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Japanese Audio Specialists Melco Release N10/2 Flagship Music Library

Posted on 8th February, 2022 by Marc Rushton
Japanese Audio Specialists Melco Release N10/2 Flagship Music Library

Melco Audio, emerging as one of the benchmark brands in music library storage and local audio streaming, has announced the launch of its range-topping N10/2 two-box solution.

As mentioned, the two-box design measuring 'half-width' at 215 mm, enabled Melco's engineers to separate the delicate signal-processing electronics from the power supply.

The head unit contains the processing electronics and data connectivity, while the power unit contains a high-performance, low-noise linear power supply with the toroidal transformer.

Melco N10/2

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.

Around the back, the head unit's rear panel offers twin Ethernet ports (LAN and PLAYER). The latter is a dedicated port designed to connect directly to network streamers without needing an intervening data switch, maintaining timing accuracy.

Melco N10/2

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 back-up to HDD/SSD drives.

Melco N10/2

The N10/2 also 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. 

Melco N10/2

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.

Available now in black or silver finishes, Melco's N10/2 is available in two distinct storage type variants: an HDD version (N10/2-H50 - 5TB) which sells for £6,999, and an SSD version (N10/2-S38 - 3.8TB) which sells for £8,999 RRP. The factory hand-picked the dedicated drives, which it says provide exceptional audio performance.

The HDD-based N10/2-H50 directly replaces the original N10, and the SSD-based N10/2-S38 replaces Melco's previous SSD-based flagship, the N1Z/2EX.

For more information visit Melco

Marc Rushton's avatar
Marc Rushton

StereoNET’s Founder and Publisher was born in England and raised on British Hi-Fi before moving to Australia. He developed an early love of music and playing bass guitar before discovering the studio and the other side of the mixing desk. After writing for print magazines, Marc saw the future in digital publishing and founded the first version of StereoNET in 1999.

Posted in: Hi-Fi

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