Review of Cambridge Audio - Cxa60 Integrated Amp

I have long lusted later the Cambridge Audio CXA60 Integrated Amplifier. From the mean solar day it was released, I was in honey.

I thought it was a beautiful piece of industrial design. Then, later glowing reviews industry experts, I was even more intrigued. And then, after visiting local howdy-fi dealers for a quick mind, I savage in love. In person, it was simply as beautiful equally information technology was online and to top information technology off, the silverish variant was actually bachelor in Canada (which is almost never the case and that all but sealed the bargain to me.

Highlights

CAMBRIDGE Audio CXA-60 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

• 60W RMS into 8 Ohms
• 24-bit/192kHz DAC
• iv line level inputs, ii optical inputs, 1 coaxial input, a 3.5mm aux input & a 3.5mm headphone jack
• Pre-outs
• Subwoofer out
• Remote

Introduction

Just earlier the new year, my wife and I had begun a bit of a renovation to our living room. We were adding a gas fireplace which would exist housed inside a custom wall unit of measurement with shelving. Nosotros had planned to in-set a boob tube just above the fireplace and I, of form, was looking for an excuse to buy an integrated amplifier to compliment the build.

My thought was that the CXA60 Integrated Amplifier would be a perfect fit every bit information technology would match the clean modern expect of the congenital-in wall unit and provide the space with smashing sound. My NAD 326bee is yet kicking most and I dearest it to bits, but it isn't going to win any beauty contests and found it somewhat limited in today'south digital age. I was looking for an integrated that could do more in the box while having some serious shelf appeal. My wife was determined that I wait until the new year before making a purchase and I grudgingly agreed. She had something up her sleeve.

As luck would have it, my birthday falls merely a few days after Christmas and equally such, I usually get pretty spoiled with either a agglomeration of great small gifts or i big gift. This twelvemonth, however, was quite a surprise and when I saw the large amp-box shape nether the tree. Amplifier boxes are an unmistakable size so immediately I thought 2 things. 1: She's the best married woman ever or, ii: She's messing with me. Information technology's an amp sized box with sweaters inside. Either way, it took every ounce of strength I had not to tear the box open earlier the 25th.

Brand Name AND PROTECT Type REVIEW SPECIFICATIONS

Power output:

60W RMS into 8 Ohms, 90W RMS into 4 Ohms

Frequency response:

<5Hz– 60kHz +/-1dB

Analogue sound inputs:

four x RCA, 1 10 three.5mm MP3 input (forepart console)

Digital audio inputs:

1 x S/PDIF coaxial, 2 x TOSLINK optical, Bluetooth via BT100 (not supplied)

Compatibility:

TOSLINK optical, Southward/PDIF coaxial, BT100 Bluetooth receiver

Outputs:

Speakers A+B, 3.5mm Headphone, Preamp Output, Subwoofer Output

Max power consumption:

600W

Standby power consumption:

<0.5W

Dimensions (H x W x D):

115 x 430 x 341mm (4.5 x xvi.9 x thirteen.4")

SECRETS Tags:

Cambridge Audio, CXA-60, Integrated Amplifier, Integrated Amplifier Review 2018

Design

After a few weeks of impatient waiting, Christmas day finally arrived, and I got to open up the box. Lo and behold I'1000 now the possessor of the Cambridge CXA60. I must say, the squad at Cambridge did a great job in packing this product and making the unboxing feel like a premium product should. Once the box is opened you lot're greeted to large foam supports and the CXA60 snugly wrapped in a black cloth bag. Separately, in their ain cloth bag are the remote, the control bus cablevision and batteries. Likewise included was a modest start-up guide. First impressions are positive. One of the selling points of the CX Series is the unique floating blueprint of the logo, created by the sneaky blueprint of the front panel then the illusion only works from direct on.

Admittedly the CXA60 sat on our dining table for more a few moments as I longingly stared at information technology before going about setting it up. The front end fascia is clean and simple and gorgeous in the silver terminate. Cambridge has dropped 'Audio' from their products and has added a Union Jack bluecoat to the forepart panel. It's a nice bear on. From left to right are; a 3.5MM line input for an mp3 player, a three.5mm headphone jack, 4 analog input selections, a direct push button, speaker A&B selectors, a mute button, 3 digital input selections, Bluetooth input selector, remainder, bass, treble and a large volume knob. The balance and tone controls are nifty buttons that are flush in their starting positions but beetle when pressed so yous tin can brand your adjustments. They are slightly flimsy and best left depressed once you made your tweaks. I almost never heed to music in 'straight' way, so tone controls are a must for me and I'k glad that they weren't omitted.

Speaking of omissions there are quite a few.

1. The CX line is digital-focused and as such, at that place isn't a phono stage congenital in. Cambridge has 2 moving magnet phono preamplifiers the CP1 and CP2 available for purchase should you lot want to connect a turntable.
2. Also omitted is a record out. This is a non-issue for me as I haven't hooked up my record deck for years.
3. There is no USB input on the CXA60. If yous desire i, you lot'll take to footstep up to the CXA80 or purchase the lovely CXN streamer (drool…). The lack of a USB input was a big bummer for me, I thought that a digitally focused amp would have all the connections just, instead I needed to source a third party solution to connect my MacBook Pro.
4. Lastly, to use AptX Bluetooth, you must purchase BT100 Bluetooth dongle which volition set you lot back about $120 Canadian. Many manufacturers have Bluetooth built right in, making Cambridge'south omission quite glaring.

Effectually the back of the amplifier are; 2 sets of speaker bounden posts, analog and digital inputs, control omnibus inputs, pre-outs and a subwoofer out. This beingness my start Cambridge product, I accept to say I really like the contrary labeling of the rear connections, it makes information technology easy to read when I'm peering over the amp from overhead. The height console features a black plastic grill in the shape of a rounded 'X' for ventilation, it adds to the slick expect of the CXA60. The remote is a sturdy well laid out affair. Information technology isn't back-lit, merely information technology doesn't really need to exist. It is the same remote that is packaged with the other components in the CX series and one remote can control any of them. Batteries are included.

Setup

The Cambridge CXA60 sits on meridian of the cabinet to the correct of my fireplace. The speakers, my trusty B&Due west 685 S1, sit down one shelf (approx. ii') to a higher place on either side of the fireplace. I know, it'southward not ideal as speakers are best on stands yada yada, but this was to be the fix from the get-go and most of my 24-hour interval to 24-hour interval listening was washed this way. I also tried the CXA60 paired with my Monitor Audio RX2's for a modify. The larger 8" woofer on the RX2 yielded a bit more bass, however the overall speaker cabinet dimensions combined with rear firing reflex port led to a stuffy or muddier sound over-all when placed within the wall unit. I found the pairing with my 685'south best suited for the wall unit.

The source equipment I take connected are my Marantz CD5001, my MacBook Pro via digital optical cable and sometimes my Arcam rDac, our cable box and the aforementioned BT100 Bluetooth dongle to which I primarily stream music from my iPhone 8. Pairing the Bluetooth took a few tries to become going but once it connected information technology was stable. In one case turned on, the CXA60 emits a clicking racket. And makes the same clicking dissonance whenever I switch inputs. It'south not bothersome but curious as I would accept expected the modern looking Cambridge to be completely silent in operation.

In Apply

I started off my listening via our cable box. Information technology was the holidays, nosotros had guests and none of them like the music I listen to, then fourscore'due south and 90's radio stations it was. Hall and Oates is a bit of a mainstay in our home then the first bit of music to which I paid attention. Without whatsoever break-in period, my Cambridge CXA60 pumped out the music rather hands and practically begged me to turn up the volume. I had read that Cambridge amps leaned toward the clinical side of reproduction. I didn't find the CXA60 to be so much clinical every bit I did clear. Compared to my NAD 326bee it was certainly less dark but no less muscular in its presentation. I've thrown all my favorite music at this integrated amp, here are a few highlights:

Blocks and Escher "Something Blue"

I purposely delayed my review of the Cambridge and so that I could include this release to my listening notes. Releases from Blocks and Escher are a buy-on-sight affair. Everything they put out on their Narratives music label is stellar and I was expecting no less from their debut LP on Metalheadz. While I waited for delivery of the vinyl I enjoyed their LP in WAV via my MacBook Pro connected via optical.

The album is a Drum and Bass masterpiece and will easily be the album of the year. The atmospherics, tight drums and beautiful arrangements inspire – 1 day I'll make music similar this. 'Gulls' is currently seeing the nigh playback from me. It's a slow burner that pays off huge. The CXA60 seemingly begs me to turn upward the volume and I happily oblige. Turn the punch upward, the Cambridge doesn't strain. I found that turning up the bass didn't overly boss the sound, instead, it thickened the low stop a touch which was helpful equally I was listening minus a sub.

Blu Mar Ten "Empire State" Remixes

The original LP itself was already nifty piece of music with tracks similar Rollcage and Titans but the Calibre remix of 'Keep it Together' on the remix LP is something special. After months of waiting, I got my hands on the release. The CD re-create was astonishingly good sounding via my Marantz CD5001.

I had it on repeat for a few days. I'grand still not ill of it. For a hoot, I tried the same track via Bluetooth and my iPhone 8. There was a noticeable dip in audio quality and volume level forth with the expected squashing of dynamic range. A wired connection certainly sounds better than Bluetooth on the Cambridge CXA60, but it's not a deal-breaker.

Calibre "The Deep"

This wonderful LP came out last year, just I nevertheless like to play this every at present and again, from beginning to end its slick production and vibes. Lit might be my favorite rail on the album. It's an upbeat and friendly house rail that incidentally my footling two and a one-half-year-old daughter Winnie loves every bit well, and 'Lit' commonly turns our living room into a mini trip the light fantastic toe political party.

Zapatilla "Thumb Piano"

'Thumb Piano' by Zapatilla is another guaranteed toddler dance party starter. It's a unproblematic track with a simple riff that leads to a prissy full pianoforte-riff midway through. Winnie likes information technology. It doesn't take long for little Winnie to change things up however as eventually, she'll shout out "Spiderman!" which means simply i thing. 'Blitzkreig Bop' by the Ramones 50 – 60 times in a row.

Blitzkrieg Bop was prominently featured in Curiosity'south latest (and in my opinion greatest) incarnation of "Spidey", Spiderman Homecoming. Sometimes I get away with streaming the rail off my phone but other times I must pull it up off our PVR and rewind the blithe cease credits of the flick. The sound mix on the PVR sounds clearer than Bluetooth. But there is not much of a divergence in sound between the PVR and my iPhone via the line-in on the front panel.

Acronym "Malm"

On the other end of the spectrum, I gave the electronic LP entitled 'Malm' past Acronym a play through my MacBook Pro via the Arcam rDac. It'due south a fleck redundant connecting an external DAC to an amp with an excellent DAC on board, but information technology fabricated for a much more stable connectedness.

(I believe there'due south either something wrong with the cable or my ancient laptop where the sound cuts out or crackles.) The anthology Malm is almost trounce-less merely the pads and soundscapes are all-enveloping and immersive, information technology'southward worth turning up the volume on this ane.

Conclusions

Yous get a heck of a lot for your buck with the CXA60. You get a looker of an integrated amplifier with proficient connectivity and powerful room-filling sound.

Likes

• Great Build and Astonishing Finish
• Powerful Sound and Tone Controls
• Ample Connections
• Well thought out Labelling on the Rear

Would Similar To Run into

• USB input
• Born Bluetooth

The Cambridge Audio CXA60 has been a much-welcomed addition to our home. It is arguably the centerpiece of our living room. I say arguably as my married woman believes that the gas fireplace is the centerpiece but, clearly, she's mistaken right? Non but is the amplifier a sexy piece of electronics but it sounds incredible as well. The ability to play music problem free via analog, digital and Bluetooth is frosting on the cake. Future inclusions of USB and Bluetooth built in would actually brand for an unbeatable product. The model up, the CXA80 does have USB congenital-in and more power for not too much more than money.

After a few months of apply, I run across the benefit of the Cambridge CXN Network Streamer equally a perfect companion to my prepare. Having a streamer connected to a hard drive with all of my music at my fingertips vs having to fire upwards my laptop every single time is very highly-seasoned. Appealing also is a sleek stack of matching components, to be honest! Time to come purchase solidified. Now, I simply take to convince the boss.

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Source: https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/amplifier/integrated-amplifiers/cambridge-audio-cxa-60-integrated-amplifier-review/