The End of Analog Amps?
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- Опубликовано: 3 июл 2024
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Another budget chip based amplifier that you have never reviewed is the Fosi HD-A1 which sells for $220.
Please give it a review.
I have a 1985 Harman Kardon pm665 vxi pushing 150 watts and it is heavy and kicks ass.
But I really do want to try one of those new Chinese class D amps, but don’t know what to buy and it must have a pre out to hook up my Schitt Lokius.
I had one of these. Just sell it because I cannot use the wiim mini USB connected to it because it makes a hummmm noise. Unfortunately 😔
@cheapaudioman. Any chance of a comparison to the NAD c316beev2
A guy in my neighbourhood was throwing out a 1991 Kenwood amp the other week. It had a few dials missing but is in 100% working order. Gorgeous clean sound. Now using it for beefy Home Theatahh duties.
Kenwood were one of the few consistently reliable hifi manufacturers over the decades. I recently took an old 70's one out of storage. Tested on the bench and working like a charm. Gave it to a neighbour who was in need.
@@peterlarkin762 Nice one. Mine is a KA-1030 and it's frankly built like a tank.
Kenwood used to be high end in those days. So you must have gotten a sweet treasure!
Do they still make home audio?
how do you lose some dials or knobs??? the dog ate them haa
This little Cambridge, a WiiM Pro Plus and a pair of efficient speakers will make a solid little system.
I have the pre AXA35 which was called the Topaz AM10 amp along with the Topaz CD10 cd player. Most of the specs are very similar if not exactly the same between the new and old models. I also went with a Dacmagic 100 just to bump up the sound from the cd player. Yes, paired with my KEF Q150 bookshelf speakers it's a great sounding main room or basement system.
Read someone compared wiim amp and NAD 30W integrated with Kef LS50. The NAD drove them a lot better.
@@user-gf7kj5vj3p Yea the LS 50 is a tough little speaker to drive, no question. British Audiophile paired the AXA 35 with a pair of Monitor Audio Siver 50 7G (I have both) and said the result sounded pretty poor. Needless to say I haven't tried it to see if I agree. I have my Silvers bi-amped with my Marantz Cinema 70 at 50 watts and that sounds fantastic. But I did power a pair of Q 550 Kefs with the Cambridge and I thought they sounded pretty darn good together. When it comes to speakers and amps, not everything is a good match, for sure.
And a Wii 😊
@@user-gf7kj5vj3p Probably with the NAD C316 BEE... a very good pure analog amplifier with noticeably more power than declared. My brother has it, and with older B&W speakers it's a great combination
Bought this 2 years ago and have had no regrets at all. Paired with a Wiim Mini, Dali Spektor 2 Speakers and a iFi Zen One Signature DAC it sounds sublime. As Randy says it is a great choice for someone like me who wants a decent but affordable system. I can't see any reason I will need to upgrade in the near future.
Nice.
Having found your end game system is truly sayisfying
Bought mine a few years ago and paired it with Heresy IV for minimal setup for listening to records. Love it!
I started watching your channel back in the thick of the pandemic when I began to feel an itch to get into hifi, and ended up getting this amp paired with a couple Emotiva B1+, Schiit Modi, and Pro-Ject T1 turntable.
Haven’t had the money to upgrade or tinker much since then, but I haven’t needed to because I love this system. I’m an apartment dweller and have had no issues whatsoever with the amp being able to fill any space I’ve put it in.
Glad to see it on the channel!
I can imagine that sounds pretty good. Some nice choices there, well done!
Come to think of it, I think the c19 got me into his videos too.
Also got me back into putting together a neat system😊
I even blught an A07 mainly bc of him TBH lol
What you described is what I love about my Cambridge. Warm and cozy. Thank you my friend.
You're one of the lucky ones. My father used to do warranty repairs on a hifi shop and cambridge audio was by far the most common warranty item to be repaired...
I have a Cambridge AXR100 that I absolutely love.
I’ve got an AXR100, WiiM mini and LS50 Metas as my first hifi system. I absolutely love it so far. Room treatment and a subwoofer next.
So do I - it is awesome!
@@MIsterB716I congratulate you on understanding audio. Room treatment is the key to get a good experience. I recommend looking into Acoustic fields, they give free consultation and DIY room treatment plans. One way to minimise the need for room treatment is to get highly directive panel speakers such as very affordable Magnepan LSR+:s. If you haven't experienced panel speakers before, go find a pair for a demo. Some people never look back after their first experience, me included.
I have this amp in my office and love it. Paired it with the AXC35 CD player to start, then later added the DacMagic 200 connected to my PC for streaming. Using the KEF Q350s, and the REL TZero sub. The amp doesn't have a sub out, but with the REL it has high level inputs with the Speakon cables that connect directly to your speaker outputs. That little sub can boom if you want it to. Just recently added a Rega Planar 1 turntable and the Cambridge Solo phono preamp. Now I have a complete system in my office that I love - all British. I love the warm sound - gets plenty loud for my office. 👍
I have the AXA35 and love it too, including for those reasons mentioned by Randy. I wanted Class A/B but wanted my choice of DAC, phono preamp, etc. I use the WiiM mini into the Geshelli Labs J2 and a Sony bluray player as my CD "transport." Then, a Fluance RT-85N into an iFi Zen Phono preamp. That warmth Randy describes has always been my goal--a system that allows my music to help me unwind at the end of the day and experience that "emotional" response that made me such a nut about music in the first place. Glad you could review this amp, Randy, and spread the word.
Nice. What speakers?
Duh! Forgot to list my speakers. Sorry about that. Klipsch KG 5.5. Big but high sensitivity speakers. Drives them very easily. And they sound wonderful.
Thanks for reviewing this. Always alot of fun to watch your channel. I have the AXA35 paired with Kef Q150s, an S.M.S.L C200 DAC and a matching Cambridge AXC25 CD player. A great set up for private room listening. A confident relaxed amp paired with smooth buttery speakers creates a nice laid back sound without being too whooly or veiled. Id have a hard time finding anything that I like better for a reasonable cost. Next buy is going to be a Fluance RT82 or Pro-Ject E1 turntable very soon.
Atoll makes amps without DAC (You can get one as an option) the most surprising fact about this amp is you hadn't reviewed it yet. For around a thousand you can get the Cambridge CXA-81 if you want to fill a big room.
Running the CXA81 with a pair of Martin Logan motion 60XT, kicks butt when the volume gets near 50%.😊
I have had mine for about a year now. Originally bought it for use as a separate amp in my HT setup. I immediately noticed the difference in sound as compared to my 20 year old Denon AVR. The Denon sounded dry and lifeless in comparison, and it was a 100 watt receiver. Since it was also a pre HDMI AVR, I decided it was time to catch up. Traded the Denon for the Marantz Cinema 70 and found I also liked the sound of the Marantz. When I Hooked the Cambridge to the Marantz pre-outs I preferred the Marantz. Part of that could have been on me setting it up. I really didn't spend much time with it, I just wanted to see how it compared.
Anyway I have moved it up to my PC desktop system now and enjoy it immensely. It is a very versatile piece, and I doubt I will part with it, ever. It has a lovely sound. There is detail in this amp. You may not notice it as much because the sound just seems to hit all the right notes. You are so busy enjoying what it does, that you really don't think about anything that might be missing. It has a nice wide soundstage too. It outdid the Denon in that respect as well. It's definitely a small room / near field amp. It did do a good job with my KEF Q550 floor standers, but I think standmounts with good sensitivity would be ideal matches, as Randy mentioned. Anyway, I agree with Randy, if you need something for a small setup that doesn't cost a lot, and want really good sound, this amp won't disappoint. Thumbs up from me.
That does not surprise me. The Cinema 70 would crush this.
@@m4nc1n1 I did not say that the Marantz crushed the Cambridge, only that I preferred it's sound The Marantz top end is a bit more open and spacious than the Cambridge, but the midrange and bass were very comparable. Both have a nice musical quality to their sound. The Cambridge is 1/3 the price of Marantz but soundwise is almost a match, IMO.
Main amp is a 1970s Yamaha B2 that I had fully restored. I now know what they mean about the great sound of class A. I found a Nakamichi CA-5 preamp at Goodwill in excellent condition. My dac is a SMSL SU-1 and the combo is excellent!! I used small chip amps before and will never go back.
This. Many of these "small, cute, and plenty of features" Class D all in one amps skimp on their power supplies, which greatly limits their overall SQ. Of course, if you've never actually heard high quality discrete Class A or AB gear you'll have no frame of reference for what actually sounds superior. I'm finding that even cheap discrete Class AB amps like the Niles SI-275 (~$75 Ebay) outclasses many of the amps in even upper-mid tiered AVRs and integrated amps - and it's pretty obvious too.....
It'd be really nice if you could review the new emotiva speakers. They look nice!
I recently put together my first hifi system and had this exact same thought! I ended up buying a very integrated amp, but really lament the fact that I would have had to spend a lot of money to get a simple, analog-only integrated or pre-amp. The only other option I found, aside from the Cambridge, was the Creek Evolution, but they're tough to get ahold of in the US. Thank you for sharing and shining a light on this problem!
Great stuff! Btw, for $100 more you can move up to the AXR85 and gain a few more features and extra power to fill bigger rooms. I have the AXR100 and love it. Cheers
Good enough for Maggie’s?
I had the 35; the build quality is impeccable; nothing short of Hegel for example
Just talking outer build
The case feels plastic and cheap to me. The NAD 316 BEE is all-analog, rated about the same, costs $399 and is solid as a rock, not as warm as the CA but has better resolution.
😅
Have had this very amp for a couple of years. At the centre of a vinyl listening setup in a small living room - paired with a ProJect Debut Carbon EVO and a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 220 speakers it sounds just perfect to my ears. It's easy to listen to, more than powerful enough for me and didn't bankrupt me. I love it.
Wow! That's our amp! And we've had it for a year. We have a moderate sized living room, and we set up the AXA35 for the turntable and the CD player. I agree with your sound comments, but I do wish it adjusted the high end a little bit better, at least at lower volume.
I use and love this... in my office. Run my Mac and Windows box into it so all the audio switching is in one place... headphones or a pair of Paradigm Atoms.
One gotcha on this: When you turn off power (or auto-off) it forgets the previous volume setting, which is infuriating. I disabled the auto-power-off feature to make this problem go away.
I have the AXA35 hooked up to a pair of Castle Knight1 bookshelf speakers....LOVE the sound.
Simple yet capable amps I either use or am interested in are Keces E40, great sounding small integrated with a MM stage, two RCA inputs, a preout and a headphone jack with better than expected capability. Only as usb input at 44KHz for desktop convenience but good enough to scale up to dacs at higher prices.
I also hear alot of good things about Van Alstine amps with/without the passive volume control, as well as Odyssey amps and the Cyclops integrated albeit with one input only.
Schiit, Emotiva have good products. Cambridge as well as Rega have their following. Other notables at higher prices without alot of digital conversion are Exposure, Belles, among others. Nice thing about a quality integrated without the dac included is there's usually more room in the box for heat and it's simpler to get repaired. In addition to just sounding great.
lost me at 35W p/c at 8ohms... I like to occasionally "feel" my music. I totally understand that on averarge for most speakers in the home audio/consumer market that the power to reqired to feel is less than 20W for 99% of the time but there are moments that require bursts many times the average. The speaker becomes starved and simply dosent have enough enegry to reproduce as intended. Basically I used a lot of words to describe a lack of dynamic power. This will create fatigue inducing distortion that is simply unacceptable for my 50yr old ears. This is easily cured with a few beers but I lost the ability to tolerate hangovers a long time ago. And I thought aetting older was supossed to help those with the audiophile disorder... 🤦♀
I always aimed for at least 150W per channel.
Presently have two (very) old CARVER amps, 1
one B&K (all mosfets in output [no class-D]). Audio to bluetooth 5 to miniDSP to amps. Tablet as source.
NIRVANA.
Cambridge have always been a respected manufacturer of good audio equipment. Looks good, too. I really don't know if not having digital inputs detracts from the amp, but I know my bank of MA 500s sound amazing through my AV8801 and D300 separates system. I think the digital/integrated amps are more of a convenience in this day and age of 'affordable ' separates. Thank you as always for your time and efforts reviewing and sharing this with us all.
This amp powers my bedroom system and I love it. It sounds awesome with a variety of speakers but I really like it with the Caintuck Betsy open baffle speakers.
Any outboard upgraded phono preamp with RCA outputs can plug into any of this amp's line level inputs for better sound from a turntable . Even a cheap vacuum tube phono pre .
I have been using this amp with a modi to power my fluance towers. Pretty good in a bedroom. It doesn’t get loud but it sound pretty sweet with good sound stage.
I LOVE my Cambridge CXA60. I’ve had it for about 5 years or so. I use it with my TV and Schiit Modi Multibit.
With that said, Randy- what are your thoughts on this against Schiit amps? Because I have genuinely thought about moving to a full Schiit pre amp/amp to replace my Cambridge amp. I don’t have to have power, it’s just for my small living room.
Solid!
Top KEK!
Peace be with you.
Really enjoyed your review and, a good tip.
Fun vid Randy! Are you going to review the new Emotiva XB2 bookshelf speakers? I'm anxious to hear the skinny on these since I missed out on the B2+
The new Onkyo integrated amps (A-9110 & A9150) are tough competition for this unit. The fact that even the 9110 has a sub out, which everyone is demanding, helps too.
Tried and tested as a great budget performer.
And the 9110 is analog only.
There A-9110 might be a fair comparison, but the A-9150... Isn't it like almost double the price of the AX35?
@bpalpha Good alternatives, especially the A9110, but there's nothing new about both them. The Onkyo's are 6-7 year old models and the AXA35 is also 6 years old.
Neither Onkyo available new here in the EU (not that I can find anyways). Maybe they still available on the other side of the pond...
Great review. I just love these Cambridge amps. For $299 the AXA25 is great too, just note it doesn’t come with a phono input. I found the power to be fine.
I have the same (axa 25 + spektor2) and with a preamp turntable like the Rega planar 1 plus they form an excelent system.
From demo's I have heard the sound is almost identical at reasonable volumes.
Great review and spot on in every respect-especially who this amp is designed for. (old people like me!) I’ve had one for awhile now and just love it. Randy, curious to hear what you think about speaker pairings, especially for speakers in a “higher tier” than the Sony’s. Thanks again for a great channel!
Neat integrated amp, Randy! You make it sound almost as if it's a reincarnation of a NAD 3020 from 1980 or so. Back to the future!
But it's not like the 3020 sound. Let's make that clear. Perhaps the BEE series were the last good classic amps from NAD. Cambridge has a brighter sound which Randy started to favor as of late. He used to go for a warmer sound in the past.
Very good amplifier and it actually scale !! Put a good DAC with capables speakers and you won’t believe what it can achieve!!😮🎉 awesome review Randy!
Added a Marantz DAC and yikes, awesome sound. Gets loud enough on my KEF Q50s!
Crown Amp - I have a 200w Crown stereo amp connected to a Carver pre-amp with a Cambridge digital streamer- it is wonderful- pushed to a pair of Paradigm floor speakers-
Crowns are...FAT.
I use CARVER (mosfet), but I have heard Crown amps (mosfet), which I consider on par.
Interestingly, Crown is one of the only companies I believe were able to pull a magic trick to carry that mosfet sound signature to their pro series.
If (or when) my CARVERs die, it will be Crown.
I feel like my trusty NAD 316bee is kinda cut from the same cloth, running a Wiim, and a Schitt modi with the SSCS5s makes for a great little streaming setup. I’m jealous of the nice full size remote though 😂 Cheers!
It is.
SU-1 + axa35 is exactly the combo I am using, plus a WIIM mini. They sound great!
I'm one of the old aduphiles, like everyone I like good sound and I personally like paper speakers, aside from all that. Where is the music in all of this, enjoyment and not just throwing away and flaunting money? Have audiophiles forgotten what they started listening to music with and on? It seems the point is getting lost, I listen to enjoy and not to brag about how much my stereo system costs. I still enjoy the Dynaco from the 60s. and in the Marantz receiver from the year 73. And believe it or not, it really took me back to the past many times.
After my Nikko power amp died eons ago, I did not buy anything for many years, listening instead to an old NAD that also ultimately died.
A few years ago, I went back to the only amp that brings a smile to my face every time, that being a CARVER Pro amp (mosfet topology).
('class-D' never came close to what I experience with the A/B mosfet topology [and I bought them used, of course, being 'old tech']).
Got the topaz AM10 very similar and I love it . Paired with the matching CD unit and polk 6in bookshelf is makes a very good sound for the price point
I’ve missed a bit of videos, but I feel everything has been stepped up: better image quality, better photography, better editing and still classic Randy humour I love. 🙌
with inverting text there comes an idea to my mind. put a mirrored text on the back that you can just put a small handhold mirror behind your amp and you can read the text through the mirror so you can plug in stuff without even doing ''awkwardly put your head behind the amp somehow yoga'' , i call that pose ''the stretching randy''
Randy, you have to review the NAD C316 BEE V2! I own the v1, and it is only 5 watts more per channel but it has serious capabilities. Sounds WAY more powerful. I think it would seriously compete with this Cambridge, maybe exceed it in some areas.
I tried the NAD but found Cambridge a little warmer without loosing mid and upper detail
Nice !
Interesting with the 5v-2A output for yes..DAC’s or Wiims 👍👍
it's 5V-0.5A though
I have the best of both worlds in my Cambridge CXA-80. Yes, it has a DAC but it also has 5 line level analog inputs (one is balanced) and a true Class A/B amp with a toroidal transformer. It also has a preamp out, which I need for my stereo pair of powered subs.
I love mine. I have it paired with the Klipsch RP600Ms and a Node 2i.
I debated between a cambrige receiver and an emotiva ta1. I went with the ta1 because it had a variable out put so i could use the the ta1 as a preamp. Ive always hate the nails on chalkboard screech of the ta1. I use it to listen to talk radio all day as i work from home. I have always been curious about the cambridge sound. I kick myself for getting the crap ta1
I’ve literally just bought CA Evo150 to replace my Roksan K3 and CXNv2 so going the other way. No regrets, more of a single box solution, less remotes, different cleaner sound and lovely display. Time will tell whether it carries the test of time.
Great review! I hope you will consider reviewing the Audiolab 6000a. It has a similar form factor and makes excellent sound!
I’ve had the AXR 100 for the last couple of years and really liked it. Schitt DAC plus WiiM Mini this make a a great system for any speakers.
I have a Marantz PM5003 in my audio system. Great sound out of my turntable, CD player and Wiim Pro
So nice to see a amp these days which is tape deck friendly with a record out
Love the inverted text.
I have this Cambridge and I also have 2 Fosi za3 used as monoblocs upgraded with sparkos op amps I usually pair them with cambridge ax10 steamer a topping d70 octo and B&W 607 s3 or Monitor Audio silver 50 7g... I largely prefer the sound coming from the Cambridge.
Its a great choice as long as you don't want a sub. I had one for a while and vocals were sublime through it. It needs an MKII version with a subout
Depends on what brand of sub
This could still connect to a powered subwoofer with high level passthrough.
Every time i look at the back of many studio pieces i own i am like „So glad for the inverted writing“. so i feel you
i got mine for low 300s. i have an arcam alpha 9 cd hooked to it and a fluance rt82. jamo 807s. i did some A/B tests using identical speaker wire and interconnects against a 1976 Rotel RX102 mkii and ...... so close i couldnt tell the difference. maybe with more of a range of music, maybe, but tried fleetwood mac, fiona apple. imaging the same, detail the same. rotel and axa35 both sound nice. so, still have both in my signal chain. i will likely get a dac, feed it from a full size onkyo gen 1 dvd player in to the rotel, so the characterless onkyo will get some warmth form a dac and rotel.
Thanks!
Will you be reviewing the new emotiva series?
I was looking at that amp before I got my Rotel A11 Tribute. I remember seeing the upside down text on a video and got a kick out of that. As a mechanic that just had to have neck surgery 🤣😂😭
Ive had my eye on the Tribute, what would you say have been your pros / Cons after owning it and using it. Thanks in advance
I haven’t used an analog preamp in over a decade. DAC with digital volume control direct to power amps.
I basically do this now. I have an older Cambridge Audio Azur 340A hooked up to a WiiM mini and a Modi DAC. I have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 230 speakers. You are correct to say it does not have tons of detail but it is like the audio equivalent of very creamy dark chocolate!!!
I've had my Azur 851a for some years now, it's an amplifier that does not get the praise it richly deserves. It's a keeper amplifier for sure . The V2 goes great with the Azur but I added the smsl Do400 and it took the amplifier to another level .
Great quality Cambridge gear .
This is a missed opportunity without a pre out
Ive got the 35 paired with the Cambridge CXN V2. With Kef Q150 bookshelfs. Magnificent depth of soundstage and detail. Sounds incredible.
I’d like to hear the new cxn100 streaming dac that is just coming out.
@@jamesschneider3828 I'm looking forward to the reviews. I just can't see how one sabre dac can compare with twin Wolfson's for each channel on the V2. It's also got a lot to do with the implementation rather than the dac itself. I'm a avid fan of Cambridge though. Just love the warm detailed sound.
I came across this amp when looking to upgrade from my Emotiva TA-100. After much deliberation, I ended up with the Arcam SA20. It has an awesome sale price on Crutchfield, Best Buy and others. Class G has taken my music experience to another level.
Class A/B Rules.... Not a lot has changed... Old is good.. helps i have 2 excellent Service Techs within 40 miles... Rotel RB991 Power . Completley refurbed, Including the Black Gates . Paired with Spendor S8e...
I'm done with chi-fi class D, tried so many and they sound good..but..to my ears, vintage class AB sounds so much better
I am certain class-D was not invented in the land of chinesium. (Danish? American? I cannot recall). But I understand what you mean.
I also prefer A/B...using mosfets. CARVER/B&K/BRYSTON.
shame it’s so low in wattage. there’s so much stuff that’s quite higher so i dont get that decision. lots of speakers are low sensitivity too :/ pass.
I like the cambridge 'sound signature', but I would like it more if they went with mosfets.
I first heard mosfet amps decades ago, and it is the closest I found to the 'tube sound' without the output limitations of tubes. The MID-LOW frequencies just sound more natural (and robust) to me. (The heat generation of mosfets is the trade-off in contrast to class-D, however).
Presently using one CARVER Pro power amp (mosfets) along with a B&K multi-channel power amp (every channel discrete and mosfet), a bluetooth 5 receiver direct (via optical) to a miniDSP crossover. Music from a dedicated tablet. No outboard eq, preamp, or any other hardware.
The sound: non-fatiguing wave of awe.
Almost bought this amp, but got a deal on the CXA61 for even less. Really enjoying the sound and dynamics with some Diamond 12.1's and wiim pro plus.
Awesome integrated, I have experience with the cxa851 also, fantastic unit! I'm thoroughly surprised, and disappointed, that CAM never mentioned the higher wattage sibling axr85? Cambridge also has some quality dacs worth a look.
Welcome to the CXA61 club! I listened to the AXR 85, and the soundstage and dynamic range are noticeably better with the CXA61.
having been a bass player, I found that the class D amplification for bass always seems to require about three times as much power as the old big heavy analog designs.. not totally sure why this is, but that kind of tells me that a Class AB Cambridge amp that's 25 W channel is probably as good as your garden variety 75 W per channel class D amp..😉
Had a Peachtree Nova 150 class D amp and a Rega Brio rated at 50w channel 8ohm. The Peachtree rated at 150 sounded anemic next to the Brio
@@raymoore8435 yep Ray, that's the kind of thing I was talking about.
I used 3x the power, or, iow, 5 dB power gain, just to be "nice," bc it seemed to me that it was always at least that.😉👨🏻
I’ve got a Sonos amp in bedroom system. It’s rated at 125 class D power but has a hard time driving a pair of B&W 606s2 speakers.
@@jamesschneider3828 I believe you James, kind of proves my point. I guess with that amp somebody who has those high sensitivity Klipsch speakers and likes bright sound is probably happy and has no idea what the shortcomings are of that amplifier. According to B&W, those 606s2's are not high sensitivity, but they are not super low either. They recommended 30 to 120w input power, which should (? maybe) give you decent volume. If you like the speakers, get a better amplifier, BUT, you need to determine whether it's the speakers sensitivity rating or the amp that's the problem, based on some things.. what SPL do you want to hear the stereo, and at what distance from the speakers? Also, your speaker setup within the listening room, combined with the room itself and your listening position also matter... then of course there's the compression that your speakers exhibit in the low frequencies at higher SPL's, and the bass you expect, and the bass that is actually available at you're listening location; all these things matter in your perception of volume. It could even just be the amp not delivering the current for you to get the bass punch at higher SPL's. Good luck with whatever you figure out.
From India - I have a similar amplifier based on same circuit and specs. It is Topaz AM10, the earlier model to AXA35. There is no doubt that it is very sweet sounding amplifier, one never gets tired of listening even for long hours. A true value for every buck spent. I have paired it with Wharfedale Evo 4.1 mounted on speaker stands.
I'll take the NAD C316BEE V2 at 40 watts/channel for the same price over the Cambridge AXA35 any day!
An extra 5 watts isn't going to make any kind of audible difference. Other than that they are pretty similar.
@@boneseyyl1060 My preference has absolutely nothing to do with how many watts it's rated for. IMO, the NAD is superior in every way. Analog, class a/b, better remote, better signal to noise and much much better headroom. That's what the video is about. "The End of Analog Amps". I'm just pointing out that there are other choices out there. Better ones at that.
@@wallacestewart5305 Completely agree. There are always better choices. But a lot of them come down to preference. Nothing wrong with specs, I enjoy watching testing vids as well, to see how real world opinions match the numbers. But they really don't influence me much anymore, when it comes to buying. Knowing that something has good numbers isn't going to make me feel better if I don't like the sound.
It all depends what you are looking for, that's the fun of it. Cheers!
CAM definitely needs to work Cambridge through the usual lineup. Cambridge vs Emotiva, or vs schiit. Then with the usual speaker lineup as well. Surprised we haven't worked through Cambridge already, cx line ax line, and anything else in their lineup
Nice! I have 4 Ohm Wharfedale Lintons, so this one is a no go for me. To bad, because other than the plastic knob what's not to like?
I’m using AXA35 with Elac UniFi 2.0 UB52 in a 30 m2 room, and I’m more than happy with the sound and have enough power to make a party 🥳
Excited to see you're going to review the sonus faber. I have the original lumina 2 and I'm interested to see your opinion of it.
I think the Lumina II are fantastic
Awesome video...way better then all inexpensive class D amps there. This amplifier is like a steak with a lot of meat. Vs a steak with is just BONE 😊
great Job RANDY😊
I'm a 66 year old Scottish man used to the so called "British Sound" and agree that analogue is the best. I have taught my children from a young age to appreciate music in it's highest quality, this led them into arguements at school with friends that thought that their tinny sounding earphones were normal and would swear that they could not hear any difference to a good quality recorded track on decent headphones and something digitally recorded at 64kbps in MP3. The same with video quality, although not relevent here, was with poor quality video where the same perception was, "that's what it's supposed to be like"! Great video.
That is why I prefer high efficiency speakers. This would be more than enough amp to fill up any room with sound paired with the right speaker.
Seriously limits choices though eh?
@@sbwlearning1372 I would say don't put really big amps (say 250 Watts plus) as those tend to need to work a bit (so I've heard) before they sound their best. With my system I use amps from 5 watts to 75 watts and they all sound good with these speakers (Klipsch Heresy 4s). Especially playing at the affordable end it probably increases your options. Heck I've considered picking up 2 Schitt Rekkrs and running them as monoblocks at a whopping 4 watts a channel. lol
@@rhorto01 I've never had high efficiency speakers. I've got neat motive sx1 85db before that was Ruark acoustic templar IIs 87db.
Either never sounded good with 120 watts per channel. ( Maybe Arcam lie about their power output😂)
I've got 600wpc power amp now and it makes every speaker sing.
I haven't heard every klipsch speaker but what I have heard I really disliked.
I'm sold fully on power now and I'll never have to worry about whether my amp will drive a speaker or not.
It must be great in reverse though . With that level of efficiency anything could drive your Heresey
@@sbwlearning1372 Yeah, I think it does come down to a personal taste thing. I think there is a pay off when harder to drive speakers get the umph they need, but, yeah, I'm more interested in being able to use my Decware amp with EL34 tubes (or KT66s if I feel like a change). And, yes, the Klipsch Heritage line has a flavor and a lot of people will not mesh with their upfront and forward nature. I think my dream system would include a pair of vintage Altec A7s, though limited space is an issue, thus the smaller footprint of the Heresies.
@@rhorto01 Yeah I love the valve sound . I have a valve phono stage and a valve preamp driving my power amp sounds lovely.
I hear you on the speaker front ! Would love old school every with 10 inch woofers ( at least 😁)But like yourself I need a smaller footprint however the Neat's have 2 x 5 inch woofers and a bottom port so the bass is very powerful.
Keep listening man 🎵🎸🎧
I like Cambridge audio, their sound signature is somewhat musical and pleasing. Sure, there are more accurate/cleaner amps (and dacs) from other manufacturers that give you a perfectly clean/sterile sound but that's not what I want, nor enjoy.
Now i started to miss my Proton AM455 PRO amp... It was great.
Would you use the built in riaa or separate?
Cambridge Audio is the real deal. I've met the CA staff and trade shows before and they're nice, approachable, knowledgeable, and audio enthusiasts (a good thing considering the products they sell 😁). If I weren't set on multi-channel audio, I'd definitely consider CA products. As a simpleton, I really like the idea of the AX-35. I hope and expect it will sell well.
Fun vid, Randy. Nice dinosaur!
Glad you enjoyed it
Quite happy with my Arcam fmj A19!
Appears to be well built, however the treble is rolled off so you get no extension or sparkle. I returned mine because of this. If you have bright loudspeakers this might work for you. My two cents!
Nice review, though comparisons to its price peers like the Yamaha S301, and SMSL AL200 would nice to help people narrow things down.
This is a great amp no doubt. If you're really frugal consider a refurb NAD 3020 or Creek 4140/4240/4330 or Cambridge Audio A1 (which is literally a rebranded Creek amplifier for less cash). These old amps rock and won't break the bank.
Or NAD 316 BEE
I still have my original NAD 3020.
I tried a NAD but liked the warmth, low and mid detail (such as cello and male voices) and instrument placement of the CXA61 best… which I chose.
It took me several minutes to realize that he wasn't joking. This is a 35w per channel amp with .15%THD... Did cambridge sponser this?
Hey Randy, take a look at Yamaha and Rotel's new integrated amps, and receivers (esp. Yamaha) that's been launched for the past decade and are still being launched. All analog class A/B. :-D
Cambridge has AXA25, 35 and 85 and I've never understood why they don't have a mid-tier "55" or "65" model ?
I am using the AXA25 on my system! It is even more minimal. The front has one button, five dials, one 3.5mm aux in, and that’s it.
I have it connected to a pair of Emotiva B1+ speakers, a Polk PSW1, a Schiit Modi, and a WiiM Pro.
I have the AXA25 too! I love it. I have it running into Wharfdale 3250s (from the closeout sale Randy made a video about).
Thought of picking up this one when looking for an amp for my second hand LS50 Metas, but ended up getting the Yamaha A-S301 because of the price difference in my country was over €200. I really like the Yamaha amp with the WiiM Pro, but I might give this one a shot when I move out.
I don't think I would recommend it for the LS 50's. Those speakers tend to need a fair bit of power to sound their best. They wouldn't sound bad probably, but they would be capable of so much more. And here in Canada the Yamaha is more expensive than the Cambridge.
More of a concern is pre-amps going entirely digital, i.e to DSP (whether standalone or part of an integrated, and whether the power amp is linear or D/switched), where all line level inputs are A/D converted for digital processing (volume, tone) and D/A converted back for the output. This isn't often made explicit in the specs and you're using an internal ADC and DAC without realising it. Denon now make 'analogue mode' a feature on some of their (relatively) budget integrated amps, perhaps there are others. I guess some people will say that digital is "perfect enough" (sic) that distortion and noise in A/D/A conversion and processing is so low that it's unnoticeable, but I'd like to be able to use a DAC of my choice (and have a completely analogue path for 'legacy' kit like TT's, FM tuners, what have you). ETA >> prompted because I recently bought a Denon PMA-60 (integrated D-class 'streaming' amp) after not doing my research and then discovering that it runs its line-in into a DSP chip, making using my SMSL SU-1 kinda pointless (the Denon's DAC sounds as good to me, but still ...).
Also, I feel the Schiit Ragnarok is a decent option as well. Though I’ve never heard it.
I just got an AXA35 and love the sound. Even when lower sensitivity speakers, no problem getting them to levels i wouldn't want to listen to for long periods.
I will say I don't think there's lost details. I can still hear a lot of detail in my good recordings, just not with the same edge that some amps folks call "revealing" might have, but the detail is there.
Randy - how do you compare the AXA35 to the Rotel A11 Tribute? That's another amp I've been very interested in (and Rotel in general). From your Rotel review, it seems to be more neutral, but I'm curious your thoughts on the 2.
Rega Brio (2017) is another amp in this vein, all analogue and terrific sound from a British company! Definitely a price bracket up from the Cambridge though!
Only half a price bracket if you live in UK. Unfortunately Rega rely on the Western dealer network that inflate its price like mad, especially if you live in the US
I think money is often better utilized in proven mature design approaches that have been perfected in the market place over many years, such as utilized in this amp.
although cutting edge audio design is desirable, it will cost you to exceed the function of the older tech, same as any state of the art design, with the added realization that maintenance and durability are often improved as designs mature. for instance, car tires are a mature technology., with required safety standards included as part of the deal.
tip of the hat to cambrige audio, they are doing some very nice well regarded product . pretty impressive if they are the same Cambridge audio that long ago sold only car radios , along with install kits that stores might not have , plus car specific advice for the install.
I suppose a business so immersed in customer feedback logically became very effective making successful products .