#Cambridge audio tuner portable#

A universal remoteincludedduplicates the CXA81's front panel controls, and then some. Sharp eyes are required to read the labels. The minimalist front panel concentrates most of the controlseverything but the standby/on button, the 3.5mm headphone jack, and (thank you) the large volume control knobonto an acrylic center window with backlit LEDs: Four analog source-select buttons labeled 'A1' through 'A4,' a 'Protection Indicator' light (which indicates clipping, over-voltage, overheating, or short-circuit), a button to toggle between A and B speaker options, a mute indicator, three digital source-select buttons marked 'D1' through 'D3,' a tiny button stamped with the universal sign for USB, and that large volume control knob. It's a subtle but effective design element that suggests that thought and care were taken in the CXA81's design. It's supported in the rear by two footers composed of silicone rubber and ABS, and in front by a case-wide, ½' black-plastic ridge finished with a long rubber strip, which created the illusion that the CXA81 was floating above the shelf on my Salamander rack. Measuring 16.9' wide, 4.5' high, and 13.4' deep and weighing just under 20lb, the CXA81 has a steel chassis and an aluminum face. There's headphone support and even mood enhancement, although it's the old-fashioned way: with music.

#Cambridge audio tuner portable#

There's Bluetooth, which makes it easy to send music from portable devices, and because it's aptX HD, it even sounds good. It has an asynchronous USB input, the best kind.

It doesn't have Ethernet, and it lacks a phono stage and coffee machine, but otherwise it offers everything popular with today's music- and hi-fi loving suburban bon vivant: a built-in DAC that converts up to 32/38 and DSD256 (delivered via DoP) files and streams. The Cambridge Audio CXA81 integrated amplifier ($1299) is a feature-rich machine. In addition to the traditional phono stage and headphone jack of decades past, today there's Bluetooth, internal DACs, streaming, implanted mood-enhancer chips, and integrated cappuccino/latte/espresso machinesall at a competitive price point. Today, things have swung back again: With some exceptions, today's integrated amplifiers once again offer myriad extras. Regardless of price, all these integrated amplifiers engaged my senses and made engaging, dynamic, colorful music from LP grooves and ones and zeros.ĭecades ago, integrated amplifiers were full-featured beastsand then there was a move toward minimalism, at least at the higher end. The mostly moderately priced integrated machines I've reviewed have included the Heed Audio Elixir ($1195), Luxman SQ-N150 ($2795) and L-509X ($9495), NAD C 328 Hybrid Digital ($549), Octave Audio V 80 SE ($10,500), Rega Brio ($995), and Schiit Ragnarok 2 ($1799 as equipped). During my tenure as a Stereophile writer, I've reviewed a lot of integrated amplifiers.