The N5-H50 benefits much from Melco's N1-S38 flagship, including its ground-up design, new platform, chassis, casework, and all-new mainboard developed for the top model.

The N5-H50's precision-machined two-tone metalwork shares the N1-S38's industrial design DNA. It comprises a highly stable chassis construction centred around a robust 3 mm stainless steel base plate to minimise unwanted vibration. This is rounded off with concealed shadow lighting that changes colour in response to machine status.

The main concession to making the N5-H50 easier on the credit card is it swaps out the flagship's SSD in favour of HDD as well as “simplified features”.

That said, we're told that Melco's N5-H50 is equipped with an “extreme grade” low-jitter system clock from NDK, industrial-quality RJ45 connectors for Melco's trademark LAN port and dedicated PLAYER port, plus SFP Fibre (Small Form Factor Pluggable) connectivity, allowing the use of noise-isolating optical connectivity with suitably SFP-ready devices, including Melco's S100/2 and S10 data switches.

Even the USB ports feature “industrial-quality Amphenol connectors” at the rear. There is also a handy fascia-mounted USB socket alongside illuminated positive-click fascia control buttons and an easy-read OLED display panel.

USB 2.0 is welcomed for audiophile-grade DACs as well as USB 3.0 for higher-speed data transfers, such as CD importing with Melco's dedicated D100 drive/ripper. Alternatively, this can be used to connect additional storage.

Power comes by way of an EMC-filtered IEC connector promising true system ground reference and through multistage linear regulation following a high-specification audio-grade toroidal transformer on a special vibration-cushion mount device.

Melco's new N5-H50 is available to order now in black or silver, priced at £7,499/ €8,999.

You can see it at High End Munich, 18-21 May (Room/stand: A 4.1, F107, DREI H.

Visit Melco for more information