Cambridge Audio AXA25-25 Watt Separate Integrated Stereo Amplifier HiFi System Featuring Tone and Balance Control with Front Aux Input - Lunar Grey

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The staff are so so helpful,kind and very knowledgeable . I will definitely be buying from them in the I own an Onkyo A9110. It's in the system in my study. It's connected to Sony BDP-S370 , Cambridge NP30 streamer and output via a pair of (bluntly awe inspiring) Mission 70 MKII. Previously it was connected to QA 3020i. It's fuller sounding than the Rotel RA820BXII it replaced but it's not in the same league as my Arcam A19.

AXA25 - Integrated Amplifier | Cambridge Audio UK

Cambridge are nicely designed and they do sound good, and I would expect that good sound from the New CX series. Cambridge makes great DACs for the money, and excellent Streaming devices. Prices valid in stores (all including VAT) until close of business on 1st November 2023. (Some of these web prices are cheaper than in-store, so please mention that you've seen these offers online.) I can’t help but feel it could have been better engineered in places too. A bigger power supply would vastly improve the performance of the amplifier, and a better preamp would give the amplifier a chance to show what it is really capable of. Neither are difficult to design, and neither should add significant component cost to the product. If you’re competent in electronics and DIY-minded though, the older AM10 and the AXA35 are perfect candidates to form the basis of a DIY Gainclone.At the bottom end, the AXA35 and AXC35 show off another common Cambridge trait. Not only is the bass firm, detailed and blessed with excellent timing, but when things become more dance orientated it laps up a decent beat. Spinning The Divine Comedy’s I’ve Been To A Marvellous Party is an absolute hoot as the Cambridge duo makes a fine job of Neil Hannon’s soft murmurings during the verses, and then hit their stride with the thumping techno beat in the choruses. Give this combo a bangin’ tune and it loves it – pushing it out with confidence and punch. You can drive a 4Ω load with the AXA35, and you’ll get just shy of 60W per channel before clipping starts to occur. Expect about 50W into a 4Ω load at more reasonable distortion levels. I didn’t test this extensively as blowing up the review sample is generally frowned upon, accidentally or otherwise. There is one slight niggle. The power button has a white LED in the middle, which remains lit whether the amp is turned on or off. There are connections for a single pair of speakers and a grounded IEC power inlet. Both amps feature an eco-friendly standby mode which consumes only 0.5W of power, and an automatic power-down function that can be disabled by holding the power button for a few seconds. A flashing standby light indicates status of the APD – five flashes for disabled, ten flashes for enabled. By the standards of a long-in-the-tooth concept like an affordable stereo amplifier, the AXA35 is quite a good looker: the smoky grey finish is pretty sophisticated (to my eyes at least − no one ever accused me of being a slave to fashion). It’s not all that bulky and is visually quite arresting thanks to the minimalist selection of fascia controls and equally minimalist display.

AXA25 - Integrated Stereo Amplifier | Cambridge Audio EU AXA25 - Integrated Stereo Amplifier | Cambridge Audio EU

Needless to say I've gone for a top loader with minimal mechanical gubbins this time (Rega). I'll let you know how that goes. The AXA35 like the AM10 predecessor is essentially a commercial ‘Gainclone’ implementation. The LM3886 output devices can theoretically deliver 68W per channel into a 4Ω load and 38W per channel into an 8Ω load with a symmetrical power supply delivering +/-28V. Cambridge’s specification of 35W into an 8Ω load is therefore a sensible one. The AXA35 will actually deliver the 38W into 8Ω before clipping. I too had the CA540R v3 which i liked a lot but weren't up to the task as first thought and moved it on. Cambridge do not give a spec into a 4Ω load, which is unsurprising given that the power supply isn’t built to drive difficult or low impedance loads. Larger reservoir caps, for example, would have given the AXA35 a significant bump in headroom and a bit more grunt. It’s not uncommon to see 4700UF caps as a minimum on the PSU rails of a DIY-built Gainclone. You could up the voltage too – the LM3886 can handle peak input voltages of +/-94V, and comfortably up to +/-40V with ample cooling, which the AXA35 certainly provides. Putting the AXA35 on a little plastic plinth that’s − to all intents and purposes – invisible, is a canny move on Cambridge Audio’s part, too. It makes the amp look a little like it’s floating, and in a sector of the market where aesthetics play a distant second fiddle to cost considerations, it’s a very welcome design oddity. Cambridge Audio AXA35 features − Defiantly old-fashioned when it comes to connections and featuresCambridge Audio’s AXA35 integrated amplifier and AXC35 CD player make a fine budget combo. Individually, the amplifier is no slouch, but the CD player is something of a budget marvel that really doesn’t put a foot wrong in any aspect of its performance. The combo works well together and forms an ideal starting point for anyone seeking an enjoyable and affordable setup. AS The mechanical internals were a little flimsy and didn't ooze quality, but then what should I expect for budget end kit? I gave it an all-around listen − Neil Young’s Cortez the Killer via Spotify, on a smartphone, through the 3.5mm input, sounds confident, straight-edged (as much as Neil Young can ever sound all that disciplined) and there’s plenty of detail revealed about the condition of both Young’s larynx and the state of his guitar strings. The low-level dynamics are handled well, and there’s well-controlled impact to the drumkit.

How good is Cambridge Audio kit? | AVForums How good is Cambridge Audio kit? | AVForums

I am wondering if anyone has any heads up about two budget-friendly amplifiers for my Pro-Ject turntable: Onkyo A-9110 and Cambridge Audio AXA25. They're both in the same price range (around 250) and have similar specs. I like the barebones/analog kind of approach here (there wouldn't be any margin for bells and whistles at that price point), and what I would like to achieve is to get the best possible sound around that budget. I mainly listen to Jazz and Classical records. I founded Audio Appraisal a few years ago and continue to regularly update it with fresh content. An avid vinyl collector and coffee addict, I can often be found at a workbench tinkering with a faulty electronic device, tweaking a turntable to extract the last bit of detail from those tiny grooves in the plastic stuff, or relaxing in front of the hi-fi with a good album. A musician, occasional producer and sound engineer, other hobbies include software programming, web development, long walks and occasional DIY. However, I’d be interested to know what you find so terrible about the sound. Obviously, it’s subjective but mine is feeding B&W 800Ds via KW pre/powers and sounds very, very good with 44/16 FLAc from a NAS and gets even better with DSD/DFF files or Tidal Masters.

It might be the AXA35’s confident way with timing that’s the single most surprising/impressive aspect of its performance. Vinyl gives a system every chance to show off its facility (or otherwise) for the timing and unity of a recording, and the AXA35’s phono stage lets Felt’s The Splendour of Fear roll along in the most natural manner.