After graduating from ISEN Brest (Higher Institute of Electronics and Digital Technology.) in 2006, Antoine Millot started his career by developing a platform for the emulation of the Xbox’s integrated processor at Philips. Later, he became a software engineer for Thomson, then an engineer in acoustic electronics for Thales, before joining the Cabasse team in 2011. Subsequently, the new Cabasse Stream AMP 100 amplifier was developed under his leadership.
S.V.: What did the Cabasse Stream line-up offer up until now?
A.M.: We offer the Cabasse Stream 1 wireless speaker, which is portable, with an integrated 60 W amplifier, and an apt-X Bluetooth and DLNA WiFi receiver. There is also the Cabasse Stream 3 system, a 2.1 model derived from our EOLE 3 systems. And the Stream Source, a Bluetooth and WiFi gateway for those who wish to enrich their traditional sound system. We are able to provide high definition streaming solutions that meet the user’s different needs while respecting Cabasse’s high quality standards. It is only fitting that the Stream AMP 100 completes our offer.
S.V.: Cabasse is valued for its expertise in hi-fi speakers, so why offer an amplifier?
A.M.: In hi-fi, each element is essential to ensure that the musicality is not compromised. You can own the best speakers in the world but if your amplification isn’t high-quality, the end result will be mediocre. As experts in hi-fi speakers, it was our duty to offer this important missing link in order to guarantee the best musical experience possible. We aren’t new to this domain. Cabasse has a long-standing and extensive experience in electronic and acoustic development of professional systems. Thereafter, we shared this knowledge with the general public via our Cabasse Pacific 3SA active systems, our subwoofers, and our ultra high-end systems, the Sphère and the Océan.
S.V.: How is the Cabasse Stream AMP 100 special?
A.M.: What is new is that with the Stream AMP 100, we are able to reproduce the same sound validated in the Cabasse Acoustic Center in the homes of our clients. Firstly because we now offer each element of a system, and secondly because our Cabasse DEAP (Digital Enhanced Acoustical Performance) technology ensures a perfect match between our speakers and our electronics.
We are able to reproduce the same sound validated in the Cabasse Acoustic Center in the homes of our clients.
S.V.: Who is the Cabasse Stream AMP 100 amp intended for? Those who already own Cabasse speakers?
A.M.: Not necessarily. The Stream AMP 100 is first and foremost a high-fidelity 2×50W amplifier compatible with all speakers on the market. The development criteria for this product meet Cabasse’s quality standards in terms of distortion, noise and power handling capacity. Just for clarification: when we say 2×50 Watts, it 2×50W RMS, the output power won’t drop after a few seconds… The Stream AMP 100’s DEAP technology allows owners of Cabasse speakers to rediscover their system. This Cabasse technology pushes the performance of Cabasse speakers beyond their mechanical limits: the sound restitution is stunning.
S.V.: Is this connected amplifier user-friendly?
A.M.: Yes, the user can also connect a traditional audio source, like a CD player, via the optical or analog inputs. The integrated optical input, analog output and Dolby decoder also allow the Stream AMP 100 to be connected to an HDTV. We’ve included apt-X Bluetooth and DLNA WiFi wireless functions, all manageable from the Cabasse StreamCONTROL app for iOS and Android. This app supports playback of CD and studio quality tracks. And with its four speaker outputs, the Stream AMP 100 also allows you to stream music in different rooms. It is possible to control the amplifier with a smartphone.
S.V.: Cabasse doesn’t mention anything about the DAC used: is this a totally digital amp?
A.M.: No, the amp isn’t totally digital. Its design includes an audio signal processor, which handles the filters and gain, before conversion via a 96kHz / 24 bit DAC located just before the amplification section.
S.V.: What are the room-adapting profiles used for?
A.M.: Our Stream AMP 100 amp has three room-adapting profiles, each corresponding to a speaker position in a room in which it has erased the acoustic interference in order to attain linear acoustic behavior. It is very noticeable.
It erases the acoustic interference in order to attain linear acoustic behavior.
S.V.: Why include a second set of speaker terminals?
A.M.: The second set of terminals allows you to easily connect a second pair of speakers, without having to carry out complex connections that include wiring the speakers in parallel or in series, which has many disadvantages. The Stream AMP 100 is equipped with a second 2×25W amplifier which complements the main 2×50W amplifier. In this configuration, the output power is limited to 2×25W for each amp, or 4×25W in total. Moreover, these four terminals meet the demand for multiroom music streaming. Imagine you want to have music in several rooms or even a corridor: you can easily connect your four speakers, choosing the operating mode (stereo if the listening position allows it, or mono).
S.V.: What is the point of manually adjusting the impedance and how does it work?
A.M.: This setting is directly linked to the available output power. In order to avoid the input power being overburdened by speakers with a low impedance, we have integrated a specific operating mode that can be selected with a button.
S.V.: The Stream AMP 100 is a streaming receiver, intended for streaming: what can you do with the StreamCONTROL mobile app?
A.M.: The mobile app acts as a remote control for the Stream AMP 100. Once you are connected to the home WiFi network, this app will allow you to customize the DEAP mode, and access audio content stored devices connected to the home network. These devices could be a computer, a NAS or even a hard drive connected to the Stream AMP 100’s USB port. Incidentally, in this last case, the files on the drive are shared on the network by the Stream AMP 100. It is also possible to listen to Spotify, Deezer and web radios. Creating playlists too. Not forgetting the volume control and playback controls. It is very exhaustive.
S.V.: Is it possible to use the Stream AMP 100 in a multiroom context, with other products in the Stream range for example?
A.M.: Yes. As the Cabasse Stream AMP 100 is part of the Stream range, it is multiroom compatible and can synchronize with other Cabasse systems. You send the same synchronized music to your Stream systems, and the app centralizes the controls for the whole system.
