Melco Audio has launched a new range-topping digital music library, the N10/2. The new two-box flagship is the best-performing Melco music library in the company’s history.
The N10/2 is available in two distinct storage type variants: an HDD version (N10/2-H50, £6,999) plus an SSD version (N10/2-S38, £8,999). The HDD version is a direct replacement for the original N10 and the SSD version replaces the previous SSD flagship, the N1Z/2EX.
The new libraries center around newly selected HDD and SSD drives: 5 TB in the N10/2-H50 and 3.84 TB in the N10/2-S38; the dedicated drives are hand-picked by the factory to provide exceptional audio performance.
The N10/2 also benefits from a new high-performance PCB, first seen in the limited-edition N10 45th Anniversary Limited Edition (now sold out).
About the new N10/2
The N10/2 is a two-box design, featuring a half-width (215 mm) chassis, enabling Melco’s engineers to separate the delicate signal-processing electronics from the power supply.
The ‘head’ unit contains the processing electronics and data connectivity, and the power unit contains a high-performance, low-noise linear power supply with a toroidal transformer.
The head unit uses the same extreme-low-noise, high-precision digital music dataflow as the existing Melco series and crucially, is designed from the ground-up as an audio-specific device; Melco famously eschews standard IT components or PC parts.
Melco’s time-proven software architecture provides reassuring familiarity to existing Melco customers and class-leading ease of use for newcomers.
The N10/2 benefits from several familiar Melco USPs. The head unit’s rear panel benefits from twin Ethernet ports, LAN and PLAYER, the latter being a dedicated port designed to connect directly to network streamers without the need for an intervening data switch, ensuring timing accuracy is maintained.
Twin USB 2.0 ports are also available, (plus a further front-panel USB port) including a dedicated USB DAC output, ready for connection to USB DACs, USB DAC-equipped amplifiers or active speakers. The second USB port enables USB devices to connect and operate effortlessly, including importing or playing music from memory devices, HDD/SSD drives and CD drives (CD ‘rippers’); capacity expansion with Melco’s E100 (or other) storage drive; and easy backup to HDD/SSD drives.
In addition to Melco’s software architecture, the N10/2 benefits from Melco’s Intelligent Music Library suite comprising MinimServer and SongKong software. The device is also Roon Ready, DSD compatible and offers app control via DLNA/UPnP (in USB DAC mode) with support for TIDAL, Qobuz, and vTuner streaming with the Melco Music HD app. Qobuz Downloader and HighResAudio.com also enable direct, error-free high-res downloads without the need for a computer.
The N10/2 can also be used as a self-contained local hi-res digital music player when connected via a USB DAC; data rates of up to 32 bit/384 kHz and Octo DSD are supported, along with gapless and Melco markerless DSD.
Control is via the Melco Music HD app, from the front panel, or from approved third-party RF remote handsets and for network playback, UPnP control point apps.
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