Due on sale in April, it combines high-resolution music streaming capability with 24-bit digital playback as well as asynchronous USB audio inputs,the Stream Magic 6 allows everything from iPod docks, Blu-ray players and computers to be connected and played back through its onboard DAC.

Using a pair of Wolfson (Cambridge Audio's Favourite Chip!) WM8740 DACs in dual differential mode, downstream of the same 24-bit/384kHz upsampling, provided by Anagram Technologies of Switzerland, and seen in the recently released DacMagic Plus.

The Stream Magic 6 offers 24-bit/96kHz driverless USB input, and up to 24bit/192kHz playback using a software driver. Three user selectable digital filters are provided, and the usual S/PDIF optical and coaxial digital inputs.

Streaming playback supports WAV and FLAC high-resolution audio, along with most popular codecs including MP3, AAC, WAV and OGG Vorbis as well as 88.2kHz files. Still no ALAC support!

Music can be streamed via Wi-Fi or Ethernet and as with the NP30, ethernet is required for files above 16bit, why?  The company's Stream Magic Home portal allows the setting of favourite internet radio stations, as well as the set-up of subscriptions to podcasts and other streaming services.

The Stream Magic 6 will ship pre-loaded with popular services including Aupeo!, BBC iPlayer Radio, Pandora, Rhapsody, Sirius/XM and MP3Tunes, and Cambridge Audio says additional services will be added via Stream Magic Home, with automatic notifications to registered users. It remains to be seen how many of these services will be of value to Australian consumers however.

The Stream Magic 6 can be controlled via a free Stream Magic Remote app, created by Cambridge Audio, for the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. This gives full control of the unit, including power on/off, and can also control its volume, or that of a compatible Cambridge Audio Azur amplifier or AV receiver. Nice.

It has features both balanced and un-balanced outputs, to mate with any system. Pricing for Australia has yet to be announced, but I think we should see this unit for around the $1000-1200 mark when it arrives in April.