Integrated Amp Reviews

Cambridge Audio Edge A integrated amplifier Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Two-channel integrated amplifier with Bluetooth and digital inputs. Inputs: 1 pair balanced, 2 pairs unbalanced, analog; coax and TosLink S/PDIF, USB, digital; Bluetooth, Audio Return Channel (ARC). Outputs: 2 pairs five-way binding posts, XLR/RCA preamplifier out; ½" headphone (12–600 ohms impedance recommended). USB audio input: USB Audio Class 2.0 supporting up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256. Bluetooth: 4.1 (Smart/BLE enabled) A2DP/AVRCP supporting formats up to aptX HD. Continuous power output (RMS): 100Wpc into 8 ohms (20dBW), 200Wpc into 4 ohms (20dBW). Frequency response: <3Hz–>80kHz, ±1dB. THD (unweighted, at rated power into 8 ohms): <0.002% at 1kHz; <0.02%, 20Hz–20kHz. Signal/noise: >103dB. Channel separation: >100dB at 1kHz. Input sensitivity: inputs A1-A2 (unbalanced), 380mV RMS. Input impedances: input A3 (balanced), 47k ohms; inputs A1-A2 (unbalanced), 47k ohms. Power consumption: 1000W maximum, <0.5W standby.
Dimensions: 15.9" (405mm) W by 5.9" (150mm) H by 18.1" (460mm) D. Weight: 53.7 lb (24.4kg).
Serial number of unit reviewed: HT C10972 6856 0020 (auditioning), HT C10925 6853 0026 (measuring).
Price: $5000. Approximate number of dealers: 20. Warranty: 5 years.
Manufacturer: Cambridge Audio, Audio Partnership Plc, Gallery Court, Hankey Place, London SE1 4BB, England, UK. US: Cambridge Audio USA, 1913 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647. Tel: (877) 357-8204, (312) 636-4817. Web: www.cambridgeaudio.com.

COMPANY INFO
Cambridge Audio
US: Cambridge Audio USA
1913 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
(877) 357-8204
www.cambridgeaudio.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on December 21, 2018 - 9:20am

May be KM or HR or JA could keep this Cambridge Edge A around for a while and review some of the 'affordable' loudspeakers under $5,000 or even under $10,000 :-) ............

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on December 22, 2018 - 10:48am

Welcome to 21st century :-) ...........

Jason P Jackson's picture
Submitted by Jason P Jackson on December 22, 2018 - 2:30am

This will be the amp that will replace my good old and oversize fpb 300 heater.

Robin Landseadel's picture
Submitted by Robin Landseadel on December 23, 2018 - 7:34am

The headphone output impedance of 10 ohms is not low. It's high enough to interfere with the sound quality of efficient headphones. By way of example, the Schiit Magni 3 headphone amp has an output impedance of 0.6 ohms.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on December 23, 2018 - 10:25am

Agreed ........ All the portable Chord self-powered head-amp/DACs like Mojo, Hugo2 and Hugo TT2 have headphone output impedance less than 1 Ohm .......... Rogue RH-5 (Stereophile Class-A) has head-amp output impedance between 1-3 Ohms .......... 10 Ohm output impedance can drive top of the line Sennheiser and Focal headphones and some others with high impedance :-) ............

Ivan Terekhov's picture
Submitted by Ivan Terekhov on December 23, 2018 - 2:38pm

"The CD1 two-box CD player ... was the most expensive CD player in the world at the time." - sounds like misinformation, to say the least.

ken mac's picture
Submitted by ken mac on December 26, 2018 - 2:34pm

https://www.whathifi.com/features/best-24-cd-players-what-hi-fis-lifetime

"[In 1986] Cambridge Audio's CD1 cost a fortune at £1500. Double, if not triple, most other players."

Ivan Terekhov's picture
Submitted by Ivan Terekhov on December 26, 2018 - 2:58pm

Technics SL-P50P - 1984 - $4000. I'm pretty sure there's more examples.

hermanzegerman's picture
Submitted by hermanzegerman on December 25, 2018 - 10:03am

An amp that turns itself off after a few seconds with a fault doesn't sound like fun to me. Especially not at this price point.

Last time Stereophile tested a flagship CA integrated (the 851), the first sample broke and the second was faulty. This time the first one broke.
On this evidence, isn't JA being generous with his assumption that the shipper was at fault? Seems like a bit of a trend is developing, slightly worrying on what are not cheap items.

Personally, at this price I'd be looking at items manufactured in-house, not outsourced to China.

Thanks for a great magazine, by the way.

Ivan Terekhov's picture
Submitted by Ivan Terekhov on December 27, 2018 - 2:24pm

What did you expect? It's MADE IN CHINA.

ken mac's picture
Submitted by ken mac on December 26, 2018 - 2:40pm

....demand that any hi-fi (possibly any electronic device) unit running a negligible signal for more than 20 minutes must power down. And it's easily defeat-able; I was only making note that it's bothersome.
Beyond the issues that greeted JA after I had the CA in house, build quality was excellent, the unit worked perfectly, and sounded fantastic, never mind where it was manufactured.

hermanzegerman's picture
Submitted by hermanzegerman on December 27, 2018 - 1:53am

"A few seconds after I first powered up Ken Micallef's review sample of the Edge A..... it turned itself off, its front-panel light glowing red to indicate a fault" says JA.

What's that got to do with "Brit" regulations, and how is it defeatable?

And build quality was excellent, the unit worked perfectly, and it broke and had to be replaced.

Gotcha!

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on December 30, 2018 - 5:40am

May be you (KM) could review one of the ATC self-powered active loudspeakers, preferably with the ATC CD player/pre-amp, you recently reviewed? :-) ..........

kapland's picture
Submitted by kapland on February 17, 2019 - 5:15pm

Ken mentioned this is the best integrated that he's auditioned. And I see that is not a small number in the past few years. Is this piece really more impressive than the Luxman? I ask because I'm demoing it right now. My old Krell KAV300i is getting long in the tooth and I was looking for something a bit more refined. IMO, this is a really nice piece; well defined sound and easy to listen to for long periods.

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