Arcam A15 or Cambridge CXA81 MK2

[TK421]

I've decided that I'm going to replace my Cambridge CXA60 by a more powerful amp and two of them seem to fit my needs, the Arcam A15 and the Cambridge CX81 MK2, except :
The Arcam only has connections for 2 speakers versus 4 for the Cambridge
The Cambridge doesn't have tone controls
Any thoughts?

 

[Integralista]

Hi, is it important for you to connect two pairs of speakers? And also tone controls? Which speakers do you use?

 

[TK421]

Hi, is it important for you to connect two pairs of speakers? And also tone controls? Which speakers do you use?

Not necessarily. I currently use B&W 601s but plan on changing them too.

 

[Integralista]

I understood from your second thread that you have a big room like 40m². This is a big room. So you need some amp with some power in spades. Cambridge Audio CXA 81 mk2 is a nice choice for very good price. Arcam A15 is something better with more autority and detail. My tip will be to include also Rega Elex mk4 in similar price like Arcam A15. Rega has very good phono MM inside. So you may ad also turntable with MM cartridge. May be you can go for Q Concerto Mate + some good fast subwoofer. Something like Kef Cube 12 will be very goid match with Q Concerto Meta speakers. Or take floorstanding Kef Q7 Meta without subwoifer. Amp like CXA 81mk2 or Arcam A15 or Rega Elex mk4 will drive them without any problem. If I have some space, I will take floorstanders and play a bit with speaker position and listening position. These speakers have huge bass reflex ports on the backside. They need some 20 to 50 cm distance from wall behind them. Depending on position in the room acc. KEF User Manual which is on their web and is very good I think. BR. Juraj

 

[Al ears]

I understood from your second thread that you have a big room like 40m². This is a big room. So you need some amp with some power in spades. Cambridge Audio CXA 81 mk2 is a nice choice for very good price. Arcam A15 is something better with more autority and detail. My tip will be to include also Rega Elex mk4 in similar price like Arcam A15. Rega has very good phono MM inside. So you may ad also turntable with MM cartridge. May be you can go for Q Concerto Mate + some good fast subwoofer. Something like Kef Cube 12 will be very goid match with Q Concerto Meta speakers. Or take floorstanding Kef Q7 Meta without subwoifer. Amp like CXA 81mk2 or Arcam A15 or Rega Elex mk4 will drive them without any problem. If I have some space, I will take floorstanders and play a bit with speaker position and listening position. These speakers have huge bass reflex ports on the backside. They need some 20 to 50 cm distance from wall behind them. Depending on position in the room acc. KEF User Manual which is on their web and is very good I think. BR. Juraj

Over to you because, between the OPs two threads , I am at a loss as where he is going.....

 

[manicm]

I've decided that I'm going to replace my Cambridge CXA60 by a more powerful amp and two of them seem to fit my needs, the Arcam A15 and the Cambridge CX81 MK2, except :
The Arcam only has connections for 2 speakers versus 4 for the Cambridge
The Cambridge doesn't have tone controls
Any thoughts?

Be aware the Arcam A15 has just been updated as the A15+ with claimed improved sound, and an HDMI port for TV duty. If it were my cash....

 

[Integralista]

Be aware the Arcam A15 has just been updated as the A15+ with claimed improved sound, and an HDMI port for TV duty. If it were my cash....

Yes, very good point with improved A15+. Also engineers in Musical Fidelity are drinking some super cofee.(or something supercreative), they are step by step improving each important model. Turnaround in Musical Fidelity looks to be very well managed under Mr. Project, Karl Heinz Lichteneger. I hope they continue like what they did with new M1 (best in class) or upgraded Nuvista 600(one of 3-4 best ones in class) or 800(big improvement). I think next year the king can be again a new one in this amp class (1000-1500 Eur). 😉
PS: Musical Fidelity X-LP was my first real phono preamp in 1998. Nice sounding device.

 

[nopiano]

Not necessarily. I currently use B&W 601s but plan on changing them too.

Then I suggest you choose the speakers you like and that suit your room first. Then choose a new amp for the speakers.

 

[manicm]

Yes, very good point with improved A15+. Also engineers in Musical Fidelity are drinking some super cofee.(or something supercreative), they are step by step improving each important model. Turnaround in Musical Fidelity looks to be very well managed under Mr. Project, Karl Heinz Lichteneger. I hope they continue like what they did with new M1 (best in class) or upgraded Nuvista 600(one of 3-4 best ones in class) or 800(big improvement). I think next year the king can be again a new one in this amp class (1000-1500 Eur). 😉
PS: Musical Fidelity X-LP was my first real phono preamp in 1998. Nice sounding device.

The new Musical Fidelity B1xi seems excellent too.

 

[gasolin]

Depends on what you can get them for

 

[Al ears]

Depends on what you can get them for

At around £200 cheaper than CXA81 mk2, and same price as A15, it's well worth auditioning.

 

[gasolin]

At around £200 cheaper than CXA81 mk2, and same price as A15, it's well worth auditioning.

what is well worth auditioning ?

 

[Al ears]

At around £200 cheaper than CXA81 mk2, and same price as A15, it's well worth auditioning.

what is well worth auditioning ?

I thought you were referring to the previous post to yours which was about the Musical Fidelity B1xi.
Otherwise we have no idea what your comment referred to unless, of course, it was the OPs initial question.......

 

[bemaniac]

How come people aren't buying more powerful Chinese stuff that's been measured and performs for £100 a channel like the Fosi Audio V3 Monos? They're more powerful than anything under a grand for sure. I think they maybe are banned by WHF as a threat to established Western brands but for my money they smashed a high end Cambridge Audio 2015 amp out of the park. (just get a streamer and feed some Chinese tried measured and tested amps that have more power and less distortion than the £1000 amp you want)

Don't buy anything until it's been proven out by testing and that from several well known and highly respected Western sources such as the amps I mention.

I run my sources into my chosen pre and dac and then into these little mono class D amps carefully chosen based on measurements from established websites and they are more capable of driving slightly inefficient speakers (Elac Debut Reference) than previous amps I've tried to swap in - including a massive class A technics from the 80s, a Sony ES amp from the early 90s and the as mentioned Azur651A.

I admit that I have not tried out modern options like a modern Rega Brio or for example a current Marantz PM6XXX or 8XXX but I feel I'm likely already as far as I can get for power and noise floor.

 

[nopiano]

How come people aren't buying more powerful Chinese stuff that's been measured and performs for £100 a channel like the Fosi Audio V3 Monos?

I did! They’ve very good. 🙂

They’re also quite often misunderstood products, judging by the social media posts they generate.

The magazine usually sticks to brands with a regular supply and an importer, whereas Fosi tend to be direct sales or via Amazon ( or worse, Ali Express). Wiim have made the leap to High St sales, but the margins must be very tight on items like most of Fosi’s range.

Frankly, if it were my business, I’d struggle to survive shipping empty boxes that retailed for under £100, given the cost of stock, shipping, advertising, dealer mark ups, VAT and so on.