Cambridge Audio Has A New Edge
While Cambridge Audio may be known for producing mostly sub-$2k components, that hasn’t stopped them from developing a trio of new options – just released into the wild this spring morn. With a higher hifi price point firmly in mind (along with the 50th anniversary of the brand), the British-based company unveiled its new Edge line to accompany its three tiered <$500, <$1000 and <$1500 lines of DACs, Amps and CD players. Its quite a flurry of products, but none have quite the hifi luster as the new Edge A integrated ($5k), Edge NQ pre/network streamer ($4k) and Edge W power amp ($3k). The new components are named after one of Cambridge’s founders, Professor Gordon Edge.
The flagship integrated features a very simple front panel with only a single selector knob as control. The back end however, keeps things interesting Class “XA” amplification which according to the presser “shifts the crossover point out of audible range, offering the sound quality of Class A but with more efficient performance.” Digital translations include DSD and an interesting array of compatibility with Airplay, Spotify Connect, Chromecast and even aptX HD.
The Press Release is also quick to put “Great British Sound” at the forefront of the conversation. The series touts “Extremely Short Signal Paths” with the W Power Amp claiming only 14 components in route from end to end. Both the W and the A Integrated push 100W into 8 ohms (200 into 4) and twin opposing symmetry toroidal transformers to help with the heavy lifting.
All three of the flagships are up on the company site for early perusal with US purchase arrival in June from select authorized retailers. Live demos will also be available at the upcoming AXPONA show in Chicago, so we will be sure to catch up with the new guys there and report back any findings. Full details and specs from the PR release available below.
“CAMBRIDGE AUDIO CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF AUDIO INNOVATION WITH EDGE – A NEW, HIGH-END HI-FI SYSTEM
The Edge series from the UK’s leading hi-fi brand represents the culmination of 50 years of audio engineering expertise and sets a new standard for design and performance.
Edge will be available in June from select authorized retailers in the US.
- Every component has been selected for its sonic merit through blind auditions – not price, specs, nor measurement.
- Cambridge Audio pushed engineering boundaries to keep the signal path short across the series. Only 14 components feature in the signal path of the Edge W power amplifier with capacitors removed altogether.
- Edge is a completely new design that has taken over three years for the dedicated, nine- person, in-house engineering team to complete.
The UK’s leading hi-fi company celebrates their 50th anniversary with the introduction of Edge, a pioneering hi-fi system that introduces a new standard for sound and design from the company.
The new series builds on Cambridge Audio’s driving principles of creating products that bring the “Great British Sound” – a pure, unfiltered audio experience – into the home, offering the company’s most accomplished system to date.
Five decades of engineering expertise has inspired the development of Edge, which features some of Cambridge Audio’s most innovative audio engineering to date:
- Short signal paths across the series. Edge W has just 14 components in the signal path.
- Unique Class XA amplification technology shifts the crossover point out of audible range, offering the sound quality of Class A but with more efficient performance.
- An opposing symmetry twin toroidal transformer design cancels out stray electromagnetic interference.
- Cambridge’s proprietary streaming platform, StreamMagic, has been updated to offer improved compatibility, meaning customers will be able to stream audio from a host of sources, including AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and Chromecast built-in, which allows streaming from a wealth of apps, including TIDAL. Additionally, Edge supports Bluetooth aptX HD.These technologies come together to produce the best example of the pure, unfiltered “British Sound” for which Cambridge Audio is renowned.The new series is named after Professor Gordon Edge, one of Cambridge Audio’s founders. He was an entrepreneurial force of the Cambridge technology cluster and inventor of the company’s first product, the P40 integrated amplifier.
Edge will be on display in Europe, Asia, and North America at the following events:
• Kaohsiung International Hi-End Audio Show (Taiwan) o March 29th to April 1st, 2018
o https://kh-hiend.kje-event.com.tw/
• AXPONA Audio Expo (USA)
o April 13th to 15th, 2018
o http://www.axpona.com/
• SIAV (China)
o April 13th to 15th, 2018
o http://www.siav.com.cn/
• The High-End Show (Germany) o May 11th to 13th, 2018
o http://www.highendsociety.de/
The Edge series will be available in June and will consist of three units: Edge A, the integrated amplifier; Edge NQ, the preamplifier and network player; and Edge W, the power amplifier. Edge will be available in select authorized retailers in the US.
“Edge has been a project of passion for Cambridge Audio. With our 50th anniversary approaching, we saw an opportunity to push the boundaries of our abilities to create something truly unique, something truly inspirational. We removed all limitations during development of Edge – anything goes so long as it’s in pursuit of the best system we’ve ever made. The results speak for themselves. Edge is sublime.” Stuart George, Managing Director, Cambridge Audio
ENGINEERING PHILOSOPHY
The separate units that make up the Edge series are connected by a shared engineering and design philosophy. Three simple principles true to each unit.
Firstly, components within Edge were chosen for their “sonic merit” alone. Price, specs, measurements, etc. were all disregarded in favor of what genuinely sounds best. This listen first, measure later approach resulted in the best possible sound.
Secondly, Cambridge Audio’s engineers were fanatical in their efforts to keep the signal path short. Doing so has ensured the final sound is as pure and unfiltered as possible, staying true to Cambridge Audio’s mantra of developing products with “Great British Sound”: nothing added, nothing taken away.
Finally, it was imperative Edge featured a beautifully simple exterior. This was achieved through a “ground-up” design process, resulting in hi-fi separates with a unique look, perfect to take center stage in any living space.
A HISTORY OF INNOVATION
Edge has been named in honor of one of Cambridge Audio’s founders, Professor Gordon Edge. Professor Edge was responsible for the company’s iconic P40 integrated amplifier, the product that would propel Cambridge Audio on its journey to the forefront of the home audio market.
The P40 broke the mold, pioneering the use of toroidal transformers in amplifiers. When compared to similar products using EI transformers, the P40 offered less distortion and created a cleaner sound that more accurately reflected the original studio recording: nothing added, nothing taken away.
In the 50 years that followed, Cambridge Audio continued to innovate and, with Edge, they deliver their best products to-date, featuring some of their most significant engineering achievements:
StreamMagic
Cambridge Audio’s proprietary streaming platform, StreamMagic, has provided the brains for their network players since 2011 and been the recipient of multiple What Hi-Fi? awards. The platform has been updated for Edge and allows playback from virtually any digital source:
AirPlay, Chromecast built-in, UPnP, ARC (Audio Return Channel), USB, S/PDIF, Spotify Connect, and more.
Class XA Amplification
This unique amplification technology offers the performance of Class A amplification but with significantly improved efficiency.
Twin Opposing Symmetry Toroidal Transformers
Cambridge Audio pioneered the use of toroidal transformers in amplifiers, which lead to improved performance. In Edge, Cambridge takes this one step further and uses opposing symmetry twin toroidal transformers to cancel out electromagnetic interference while offering outstanding power.
Bespoke Printed Circuit Board
Cambridge Audio removed conventional capacitors from the printed circuit boards in Edge, replacing them with a DC-coupled topology. This reduces distortion. Additionally, a solid-state volume control ensures channels are perfectly balanced.
Extremely Short Signal Paths
Across the Edge series, Cambridge Audio has endeavored to keep the signal path – the components between the music source and output – as short as possible. In the case of Edge W, there are only 14 components in the signal path, where similar products might have 30-40. This lowers interference and ensures a pure, untainted sound is produced.
THE EDGE SERIES
The Edge series will consist of:
Edge A, our integrated amplifier, offers incredibly detailed sound with the effortless power to match. Its sound is wonderfully balanced with clarity audible with every note. Listening to Edge A feels like the band is playing right in front of you.
ERP: $5,000
Edge NQ offers new levels of versatility for a pre- amplifier and network player. StreamMagic, the streaming module that powers NQ, has been improved, allowing Edge to play music from virtually any source. Also, Edge NQ’s printed circuit board and meticulous engineering reduces interference to ensure a clean sound.
ERP: $4,000
Edge W is the best power amplifier Cambridge Audio has ever made. With just 14 components in the signal path (where other similar products may have 30-40), Edge W delivers breath-taking, pure, unfiltered British Sound with incredible power: nothing added, nothing taken away.
ERP: $3,000
|
EDGE W SPECIFICATION |
|
|
Continuous power output |
100W RMS into 8 Ohms | 200W RMS into 4 Ohms |
|
THD (unweighted) |
<0.002% 1kHz at rated power (8 Ohms) | <0.02% 20Hz – 20kHz at rated power (8 Ohms) |
|
Frequency Response |
<3Hz – > 80kHz +/- 1dB |
|
S/N ratio (ref 1Q into 8Ohms) |
>93 dB |
|
Crosstalk @ 1kHz |
<-100dB |
|
S/N ratio (ref full power) |
>113 dB |
|
Input sensitivity |
Input A1-A2 (unbalanced) 1.09V RMS |
|
Input impedances |
Input A3 (balanced) 47k Ohm | Input A1-A2 (unbalanced) 47k Ohm |
|
Inputs |
Balanced, Unbalanced |
|
Outputs |
Speakers, Loop out |
|
USB audio input |
USB Audio Class 2.0 supporting up to 32-bit 384kHz pCM, or up to DSD256 |
|
Max power consumption |
1000W |
|
Standby power consumption |
<0.5W |
|
Dimensions |
150 x 460 x 405mm (5.9 x 18.1 x 15.9”) |
|
Weight |
23.6kg (51.9lbs) |
|
EDGE A SPECIFICATION |
|
|
Continuous power output |
100W RMS into 8 Ohms | 200W RMS into 4 Ohms |
|
THD (unweighted) |
<0.002% 1kHz at rated power (8 Ohms) | <0/02% 20Hz – 20kHz at rated power (8 Ohms) |
|
Frequency Response |
<3Hz – > 80kHz +/- 1dB |
LONDON, 27 MARCH 2018
|
S/N ratio (ref full power) |
>103 dB |
|
Crosstalk @ 1kHz |
<-100dB |
|
Input sensitivity |
Input A1-A2 (unbalanced) 380mV RMS |
|
Input impedances |
Input A3 (balanced) 47k Ohm | Input A1-A2 (unbalanced) 47k Ohm |
|
Inputs |
Balanced, Coax SPDIF, TOSLINK, USB Audio, Unbalanced, Bluetooth, Audio Return Channel (ARC) |
|
Outputs |
Speakers, Preamplifier, Headphones (impedance of between 12 and 600 Ohms are recommended) |
|
USB audio input |
USB Audio Class 2.0 supporting up to 32-bit 384kHz pCM, or up to DSD256 |
|
Bluetooth |
4.1 (Smart/BLE enabled) A2DP/AVRCP supporting formats up to aptX HD |
|
TOSLINK input |
16/24 bits, 32-96kHz |
|
Coax SPDIF input |
16/24 bits, 32-96kHz |
|
Max power consumption |
1000W |
|
Standby power consumption |
<0.5W |
|
Dimensions |
150 x 460 x 405mm (5.9 x 18.1 x 15.9”) |
|
Weight |
24.4kg (53.7lbs) |
|
EDGE NQ SPECIFICATION |
|
|
D/A Converter |
THD <0.0008%, 20Hz – 20kHz, 24-bit, 1Vrms output |
|
THD Analog Sources |
<0/0008%, 20Hz – 20kHz 1Vrms output |
|
Frequency Response |
20Hz – 20kHz +/- 0.1bB |
|
S/N ratio (ref 1V output) |
>103 dB |
|
Crosstalk @ 1kHz |
<-100dB |
|
Max preamp output |
6Vrms single ended or 6Vrms + 6Vrms balanced. |
|
USB audio input |
USB Audio Class 2.0 supporting up to 32-bit 384kHz PCM, or up to DSD256 |
|
USB drive input |
1 x USB 2.0 current limited to 1A, FAT32 / NTFS / HFS / HFS+ |
|
Bluetooth |
4.1 (Smart/BLE enabled) A2DP/AVRCP supporting SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX HD |
|
TOSLINK input |
16/24-bit 32-96kHz |
|
Coax SPDIF input |
16/24-bit 32-96kHz |
|
Wi-Fi |
IEEE 802.11 b/g or n (2.4GHz). Encryption WEP, WPA, WPA2 |
|
Max power consumption |
100W |
|
Standby power consumption |
<0.5W |
|
Dimensions |
120 x 460 x 405mm (4.7 x 18.1 x 15.9”) |
|
Weight |
10.2kg |
ABOUT CAMBRIDGE AUDIO
Since Cambridge Audio released its iconic P40 amplifier in 1968, we have pursued one simple objective: to produce audio equipment that faithfully creates a pure and natural sound. We at Cambridge Audio are sold on the unfiltered, unadulterated “British Sound”. We believe it’s simply the purest and most faithful reproduction of whatever you’re listening to, so you hear music exactly the way its creators wanted it to sound. We achieve this by identifying the best possible components before carefully fine-tuning how we put them together. Put simply, we apply audio engineering expertise accrued over five decades to remove the barriers between you and your music. Nothing added, nothing taken away.“