that shows off album artwork and metadata on both units is sharp, colourful and impressive in action. We said the EXN100’s screen “has a pleasing contrast” and all the information is shown “in a crisp, bright manner that’s easy to read.” Similarly on the ST25, we said the screen is also easy to read while album artwork “appears bright, punchy and colourful with good viewing angles.”

Whichever model you choose, you won’t be disappointed when it comes to the design and build of the streamer.

**Winner: Draw**

Arcam ST25 vs Cambridge Audio EXN100: app and control

There’s no remote with the EXN100 because Cambridge, quite reasonably, envisions that the way you’ll be browsing and playing your music and switching between sources on a streamer will be done by the accompanying app on a smartphone or tablet.

Cambridge’s StreamMagic app is a well-organised, user-friendly interface that we’ve encountered many times with the brand’s other five-star streamers, and it’s one of the best examples in the business.

The app displays all the streaming services, local radio stations and sources available; you can set presets to your favourite stations and playlists, and you can access other features of the streamer, such as the display brightness, power-down timer, and preamp mode. It is smooth and intuitive in use.

For the Arcam ST25, users will need both the Radia app and remote control working together to access all of its options. You can access music services, podcasts, radio stations and your sources through the app, although we found that navigating through vast music libraries and playlists can be a little clunky.

It’s also a shame you can’t use the Radia app to access options like dimming or turning the display off, or selecting your favourite DAC filter (there are four options) on the ST25. To do this, you’ll need the included remote. We said in our review that jumping between the app and the remote does feel a little jarring when using the ST25. In comparison, the EXN100 is much slicker and simpler in use via the one control app.

**Winner: Cambridge Audio EXN100**

Arcam ST25 vs Cambridge Audio EXN100: features

In terms of streaming features, the two streamers are neck-and-neck with their offerings. The most popular music streaming services – Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, even Deezer and Amazon Music – are baked in, as is internet radio.

Both units feature AirPlay, Google Cast and are Roon Ready certified. However, while the Cambridge EXN100 offers Bluetooth (aptX HD) for easy streaming from mobile devices, the Arcam ST25 eschews Bluetooth altogether.

The Connect versions of Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz are fully supported, meaning you can use the native music apps directly to stream hi-res tunes to the streamer, without the need to go through a separate app. Both feature wi-fi and wired Ethernet connections, and you can access and play songs stored on UPnP-compatible media libraries and NAS devices on the same home network.

Regardless of how we play our music, from Tidal Connect to our Naim Uniti Core server, both streamers play all tunes without any fuss.

One point of difference is the maximum file resolutions and format they support. Cambridge takes the lead here, with playback of up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM, DSD512 and MQA files possible. Arcam’s support extends to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 files.

In our experience, the vast majority of hi-res downloads and libraries are available in 24-bit/192kHz native resolution or lower, so either streamer should be more than capable enough for most users. Only those with the most niche music collections should need to check this specification with a fine-tooth comb to ensure the streamer plays those rarer hi-res files and formats.

When it comes to physical connections, Arcam keeps things simple with optical, coaxial and line-level RCA outputs, and a USB type A port for plugging in hard drives. Cambridge goes further with additional balanced XLR outputs, digital inputs – including a USB type B port – and, most importantly, an HDMI eARC input. For those wanting to incorporate your streamer into your TV/home cinema set up, this inclusion will undoubtedly be attractive.

Both streamers offer the essentials of a modern streamer to suit most users’ needs, and we can’t imagine anyone feeling shortchanged with either. The Cambridge EXN100’s inclusion of the HDMI input and Bluetooth means it takes the win this round.

**Winner: Cambridge Audio EXN100**

Arcam ST25 vs Cambridge Audio EXN100: sound

Cambridge’s EXN100 impresses straight out of the box with a clear, spacious and balanced sound. We play Alt-J’s Breezeblocks and “there’s a controlled sense of rhythm, attack and drive, while also moving with just enough fluidity to sound at ease”. The stereo imaging is stable, while the room-filling sound is composed and controlled.

We said in our review that there is “enough body to the sound that music never sounds thin but also not overly warm; it simply sounds well balanced”. Bass notes are deep, agile and tuneful, while voices – such as on Waxahatchee’s Right Back To It – are clearly defined and in solid focus.

It’s a confident, muscular presentation whose balanced character is heard regardless of what source you play. The EXN100 does perform its best when fed high-resolution tracks, but it doesn’t make a fuss when streaming music using lossy Bluetooth.

Our main complaint here is that we wish for more subtlety in the way it handles dynamic shifts, and for the EXN100 to have a bit more attitude and emotion for songs that require it.

Arcam’s ST25 also impresses us with a “crystal clear” presentation, with an “eerily quiet backdrop for the music” that allows instruments ample space to breathe and greater detail and texture to be revealed. Basslines bound along with speed, agility and power, laying a fantastic foundation for the high-energy tempo of Madonna's Sky Fits Heaven.

Shift gears down to a more contemplative Ludovico Einaudi composition (Einaudi: Experience), and here Arcam’s greater fidelity with detail and dynamic subtlety comes to the fore.

The precision and delicacy of the piano notes are beautifully replayed: “Notes hang in open space, with differences in dynamics explicitly presented. You can hear the intent and intensity behind each key strike change as the track flows gracefully along.”

As the tightly defined strings and snappy percussive elements join the fray, the “drama blossoms into a beautiful crescendo” – it’s a captivating performance that fills the ample soundstage.

Compared with the Cambridge streamer, Arcam’s quieter background allows for a greater level of insight and emotion to be revealed, while its dynamic prowess – both in the contrast between the quiet and loud moments and in the subtler shades between notes – delivers an overall more musically satisfying experience.

**Winner: Arcam ST25**

Arcam ST25 vs Cambridge Audio EXN100: verdict

Cambridge Audio’s EXN100 and Arcam’s ST25 are both five-star Award winners, and truly you can’t go wrong with either. Each streamer has its many strengths, and much of your choice might well come down to personal preference of the finer details in design, use and feature set.

In our comparative tests, we do have a clear preference when it comes to sound quality, as evidenced by the trophy being handed over from one Cambridge-born company to another at the most recent What Hi-Fi? Awards.

The refined and spacious Cambridge streamer will appeal to many, but the Arcam ST25’s more insightful and dynamically subtle sound is the one that captures our attention more, and allows us to make a stronger connection to the music we’re listening to. For its greater sonic talents, we can put up with some of our niggles with the app.

If you’re after a talented, well-made premium streamer that brings your digital music library or streamed playlists to life, the Arcam ST25 is a worthy choice.

**Overall winner: Arcam ST25**

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