News

Popular British Hi-FI brand Cambridge Audio has been updating its mid-priced CX Series range of components for a while now. Currently in its fifth year, the second-generation £800 CXN V2 network music player was introduced last year (HFC 437), and now it’s the turn of the two stereo integrated amplifiers from the series to undergo the reengineering and reinvigoration treatment.

Like the integrated amplifiers the updated versions replace, the £750 CXA61 (pictured above with the continuing £400 CXC CD transport) and £1,000 CXA81 share the same Class A/B topology and are rated at 2x 60W and 2x 80W (into 8ohm) power output respectively.

As any update would suggest, some reengineering has taken place to key components in the signal path as well as the pre and power amp sections – although specifics aren’t given. The original integrated amplifier designs employed Wolfson WM8740 DACs to handle digital sources, but the next-gen models replace this with an ESS Sabre ES9010K2M chipset and the reworked designs offer USB input with support for PCM sources up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD up to DSD256. Additionally, aptX HD Bluetooth is integrated, for wireless audio streaming up to 24-bit/48kHz without the need to purchase a wireless dongle (as was the case with the original CX Series models).

Cambridge Audio’s Connect iOS and Android app has also been given an overhaul and rebrand. The new Stream Magic app is an improved interface that’s customisable for fast access to your favourite features and offers smoother network performance.

Available now, you can find out more about the CX Series refresh here.