3.07.06
Yamaha MusicCAST MCX-2000 Digital Audio Server
Review by Gene Della Sala of Audioholics.com

Introduction

I remember my first epiphany in digital playback convenience when I purchased a CD changer nearly 20 years ago. I was the cool kid on the block serving up labeled and categorized 6 disc magazine cartridges like they were going out of style. Pop one in, hit random, and youve got nearly 5 hours of music playback for up to a half dozen of your favorite artists. Little did I know, I was taking a mere baby step in music distribution. Welcome to the 21st century where science strives to make bigger and better tomatoes and the audio industry presses on to win over your hard earned dollars on the latest and greatest technological must have advancement. Enter Yamahas MusicCAST MCX-2000 Digital Audio Server. Yamahas successor to the MCX-1000 previously reviewed by our own Clint DeBoer. Some of the major added features of the MCX-2000 compared to its predecessor (MCX1000) include: Larger Hard drive storage space (up to 160GB from 80GB) Integration of FM tuner and XM radio functionality Networking capability to play content from other computers internal network
Internet radio support Support for a larger client network with up to 15 simultaneous clients (5 wireless) According to Yamaha, they wanted to incorporate many of the recommended features their customers were asking for such as a larger hard drive. With 160GB of storage, the MusicCAST MCX-2000 now has the capability of storing up to 60,000 songs. MusicCAST also now incorporates an FM tuner and has XM-ready features. They also added local area network (LAN) compatibility for use to stream and play content from other computers via an internal network (now you can use all those MP3s you downloaded and paid for). Finally, Yamaha added Internet radio support to offer users greater flexibility and almost endless choices for their streaming content.

Set-Up

Setting up the MCX-2000 couldnt be any easier. Gone is the hassle of running 3rd party software on a PC to copy CDs. Enter the era of convenience with a single front panel push button labeled CD AUTO STORE. Finally, someone developed a music storage system that doesnt

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review
Review Date 3.07.06 Overall Rating: 4.5/5 Stars Value Rating: 4.0/5 Stars MSRP: $1999 Unlimited configurability Endless entertainment Easy to setup and operate Unobtrusive Excellent sound quality Integrated XM/FM capability

Review Summary

Yamaha MusicCAST MCX-2000 back panel view intimidate my wife. Her comments when uploading CDs to the MusicCAST were along the lines of Thats it? Wow thats cool! Before ripping CDs, some critical setup is in order. Lets take a look at the back panel to explore all of our connectivity options - which on this system are plentiful. From left to right, we have the 802.11b antenna for wireless communications, composite and s-video connections, LAN (Ethernet/RJ45) connection, toslink I/O, analogue I/O, and RS232. I would have liked to see provisioning for a digital COAX output in addition to the toslink connections. In my situation, I connected the MCX-2000 to my family room system (where most of the partying will be done) and also

Doesnt prevent or warn of double CD copy Limited Internet radio functionality High dependency on using OSD to operate

Specifications

MCX-2000 Server 160GB hard drive 1000 CDs in 320kbps MP3 200 CDs in PCM 8x/4x CD-R/RW drive Optical SPDIF I/O Analogue stereo I/O LCD Display / GUI FM, XM and Internet Radio RS232 communications for PC Gracenote CDDB OSD via S-video/composite PS/2 Port Headphone jack RS-232 Port IEEE 802.11b/g wireless 10/100 CAT-5 link IR remote Dimensions (W x H x D): 17-1/8 x 3-3/4 x 16-1/16 Weight: 14.5 lbs MSRP $1999
MCX-A10 Wireless Client 17wpc x 2 Digital Amp (optional) MP3 to all clients Linear PCM Retrieve music by Artist, Album, Genre, Playlist or all songs FM, XM Tuner Access LCD display Set time for Playback Sleep timer (120, 90, 60, 30 min) Wireless IEEE 802.11b network Speaker Output Line Out: Subwoofer Output OSD Dimensions (W x H x D): 8-1/4 x 8-1/4 x 3-1/8 Weight: 6.6 lbs. MSRP $600
MCX-C15 Wired Client Similar to MCX-A10 but not wireless Mounts in standard dual gang Vboxes Dimensions (W x H x D): 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 4-1/8 MSRP: $399 MCX-CA15 Inwall Amplifier 17wpc x 2 Digital Amp input sensing analog I/O subwoofer output DC/IR pass thru Dimensions (W x H x D): 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 4-1/8 MCX-SP10 Speakers Aesthetically Matching 17WPC Bass Reflex Wall Mountable Dimensions (W x H x D): 8.25 x 8.25 x 3.125 Weight: 2.6 lbs MSRP $120/pair
The first thing you will notice when ripping a CD into MusicCAST is that it almost instantly recognizes artist, title and song lists. This is no coincidence. The MCX-2000 is powered by Gracenote. Gracenote is an onboard (over 350k titles built in) and Internet-based database system (originally developed by volunteers, but then later licensed off) that contains informational content on virtually any CD you throw at it. The beauty of the MCX-2000 is it even works the album-labeling and categorizing magic with no Internet connection. You will still want to wire up the system to the Internet as I found several CDs that were not recognized until the MCX2000 pulled the info from the Gracenote server online. For more information about Gracenote, check out this Gracenote informational. Wanna be slick? The MCX-2000 allows you to configure a Yamaha RS-232 equipped receiver automatically for use with the MusicCAST system. You can select the AV receiver input to which the MusicCAST will be connected, synchronize/slave power on/off of the receiver to the MCX-2000, change surround programs based on music genre, and even allow MusicCAST clients to broadcast audio from your receivers tuner section. You can even set automatic playback and shutdown on each of your remote clients. Hows that for custom configurability? It makes you wanna stay in the Yamaha family of products for your entire theater solution. Yes?

wanted to connect it to my main theater room upstairs but could only do it via analogue. Most users will opt for the wired or wireless clients, so my configuration scheme was a bit unusual as was trying to route the MCX-2000 as a source component through all of my audio systems rather than using its ancillary devices such as the MCX-A10 Wireless Digital Audio Terminal or the MCX-C15 Distributed Audio Controller. I connected the MCX-2000 to my router using a straight-thru Ethernet cable as seen in Figure 1 above. This is how you connect your MCX2000 server to the Internet to take advantage of the Gracenote CDDB CD recognition service. MusicCAST comes armed with a very good GUI (Graphical User Interface) which has the same look and feel of what is in their most recent receiver line up. The first thing you will want to do is engage the Easy Setup feature to configure your music server and wireless/ wired clients.
XM, FM, Internet Radio Oh MY!
Did somebody say Radio? The MCX2000 has that (FM at least) and much more. Manufacturers have made the push recently to Note integrate XM into their product lines. Yamaha is no different as they were one of the first to Dont skip this step as I found out the hard way implement XM in their receivers and have now that it was impossible to get Ethernet connectivity to added it to the MCX-2000s arsenal of supported run Internet radio without running through this. Its quick and painless, and very straightforward. wifes stuff since MP3 works just fine for her formats. Also new to the plate, is Internet (she isnt as critical as I am with fidelity.) And radio. The MCX-2000 was preconfigured with Next you want to select your encoding yes, I did get permission with the wife for doing preferences in the Recording menu under this, unlike some of you other folks out there Setup. I chose PCM + MP3 that way I had that would attempt to pull a fast one on your the option of retaining the uncompromised significant other. I selected 256 kbps since it PCM transfer for high quality recordings that was virtually indistinguishable on the recordings I I planned on doing critical listening to, or chose to implement compression on. According discarding it in favor of the MP3 compression to the stats page on the MCX-2000, this freed scheme which frees up considerable hard drive up hundreds of recording hours for us, which space. I discarded PCM data for all of my party was needed given our vast musical tastes and music, 80s rock recordings and most of the collection.

URLs for five Internet radio stations via sky. fm.com. Browse the Internet for more free radio services, enter the URLs into the MCX2000, and presto, youve got free radio with no commercials or annoying DJs. With just a few clicks on the remote, I was soon listening to Salsa, Jazz, 70s and 80s hits absolutely free. Well, not free of compression though. Just like XM, Internet radio is highly compressed. While it may be unpalatable for audiophiles such as myself, I found it mildly entertaining provided that I didnt do any critical listening and just enjoyed it as background music. The Salsa channel was very cool indeed and opened me up to music I was unfamiliar with - inspiring me to spend more time in the Salsa section at the record store. I was a bit disappointed that this Internet radio didnt include song info such as title and artist like XM does (as do most of the PC Internet radio players),. I was a bit perplexed that the 70s and 80s channels were being broadcast in 128 kbps while the Salsa and Jazz channels were at a mere 96 kbps. Id rather see, or more appropriately stated - hear - less compression on the more demanding music. XM was no different. Most of the channels suffered excessive compression (no fault on the MCX-2000, mind you), making the vocals sound metallic and causing instruments to lack any real punch. Again, if you arent that critical, youd likely be satisfied with the fidelity of these services. At the very minimum, they expand your listening palette to new music which you could then purchase. radio list are editable. This is a very useful feature when you need to edit a large amount of information. Im guessing, though, that a majority of users will simply opt to plug in a computer keyboard via the front panel of the MCX-2000 to do quick edits of music files. To access the MusicCAST music archive from a PC, simply type the MCX-2000s IP address into your browser. After you load up the DiXiM software on your PC, the software will prompt you for a media server name. Of course I labeled mine as Audioholics. It is important to label this, especially if you plan on streaming music from more than one PC on your network. You then have to permit access for the MCX-2000 to link up with your PC as seen in the picture to the right. On the MCX-2000 simply enter the Network menu and select the music server you want to stream music from. One cool thing about this software is it actually automatically identified most of my music folders on my PC that contained mp3 or other compatible music files. Additionally, on the MCX-2000 it actually retained the folder structure found on my PC where I had the bands all categorized. With this feature set in the MCX-2000 arsenal, the music delivery capabilities are virtually endless. I was loving the fact I could now rekindle some of the old progressive rock music I downloaded to my PC and havent listened to on a stereo system in nearly a decade. I quickly navigated to my Peter Gabriel era Genesis folder and played cuts from Trespass, Nursery Cryme, and Foxtrot. Despite the fact it was playing a compressed mp3 file, I still loved Watcher of the Skies from Foxtrot, and listening to it in PLIIx Music Mode was simply awesome!

Streaming Music From Your PC
The original MusicCAST MCX-1000 lacked a critical feature for the more computer savvy customers which was found on other music server / HTPC solutions. This was the ability to stream audio from a networked PC. DiXiM Media Server software enables this ability. This software, after being installed on your PC, begins to operate immediately whenever the computer is booted up to publish the content contained in pre-specified folder(s). The content Web Browser Editor Feature Once youve got the MCX-2000 connected to delivered to the MusicCAST MCX-2000 is your PC network, you can edit text information processed specifically for delivering music over in your music archive using a standard web the PC network so that the original files arent browser that is running on a computer within actually copied onto the MCX-2000 hard drive, your network. Text information including artist but instead streamed from the linked PC on the name, album title, song title, playlist name, and network. Music streaming is available for mp3, Internet radio station names from the preset m3u, wma and wave files.

Music Management

After uploading a dozen or so CDs, I got all jazzed up at the MCX-2000s file management system. If only I could get it to organize my office so neatly and concisely. It correctly categorized my music by artist, and genre and even allowed me to perform related searches. Loading up some of my favorite Pat Metheny CDs and programming a compiled favorite song list for this artist, I soon was experience what die hard Metheny fans refer to as a Pat Attack. In fact, the MCX-2000 will allow you to program up to 1000 playlists and will furnish you with statistical playback habits. This is a handy feature to help you gauge just what music you and your family actually listen to on a regular basis. My wife and I loaded up the MCX-2000 with popular party music and created groupings for Latin, Dance, 80s, etc in preparation for our upcoming house warming party. Our guests will be in for a pleasant surprise when they hear their favorite tunes uninterrupted. Most importantly, I dont have to worry about anyone fussing with the stereo gear (a big plus for me). I even setup hot keys on my Universal remote

The MCX-2000 didnt miss a note here. The PCM transfer sounded every bit as good as the original CD Gene Della Sala

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so I could switch between party/dance favorites such as Carlos Vives to get our groove on, Steely Dans Kid Charlemagne during cocktail hour, or Michael Franks Burchfield Nines during dinnertime. There really are no configurability limits with MusicCAST allowing the listener(s) to choose exactly how they wish to playback and distribute music throughout the house.
Yamaha MusicCAST Wireless Client System
In case streaming music from your PC or serving up your entire music collection from one location to your home theater system isnt enough for you, Yamaha gives you the ability to stream music wirelessly from the MCX-2000 music server to 15 clients (up to 5 wirelessly) independently and simultaneously.
Editorial Note of Caution about Uploading Music to the MCX-2000
Unfortunately the MCX-2000 isnt smart enough to realize when you install a particular CD more than one time to record it to the hard drive. Not knowing this, I accidentally popped in one of my favorite Marillion CDs Holidays in Eden, on two separate occasions to upload it to the server and didnt realize I had a double copy of this disc until I decided to play a few tracks from it a day or two later. With the powerful database Gracenote on board, I was really surprised Yamaha didnt include a menu option to flag a user when this situation occurs to ensure no double copies of CDs are made, unnecessarily eating up valuable hard drive space.

Line Out L/R Jacks

Connect your MCX-A10 to a receiver using these 2Vrms line out jacks. These are full range line outputs.

Subwoofer Out Jack

If you are connecting the client to a receiver and speakers you can also send signal to a subwoofer via the SUBWOOFER line output. This is a variable full-range mono output, so youll want to engage your subs crossover and set it to the appropriate frequency for your MCX-A10 Client The wireless MCX-A10 main use is for system. locations where it makes it cost prohibited to CD Recording run new Cat-5e cables. Older constructions and Video Out Jack You assembled the perfect playlists and loving Connecting the video output of the MCX-A10 condos or apartments that a customer does not the musical liberty they bring you. Now what allows you to view the contents of the LCD want to run cables to run multi-zone audio would about when you leave the home? No problem. screen on an external monitor. This is nice if you opt for this solution. You can simply burn a playlist on a recordable happen to be configuring the client into another CD and youre good to go. Should you choose home theater system (like a bedroom system) to take advantage of MP3 compression to fit LAN Port The LAN port can be used in the event you or you plan to be too far away to read the LCD more of your songs on the CD, make sure in display. Other than this, the LCD provides ample advanced that your car CD player supports mp3 want to forego the 802.11b wireless connection feedback for your configuration and playback format otherwise you will have to stick with PCM or desire a greater distance from the server than needs. and may have to shorten your play list to 74-80 is possible. minutes so it will fit on the CD.

Aux In Jack

Speaker Out Terminals
Editorial Note on CD Copying
The Yamaha MusicCAST can only record to AUDIO CD-R/RWs. This is due to the fact that the MCX-2000 is classified as a Consumer Audio Device, making it subject to the rules associated with SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) an outdated, useless copy protection system developed back when the RIAA was concerned with this new CD technology resulting in a loss of revenue due to pirating and CD-R/RW drives were not prolific in desktop PCs. More modern components of late have really started to skirt this limitation and we kind of wish Yamaha would also play it fast and loose, allowing the use of the less-expensive Data CDs.
You can connect an external analogue source here. This would be utilized if, for example, you were using the optional MusicCAST speakers and wanted to feed an MP3 player, computer or other audio device into the system as well.
The spring-clip speaker terminals are rated to drive 17W x 2 into 4-ohms and the optional speakers are very nice looking and dont sound bad for the $120 price. No they arent going to replace your $2k/pair tower theater speakers. However, they are well constructed and weigh about 2.5 pounds each - not too shabby when you figure in the fact that a decent set of computer speakers will run you this much. Id much rather listen to these units. Like the MCX-A10 client, the speakers can also be wallmounted or positioned side-by-side with the main unit for a clean, elegant look. For more details on how the wireless client system functions and performs, check out our review of the original Yamaha MusicCAST MCX-1000.

Remote Control

There really isnt much to say about the remote for the MCX-2000 other than it is functional and intuitive for the most part. The circle buttons centralized in the remote are the ones most used to navigate through the MCX-2000s GUI interface. It has the ability to serve as a universal remote for situations where the MCX-2000 acts as the demarcation point for a music system. However those hooking the MCX-2000 into a home theater receiver would likely opt for either using the receivers remote or a good universal one. I rarely used this remote as I quickly uploaded its code to my universal which incidentally is backlit. Hand me a remote without backlighting and it will quickly find its way into my storage bin (as this one did during a majority of my reviewing session). I care to admit listening to the archive of music I created. In fact, I found myself listening to stuff I ordinarily dont, not because it sounded fabulous on the MCX-2000 so much as it was there. If you are like me, you are probably all too familiar with the scenario of lacking motivation to load up your CD changer with discs you rarely listen too. When you have instant access to your entire music collection at your disposal, you find the motivation to broaden your listening palette. Such was my realization 2-3 hours after listening to my first song on the MCX-2000. If you dont have Shakira in your music collection, you dont know what you are missing. It has nothing to do with the fact that she is absolutely gorgeous or that she is a superb dancer. Her musical content as far as Latin pop goes is top notch. It is obvious both from her lyrics and passion in her voice that she pours her heart into her music. My wife uploaded her entire Shakira music collection which I left intact as PCM to preserve its integrity. I thought I would do a quick spot check to ensure the transfer went well and found myself listening to nearly the entire Oral Fixation Volume 1 disc. Track #2 La Pared sounds killer in PLIIx Music Mode. This song certainly qualified on one of our favorites playlist. Track# 3 La Tortura and Track #8 Las de la Intuicion were more excellent examples of her high energy, thought provoking lyrics that get your foot stomping and head spinning (that is if you understand Spanish). I am still learning, and luckily my wife is a great translator. The MCX-2000 didnt miss a note here. The PCM transfer sounded every bit as good as the CD as I confirmed by switching back and forth between the two in real time using my Denon DVD-5900 to play the CD. I recently acquired an old collection of progressive rock CDs from one of my brothers, most of which I loved growing up as a child, but simply wouldnt commit to purchasing them because of over familiarity with the music, and usually low fidelity associated with poor transfers to CD. Thus, I threw a half dozen of them into the MCX-2000 and let her rip. First up was Emerson Lake and Palmers Love Beach. Die hard fans will scold you for even mentioning this CD which in many ways represented their departure from the dying era of progressive rock to a more pop influenced decade known as the 80s. Despite the obvious feeble attempts of trying to sell out in a few of the tracks, some of the musical content on this CD in my opinion is still to this day, excellent. Thus I selectively copied the tracks worth listening too, such as the 20 minute song Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman. I threw is some Works Vol 1, Pictures at an Exhibition, and Brain Salad Surgery and wham I had a rather diverse collection of some of the bands best music at my finger tips to enjoy and reminisce of the good ole days of progressive rock. The music sounded sterile in comparison to more modern recordings, but this was no fault of the MCX-2000 as it was a limitation of the recordings themselves. Moving on to some high quality recordings, I fed the MCX-2000 my Fourplay, Pat Metheny, Uncle Festive, as well as the rest of my jazz collection of music. Again, I retained the PCM data for all of these recordings. John Scofield / Pat Metheny I Can See Your House From Here CD from BlueNote Records, is a close mic recording that portrays a very intimate f e e l i n g sonically. On a good system (and room for that matter), the speakers will literally disappear and you will be left with two legendary guitarists jamming away making some very cool lumpy jazz (free from the Jazzac found on the radio these days). Track #4 Everybodys Party is an upbeat swing kinda song with phenomenally great guitar solos from Scofield and Metheny along with some very dynamic drumming. The MCX-2000 handled it with ease sounding every bit as transparent as the original source disc when playing back the PCM.

Listening Tests: Music

A majority of my music listening was done via the MusicCAST digital outputs into my receiver which is the typical and usually preferred hookup method when mating the MCX-2000 with a home theater system. I spent more time than
Yamahas MusicCAST truly redefines the way you listen to music and anyone previously unfamiliar with the power and flexibility of a music server, especially one that can stream music wirelessly, is really in for a treat. Gene Della Sala
Useful Guidelines on CD Copying
As was the case with pretty much every Yamaha CD/DVD transport I have used in the past, the MCX-2000 was a bit finicky in playing back CDs that contained excessive scratches, dirt and blemishes. Perhaps one of the reasons I still have my 10 year old Sony ES changer on hand is I can literally run a knife over my CDs and they will still play on the Sony with no hiccups. This wasnt always the case with the MCX-2000 and I learned this lesson the hard way after I went to access some of the CDs I uploaded into the hard drive. I found two or three CDs that some of the tracks did not transfer well and you could hear distortion, high frequency crackling and skipping continuously throughout the particular tracks. In Yamahas defense, not even my venerable Sony machine would play a couple of these blemished CDs. Thus I have listed some basic precautions when uploading music to your MCX-2000 to avoid later headaches and embarrassment when hosting a party and your Milli Vanilli music skips more than usual.
Editorial Note on CD Sound Quality
There are many factors that influence the sound quality of source material such as: 1) How the source material was recorded (ie. equipment, mics, etc) 2) How the recording was mastered and transferred to CD (level, compression, etc) For a more thorough discussion on typical ailments that plaque recording quality, we suggest the following reading material: Current Trends in the Recording Format Arena P1 Current Trends in the Recording Format Arena P2 Issues with 0dBFS+ Levels On Digital Audio Playback Systems The Case for NOT going above 0 dBFS For Digital Playback Systems
Suggestions for Improvement
Despite the almost limitless configurability of the MCX-2000, there were of course some Pre-Recording Guidelines shortcomings just as there are with virtually all home theater equipment in the eyes of the anal Make sure the surface of your CDs are retentive Audioholic. Listed below are some of Conclusions The Yamaha MusicCAST MCX-2000 is a clear of fingerprints, smudges and gunk. the issues I would like see improved upon or dream come true to anyone looking for an easy Spot check each track for playability incorporated into future iterations or upgrades to use, intelligent file management and server of your CD on the MCX-2000 before of this product. solution for their music database. Though more recording it. tech savvy enthusiasts may opt for building a Spot check playback of each recorded Ability to recognize and prevent double HTPC solution to save a few bucks, they will track of the uploaded CD to ensure its copying of CDs still not likely be able to achieve the usability of free of clicks, pops, and other anomalies. Integrated web browser or navigation tool to more easily find Internet music stations the MCX-2000, not to mention its elegant slim line chassis and Yamaha brand name ensuring a As you can see in the pic to the right, one of Bigger front panel display and less great track record of reliability and quality. The my favorite Steely Dan CDs didnt fair to well dependency on using the OSD MCX-2000 will be the hit at any of your social baking in my Slappa CD case in my car for the past two years. The gunk that can be seen on this CD is now literally engraved into the disc. I found about a half dozen or so of my CDs to suffer this ill fate. My advice is to burn copies of the CDs you want to listen to in your car. Dont store the originals in that heat (of course I live in Florida so its a bit worse here.) In fact, you may even wish to create discs exclusively for the car which contain your favorite hits from each artist to avoid skipping tracks or thumbing through your entire Prince collection (or artist formerly known as Prince, or whatever he considers himself these days) to get your quick 1999 fix.

This is a rather short list and a tribute to Yamaha listening to the feedback from custom installers, and reviewers to continually improve product features and usability.
gatherings or parties and although unobtrusive in appearance, will make itself known to your guests when they hear all of the great songs, interruption free, you selected for your playlists. A Custom Installer can have a field day configuring and utilizing all of the great features of the MCX-2000. Because of its feature set, this will ensure a satisfied customer base and points with your clients once you empower them with the ability of streaming audio at the press of a button. This product truly redefines the way you listen to music and anyone previously unfamiliar with the power and flexibility of a music server, especially one that can stream music wirelessly, is really in for a treat. My whole experience with this system has been one of delight. It brought me in touch with the music I grew up with and often forgotten widened my listening palette. Most importantly, it made me a superstar to my guests at a recent party we threw that went on until the early hours of the morning because of all of the dancing and non stop great music it served up. Now if only it could brew a pot of coffee By Gene Della Sala Email - gds@audioholics.com
Y amaha MusicCAST MCX-2000 Score Card
The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating equal to: Performance x Price Factor/Value = Rating
Audioholics Ratings Scale:
Outstanding (reserved for features or areas that exceed market norms) Above Average Average Below average Very poor

Metric

Build Quality Ease of Setup User Interface Remote Appearance Features Sound Quality Overall Value

Rating

/2 //2

A Wifes Perspective

Who would have thought that the electronics industry, especially in this day-in-age, could make a product that was consumer friendly. Im talking about the ease of use and facility of understanding the different capabilities the product has to offer. The best part, the instructions are even easy to read and understand. You may ask, what is this little woman referring to? Well, I will tell you. Ill start by letting you know that this is currently my favorite toy. I used and abused it (not really, not yet) and I dont think I will ever get tired of mistreating it. Any ideas yet? No. Thats Ok. Its no other than Yamahas MusicCAST MCX-2000. This new baby is able to download and save hundreds of hours of quality CD recording (mp3 not included), as well as multi-server capabilities (Internet Radio, FM Radio, etc, etc, etc). The menus concocted by the engineers of this cleaver machine, are extremely easy to navigate through and decipher. No more need to have the guys tell you and run it for you (although, it is nice to feel serviced), which lets us show them that we can do it too. But, it does feel great to have the ability to work this toy on your own. I have to tell you ladies, this is an easy, likable, compact and wonderful product to use. The best part, most of the music in it will be yours and yours alone. By Tica Molinares-DellaSala

About Yamaha Electronics

Yamaha Electronics Corporation (YEC), USA, based in Buena Park, California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha. YEC offers Home Theater components and systems, featuring A/V Receivers, Amplifiers, DVD/CD, Speakers, Mini-Systems, Video Projection, as well as A/V & IT Convergence Products.
Yamaha MusicCAST MCX-2000 MSRP: $1999 Yamaha Electronics 6660 Orangethorpe Avenue Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 522-9105 http://www.yamaha.com/yec/
Non-exclusive reprint rights have been provided to Yamaha Electronics Corporation to reprint and freely distribute this review. Any other uses or instances of this review by other parties or by Yamaha Electronics Corporation are prohibited without prior approvals from Audioholics. The original review can be viewed online at www.audioholics.com.

035 EHC 07 Jukebox Group Test

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Yamahas MusicCast wont rip MP3s from a CD but does have analogue and digital inputs
FROM 2,100 The first big-name system to hit the market supports up to five clients by WiFi

Yamaha MusicCast

AMAHA'S MUSICCAST, THE FIRST MUSIC CLIENT/SERVER system from a mainstream company, uses WiFi rather than traditional wiring and as a result can easily be self-installed. The system comprises two separate components the first is the MCX-1000 server. The (upgradable) 80GB hard-disk will store around 1,000 CDs in 160KBps MP3 format or 100 CDs in uncompressed (PCM) mode. The other part of the system is the MCX-A10 client, a unique-looking device that can be wall-mounted or clipped onto a (supplied) stand. Internal digital amplifiers power the speakers of your choice (Yamaha sells matching two-way models). In addition, the MCX-A10 will also deliver analogue audio to an external amplifier (alas, there's no digital output). The server supports up to five MCX-A10s in wireless mode blue LEDs on the front panel indicate which clients are active. A further two clients can be added via conventional (wired) Ethernet. For this reason, the MCX-1000 and MCX-A10 both feature Ethernet ports. Interestingly, Yamaha recently introduced the MCX-C15, a wired-only client designed for in-wall mounting. Setting up the system is simple due to the well-designed on-screen menus. Most tasks require a display to be connected to the MCX-1000 by composite or S-video. The MCX-A10 can also be driven by on-screen displays but this isn't mandatory, as a large LCD screen is incorporated. An auto-configuration system allows the server to detect any clients within radio range (up to 30m). Before the sweet sound of music can pour out of the MCX-A10's speakers though, you need to get it onto the server. As with the other systems featured here, a CD is copied to the hard-disk by inserting it into a frontmounted drive. The ripping of songs or complete CDs is conducted quickly a full-length CD is copied in under five minutes. We're pleased to report that copy-protected (Cactus Datashield) CDs are supported. The proviso is that such copying has to be done in analogue mode. Not only does this reduce the potential sound quality, but the process has to be conducted in 'real-time'. The standard method of storing music is PCM, and purists might like to keep it that way. If your CD collection is big, MP3 compression can be applied so that you sacrifice sound quality for space. Compression is applied after the ripping process, and you're given a choice of three bitrates (160, 256 and 320KBps). MP3 and PCM versions can be held on the hard-disk simultaneously. Track, artist and album names are added automatically if your CD is listed on the MCX-1000's internal database. If not, the server will attempt to download your CD's details from Gracenote's free CDDB service on the internet. For this to work, the unit's Ethernet port must be connected to the internet we configured the MCX-1000 for DHCP, and it was able to successfully access this database through our Belkin gateway-router and broadband cable internet service. As an alternative, the information can be manually-entered by plugging a PC keyboard into the MCX-1000 and typing it in. On which subject, if you have any CD-ROMs containing MP3 files, you can't copy these to the MCX-1000's hard-disk, but oddly enough, you can play them. In addition, you can't transfer music from a PC via Ethernet. On the plus side, the system has analogue and digital inputs so you can record audio from non-CD sources. There's no phono pre-amp built-in, but you can use the tape-loop of a suitable amp if you want to import your vinyl collection. The unit has analogue and digital outputs for an audio system so you can listen to your music in the room where the server is located. Your selection of music can be determined by artist, album or genre. Personal playlists of songs can be created easily, albeit only from the server. Every client could be playing a different piece of music, independently selected by its user. Note, however, that the way in which the music is stored in the MCX-1000 influences the maximum number of clients that can be served simultaneously, owing to WiFi data-rate limitations. Only one client is supported for PCM playback; use 160KBps MP3, and the independent tastes of up to seven users can be catered for simultaneously. Overall, we like MusicCast. Sound quality of uncompressed music stored on the server is exemplary. The MCX-1000's MP3 encoder does a good job, with subtle artefacting only apparent with complex music in the 160KBps mode. At the 320KBps setting, you can barely tell the difference from the original CD. And the client? With the diminutive Yamaha speakers, the MCA-10 combines an incisive top-end with a lightweight bass performance. More than acceptable for background listening, but an external amp and better speakers would satisfy the more critical listener.

Whats good about this jukebox Ease of use/installation Sound quality CD recording Whats bad about this jukebox Recording bitrate influences number of clients Can't transfer music from PCs No Minidisc-style editing of actual audio
ESSENTIAL HI-FI & HOME CINEMA 35

5:08 pm

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>>Group Test

Jukeboxes

MAKE MODEL

SPECIFICATIONS

YAMAHA MUSICCAST

IMERGE S2000

CYRUS LINK

LINN KIVOR

EPC/ PINNACLE

PERCEPTION HERCULES PD-480

Tel Web

MCX-1000 server 1,800 MCX-SP10 wired client 300 MCX-A10 wireless client 600 MCX-C15 client speakers 233166 www.yamaha-audio.co.uk
Single output 80GB S2000 1,600 3-output 160GB S2000 2,700
NP200 network player 600 XiVA-Tacta (Pocket PC) 783600 www.imerge.co.uk
Linkserver 160 3,000 Linkserver 250 3,500 Linkport 650 each Linkwand sware 435577 www.cyrus.co.uk
From 12,000 (But you do need to get a professional quote) www.linn.co.uk
EPC Fidelity II 2,500 Pinnacle ShowCenter 200 WiFi card for ShowCenter 611888/01895 442003
www.entertainmentpc.co.uk/pinnaclesys.com
1000 www.richersounds.com

FEATURES

Max number of clients Hard-disk capacity User-upgradable hard-disk Music capacity (CDs) Audio formats supported Line-in audio recording CD database support CD recording CD playback on server Supports copy protected CDs MP3 CD playback on server Copy MP3 CD to hard-disk Audio editing Transfer audio to/from PC Control playback via PC 7 80GB YES 100-1,000

PCM (uncompressed), MP3

80GB, 160GB or 250GB 160GB or 250GB NO NO 100-1,200 (200-2,400 for 160GB) 400-4,500 (for 250GB)
PCM, 128/192/320KBps MP3 PCM, 128/192/320KBps MP3
16 160GB - 1,760GB NO 200-3,000

50 160GB YES 200-2,000

MP3, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, DivX 3.11

1 40GB NO 100-1,000

PCM, 128/320KBps
YES Internal + Gracenote CDDB YES YES YES YES NO NO NO YES We say: A good spread of functions, but we're disappointed the contents of MP3 CD-ROMs can't be copied to the hard-disk.
Not as yet Gracenote CDDB + XiVAnet NO YES YES NO NO NO YES (to S2000 only) YES We say: The network functionality gives the S2000 unparalleled flexibility.
NO Gracenote CDDB + XiVAnet NO YES YES NO NO NO NO YES We say: The Cyrus offers extensive features for both the serious audiophile and the person who simply wants to play MP3 music.
YES Gracenote CDDB NO YES YES NO NO NO NO YES We say: The sheer number of CDs that can be stored on this system means that even with the largest of music collection, youll be pressed to fill it.
YES Gracenote CDDB NO (but upgradable) YES Compressed-audio only YES YES YES(with software) YES YES We say: A PC gives you the ultimate in flexibility - the same machine will suffice for many different tasks.

YES Gracenote CDDB YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES We say: Aside from the CD-burner, limited features but reasonable for the money.

CONNECTIONS

Audio inputs (server) Audio outputs (server) Audio inputs (client) Audio outputs (client) Video outputs (server) Video outputs (client) Networking Serial port for ext control
analogue phono, coaxial/optical digital analogue phono, coaxial/optical digital, hphone
analogue 3.5mm (aux. stereo source) analogue phonos, subwoofer, speakers composite, S-video composite Ethernet via CAT-5, WiFi YES (Yamaha receivers only)
analogue phonos (3), coaxial/optical digital analogue phono, coaxial/optical digital
speakers, optical digital analogue phono (aux. stereo source) composite/S-video or VGA none Ethernet via CAT-5 (WiFi option) YES Infra-red input and USB
analogue phonos (4), coaxial/optical digital analogue phono, coaxial/optical digital
speakers, optical digital analogue phono (aux stereo source) composite/S-video or VGA none Ethernet via CAT-5 (WiFi option) YES Infra-red input and USB
analogue phono analogue phono, coaxial/optical digital
analogue phonos, coaxial/optical digital analogue phonos, coaxial/optical digital
none analogue phonos, coaxial/optical digital
analogue phonos analogue phono, optical digital, USB 2.0

n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

none none Ethernet via CAT-5 YES
VGA, DVI composite, S-video, RGB Scart, prog component Ethernet via CAT-5. Client upgradable to WiFi Potentially
We say: All eventualities catered for. The server also has composite and S-video inputs the onscreen graphics are laid over any source connected to these.
We say: All of the important connections are present and correct, although a headphone socket would have been appreciated.
We say: All of the important connections are present.
We say: Theres no need to worry about connection options as the install team will make sure all your rooms and sources are covered.
We say: The DVI output will give you the best results from DVDs, with compatible projectors and plasma screens.
We say: No option for adding clients works as a standalone unit.

VERDICT

Features Looks Ease of use Sound Value

OVERALL

WINNER Imerge S2000
HOOSING AN OVERALL WINNER FOR THIS GROUP HASNT BEEN easy each option could be the perfect solution for someone, depending on their budget and requirements. The Linn system shows what you can achieve if money is no object but for most people money is an object, hence the astronomical price rules it out of contention in the context of this group. Meanwhile, the Perception Digital and Fidelity PC/Pinnacle ShowCenter combination also illustrate that you dont just have to buy an off-the-shelf system costing 1,000s to enjoy digital audio in the home.

ESSENTIAL HI-FI & HOME CINEMA
Of the more conventional systems, the Imerge and Cyrus just edge out the Yamaha in terms of ease of use and performance. The Cyrus is a virtual clone of the Imerge save for price. At the end of the day, by a whisker we declare that the Imerge is the original and best.