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 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.
Hi Tarun I have rewatched this video as I need to replace my old linn intek amp and I remember you giving the ax35 a glowing review, after watching I feel this is the amp for me so many thanks for the brilliant review.
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.
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!
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.
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!
Ah Tarun, more of that classic British humor, i.e., "these sunny isles". Here in sunny California, it's 18c (64.4 using the proper temperature scale) at 9pm. Fortunately we haven't converted to metric time! Thank you for yet another top-notch review. And may I say again how much I appreciate that your reviews always contain comparisons. In my view, reviews without comparisons are merely long advertisements. On this side of the pond, I always thought of Cambridge (as well as NAD, Celestion, Proac among others) as classic British audio gear. And I was always blown away by their sound quality. Literally 'jaw-dropping'.
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.
Excellent, insightful review. Very well done. It is great to know that you do not need to spend and arm and a leg on high quality units that can produce highly dynamic output.
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 😁
I bought AXA35 beginning of the year and used a Shiit Modi 3e DAC and a vintage pair of Bowers & Wilkens 685s2 and love the sound, and maybe will pair it with other speakers but at the moment happy. I just wish there were good DACless streamers at a reasonable price point out there. Enjoy the brilliant reviews from you every time.
Tarun - thank you for the "tour" of the inside. I find this useful and informative; and helps us all understand what is going on "under the cover". The TI LM3886 also happens to be the chip used in my beloved AkitikA GT-102 Z4 amp. The LM3886 is apparently difficult to source - at least for a small company like AkitikA. They are looking for an alternative chip, that can either be used as an alternative when the LM3886 is not available, or possibly (??) being used as the new chip of choice, for all the production. Edit: I am now happy to hear that you liked this AXA35 amp so much! Because the qualities you speak about, are pretty much what I love so much about my AkitikA GT-102 Z4. This is excellent news, indeed. Edit 2: the lack of pre-outs is unfortunate, as this could have functioned as a subwoofer output.
@@steven2809 Understood. But not many folks have tape decks these days, so if the RCA jacks were pre-outs, then that would allow another way to use a subwoofer.
@@steven2809 Frustratingly, some manufacturers have chosen to forego speaker level inputs on their subwoofers. Klipsch, for example. Granted, those ones are more focused towards LFE use.
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
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 😊
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.
I started my journey about a year ago with Cambridge Audio, unlike yourself I really had no bias or even much knowledge of the brand. Started off with the AXR100 and was pleasantly surprised with its performance considering its price at the time was $550, like you stated its not a neutral sounding amp in the least but offers just enough warmth to make it interesting. A few months later stepped up to the CXA81 and yes its in a different league but still has that warm goodness of the AXR100 but with a dose of refinement. So far been very happy with my Cambridge purchases and this is from a former Yamaha A-S2100 owner which I thought was going to be a regrettable decision to sell, the CXA81 still gets me in the same neighborhood sonically.
i also moved from the axr100 to the cxa81. what stood out to me the most was how much more dense the music sounded, that and more authoritative bass from an amp with 20 less watts.
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
Another fine review, and cudos to you for checking in your prejudice at the door. You've mentioned several times that your without a turntable - thinking it may be time to add a TT and decent a MM cartridge. As far as biases held - class D amplification. But I was convinced otherwise via RUclips - True-Blue Box Cobalt DA is what is in my AV system, along with a vintage Thorens TD-318 with Nagaoka MP200. Anyway, good open minded review of the AXA35.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Great video, Tarun! Just learned some more about the insides of an amp. And your intro was one the best so far. I bet one day you’ll be reviewing the phono stages as well ;)
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 RUclipsrs 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!!
Just saw the Cambridge AXA 25 at a bookstore/records the other day. I'm playing the Dali Spektor 2 speakers thru my fisher 400 receiver. Sounds Delicious 😋. I am positive tubes are the way to go. For myself.
@@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.
I am entertained that Ian was excited about Brit Brands and the you were excited about some of our homegrown offerings in The States that we disregard after a certain point and then fail to investigate, as well. For myself I will mention both Bose (901 Speakers) and Marantz (Amp), which a stoned youth I know 🫠 heard in a dormitory in the early 1970s. A RIVETING experience that he will NEVER forget! Both companies were sold off and no longer cottage brands. Bose is still dismissed by me…as was Marantz for years…but I did reinvestigate and currently own and use every day: Marantz SR6015 AVR for TV and movies and in my stereo rig a Marantz SACD 30n (streamer & disc).Quality offerings! Their newer integrated amps are valid as well…👍🏼
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."
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) 👍
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 had a conscious bias towards bowers and Wilkins speakers, many years ago my dad bought a pair of 604 s3 speakers and to me they sounded and still sound incredible, because of that I bought a pair of 702s2 speakers thinking they are going to be even better, they weren’t, not even close, the result is I tried multiple different speakers over the last few months and have ended up with some PMC twenty5 24i which to my ear just sound incredible. I now have no bias towards anything I don’t think and will listen to every option before parting with my money
@@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 👍😊👍
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.
Hi Tarun. Interesting review , Cambridge has definitely upped their game and frequently get very good reviews . It will be interesting to see if they send a more expensive amp for review . One thing that always amazes me is that you don’t own a record deck , is it a deliberate decision on your part or has it just not been that important to you Best wishes and kind regards as always 😀👍👍👍
Thank you Michael. I am of an age that grew up with CD. I had a modest record collection that I got rid of in the early nineties. I wish I had kept it now 😢
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!
Thank you for that review. I own this amp and couldnt agree with you more. I am still looking for a pair of good small speakers for it. I am leaning towards Kef Q150s which I feel will be a decent pairing.
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
I love it when affordable hi fi gets an Outstanding from you! You don’t hand that tag out lightly, so this must be more than good value for money. But I was also greatly relieved to hear your comparison with the 2510 (for selfish reasons, of course). Going to watch your review of the Dali Menuet SE to find out if there’s a reason to start saving up. Based on specs, bass response is a slight concern because a sub-woofer isn’t an option in the current music room. I’m not a bass addict and the RME DAC allows me to tweak frequency response. Let’s see.
Real power will improve your bass. I ditched an arcam fmj a39 supposedly 120 wpc. (Lovely sound) for a valve preamp and class D power amp( 600 wpc) There is a lot of nonsense on the internet about power not being important but their main approach is buy very efficient speakers to cope with the low output of the manufacturers who think 50 or 80 wpc is extremely powerful Yes well then you've eliminated 80%of the speaker market. In 40 years of listening to audio equipment such as new cartridges new DACs new cd players different transformers for the moving coil cartridges etc etc etc, the addition of 600wpc was truly revelatory. Every single component got a massive upgrade in sound quality immediately. I'm in a standard UK living room and to use crappy audiophile jargon the bass now has total presence and is utterly palpable. ( Think, your mate has turned up with his bass and amp and he's plugged it in and is now playing it in front of you. ) My speakers could NEVER sound like that before because 80 or 100 or 120 wpc just weren't driving them properly at low or high levels. "Ultimate power corrupts. Ultimately" Amp manufacturers are stingy b*starts. Think Rolls Royce chassis with a fiat 850cc engine Plenty of classD power amps 600 wpc around the £750 -900 mark. You can get a good Chinese tube cloned preamp for around £250 some vintage valves may cost you an extra £100 That's still cheaper than the £1500 I paid for the arcam
@@jeremylynnchagaspereira3926 Your welcome !!!. This is a crazy wonderful hobby but frustrating if you don't have the equivalent of 4 months salary to get so called high end components 😭 Only recently have I been able to afford to actively purchase many new products and experiment on my own.( New moving coil cartridges 3/4 different DACs A couple of vintage transformers. Valves vs solid state amplifiers etc.etc So many rabbit holes !!!!!! It's hardly scientific but to my ears the valve preamp feeding a class D monster is everything I'll ever need. Even streaming flac files from my phone to the Bluetooth DAC sounds amazing. Just my pennyworth to you. So many experts so many magazines so many reviews. This is my world after 40 years and I'm still managing 2/ 3 hours on weekdays and 3/4 at the weekends. Keep enjoying your music. It is thee most wonderful thing in the world 🎧🎸🎵
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.
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'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 👍
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!
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.
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 😊
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!
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 🙂
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.
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!
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.
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’!!
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 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.
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 😊
Found your channel recently; I love you saying "I don't get blown away... besides, I hate that term"; you and me both! There is far too much use of hyperbolic expressions these days.
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 😊
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.
Thanks for the great review! I just purchased the AXA35 and I'm impressed. Concerning a pairing with a suitable and nice sounding streaming device: Do you have a recommendation? Thanks and keep up the great reviews!
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 :) 🥳
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.
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 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
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 😊
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!
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!
Thank you Noel. It means a great deal to get feedback like that 👍😊👍
he is the Laurence Olivier of audio who i consider the greatest actor ever!
@@josephvanalstyne4049 wow Joseph! Laurence Olivier is an idol of mine too 👍😊👍
@@Flarptube you rumbled me! 003.5 😂
Agreed, one of the finest reviews I've heard in a very long time. Subscribed. Bravo!!
A really first-rate review. Isn't it refreshing to hear that such high fidelity can be had for a reasonable price? Good news, indeed!
Thank you Reid. Much appreciated 😊👍
Nice to see Tarun is still putting out incredibly consistent high quality reviews, and has not been corrupted in any sense. Bravo.
Thank you buddy. Much appreciated 😊👍
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.
Thank you buddy. Much appreciated. I hope you are well 😊👍
Blown away? Ha ha ha
I love the humility, if I may call it such.Honesty is very much appreciated.
Thank you my friend. Very kind 👍😊👍
Hi Tarun I have rewatched this video as I need to replace my old linn intek amp and I remember you giving the ax35 a glowing review, after watching I feel this is the amp for me so many thanks for the brilliant review.
I appreciate the honesty and depth of your reviews. Keep up the splendid work
Thank you Hugo. Much appreciated 😊👍
Thank you! I have an AXA35 and I could not be happier. It was more than what I expected. Thanks again for your wonderful channel.
Thank you Alexander. Much appreciated 😊👍
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.
Thank you Larry. Great to learn about your experiences 👍
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.
@@larryh9525 😅
@@bigambientdeathagreed.
So nice to hear you talking openly about your unconscious bias. Deep knowledge and humbleness is a very nice combination!
Thank you my friend 😊👍
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!
Thank you Jerald. Much appreciated 😊👍
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.
Thank you Gary. I appreciate you sharing this 😊👍
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!
Thank you Steven. There are some great products for sensible money these days. The CA AXA35 / AE 100 mk2 is a terrific combination 😊👍
Ah Tarun, more of that classic British humor, i.e., "these sunny isles". Here in sunny California, it's 18c (64.4 using the proper temperature scale) at 9pm. Fortunately we haven't converted to metric time!
Thank you for yet another top-notch review. And may I say again how much I appreciate that your reviews always contain comparisons. In my view, reviews without comparisons are merely long advertisements.
On this side of the pond, I always thought of Cambridge (as well as NAD, Celestion, Proac among others) as classic British audio gear. And I was always blown away by their sound quality. Literally 'jaw-dropping'.
Thank you my friend. Your tastes seem to very much mirror mine 😊👍
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.
Thank you Andrew. If you get to try it, please let me know you got on 😊
Excellent, insightful review. Very well done. It is great to know that you do not need to spend and arm and a leg on high quality units that can produce highly dynamic output.
Thank you Richard. This is a great amp offered at a very reasonable price 😊👍
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 😁
Thank you Mike. Much appreciated 😊👍
I bought AXA35 beginning of the year and used a Shiit Modi 3e DAC and a vintage pair of Bowers & Wilkens 685s2 and love the sound, and maybe will pair it with other speakers but at the moment happy. I just wish there were good DACless streamers at a reasonable price point out there. Enjoy the brilliant reviews from you every time.
Much appreciated my friend 😊👍
You do a better job of describing an amp’s sound than anyone on youtube so far. Nice work!
Thank you Choon. That is very kind 😊👍
Tarun - thank you for the "tour" of the inside. I find this useful and informative; and helps us all understand what is going on "under the cover". The TI LM3886 also happens to be the chip used in my beloved AkitikA GT-102 Z4 amp. The LM3886 is apparently difficult to source - at least for a small company like AkitikA. They are looking for an alternative chip, that can either be used as an alternative when the LM3886 is not available, or possibly (??) being used as the new chip of choice, for all the production.
Edit: I am now happy to hear that you liked this AXA35 amp so much! Because the qualities you speak about, are pretty much what I love so much about my AkitikA GT-102 Z4. This is excellent news, indeed.
Edit 2: the lack of pre-outs is unfortunate, as this could have functioned as a subwoofer output.
You can attach an active sub to the main speaker terminals without any problem.... 🙂
@@steven2809 Understood. But not many folks have tape decks these days, so if the RCA jacks were pre-outs, then that would allow another way to use a subwoofer.
@@steven2809 Frustratingly, some manufacturers have chosen to forego speaker level inputs on their subwoofers. Klipsch, for example. Granted, those ones are more focused towards LFE use.
@@VintageVic93 Any sub manufacturer that doesn't offer speaker level inputs should be avoided like the plague! It's a fundamental requirement....🙄
Thank you Neil. Great to hear from you 👍
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
Thank you 😊
Wow, what a great review and thank you for reviewing an amplifier at this price point. 😎👍🏻
Much appreciated Mike 😊👍
Listening to music is not a hobby, its a human necessity!
Great review!
Thank you. Love your passion 👍
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.
Thank you Bob. That is very kind and greatly appreciated. I am sorry to say that I didn’t test the phonostage as I am digital only these days 😊👍
@@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 😊
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.
Thank you for sharing Eric 😊
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.
@@anthonyphillips6662 that is great 😊
I started my journey about a year ago with Cambridge Audio, unlike yourself I really had no bias or even much knowledge of the brand. Started off with the AXR100 and was pleasantly surprised with its performance considering its price at the time was $550, like you stated its not a neutral sounding amp in the least but offers just enough warmth to make it interesting. A few months later stepped up to the CXA81 and yes its in a different league but still has that warm goodness of the AXR100 but with a dose of refinement. So far been very happy with my Cambridge purchases and this is from a former Yamaha A-S2100 owner which I thought was going to be a regrettable decision to sell, the CXA81 still gets me in the same neighborhood sonically.
i also moved from the axr100 to the cxa81. what stood out to me the most was how much more dense the music sounded, that and more authoritative bass from an amp with 20 less watts.
Thank you Tom 👍
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
Thank you John. I would like to do just that 😊👍
Another fine review, and cudos to you for checking in your prejudice at the door. You've mentioned several times that your without a turntable - thinking it may be time to add a TT and decent a MM cartridge. As far as biases held - class D amplification. But I was convinced otherwise via RUclips - True-Blue Box Cobalt DA is what is in my AV system, along with a vintage Thorens TD-318 with Nagaoka MP200. Anyway, good open minded review of the AXA35.
Thank you Bradley. The TT bit is fairly straightforward. It is building a vinyl collection for scratch that puts me off 😊
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.
Thank you Dick Muncher for your assessment!
I'll be sure to run out and purchase BOTH the AXR85 and mind-blowing, powerful 100 WATT AXR100.
@@JamesBrown-jy5sy 😄
@@JamesBrown-jy5sy He knows a million times more about audio than you mate, you infant.
Thank you DM 😊
@@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
Great review,very professional and has no BS.
Thank you Mick 😊
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 my friend. That is very kind and means a lot 👍😊👍
I think that this was a fair and honest review!
Thank you 😊
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.
That is great. Thank you for sharing Nuno 😊
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.
Thank you for sharing Lenny 😊
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.
Thank you. I never got around to listen to the Topaz 10 😊
I simply love your reviews❣👏🏻😃 The way you express yourself in a positv english way! (I am Swiss… 😅)
Thank you kindly 😊👍
A trip down memory lane with the list of amps available at that time in the 90's. I ended up with a Pioneer A400. And it was fantastic.
Thank you Winston. I enjoyed reminiscing too 😊👍
Great video, Tarun! Just learned some more about the insides of an amp. And your intro was one the best so far. I bet one day you’ll be reviewing the phono stages as well ;)
Thank you Felipe. It was great chatting with you on Sunday. I shall be checking out that box set 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks Tarun, Same here. Miles and Coltrane, the complete sessions, it has a pink box, six CDs I believe
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 RUclipsrs 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!!
Thank you. I am working on getting products from those brands but it seems to be very difficult to get the attention of right person 😊
I have the Axr100 and absolutely love it. Great review as always. Evo 75 next?
Thank you 😊
Excellent, thank you.
I'd be very interested in your opinion of this guy's big brother, the CXA81.
Agree!
Thank you. I hope to do that 😊👍
Just saw the Cambridge AXA 25 at a bookstore/records the other day. I'm playing the Dali Spektor 2 speakers thru my fisher 400 receiver. Sounds Delicious 😋. I am positive tubes are the way to go. For myself.
Thank you Scott 😊
Nice review. It would be interesting to compare vs NAD's amps in this price range.
Thank you. That would be cool 😎
@@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.
I am entertained that Ian was excited about Brit Brands and the you were excited about some of our homegrown offerings in The States that we disregard after a certain point and then fail to investigate, as well. For myself I will mention both Bose (901 Speakers) and Marantz (Amp), which a stoned youth I know 🫠 heard in a dormitory in the early 1970s. A RIVETING experience that he will NEVER forget! Both companies were sold off and no longer cottage brands. Bose is still dismissed by me…as was Marantz for years…but I did reinvestigate and currently own and use every day: Marantz SR6015 AVR for TV and movies and in my stereo rig a Marantz SACD 30n (streamer & disc).Quality offerings! Their newer integrated amps are valid as well…👍🏼
Thank you for sharing Bob 😊
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! 👌
Great 👍
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."
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.
Thank you my friend. That is very kind of you to say 😊
Well said 👏🏾
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) 👍
Very interesting. Thank you Ram 👍
you never disappoint
Thank you Jason 😊👍
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.
Thank you Dan. Much appreciated 😊👍
I had a conscious bias towards bowers and Wilkins speakers, many years ago my dad bought a pair of 604 s3 speakers and to me they sounded and still sound incredible, because of that I bought a pair of 702s2 speakers thinking they are going to be even better, they weren’t, not even close, the result is I tried multiple different speakers over the last few months and have ended up with some PMC twenty5 24i which to my ear just sound incredible. I now have no bias towards anything I don’t think and will listen to every option before parting with my money
Thank you for sharing Brett 😊
Tarun, you need to finally review the Proac DB1. I’m sure most of us are really interested in your opinion of these speakers. Make it happen !
I would love to but they won’t send it to me 😢😊
@@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 👍😊👍
I drive a pair of Dynaudio Emit 10's with this amp and they sound fantastic! very musical and defined
Cool 😎
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.
Thank you 😊
Hi Tarun. Interesting review , Cambridge has definitely upped their game and frequently get very good reviews . It will be interesting to see if they send a more expensive amp for review . One thing that always amazes me is that you don’t own a record deck , is it a deliberate decision on your part or has it just not been that important to you Best wishes and kind regards as always 😀👍👍👍
Thank you Michael. I am of an age that grew up with CD. I had a modest record collection that I got rid of in the early nineties. I wish I had kept it now 😢
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."
Thank you Alan. I hope you are enjoying them for years to come 👍
@@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!
@alan I’m thinking of buying the same set up, what speakers would you recommend? And what turntable if you use one.. thanks
Same question to Tarun
Thank you for that review. I own this amp and couldnt agree with you more. I am still looking for a pair of good small speakers for it. I am leaning towards Kef Q150s which I feel will be a decent pairing.
Thank you Mike 😊
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
Thank you Neale 😊
I love it when affordable hi fi gets an Outstanding from you! You don’t hand that tag out lightly, so this must be more than good value for money. But I was also greatly relieved to hear your comparison with the 2510 (for selfish reasons, of course). Going to watch your review of the Dali Menuet SE to find out if there’s a reason to start saving up. Based on specs, bass response is a slight concern because a sub-woofer isn’t an option in the current music room. I’m not a bass addict and the RME DAC allows me to tweak frequency response. Let’s see.
Thank you buddy. I really do appreciate all the support you give me 😊👍
Real power will improve your bass. I ditched an arcam fmj a39 supposedly 120 wpc. (Lovely sound) for a valve preamp and class D power amp( 600 wpc)
There is a lot of nonsense on the internet about power not being important but their main approach is buy very efficient speakers to cope with the low output of the manufacturers who think 50 or 80 wpc is extremely powerful
Yes well then you've eliminated 80%of the speaker market.
In 40 years of listening to audio equipment such as new cartridges new DACs new cd players different transformers for the moving coil cartridges etc etc etc, the addition of 600wpc was truly revelatory. Every single component got a massive upgrade in sound quality immediately.
I'm in a standard UK living room and to use crappy audiophile jargon the bass now has total presence and is utterly palpable. ( Think, your mate has turned up with his bass and amp and he's plugged it in and is now playing it in front of you. ) My speakers could NEVER sound like that before because 80 or 100 or 120 wpc just weren't driving them properly at low or high levels.
"Ultimate power corrupts. Ultimately"
Amp manufacturers are stingy b*starts. Think Rolls Royce chassis with a fiat 850cc engine
Plenty of classD power amps 600 wpc around the £750 -900 mark. You can get a good Chinese tube cloned preamp for around £250 some vintage valves may cost you an extra £100
That's still cheaper than the £1500 I paid for the arcam
@@sbwlearning1372 Thanks so much for this interesting and enlightening perspective!
@@jeremylynnchagaspereira3926 Your welcome !!!. This is a crazy wonderful hobby but frustrating if you don't have the equivalent of 4 months salary to get so called high end components 😭
Only recently have I been able to afford to actively purchase many new products and experiment on my own.( New moving coil cartridges 3/4 different DACs A couple of vintage transformers. Valves vs solid state amplifiers etc.etc So many rabbit holes !!!!!!
It's hardly scientific but to my ears the valve preamp feeding a class D monster is everything I'll ever need. Even streaming flac files from my phone to the Bluetooth DAC sounds amazing.
Just my pennyworth to you. So many experts so many magazines so many reviews.
This is my world after 40 years and I'm still managing 2/ 3 hours on weekdays and 3/4 at the weekends.
Keep enjoying your music. It is thee most wonderful thing in the world
🎧🎸🎵
@@sbwlearning1372 😂😂👍🏼
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.
Thank you Wolf 😊
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'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!
This grizzled audio veteran certainly enjoyed it 😂
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 👍
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!
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
A little highlight in my day to see a new video from you. 👍
Thank you Sylvio. That is very kind 😊👍
The inside is more beautiful than the outside!
Thank you for watching 😊
I use AXA35 with Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52. The system sounds amazing!!! There is more than enough power for a 30 square meter room. The amp is a bomb!
Thank you for sharing buddy 😊
Your speakers are bomb(s) too!
Much better than Q Acoustics and Acoustic Energy bit they are not produced by British company, right? He,he, he...
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.
You will need double that power, at least to get decent efficiency. They are 140 watt speakers rated down to 6 ohms.
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 😊
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!
Thank you buddy. Good to hear from you 😊👍
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 🙂
I haven’t heard the CXA81 but it would be worth a try 😊
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.
Thank you for sharing TTT 👍
Great review 👍
Thank you buddy 👍
Tarun, first the Arcam SA10, and now the AXA35, I own both... and they are both great!
Thank you Joseph 😊
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.
@@angelheart7643 The USB port is for power only, You connect a Dac to the Cambridge via RCA out from DAC to RCA in on Amp.
Interesting review. So do you wonder what else you have missed from CA over the years? Will there be more of their higher end equipment???
I will be reviewing more CA gear 😊
Thank you for this high quality review, your evaluation of the amplifier is excellent. Keep up the good work, its very much appreciated.
Thank you Hadrian. That is very much appreciated 😊👍
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!
Thank you for sharing your experience 😊
I've had one for a couple of years Tarun and I love it. It's so easy to listen to for extended periods. Great review, again! 🙂
Thank you 😊👍
Great review Simple direct and honest A good starter amp😇
Thank you Raymond. Much appreciated 😊
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 Paul. Julian has a great reputation in the industry 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 indeed
I'm still using a '73 Pioneer SX-747 receiver....would this be a gud synergy paired to my Borea - BR03
Hi-Fi Bookshelf Speakers? Thx!
Cool 😎
The PSU caps are not per channel. They're per rail (V+, V-).
Thank you 😊
I own this amp, its a great performer.
Cool 😎
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!
Thank you Howard 😊
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’!!
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!!
Thank you. The AE100 Mk2 will be fine. Very few speakers are rated but IEC standards these days and the AXA35 has a decent power supply 😊
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.
Thank you 😊
The regulators are for the preamp and control system I think.
@@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.
Subconscious... Virtually ingrained bias.... Yes absolutely it's a thing...
and I think your integrity is strong to discuss such....
👍🏻
Thank you Marcus. Much appreciated 😊👍
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?
But the 6000A is so good already. The IN80 wouldn't be much of an upgrade.
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 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you for replying, Tarun. And your good advice.
Found your channel recently; I love you saying "I don't get blown away... besides, I hate that term"; you and me both! There is far too much use of hyperbolic expressions these days.
Thank you. I hope you enjoy the channel 👍
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 😊
Thank you for the great review Tarun, brilliant as always! Could I ask what DACs would you recommend to pair with the AXA35. Many thanks
Thank you. There are many choices but the SMSL M300, Schiit Modi, Topping E50 are worth checking out 🙂
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!
Thank you Dan. I really enjoyed learning about your experiences 😊
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.
Thanks for the great review! I just purchased the AXA35 and I'm impressed. Concerning a pairing with a suitable and nice sounding streaming device: Do you have a recommendation? Thanks and keep up the great reviews!
Thank you Peter. You could try the Wii Mini but the Bluesound Node would be my go to device. The UI is second to none 👍
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 :) 🥳
Thank you for sharing 😊
After fourteen months, the source selector stopped workin on my AXA35, was stuck on A1. Crutchfield replaced it quickly after just a few questions.
@@conanshinn8348 that is a shame 😊
Very nice review. Big fan of Rotel myself. But I'm not in to hifi anymore like when I was younger.
Thank you 😊
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.
Thank you for sharing John 😊
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
That is a great combo 👍
Love the way you show inside the product and explain the parts and their functionality.
Much appreciated Phil 😊👍
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
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
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 😊
Great review. One question. I mainly listen to music via bluetooth (through computer or mobile). Can this hook up to bluetooth? If so, how?
@@ck5533 thank you. You will need an external Dac with Bluetooth 😊
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.
Thank you for sharing 😊
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!
solid review!
Thank you 👍