Cambridge Audio AXA35 in the test: Get in with style

The flat, “small” Cambridge, now referred to as AXA35, has been round for many years with a intently associated primary idea. However what revolutionary issues can occur with a purely analog stereo built-in amplifier? This straightforwardness is definitely answerable for his continued success. An necessary issue can also be a sure particular sound high quality, which ends immediately from the design of the AXA35. Little Cambridge has character.

He commits himself and does not attempt to please all listening tastes. That is definitely an efficient strategy in its worth vary. As a result of right here too, and particularly right here, there are music followers who do not simply throw collectively their hi-fi system blindly, however somewhat put it along with a whole lot of trial and error. We additionally heard loads with the Cambridge – and had enjoyable that you simply would not anticipate for simply over 400 euros.

Cambridge Audio AXA35 within the listening take a look at: The British roadster amongst built-in amplifiers

Quick, agile, very direct: That is how the sound of the Cambridge Audio AXA35 may be summarized. The British amplifier by no means misses a possibility to select up the tempo, drive rhythms, and provides the music construction and traction. With its nominal 35 watts per channel, it’s definitely not overpowered, however it by no means appears to expire of juice in regular listening mode.

And we interpret “regular” very generously right here: After listening to all 4 sides of A Gentle For Attracting Consideration By The Smile we have been glad, just a little exhausted and fairly numb. The supergroup round Radiohead singer Thom Yorke simply sounds actually convincing loud. So we bathed in fantastically current drums, room-filling orchestra and hard-drumming guitar tracks. Did we’ve the sensation that we have been listening to a small built-in amplifier that was maybe working at its limits? Not for a second.

It might even be a key to the sound of the little Cambridge: that it at all times has to go “all in” even in regular hi-fi use. That music at excessive volumes and with pure dynamics commonly assesses his complete efficiency spectrum – or at the least a related a part of it. The flat amp does not appear uncomfortably confused, however it provides the sound a sure urgency and immediacy: when it lets the audio system do the speaking, you possibly can’t assist however give it your full consideration.

Tonally not the warmest amp

On some data, the Cambridge Audio AXA35 goes a bit overboard with the readability. Daniel Lanois’ first solo file Acadia sounds higher with the NAD C 316BEE V2 used for comparability. The marginally costlier NAD permits the singer to intone fuller, softer and differentiates the deeper sound layers of the superficially easy manufacturing extra finely. The truth that Lanois is a sound genius and had produced a number of the best U2 albums earlier than this observe, for instance, shouldn’t be fairly as apparent with the AXA35 as it’s with the silky, large-format NAD.

The Cambridge sound additionally implies that Lanois’ voice sounds just a little brighter and rougher than with the NAD. This barely lean tendency may be enjoyable, as a result of there’s one factor the British amp does not do: duck away when issues get sizzling and intense within the treble. Within the warmth of the second he prefers to shoot just a few centimeters over the goal. This solely turns into tough if you wish to mix the amplifier with brilliant audio system and/or your system is in a sound-hard room. In different circumstances, his tuning brings simply the correct amount of freshness.

Our record of the perfect tells you ways the Cambridge Audio AXA35 stacks up in opposition to different HiFi amplifiers we examined:

Cambridge Audio AXA35: Technical construction and observe

For an entry-level amp, the Cambridge is exemplary snug. All features may be managed immediately on the system or remotely utilizing a distant management, with clear suggestions through a single-line seven-segment show. These features embody steadiness, bass and treble, all of that are accessible through a “Menu” button. That is situated on the entrance panel proper subsequent to the massive quantity button – which then quickly turns into a tone or steadiness management. On the distant management it’s situated, once more logically, between the 2 quantity buttons.

With a complete of 5 high-level inputs and a recording output, the Cambridge may also deal with bigger methods. One of many 5 line inputs is designed as a mini jack on the entrance panel. That is useful if you wish to shortly join your MP3 participant or cellphone through cable. The AXA35 doesn’t have digital inputs, however it does have a really good-sounding, low-noise phono enter for MM methods. Your file participant may also simply match on it. Which we additionally made in depth use of within the take a look at.

Chip amplifiers on steroids

Like its predecessors, the AXA35 has an uncommon energy amplifier expertise: As a substitute of particular person transistors, built-in circuits of the kind LM3886 present amplification, every of which homes a whole energy amplifier channel together with a protecting circuit. This looks like a lazy answer at first, and indisputably, turning to the ability ICs simplifies the design of the amplifier. Nevertheless, the LM chips have nice potential and are additionally used within the high-end space.

At instances they have been discovered within the high-end amps from Linn and Jeff Rowland, albeit in considerably extra complicated implementations than right here. They’ll sound actually good if the ability provide is fastidiously sized accordingly. The Cambridge builders, who’ve been working with LM chips of their small amps for generations, have carried out this fairly constantly: The toroidal transformer of the AXA35 is an actual factor.

Nevertheless, the filter capacitors may very well be bigger than the 2 instances 2200 µF which are obtainable to every channel. And even with an excellent bigger energy provide, the chip energy amplifiers can’t ship fairly as giant currents as discrete ones. The slim, barely brilliant character within the listening take a look at notes may come from this.

And who is aware of – the London builders have most likely been experimenting with bigger capacities for a very long time after which missed that sure one thing in their very own listening assessments. Right here, too, it does not assist to good remoted particular person areas if the general perspective is misplaced. Issues just like the very exact housing and the general glowing clear however not excessively wasteful workmanship additionally contribute to the general feeling.

Our conclusion concerning the Cambridge Audio AXA35

The AXA35 is a part of a protracted custom of cheap, sonically distinctive built-in amplifiers at Cambridge Audio. Moderately slim and shortly tuned, it requires intelligent pairing with environment friendly audio system that do not sound too skinny for optimum outcomes. What you positively haven’t got to fret about with the AXA35 is boredom: the Brit makes music energetic, gripping and touching.

You possibly can order the AXA35 immediately right here: