http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk SEPTEMBER 201 9 HI-FI WORLD 27
REVIEW
C
ambridge Audio produces
new products at a dizzying
rate. Barely a few months
seems to go by without
a new launch from the
London company. They
have all the bases covered in terms
of price. At the top of their range
there is the £4500 Edge A integrated
amplifier and the Edge NQ com-
bined pre-amplifier/network player
for £3500.
But it’s at the more affordable
end of the market that Cambridge
made its reputation – with solidly-
engineered, good-sounding products
that don’t break the bank. I know
this well as my brother’s first
amplifier was a Cambridge he still
uses and enjoys, now in his second
system.
Here I'm reviewing two new
Cambridge products that go back to
their budget roots, aimed at those
looking to start their first system or
perhaps replace ageing components.
First there’s the AX C35
CD player and then the AX A35
integrated amplifier that comes with
a built-in phonostage (see Measured
Performance for more details).
Combined price of the pair is
£599.98 – just £299 each. That’s a
decent price these days when a set
of cables or interconnects can cost
more.
What do you get for your
money? First off, the AX C35 is a
standard-sized silver disc spinner
that will play CDs as well as MP3
and WMA files from home recorded
CD-R, CD-RW and CD-ROM
discs. It also includes a dedicated
digital output, allowing users to
record from CD to a digital format,
or connect a standalone DAC to
improve sound quality.
The AX A35 integrated amplifier
matches this CD spinner, sharing the
same silver case and gently sculptedunderside. It is a classic Class A/B
design – not Class D – with internal
linear power supply, not a cheap
switch-mode.
Cambridge rates power
output at 35 Watts per channel
(see Measured Performance for
Hi-Fi World’s definitive figures)- which might not sound a great
deal but is enough to drive most
loudspeakers to decent levels in
a medium-sized room.
Both units come with
dedicated remote controls that
are functional and not over-
cluttered – easy to use I found.
SOUND QUALITY
I hooked the Cambridge pair
up to a set of Q Acoustics new
Concept 300 standmounts (see
review this issue), connecting the
amplifier to the ‘speakers via a pair
of Titan Audio’s new Nemesis cables.
This is a test set-up – ideal to reveal