Latest news with #CambridgeAudio
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
I just tested this stunning $2,400 stereo amp — and my music will never sound the same again
I love my stereo system. I've built it over a series of years, and added bits and bobs to make it work better and better. That means better sound quality, more features like Wi-Fi streaming and improved turntable playback, and even special stands that reduce vibrations to my components. Yet, as with all audiophiles, it always feels like something is missing. I can never sit still with my audio system, and I always want the next biggest thing. I've already sunk thousands into my system, so I'm always curious how much better things can get. The amplifier is the core of my system. So I swapped my Onkyo unit out for this $2,399 option from Cambridge Audio, the EXA100. And my goodness — I don't think anything is going to come close for quite some time. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it also really, really good? Also yes. The EXA100 brings a wonderfully big, deep sound, which retains detail. It'll drive even the largest of speakers, and brings great soundstage to the table for some excellent room-filling audio. You'll need to add in some stereo speakers, but the built-in Bluetooth connection means you can enjoy music without needing to plug in any extra devices. Before I talk about any kind of sound stuff, I need to remind you that looks are important when it comes to choosing an amplifier — at least to me. And the EXA100 looks as expensive as you'd hope for something that costs more than a Mac Studio. The EXA100 is wrapped in metal and features a simple and attractive design across the front. The volume dial is a focal point, taking up a chunk of the right side of the amp. There's a large black glass panel bisecting the front fascia that holds all the source buttons, and then there's a simple power button on the left side. It weighs a ton — or 28.2 pounds to be exact. That's a weighty thing, and it goes to show just how much incredible stuff there is in the amp. You can even just see the internals through the vents at the top. Compared to my old amp, it looks and feels like something worth six times the price. As touch controls and rubber-coated buttons become the norm when it comes to consumer audio gear, the fact that the EXA100 is covered with proper clicky buttons is wonderful. The buttons on the front are pleasingly clicky, and the power button feels lovely under the finger. But it's the clicks and clunks inside the unit that make everything feel even better. When you press a source button, there's a click as the circuit's mechanisms move into place inside the amp. It adds an air of the analog to proceedings and makes everything feel even better. Then there's the nob feel. That volume knob is not only large and in charge, but it feels excellent under the finger. Turning it to change the volume feels expensive, as you spin the metal dial around. It even moves itself when you press the volume keys on the remote... very nice. The most important part is how the Cambridge Audio EXA100 makes my stereo system sound. It's interesting that I wasn't entirely sure whether the jump in audio quality was going to be all that big. After all, as expensive as my KEF LS50 Metas might have been, my old amp was perfectly able to power them across a wide range of different genres and playback volumes. Oh, how wrong I was. I've tried out expensive amps in special playback rooms before, but there's something about it being in your own listening room that makes things very, very different. The EXA100 made my components sing, and it showed me what my speakers are truly capable of. There's a glorious warmth to playback, which complements my detail-oriented LS50 Meta speakers to a tee. Plugging in my subwoofer brought even more low-end grunt to the proceedings and rumbled the floor of the room more than my old amp could ever hope to. The EXA100 is an amp that values the warmer tone more than other options, I'm told, so there's some detail roll-off towards the top end. My speakers didn't mind too much, given they're often described as 'overly analytical' anyway. My biggest takeaway from the experience was that combining my speakers with something more expensive didn't just change the sound, it also made it... more. I could hear more bass notes, feel more cymbal crashes. The soundstage was much wider, and the experience more musical as a whole. Classical recordings like my favorite Bach pieces felt enormous. Closing my eyes, it felt like I was in front of the orchestra as they played me my own personal concert. Even my metal albums sounded better, with more edge to the distorted guitars, and extra impact to the bass notes and the drums. I already loved the sound of my HiFi, but now I love it. My old amplifier has five inputs. A phono input for record players, and then a couple more RCA plugs for other devices. The EXA100 has... a few more ways to plug things in. There's digital inputs for the built in DAC, like optical ports, Bluetooth, and HDMI eARC to plug in a TV. There's five different RCA for other devices, two XLR balanced plugs. The Subwoofer out, a trigger in and out for power state matching... there's loads. There is one thing missing — a phono pre-amp. Cambridge Audio says that's because seperate pre-amps sound better than anything it could have put inside the device, but it does still feel like a weird ommision. Thankfully, I've got a seperate unit, but it's something to remember. While it may seem like a very expensive amp, to some audiophiles, this is a 'mid-range' product. $2,400 is a lot of money — but it's also not the tens of thousands of dollars that you can spend on audio gear. I'd argue that this is the perfect sweet spot, however. Sure, those much more expensive options are going to sound mind-blowing, but then you need more expensive speakers and other components to match. The EXA100 is my new 'I want this' element to my HiFi system. I want to be able to plug in my best headphones and listen to my music, and enjoy more of the incredible sound it's capable of recreating. But then Cambridge Audio does make an even more expensive model...
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Cambridge Audio's pretty, petite amp packs a powerful punch
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Quick Summary At just 21.5cm wide, Cambridge Audio's new MXW70 power amp is made small, but it delivers big audio. The amp is spec'ed to provide up to 125W of power in stereo, 250W in mono. To paraphrase Douglas Adams, power amplifiers are big. You won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big they are. But Cambridge Audio begs to differ. Its new MXW70 power amp delivers a lot of power from an extremely small footprint. The MXW70 has been designed to sit with the equally compact MXN10 Music Streamer to make a complete Hi-Fi stack, although you can of course use it with whatever audio source you wish. It puts out 70W to 125W per channel in stereo mode, and it's bridgeable in mono mode to deliver 250W. T3 reviewed the Cambridge Audio MXN10 streamer some time ago and really loved it: we gave it the full five stars and praised its "deeply enjoyable" performance. This new amp looks like it's the perfect partner. The chassis is just 215mm wide by 215mm deep and 57mm high, and it's all-metal with a minimalist design and Cambridge Audio's familiar Lunar Grey finish. It's even more minimalist than the music streamer, in fact. That has a Wi-Fi indicator and four buttons in addition to its power switch, while the MXW70 has a power button and little else. The amplification is Hypex NCORE Class D which, according to Hypex, delivers "the ultimate in clarity, resolution and musicality". The MXW70 also comes with premium XLR inputs as well as the obligatory stereo RCA. There's a 12V trigger with pass-through too. Frequency response is 10Hz to 30kHz (-1dB) and power output is 2 x 70W to 8 ohms stereo, 2 x 125W to 4 ohms stereo, and 250W to 8 ohms in mono mode. The Cambridge Audio MWX70 will be available this summer from the firm's website and the usual approved retailers. Its recommended selling price is £499 / €599 / $599 (about AU$1,033).
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cambridge Audio's compact MXW70 power amplifier is the perfect partner to the five-star MXN10 streamer
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Cambridge Audio has added a power amplifier to its half-width MX range. It joins the five-star and multiple Award-winning MXN10 music streamer. The new MXW70 power stereo amplifier has the same compact dimensions as the MXN10 streamer, meaning they can be stacked together to create a rather sleek hi-fi system that's ideal for smaller spaces. The MXW70 features Class-D amplification with Hypex NCore technology (similar to that used in the five-star Evo 75 and Evo 150 streaming amps) and delivers 70 watts per channel into 8 ohms. The power amplifier aims to deliver 'high efficiency and a compact form without compromising the rich, musical sound quality Cambridge Audio is known for'. Cambridge Audio claims this dinky powerhouse is capable of driving more demanding speakers, too. You can also turn the stereo amplifier into mono mode, which gives you 250 watts of bridgeable power when using two MXW70s in your system. Around the back, you'll find a set of speaker terminals, a choice of balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA stereo line level inputs, and switches for choosing between these two inputs and mono/stereo mode. The MXW70 can be paired with the MXN10 streamer when the latter is in preamplifier mode, allowing the streamer to handle all volume and source duties. The system can be controlled by Cambridge Audio's StreamMagic app. The MXW70 is encased in an all-metal casework in Cambridge Audio's customary Lunar Grey finish, with a very minimal styling. The Cambridge Audio MXW70 power amplifier will be available in the summer, costing £499 / $599 / €599. The MXN10 streamer/preamplifier is yours for £349 / $499 / €399 at the time of writing, so together, this duo will cost you £848 / £1098 / €998 – assuming there is no bundle discount. That's quite an appealing price point for this compact combo; here's hoping the MXN70 sounds just as good as the hugely engaging and capable MXN10. MORE: Read our five-star Cambridge Audio MXN10 streamer review The rise of small, complete hi-fi systems that are more accessible for newcomers is a great direction for the industry Check out our guide to the best music streamers
Forbes
13-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Cambridge Audio's Latest Mini Amplifier Packs A Mighty Punch
Classic British hi-fi brand Cambridge Audio has announced a new and compact power amplifier that's designed to drive even the most difficult loudspeakers without being so large it takes over your whole living room. The new MXW70 offers both power and refinement to almost any audio setup and the London-based brand is touting the amplifier as the 'perfect partner' to Cambridge Audio's compact MXN10 Music Streamer. Like the MXN10, the MXW70 has a half-width form factor that can build into a compact and high-performance streaming system. Although the new MXW70 has a compact form factor, it's not lacking in power as it can output 70W per channel of stereo power which is bridgeable into mono mode to serve up an impressive 250W. By combining the MXW70 with Cambridge Audio's award-winning MXN10 Music Streamer, it's possible to have a complete compact streaming hi-fi stack. By adding the Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M DAC, the system can have further digital clarity as well as a hi-res headphone output. Like all of Cambridge Audio's products, the MXW70 was designed in London, at the company's HQ. The MXW70 has been engineered to deliver high-quality amplification that can fit into an existing setup or form the basis for a powerful mini hi-fi system. The secret behind the amplifier's power in the use of Hypex NCore Class D amplification. This type of efficient Class D amplification can deliver smooth, dynamic and powerful audio that can easily pair with a wide range of loudspeakers, even ones that are difficult to drive. With a width of just 215mm across, the MXW70 conveniently is much easier to fit on a bookshelf, desk or rack system. It's even small enough to be tucked away in a cupboard. To connect to speakers and other sources, the MXW70 comes with a couple of high-quality speaker outputs and stereo RCA inputs for hitching up analog sources like a tape deck or FM tuner. The MXW70 also has premium XLR inputs for noise-free, studio-grade signal transmission. Although this new amplifier is small, the build quality isn't cut back like some half-width separates. The MXW70 has a premium all-metal casework and features a minimalist design finished in Cambridge Audio's instantly recognizable Lunar Grey finish. Pricing and Availability: Cambridge Audio MXW70 will be available from summer 2025 at and approved retailers, priced at $599 / £499 / €599. Tech Specs:
