CAMBRIDGE AUDIO CXA81 MKII

The Cambridge CXA 81 MK II is an 80 watt per channel class AB stereo amplifier that offers authority and great detail, to reveal every musical nuance from streaming, to CD and Vinyl. Awarded by What Hi Fi magazine as the best integrated amplifier in its category, in addition to the analogue and digital inputs, it integrates wireless connectivity via the Bluetooth aptX HD module, making it a very high quality and extremely versatile integrated amplifier.

Description

Cambridge CXA 81 MK II – the new integrated amplifier of the CX series

The Cambridge CXA 81 MK II is an integrated stereo amplifier capable of 80 watts of power per channel in class AB: it offers power, authority and great detail, to reveal every musical nuance from streaming, to CD and Vinyl.

Awarded by What Hi Fi magazine as the best integrated amplifier, it is part of the renewed CX series of the famous English manufacturer Cambridge Audio, which also includes the smaller CXA 61 model, the CXC CD player and the CXN 100 network player.

All the components of the CXA81 MK II are chosen and tested in the London laboratories to obtain the best possible sound. Under the hood there is the historic Class AB amplification stage: with the musicality of Class A and the efficiency of Class B. Performance is also guaranteed by the short signal path inside the internal circuits, thus leaving little possibility of interference. The sound is that of the pure and authentic British Sound: the true emotional impact wanted by the artist, no more and no less.

CX A81 MK II is extremely versatile: through the analog and digital inputs you can connect CD players, streamers, PCs and TVs. It also has wireless connectivity via the aptX HD Bluetooth module: you can not only connect sources - such as the Alva ST turntable - but also directly headphones with integrated BT.

The design of the CX A81 MK II is designed with an elegant and minimalist style, made with high-quality materials such as aluminum and steel.

Technical features

The Cambridge CXA 81 MK II integrated amplifier has an elegant and functional design: on the front there is everything you need, from the source selectors to the volume knob. All controls are also accessible via the remote control, included in the package, which can be used for all devices in the CX series.

The 3.5 mm pre-amplified output ensures quality headphone listening, while the analog and digital inputs allow you to connect any source.

In addition to the 5 rear analog inputs - including one balanced XLR - there is a 3.5 mm minijack input to conveniently connect a smartphone or tablet directly from the front panel.

Among the digital inputs we find optical Toslink, coaxial SPD / F and USB Hi-Res. The Cambridge CXA81 MK II boasts a brand new high-quality DAC – the ESS ES9018 K2M SABRE 32 – that can handle high-resolution digital audio files up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256, ensuring exceptional performance in its price category.

The high-quality aptX Bluetooth module allows you to connect compatible devices wirelessly, ensuring data flows of up to 24-bit 48kHz; but if you want to play your own music library or play music through the most popular streaming platforms, Cambridge has created the CXN100 Network Player: a window into the world of liquid music.

Bring your system to life

The Cambridge CX A81 MK II is a great integrated that can impress with the ability to drive speakers with absolute control, detail and musicality. It can be paired with all the speakers of the same brand, up to the reference SX80 floorstander.

For those looking for great performance, we recommend the Kef Q series, but the quality of the CXA81 MK II can also express the most awarded Kef speakers: from the acclaimed LS50 Meta, to the fabulous R3 and R5 speakers, obtaining an excellent performance in terms of detail, instrumental coherence and soundstage image.

Rock lovers will find an ideal partner in the Dynaudio Emit series, capable of incredible dynamics and great transparency, combined with a truly remarkable bass extension. The CXA81 MK II does not fear even the Special Forty, Evoke 20 and Evoke 30 with a performance that borders on the High End.

The Sub output allows you to connect an active subwoofer to complete the listening experience: the ideal partner is the SX120 sub from the same brand. For the most important setups we recommend the Kef Kube series or the Dynaudio Sub 3.

Cambridge CXA81 MK II accepts speaker cables with any type of termination: spade, banana or the more traditional bare wire. We recommend using good quality speaker cables such as Chord Company's ClearwayX, renowned for the level of transparency and detail they are capable of, to obtain maximum performance. The signal cables of the same Clearway line also provide excellent transmission performance as well as avoiding electromagnetic interference (EMI) or due to radio frequency (RFI).

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Power output: 80W RMS into 8 Ohms, 120W RMS into 4 Ohms

DAC: ESS ES9018K2M Sabre32

THD (unweighted):

<0.002% 1kHz at 80% of rated power

<0.02% 20Hz – 20kHz at 80% of rated power

Frequency response: <5Hz – 60kHz +/-1dB

S/N ratio:

ref 1W 8 Ohm >93 dB

ref Full power >105 dB

Input impedances:

Input A1 (balanced) 50 kOhm

Input A1-A4 (unbalanced) 43 kOhm

Power Amp damping factor: >110 at 1kHz

Max power consumption: 750W

Standby power consumption: <0.5W

Analogue Audio Inputs: 4x RCA, 1 x 3.5mm Aux input (front panel)

Digital Audio Inputs: 1 x S/PDIF coaxial, 2 x TOSLINK optical, 1 x USB audio, Bluetooth (integrated)

Compatibility: TOSLINK optical: 16/24bit 32-96kHz PCM only, S/PDIF coaxial: 16/24bit 32-192kHz PCM only, USB: audio profile 1.0/2.0 (default 2.0), up to 24-bit 384kHz PCM, up to DSD256 or DoP256, Bluetooth: 4.2 A2DP/AVRCP supporting up to aptX HD (24bit 48kHz)

Bluetooth aptX: Yes

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

Remote Control: Included

Dimensions (HxWxD): 115 x 430 x 341mm

Weight: 8.7kg