I was blown away how good this video is. Truly blown away. In all seriousness, your videos are always a joy to watch. Thoroughly thorough. Great video, T.
Absolutely first class review, I have not listened to any Audio expert that comes close to this gentleman! What makes it so impressive is his ability to explain detailed technical information to someone trying to break into what is an enjoyable hobby, without having to break the bank to enjoy great music. Simply outstanding!
I'm rocking a CXA81 mated to a pair of Chario Constellation Cygnus speakers and couldn't be happier... next up the CXC and maybe the CXN to complete the setup I've always enjoyed the CA range, my first stereo long ago was one of their amps with a Marantz SE CD player... wish I still had that stuff
Excellent review Tarun, particularly enjoy the tour of the innards - looks like a surprisingly well put together amplifier for the money. Reviews like this tempt me to put a budget 2nd system together, perhaps with those AE speakers. The danger is it may show up my main system!
I really appreciate this guy. He reminds me of the intelligent, clear and measured reviewers/analysts that you get on BBC Radio 3 and 4. In other words - thoroughly professional. I would like to know about the phono stage though as I've a Thorens TD150 I'd like to get going again.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 No worries re the phono stage. IMHO these days phono stages are all-too often a poorish-quality after-thought - whereas in days gone by, for obvious reasons, they were considered an essential and integral part of any pre-amp. Certainly I don't think that any amp should be ruled out (from a turntable owners perspective) if an amp does not have one - there are several discrete ones available.
@@Bob-us9di I agree Bob. The signals of a turntable are so small and sensitive that an external dedicated phonostage is almost always going to be better 😊
Thank you for this review, I think you got it spot on. I bought this amp 18 months ago when I hadn't had a proper hifi for 15 years, just listened to my laptop through headphones or a 2.1 PC speaker setup. I put it with a Topping E30 and a pair of Klipsch R-610f speakers, £540 at the time, and it did (am I allowed to say this) blow me away lol. Have been a happy camper ever since 😁
Hi Taron, nice review. As I lived with the amp for a month, let me add a couple of things. 1) The front panel 3.5mm input has a gain of +10db which makes it ideal for connecting the headphone jack from from a phone (or USB to 3.5mm dongle). 2) Unfortunately the bass/treble controls adjust in 2db increments. It would be more helpful if they worked in 1db increments. A pretty good-sounding DAC that pairs well with this unit is the Micca OriGen G2 High-Resolution USB DAC and Preamplifier - 24-Bit/192kHz PCM. It's $109 at Amazon in the US, so I would imagine it's available across the pond as well. The DAC not only has a USB input but also an optical connection for hooking up your TV. The rear panel USB A port will power the DAC or a Homespot apt-X Bluetooth module. For the money, my feeling was that Cambridge made a world of correct choices when designing this amp. The only thing I would change would be the steps on the tone controls.
I agree mate, the tone controls spoil this little amp , picked one up used & cheap, clean, crisp, detailed but not worth the current £3-350 price, would audition it against Denon pma 800ae or Marantz pm 6007 first if buying new.
@@bigambientdeath Lots of folks compare this to the original NAD 3020, which as memory servers, I paid around $100 for one in the late '70s. Adjusted for inflation, the two amps are similarly priced, but the Cambridge is head and shoulders better built. Given that the tone controls appear software-based the decision to do 2db steps is a bit of a head-scratcher. I'd be willing to guess that the engineers thought people would appreciate the bigger steps as they would be more pronounced. I returned mine for a Rotel A11 Tribute, which was over twice the price. I know Cambridge was the better value, but I always wanted a piece of Rotel gear. Since I tend to keep things for years, prices really didn't matter all that much. BTW, if you want to play with something fun and fix the tone control issues, check out the Paradigm PW-Link room correction module. They're on closeout for $199. This is essentially the Anthem Room Correction module in a free-standing box complete with a DAC that Cambridge lacks.
Hi Tarun, Good review for the AXA35. I might be wrong but this looks remarkably like the Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 which I have. This to is 35watts and very similar in layout. Obviously I can't compare directly but it appears to be the same. Nothing wrong in that either, its a very capable amplifier for small beer.
I bought an AXA 35 for €349 in 2019 and boy did I have a good time with it. It drove my Dali Oberon 5 speakers with no problems and the combo always sounded lovely. I would have kept it for sure if I had another room in need of a second system but ended up selling the AXA 35 to grab the chance of getting a Rega Elex-R for €869 last year, couldn't miss that now could I? Sometimes I miss that great little AXA 35 and wish I'd kept it in my bedroom or something but that would be wasteful.
I took a chance with your Cambridge AXA35 amplifier considering I own the Acoustic Energy 100Mk2's. I found myself disappointed with the end result. Yes, you get an impressive mid-range and musical performance but you loose the special top end of an impressive budget loudspeaker. Not to mention AE recommends amplifier power should be at 60 watts per channel. I guess if you are starting out with an ALL budget system this may work, however, I feel you can do better with spending a bit more. BTW, a better power cable is a must to hear the best out of the Cambridge!
Tarun is a first class reviewer . He's technically adept on the subject and his reviews are well thought out and I especially appreciate and trust his opinions regarding gear comparisions. He is one of the greats on the subject of audio gear and his channel is one worth checking out.
Thank you Tarun, what a great review of a component at the more affordable end. Does anyone starting out in Hi-Fi need better advice than this - AXA 35 plus Acoustic Energy AE100.2. I have owned both brands in the past and have not been disappointed. Also good to see that you now have access to more "mainstream" brands such as Cambridge Audio. I am assuming that the unconscious bias against RU-vidrs by some of the bigger brands prevents you from accessing their products, would love to have you review brands such as B&W and Monitor Audio. They are depriving themselves of sales by not giving people like yourself access to their products. Thank you for the great work you do on this channel, I have learnt more from you in the past 2 years , than what I have learnt elsewhere in the past 20 years!!
Unconscious bias? Or nasty experience? Yes very much so. British electronics. Always in the repair shop. And as electronic engineers make more money in other industries compared to n hi fi repair shops your chances of getting it repaired are zero. An example? Quad FM4 tuner. Couldn't stay locked on signal more than 5 minutes. Been back to quad twice and 3 independent repair shops. Despite glowing reviews, it never ever worked. Interestingly, my pals British tuner (different brand) was unusable for exactly the same reason. My Japanese gear which replaced it all worked perfectly. Just like British motorcycles. So Cambridge? Sorry. I have already given
I bought this Amplifier (refurbished) along with a pair of used AE 100 mk2's from eBay and an SMSL SU-1 dac... and WOW, Just WOW. Mission accomplished... Thank you Tarun! 👌
Just an update on this Amplifier . I have moved it on after reading that Cambridge Audio both through their online manual and through their Amazon sales hub, DO NOT recommend it be used with speakers other than those with an 8 ohm impedance. They say that doing so can result in damage to the unit and/or connected speakers. Online Manual (FAQ) Quote: "Can I use 4 or 6 Ohm speakers with the AXA35? The AXA35 is only rated to be used with 8 Ohm speakers and we would not recommend using it with 4 or 6 Ohm speakers. Using the AXA35 with 4 or 6 Ohm speakers could result in the amplifier overheating, which in the long run could damage the unit." Amazon Sales Hub | Customer Questions & Answers | Q & A Quote: "Customer Question: Does anyone have experience of using the axa35 with 6 ohm speakers (like the dali spektor 2s)? the manual says 8 ohms only. Cambridge Audio (Seller): Hi, as the AXA35 is only rated for 8 ohm speakers, we do not recommend using 6 ohm speakers. If you connect 6 ohm speakers to this amplifier, it could possibly damage either piece of equipment, and the amp may run quite hot."
Ah! so you have been to the Cardiff Richer Sounds in the 90's? I bought my Maudaunt Short ht30 speakers from them at that time. Who knows we could have even rubbed shoulders there at some point 😀
I love this honest review. No "egg" in my opinion, just an adjustment in perspective. I own the CXA80, CXN, and CXC in my work office. They are paired to a pair of Vandersteen Model 1b's. I enjoy this pairing. Recently, I used a pair of Klipsch Epic CF-2s with the kit in a large room. It was very impressive. I think Cambridge does a great job with their gear at all the price levels. As for bias, they tend to be in the looks department... I like a tradition gear look and will not buy products that stray from that. Thanks again!
Being able to acknowledge past mistakes (of perception in this case) is a true measure of character and integrity, and just part of what makes Tarun such an amazing hifi reviewer. Good Job mate! We're all students in this field.
With you on the brand bias. I worked for a good period of time in an independent HiFi dealers in East Anglia during the early to mid nineties, and remember the original incarnation of Cambridge audio brand including its early release CD player’s dual displays randomly swapping with each other. When the brand switched to a Richer Sounds ‘own brand’ we all turned our noses up collectively (with our shelves full of Denon, Marantz, Rotel, arcam & musical fidelity amongst others..) I also held onto the brands I experienced back then for over two decades, and only recently converted to a pair of Q acoustics in one of my setups (thanks in part to this channel) 👍
Nice review! What I take from it is that the AX35 could be a good amp for the price if the tonal balance is to your peronal liking. So not one to buy unseed (unheard) online. From a more technical point of view, I like how Cambridge designed this unit down to a price while spending money in the right places. Had they made this amp using a discrete output section and with the use of Japanese caps instead of these no-name Chinese ones, price would have been considerably higher without necessarily being a better amp. Cambridge did allow itself some marketing by having the cap manufacturer put on those custom "audio grade" sleeves on the filter caps, though (if you think that I find the "audio grade" term malarky, you'd be right). And what are my biases that stopped me progressing? Well, I've reached what I want from my hifi system way back in 2012 when I had amassed the equipment that I was finally - and still am thoroughly - content with.
Excellent, comprehensive review, but as the owner of a recently-purchased AXA35, I have to correct a comment you made about the units' front-facia being plastic - it is, in fact, metal. Many other reviews have also indicated that this is the case.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I wish I lived in England next to you first of all I will take you out for a super lunch cause you are the best because you made me spend a lot of money and I could not be happy thank you so much somebody’s listening please send him those papers to review
@@stephencosta6814 Hi Steve, I would take you to what I consider the greatest inn in the country, steeped in history, stunning setting, gasto pub food without being pretentious but you won’t have to foot the bill 👍😊👍
The amplifier review was first class. Thank you for your confession on 'unconscious bias' Tarun, and well said. So many, especially in the audiophile world, suffer from this. Until a person actually hears a piece of gear they should keep opinions to themselves.
I purchased the matching AXC35 CD player around a year ago. My first experience w/Cambridge Audio products. Sound quality and overall minimalist function have been excellent! I hope the long term reliability ends up matching the audiophile sonic performance "on a beer budget."
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun. I only own the CD player and use a Schiit Vidar for power amplification combined with a legacy Richard Lee Audio passive preamp. BTW - I dig your channel. Keep up the great work! All the best!
I am curious how you now compare Cambridge Audio to other amplifiers below £1000. I currently have CA’s AXR100 and although I like its midrange and bass, I find there is distortion/saturation in the upper mids and treble that bothers me a lot. As a hi-fi or class A/B noob, I wonder if this distortion is simply characteristic of class A/B amp sound or if higher tier class A/B amps can eliminate most of that distortion.
I haven’t heard the AXR100 but distortion can manifest itself in many forms, a lack of clarity, loose bass, soft mids, harsh mids, rolled off top end, bright top end, etc.. The basic topology of a design, class A, class A/B, Class D, etc., has some baring but the implementation of the overall design it more important to ensure an amplifier keeps distortion in check and has good sound quality 😊
My bias was bose , then I demonstrated a vintage 901 Series 3 set with a monster mac intosh pre power with a naim CD player , when set up correctly in a suitable room which to be honest needs to be huge with at least 3 feet behind them I was floored , u2 , Beatles , John martyn , steely Dan , jazz , blues , acoustic music everything was unbelievable, it’s a pity that the acoustimass cubes have given bose a bad rep when 40 years ago they made class
Excellent review! I own the AXA35. I have them hooked up to Klipsch RP-600mii's. Not totally satisfied with the sound but it's not because of the amp. The AXA35 sounds much better than my Yamaha RX-777 stereo receiver. I looked up the Acoustic Energy ae100 mk ii's and they are rated at 6 ohm. I've been avoiding 6 ohm speakers because the AXA35 is rated for 8 ohm. Do you think there is an issues with driving 6 ohm speakers with this amp? Thanks!!
Thanks for hitting upon this entry level goodness and another fine example of being able to get into the quality gateway without a heavy lift. So good is their budget priced & warm duo phono preamp, it is still my go-to for late night vinyl spins.
Fabulous review, and i couldn't agree more. I owned the axa35 for over a year, and I went from a Triangle Br03, to kef,to a sonus faber lumina 1, and even though the sonus are way harder to drive, the axa35 drives them perfectly. Now I have a question. Since i am extremely happy with the results, should I look into upgrading the axa35 into a more powerful amp? Thank you
Great review thank you, I would love to see a review of the Cambridge CXA81 in the future, would be interesting to see what you get from Cambridge for 1K compared to the AXA35
I am considering buying a Cambridge Axa35 with two Acoustic Energy AE100s. What is your opinion on that combination? Thank you very much for your response. Kind regards, André
I'm very glad the axa35 is getting some much needed attention. With the axc35 they make a very attractive stack and the remote controls both of them. I'm glad grizzled audio veterans are giving this great little amp a chance! Hopefully it means more affordable products with great quality in the future!
There's no shortage of products period. Purchasing an amplifier has never been so confusing. On the ultra cheap side you have Chinese amplifiers with class D Texas Instruments chips which harness so much hype. There's a new chip every other week, it's hard to keep up. Then you have a plethora of A/B amplifiers from the typical eastern brands like Yamaha/Denon/Pioneer/Onkyo/Sony. Then you have smaller, specialist brands like NAD or Cambridge Audio. And then it gets even more confusing with "Hi-Fi" class D amplifiers using Hypex/ICE chips. And then anything goes. It's a confusing mess. You don't know where to start. If Chi-Fi amps are worth anything. If you're not better off just buying a used Yamaha amp or saving up and buying the latest from NAD or Cambridge Audio at the entry level etc...
@@user-xg6zz8qs3q thank you for posting this. It really gets across how daunting it can be. Sometimes you just have to take the plunge after some due diligence and start somewhere 👍
Great informative review. This unit must be among the best in its price class. Well built, nice transfirmer. External styling really nice, looks more expensive than it is. Warm sound, may be a good fit for my Klipsch. Thank you.
This sounds interesting. I occasionally buy used from ebay, amps from the late 80s/90s simply to power back-up hi-fi systems in the house, or a lower quality hi-fi in another room than my main one. I have an old Arcam Alpha amp 30w pc and an old Creek CAS4140 amp 35w pc. If you are familiar with those old amps, is this new Cambridge amp in that ball park of performance, or an improvement? If so, its a possibility when one of the old amps finally dies.
It would be interesting to do an A/B comparison with an old Arcam Alpha or Creek. I suspect some of those old amps will fair pretty well but today’s standards 😊
Hey Joseph, how did you connect your DAC with the the AXA35 ? Via the USB Port on the backside of the AXA. Does it then mean that every source I throw into the AXA is then supported by the DAC? Thanks a lot for your reply.
I've just got hold of one of these. I've been listening to it for coming on two hours now and I'm impressed. It's pretty well-rounded, everything is so well-judged. It could be more dynamic, but it is satisfying enough. Nice, coherent soundstage, clear, discrete images. I'm using it in my office, nearfield, pushing Triangle BR03s, fed by a Schiit Gumby MB. I bought this largely off the back of this review, so thank you for that - I got this thing for a song, too!
I tried this amp with those Elacs and I found that you are only hurting them as they crave power. If you haven't unplugged them, I would do so immediately.
Hmmm ive just bought a Denon pma800 Why? It was on sale at £415 now im going for my ears testing Why? because it sounds stupidly good . Yes it has faults but foot tapping was never this good for sub 500 . Difficult to compare the two but on listening the Denon for my taste won hansomely . If you get chance Tarun have a listen .
Thanks for another great, level-headed review, Tarun. As to your question, I like to think I'm conscious of my biases and one of the most obvious is my bias against British electronics. I suspect it's because I remember the janky efforts of Britain's big-name brands and the built-in-a-shed aesthetic of our better manufacturers at the end of the 70s. It's probably time I challenged myself on this!
My dad had an obsession with buying listless (to my ears) Denon mini systems back in the day - now I always discount the brand as potential option, which may be unfair.
Great assessment of a great budget amp.The AXA25 and 35 are great sounding, and incredibly affordable, gear that compete very well against the similarly priced Denon PMA 600NE, NAD 316BEE, and Yamaha A-S301, which are all great sounding choices too. An even better deal is the slightly more costly AXR85, which has 85 watts and an FM tuner, and the nearly identical AXR100 with 100 watts (and both sound even better than the 25 and 35, IMO), and the much pricier CXA61 and 81 are good amps too, although the 61 and 81 have no tone controls, which is a deal breaker for me.
@@JamesBrown-jy5sy I have the 85 and I am very happy with it. I don’t need the power it holds but I bought it as a keeper to upgrade my system around it when budget allows it and or the tech itch beckons
When I first seriously got into hifi in the early 80s, the first ‘boutique’ dealer I visited was Radford Hifi on Gloucester Road in my home town of Bristol. It was an ‘eye opener’, like being sent back to college, but this time to be lectured on a subject that you were actually interested in. One thing that was impressed very forcefully on my under developed audio brain, was the futility of tone controls on an amplifier. Although today, 40 audiophile years later, I respect freedom of choice and don’t judge those whose amps incorporate tone controls, I’ve always, or at least, since the 80s had an in built bias against amps with tone controls and would still never consider purchasing or owning one. I know in my heart of hearts that tone controls can be built into an amp without necessarily being detrimental to it’s sonic realism, but that doesn’t countermand my bias!
If you're lucky enough to have a dedicated listening room that you can set up to achieve the perfect sound then that's fantastic but we're not all that fortunate and having some room correction available via Balance and Tone controls can make all the difference if you have to make compromises around speaker placement or your room acoustics are impacted by furniture etc.
@@paulwebster9030 quite the opposite. My hifi has to fight for it’s right to be in our family lounge. Speaker placement is influenced more by the aesthetics committee, AKA the wife, and is based on best aesthetics, not sonic performance. If I were to try and introduce any type of room treatment, I would likely find myself in the divorce courts. Actually, I’m not an advocate of room treatment. I think it can often be a costly solution to a trivial problem. Most family lounges, with carpets, rugs, cushions, sofas Etc. Are more than adequately acoustically damped. As for tone controls, they’re not top of my priority’s, but, as I went at length to explain in my original comments, ice nothing against tome controls and never judge someone for their choice. I was merely answering the question, ‘does anyone have what transpires to be am unfounded bias’!!
I told to everybody that AXA35 is the most sound quality/price attractive amplifier after I listened to it comparing to other 10 amplifiers from €300 up to €10k three years ago. It was obvious ) PS I agree about QAcoustic, and recommend Yamaha bp-40x
I have had the Cambridge AXA35 for three years and I have been extremely happy running my Bowers and Wilkins CM8, which sound great, but the big questions is where do I go now, should I chnage up to the CXA81 ? I would appriciate your view 🙂
Hi tarun thanks for a great review, julian richer lives about 5 miles from me ,ive had the pleasure of meeting him ,a very nice gentlemen. Ive been buying hifi and TVs from richer sounds from the 80s, always had great service and value. I used many cambridge audio products over the decades and always thought they punched well above their weight. Looking forward to another review soon.thanks for your work on the channel I always look forward to seeing your reviews.
Thank you for a very interesting review - but I now have a quandary. I already own an Audiolab 6000A and was considering changing it for an Atoll IN80 Signature - something you recently reviewed. I find the Audiolab too neutral for my taste, so perhaps I should just downgrade to the Cambridge AXA35 for a warmer presentation. What are your thoughts on the Atoll v Cambridge - does the Atoll have more refinement, detail, scale, dynamics?
In my experience (I have the Atoll IN100 SE) Atoll is neutral, but doesn’t lack warmth, if that makes sense. In other words, I guess, it conveys warmth when it’s in the recording - it’s honest. Since the Atoll line uses MOSFETs for output, they are more “tube-like” but are not “tubey”. They run in Class A quite a way up their output, certainly enough for moderately loud (not insane) high volumes, depending on speaker load, of course. Also, IRRC, the IN80, like the IN100 and above, has dual power transformers and dual mono design. As far as price goes, I’m not sure how these compare to the pricier Cambridge models, but I love my IN100 even though it’s about twice the price of my DECware ZEN SE84UFO. I did not really expect to like the Atoll that much. Final note - Atoll amps take a LOT of time to break in. The distributor here says 200 hours. In my experience it was more than that, maybe close to 300. If people find they are not warm enough, then they may have listened to a unit that was not sufficiently broken in. Also before break-in they do not really sound cohesive or well sorted, if that’s understandable. When my IN100 broke in it was pretty sudden - the difference was not subtle! Am I a shill for Atoll? Make your own judgment I suppose, but I was surprised that the amp was as great as it is for a solid state amp. FWIW, the add on internal DAC was not anything special when I evaluated it, though it may have needed more break-in. I felt my very old but lovely Teac UD-301 was at least its equal, and it was already paid for. Cheers
Hi David, it has been a while since I reviewed the Atoll IN80 Signature. If memory serves, the AXA35 will run the 80Sig closer than it has any right to but the Atoll is better. It will certainly play louder is even more dynamic. I suspect that both the AXA35 and the 80 Signature will be better than the 6000A in some ways but not in others. You should wait until you can upgrade to something at the level of an Exposure 2510 😊
Excellent review. I have not heard the AXA35, but did own the AXR100. I had this paired with Elac Uni-Fi UB52 speakers. This combination ultimately didn't work for me and I upgraded the amplifer to a Rega Elex-R. Personally I'm not sure that spending less than £1,000 on an amplifier is wise, just my own view on it.
@@vincentpedalino618 thanks. you say it well. Thats what im looking for. Improve the ability to manage complex music but keeping the energetic presentation of the c316 i like so much.
The competitor for the same price range is the Emotiva TA1 amp/receiver with 50 watts. They're a popular American direct-to-consumer brand. I'm curious how these would compare. Please check it out.
Interesting review Taron. Those filter caps in the power supply do seem small in size for 2200uF. I don’t think you mentioned their voltage rating. Obviously, the voltage, the capacitance, and the type of capacitor it is, will dictate smallest possible size. I noticed the AXA25 has front panel tone controls, but the AXA35 doesn’t. Aside from the 1.5 dB drop of output power capability, wondering how the AXA25 differs in presentation? Cheers!
I own both the AXA 25 and 35, they both have Tone Controls.... The 35's Tone controls are in the menu. To answer your question, the AXA 25 seems a bit punchier at lower volumes but overall the 35 is a bit better. Both are great
@@thomasward00 Thanks a whole lot for your response! I’d like to buy one of these small amps, as I need one, but I guess it’s no easy decision .. 🤔 Is it possible to do everything without the remote control on the AXA35, iow, if the remote control breaks, will you lose any functions?, that would basically be a dealbreaker for me..👨🏻
I think the caps are rated at 53v. That may account for the size. I believe the AXA25 has potentiometers for the tone controls but is overall a similar design 😊
Hello ,.....I borreoved kef ls50 meta from a local distributor with intention "must have experience with this speaker" and also to try it with naim. The result with naim is not good, which showed up by female vocals which are to thin and animic and so is all presentation. I borroved AXA35 from friend which I sold him. MY JOWL TUCH THE FLOOR , .....I am speech less, this amplifier for 350 EUR is a steel :),
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hello Taren, Pleasure for me if you like this my experience which i had. I have to do disclamer here regarding naim. Borroved kef needed to brake in, and before I returned them back they played absolutely ok with naim, sorry for confutions in that regard, however capability of axa35 stays what i said. Unluckely i did not have a lot of time to try it with spekers as they should be but it did play very very vell.
I have this little amp and I have been very happy with it. I have it paired with the matching AXC CD player in my office. Needing a DAC I went back and forth for several months on inexpensive options and trying to keep the cost of my new system low, and eventually I bit the bullet and went with the CA DACmagic 200. It cost nearly as much as the amplifier, and some would say it was overkill, but this setup has been completely worth it to me. The warm sound, which I prefer, is great to my older ears. And if I decide to upgrade the amp at a future time I'm ready to go. The next step in my system upgrade is speakers. I'm currently using Polk Audio floorstanders that I bought in 1996. They still sound great, but they're too big for my office and I think I would be happier with some good bookshelf speakers. I have been waffling back and forth on several British brands, wanting to keep the system "all British" and I hadn't considered the Acoustic Energy AE100's until your video. Until now I've been focused on Q Acoustics and Wharfedale, which seems to be another good pairing with this amp. It looks like Acoustic Energy may be harder to get in the US though. Thanks for the video!
I would look into the new Mission 770's. I see they are now landing on the American shores, so hoping I can eventually fing a dealer to get an in person review.
@@jamesschneider3828 Thanks for the suggestion. Those are really nice speakers, but still probably a little too big for my space. Would love to hear them sometime though. They remind me of the Wharfedale Lintons with those stands.
My solution to undeserved bias is to simply grow old. Everything with a decent midrange and bass presence sounds good to me, but I can't hear a thing above 8K cycles without some boost to the signal. With that in mind, I use the Cambridge CXC transport with the Aries II DAC for what I consider a very enjoyable listening experience. Who needs really high stuff? So, excellent work in your review, and my only caveat with the Cambridge unit is the overall look and feel. Not a fan of the aesthetics, but who cares, if it sings.
Thanks Tarun, nice review. Lower capacitance power supply capacitors are fine when they feed voltage regulators IF there is enough overhead into the regulators which I imagine the engineers at Cambridge have instituted. The LM3886 done right is a very good chip and there have been a lot of people fooled by its sonics.
@@peterlarkin762 That's possible. You can tell by the case of the regulator, something in the TO-220 (flat about 12mm square) with a heatsink is very likely the power amp and something in the smaller TO-92 (signal transistor size) case would likely be for low power apps - preamps. I'm not sure which is used though.
Last year I got my first 2 channel setup, picking up some discounted wharfedale evo 4.1's which I'd initially been using with my dads old sansui receiver until it sadly bit the dust. I spoke with a friendly guy on the phone at richer sounds and told him what I was looking for in terms of sound, and he suggested we audition two cambridge amps: the AXR100 and the CXA61. This was my first time ever comparing amplifiers, and had no idea how big of a difference there could be. I had already been shocked with the evo's creating a three-dimensional sound, which was something I'd never heard or even knew that speakers could do. But the CXA61 took this to another level entirely, making the speakers sound wider than the demo room was, and amazingly, it sounded like the demo room was twice as deep as it really was. If you're on the fence about this stuff, and there is a physical shop somewhere reasonably local to you, I absolutely recommend making the effort to arrange a listening test, even if you have to cart your speakers there and back like I did
I like the Cambridge audio sound and they look nice but I have never had one that made it past 4 years old. My last try was the cxa60 which sound great but kept going onto mute. I’ve been team Denon ever since :) 🥳
Nice review! But it’s not necessarily unconcious bias if you had genuine reasons for your previous low view of this particular company’s products. And, clearly, you have overcome any previous preconceptions upon coming across this example of their work.
I’ve had the AXA35 for around a year now. I love it, adore it for the all the reasons you mentioned. BUT I recently upgraded to the Rega IO and I can tell you that in the sub-$1k range the Rega easily bests the Cambridge in sound quality across the board. But I should mention that the Rega is twice the price, at least in the States.
Hello! May I ask, what particular characteristics did the Io clearly outdo the AXA35? Am planning on this unit too, any input will be much appreciated. Thank you!
Ahh I hate it when this happens to me, and trust me it has over the years. I have this unconscious bias which ends up being unfounded. A little big of egg on ones face is not necessarily a bad thing Tarun an experience for learning and life is all about learning. Great review my friend.
Hi Tarun. I admit that I share the same bias regarding Cambridge kit that you brought to this excellent review. After thinking about your remarks I wondered from where that bias originated. I've never owned any of their kit and have never even heard any of their amps. At some point I decided, based on nothing, that Cambridge was not really "high-end" kit and undeserving of my attention. I'm pleased that you did this review. It just shows us that we've still a ways to go in understanding how we listen to recorded music. As always thanks for a brilliant review.
I bought this amp when I moved and my “high end” stuff was in storage. I hate to admit it but the affordability was the primary factor - although I did see some good comments about in online. I totally agree with your assessment! This is an absolutely wonderful piece of equipment. Now I wonder if I should upgrade to one of the more powerful amps in the Cambridge line. Not sure why though because this thing drives any of the speakers I have very well. While I use a sub with most of my speakers and this amp, I do think it brings out enough bass in bookshelf speakers - such as the Klipsch RP 600m that a sub isn’t necessary. I have a pair of open baffle Caintuck Betsy speakers that this amp brings out the best of. Maybe it is that warm attribute you identified; but the Cambridge sounds better with them than a tube amp or monoblock Schiit Aeigirs I have tried. I really just intended to buy this to provide some music until my other gear arrived and then sell it. Now, I will not be parting with it.
Excellent review. On a whim I purchase the AXA35 30 minutes ago. It was $50 of the regular price of $399 and I purchased it from a tax free dealer. I also came upon a pair of Dali Oberon 7's for an unbelievable price at Best Buy. I won't believe I got that good a deal until the speakers arrive at my door. The only thing I had to compromise on was the color, but at $700 of list price I'll accept a white speaker. One of the two main reasons I purchased the AXA 35 was your review and it comes with a phono preamp. Cheers.
I chose a first gen CXA60 several years ago after doing my research. Mated it with the CXC transport. What a value the pair turned out to be. Apparently Cambridge Audio is sustaining its bang for the buck reputation. I recommend CA to any who might ask for suggestions.
I also have a CXA60 and matchiing cd player bought it from Richer Sounds with speakers and a Pro-Ject turntable really happy with the package i got from them.
First class review - It might be a bit of an audiophile OCD question... how does the sound of this amp compare to another amp listed in the best bargains in your review - the NAD C316 Bee V2?
Hi Tarun! I recently bought a CXA81 after demoing 3 sets of speakers with the AXR85 which I was almost certain I was going to purchase going into the store. I was very skeptical about the influence an amplifier could have on sound but as soon as we swapped in the CXA81 it absolutely brought out the best of the speakers I was testing out. I've been patiently waiting for the day you get your hands on one for a video xD I low key suspected you had a bias against Cambridge Audio seeing as it was one of the only brands you hadn't reviewed which you have easy access to.
Hi Tarun, another interesting and informative review, thank you! You seemed quite impressed with the Iotavx SA3 in your review from 2020, praising it for the neutral and even tone it delivers for the price. I got really close to buying the Iota but your review of this Cambridge and saying the Iota sounds thin in comparison has thrown me! Has your opinion on the Iota changed, and do you think it's still competitive given the comparably better performance and sound quality of the Cambridge? Thanks!
The SA3 is a very good amp for the money. It is just that the Cambridge Audio AXA35 is better in my opinion. The sound quality it delivers is normally the preserve of more expensive amplifiers 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun, helpful advice and good to know. If I can add a half decent dac for 100 quid the Cambridge does become an option then. No Bluetooth but perhaps that's the trade in!
Another good video. I have a built in bias towards Klipsch speakers. Growing up my father had a pair of K-Horns and he and his buddies would crank them up to painful levels. This was back in the early to mid 60s when stereo was still ne and many of the stereo recording were of sound effects. Planes flying by, trains, race cars etc. The harshness and high volume really stuck with me and I still find the sound of Klipsch to run counter to my tastes. Currently I run the Cambridge AXR100 and am very, very pleased with its performance. I have it connected to my Elac Debut 2.0 F62s. My criteria was to be able to listen for hours on end without fatigue but also with very good sound quality. It delivers.
Its not only the Cambridge Audio/Richer Sounds link, throw in What-HiFi magazine into the mix, then you can see why CA stuff gets product of the year time and time again. However my person experience with CA stuff doesn't sit well with me and I just can't take anything seriously that What Hi-fi actually say about the CA equipment. I have a CXN (v1) that I purchased second hand and even though it has good features, its biggest flaw for me is the sound quality, it just doesn't have music stereo effect, the sound isn't all that detailed and it sounds like bass and treble have been boosted and i find quite fatiging to listen to quickly. this is compared to my humble Volumio Primo which has as whole different set of features and way better sound quality (IMHO). So when What Hi-Fi say "+Impressive and enjoyable sound quality". I'm thinking... really wtf are you guys listening to. I did also have a CXA60 which I sold on quite quickly (again highly praised by what hifi), I know the implementation of DACS is important n getting the best sound out of the, but both the CXN and CXA used old Wolfson chips.
Very good review. I think Cambridge has some good amplifier products. I recently bought the CXA-81 back in December. It is the best amp I’ve ever had and I’m very happy. I’d love your take on that amp. Again, great review and Lee up the great work. 🤘🏼🎸🤘🏼
Bias against BOSE since the 90s. I felt their products were significantly overpriced, superficially aesthetically pleasing, comeercial/mainstream garbage. In retrospect, I was correct!!!!
