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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Amazing service I bought this a couple of days ago in store and I received the best advice and help.My son wanted to upgrade his turntable and he got exactly that.

Cambridge Audio AXA35 Integrated Amplifier Reviewed Cambridge Audio AXA35 Integrated Amplifier Reviewed

Covering the history of Cambridge Audio and the evolution of its budget offerings would serve only to prematurely wear the keys of my already battered keyboard. If you’re interested, I wrote on the subject at length in my AX series summary. If you’re not, the review herein is strictly dedicated to the AXA35 amplifier and will also detail the AXA25. On paper the two amplifiers are very similar with only a 10W jump in output power and specification improvements setting them apart, but in practice they are two very different amplifiers. The AXA25 is a very indirect successor to the A1 and to an extent my A5, whereas the AXA35 is cut from the same cloth as the proceeding Topaz AM10 and the Topaz receivers. Just sold my Cxn. Used in dac / preamp mode into my Avi neutron sub it sounded worse than fire tv streaming music off network. In the end I was using digital out from the Cxn as the neutron dac sounds better. Not worth keeping imo. Also the preamp volume control was rather jumpy, the difference between 16-17 (1 press) was quite stark. If we ignore the poor customer service and the spotty quality control, when they work, they work exceptionally well. And keep in mind that the spotty quality control is based on Internet rumors. I had the Azur 851A/C combo and had it not been for an act of stupidity I'd most likely still own it. At the top end, the pairing offers up highly impressive clarity, with little trace of hardness. The Usher’s tweeter can be unforgiving in this respect, but the AXA35 caresses it delicately and the result is a crisp yet composed delivery through the upper frequencies and the overall presentation is a delight. Although not quite managing the levels of forensic clarity that more expensive setups can muster, the AXA35 and AXC35 combo delivers a good amount of detail.

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.) 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.

Cambridge Audio AXA35 Review | Trusted Reviews Cambridge Audio AXA35 Review | Trusted Reviews

After connecting it up to my nice but equally old JVC CD player, and Goodmans plastic covered chipboard 3-way passive Q70 speakers, I turned it all on. 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. The preamp appears similar if not identical to the AM10. It is responsible for most of the noise in the amp’s output – 79.8dB signal to noise ratio (A-wtd, ref 0dBW). It’s a bit of a shame Cambridge didn’t spec up the preamp a bit to better match the performance of the output stage. Nevertheless it is well designed with NE5532s unsurprisingly making up the basis of its audio circuitry and input selection and volume control handled by digital logic. Very good, I had a demo of the CXN streamer and CXA60 amp last week in Brum RS and was very impressed.Sadly, “reasonably robust” doesn’t apply to the remote control handset. It feels like a repurposed DVD wand, and the gaps where unnecessary buttons have been blanked over are obvious to the touch. It’s a bit like buying the lowest-spec car in the range and seeing all the empty areas in it where the more expensive versions have buttons. 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.