Combo Cambridge 840A V.2 and B&W 685 what do you think?

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Cambridge Azur 840A V.2 and B&W DM685

What do you think about this combo? Thinking of Rotel RA-06 to but I like the Cambridge more because of the looks and features.

Been reading some on the internet that Cambridge dont go so well with B&W? Is that true?

Im from Sweden so bear with me and my poor english
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/Per
 

SHAXOS

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I had 840a v1 hooked up to these speakers and they sounded fine. The amp though was a build quality nightmare constantly doing stuff it shouldnt. I finally ran out of patience with cambridge and got rid of it. Will never go back. But yeah sound fine.
 

Gerrardasnails

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I demo'd my RS6 speakers with the Rotel RA-06. I then bought a Creek Evo and it was a major improvement. I now have the 840A v1 and it's even better. In short, there is no comparison between the Rotel and the Cambridge. As for the guy who had a bad experience with the build quality, that surprises me. Mine feels solid.
 
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Anonymous

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Well think I will go for the Cambridge 840

The B&W speakers I already own today along with a NAD C352 amp thatïs about to be replaced.
 
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Anonymous

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The 840Av1 will sound great, but after 2 740A's and 2 840A's I gave up.
 
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Anonymous

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[quote user="fr0g"][quote user="Acid"]

Well think I will go for the Cambridge 840

The B&W speakers I already own today along with a NAD C352 amp thatïs about to be replaced.

[/quote] Dude. I am now living in Sweden, what price are you looking at for the Cambridge - (It retails at a silly 10998 SEK here in Karlstad ~£900) - I am currently trying out a Lyngdorf SDA2175 power amp in conjunction with the pre-out from my Arcam A80, and to be honest, it sounds pretty amazing so far... And is the SAME price(well a tiny bit less) as the Cambridge. You pay through the nose for British kit here in Sweden... much better value from Scandinavian equipment... Dali, Primare, Lyngdorf etc.[/quote]

I agree with you about the price and Im looking at the pricetag 10998 SEK on HiFi Klubben in Kristianstad. I have consider to go for the Lyngdorf but I want to replace my NAD because isnït very happy with the quality on NAD. So for that reason if I want to go for the Lyngdorf Im looking on the SDAI2175 model with a pricetag of 14898 SEK and I think that`s little to much for me.

Also a little bit worried that people here say the have had many problems with the Cambridge 840 and 740. Is the build quality really that bad? I think it seemed pretty solid when I had a look on the V.2
 

Cypher

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Well, I read so many bad things about Cambridge on the web, it's just unbelievable. I'm about to buy a Nad C355BEE but the one thing that's holding me back is the same reason as with the Cambridge stuff, the reliability. I've read about so many problems with NAD CD players and amplifiers.....I hope they got their act together now.
 
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Anonymous

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[quote user="fr0g"][quote user="Acid"][quote user="fr0g"][quote user="Acid"]

Well think I will go for the Cambridge 840

The B&W speakers I already own today along with a NAD C352 amp thatïs about to be replaced.

[/quote] Dude. I am now living in Sweden, what price are you looking at for the Cambridge - (It retails at a silly 10998 SEK here in Karlstad ~£900) - I am currently trying out a Lyngdorf SDA2175 power amp in conjunction with the pre-out from my Arcam A80, and to be honest, it sounds pretty amazing so far... And is the SAME price(well a tiny bit less) as the Cambridge. You pay through the nose for British kit here in Sweden... much better value from Scandinavian equipment... Dali, Primare, Lyngdorf etc.[/quote]

I agree with you about the price and Im looking at the pricetag 10998 SEK on HiFi Klubben in Kristianstad. I have consider to go for the Lyngdorf but I want to replace my NAD because isnït very happy with the quality on NAD. So for that reason if I want to go for the Lyngdorf Im looking on the SDAI2175 model with a pricetag of 14898 SEK and I think that`s little to much for me.

Also a little bit worried that people here say the have had many problems with the Cambridge 840 and 740. Is the build quality really that bad? I think it seemed pretty solid when I had a look on the V.2
[/quote]

Well. I think the build quality of the 7/8 series is very good...(I once tried a 5 or 640 (cant remember which), and I found it to be very flimsy - but that was way back when they first appeared. Maybe they're better now).
Oh and I seriously recommend trying the SDAi2715 - I will be doing... At only 3000 SEK more, for a true high-end amp its a bargain. Looking around the net, its got the build and features of an amp twice the price. Its just wether you like its incredibly 'clinical' , 'true' sound'?
I am using Hi-Fi Klubben too, and I just cannot bear the though of shelling out 10988 for an amp that retails in the UK for the equivalent of 9200 SEK.[/quote]

Ok planning to buy a new amplifier next week so I will have a go and listen to the Lyngdorf then. Thanks for the help man!
 
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Anonymous

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I have bought the Cambridge 840A v.2 now and I am already having problems with it.

When adjusting the volume up and down I get a sharp clicking sound in my right speaker. So I have returned it to my dealer for investigation if they get the same problem as I did.

Next problem is that the black 840A is out of stock in Sweden so if I get a new one I have to wait for it.

Not really happy about this at all and my thoughts about Cambridges quality isnït so high anymore.
 

SHAXOS

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Surprise surprise the cambridge is going dodgy. Seriously mate dodge a bullet and avoid. Its not like the 840v2 is cheap either. Get yourself summat thats worth the money and wont break.
 

SHAXOS

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Oh by the way ive gone through 6 cambridge amps in 3 years -
1) cambridge audio 340a - kept cutting out. Took it back and upgraded to a 540a.
2) 540a Brought 540a home and connected it all up and white smoke started to bellow out of it. Took it back. Upgraded to 640a surley this wont break...
3) 640A- 3-4 months later my left channel on the cd in stopped working.
4) Got 640V2 - Died dont know why. Took it back upgraded to a 840a.
5) 840a - Worked fine up until it decided to change volume up on its own. Blew my speakers. Took it back got it replaced.
6) Second 840a - Exact same fault. Did a lot of research and found lots of people with the same complaint and confronted dealer who initially stated it was a isolated instant. Got refund - good riddence!!

If you are wondering why i kept going back - I had an extended warranty with the dealer and the dealer replaced the faulty amp each time and gave me the option of upgrading. When it got to the point of being ridiculous dealer would not offer refund stating it has been too long so offered just the exchange or upgrade. I always hoped the next upgrade would work properly. Eventually (with lots of research)i got enough dirt on the 840a to convince the dealer that these faults were not isolated and i wanted my money back. Customer service did nothing to compensate me for problems. I repeat IMHO you should avoid like the plague- .
 
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Anonymous

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My amp is home again because they couldnït find any problems with it. But I discovered that they used another electric cord and not the one that came with it. So I took another electric cord I have at home and for so long itïs working like a charm. I will test this over the weekend to see the results.
 

Gerrardasnails

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frOg is correct. I have the 840A v1 and the machine (not the speaker though) clicks when the volume is changed. It doesn't bother me to be honest. I just hope I got a good one! I bought mine on Ebay - it was practically brand new and I'm having no problems. I think the amp is brilliant.
 

SHAXOS

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I dont think the problem is the clicking from the amp as thats just the sounds of the relays -but it shouldnt be comming through the speakers. Glad its working ok now. Good luck!
 
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Anonymous

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[quote user="fr0g"][quote user="Acid"]I have bought the Cambridge 840A v.2 now and I am already having problems with it.

When adjusting the volume up and down I get a sharp clicking sound in my right speaker. So I have returned it to my dealer for investigation if they get the same problem as I did.

Next problem is that the black 840A is out of stock in Sweden so if I get a new one I have to wait for it.

Not really happy about this at all and my thoughts about Cambridges quality isnït so high anymore.[/quote]

The clicking sound is 'normal' apparently - just read the hifi-choice review...here

Its just the relays.
Did you ever try the Lyngdorf? (I have in the last couple of days ordered one :) )[/quote]

To be honest I didnït :) My budget for a new amp was around the cost of the Camridge so therefore I did not listen to Lyngdorf. About the clicking sound I now that itïs the relay for the volume that clicks but in my case it also clicked in the speakers. But my amp works fine now so I am happy and very pleased with the sound from it.
 
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Anonymous

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[quote user="fr0g"][quote user="Acid"]I have bought the Cambridge 840A v.2 now and I am already having problems with it.

When adjusting the volume up and down I get a sharp clicking sound in my right speaker. So I have returned it to my dealer for investigation if they get the same problem as I did.

Next problem is that the black 840A is out of stock in Sweden so if I get a new one I have to wait for it.

Not really happy about this at all and my thoughts about Cambridges quality isnït so high anymore.[/quote]

The clicking sound is 'normal' apparently - just read the hifi-choice review...here

Its just the relays.
Did you ever try the Lyngdorf? (I have in the last couple of days ordered one :) )[/quote]

The relays will click each time the volume is adjusted - this is normal. However, ONE of the smaller problems with the 840A is a 'static-ey' click through the speakers when the volume is adjusted. I've read other reports of this and each time it's apparently an isolated occurrance... On it's own this might not be the end of the world, but coupled with the worry of the volume adjusting itself ever upward (another common one) it all gets a bit worrying. They do sound nice though.
 

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