Topic: CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AZUR 540C V2

[macdon]

Heads up lang:

To those planning to get an Azur 540c in 5th ave., dont forget to also ask the price of the 640c - you might be pleasantly surprised to find out that the price between these 2 are almost negligible

[blackd70s]

Do anybody owns this CD player? How is it?

I wonder how it compares to the Rotel RCD 06 player?

have you purchased yours bro? you might want to consider the 640 combo. as macdon have said the price diff is negligible.

just sharing

[ASuL]

gwapo...

been seriously considering a separate audio set up but budget constraints have limited my choice to NAD 325 and 525cdp...

cambridge seem to be within the price range...can you share which model/series i should consider?

will initially pair it with diamond 9.1 or 9.2 but with the intention possibly upgrading speakers to a B&W 601 s3 maybe...similar to what was posted above hehehe! thanks!

[macdon]

I just got word from my contact in 5th ave shang that they have a price drop on both the 540c & 640c on cash purchases:

540c.......15k cash
640c........16.9 cash

5th Ave shang - 633-8315 and look for Francis.

[oReOsHaKe]

I just got word from my contact in 5th ave shang that they have a price drop on both the 540c & 640c on cash purchases:

540c.......15k cash
640c........16.9 cash

5th Ave shang - 633-8315 and look for Francis.

Bro Mac, ano mas ok, Rotel 1072 or Azur 640C? 

[macdon]

Bro Mac, ano mas ok, Rotel 1072 or Azur 640C? 

Hmmm......mahirap-hirap na tanong yan sir I thought that both were up to par, however I went with the Rotel 1072 as my amp is also a Rotel - may synergy talaga sila. Plus, the 1072 is HDCD - that is if you find that feature useful.

If I didnt have a Rotel amp in the first place - I wouldnt mind a 640c lalo na mababa na presyo nila ngayon compared to before

[Marl☆1]

Hmmm......mahirap-hirap na tanong yan sir I thought that both were up to par, however I went with the Rotel 1072 as my amp is also a Rotel - may synergy talaga sila. Plus, the 1072 is HDCD - that is if you find that feature useful.

If I didnt have a Rotel amp in the first place - I wouldnt mind a 640c lalo na mababa na presyo nila ngayon compared to before

If I may share mga boss cause I do have an Azur combo and recently acquired a Rotel pre/amp/cdp set-up.  I am very happy with the 640c.  Actually started out as being a too bright for me, but somehow mellowed-down after a couple of hours more run time.  What's amazing though is the versatility of how it negotiates various genres of music - you can jump from crystal clear vocals to rapid and boomy R&B and it will still do a fine job transitioning.  Tone controls of the 640A would likewise help you control the sonic output effectively to suit your preference (albeit being contrary to audiopurists' stance).

Now I haven't spent that much time with the 'Tels yet but offhand performance-wise - it does sound more forward.  Details do come out more clearly IMO and I feel it has so much clarity and depth that results in a wide soundstage.  Well for the added $ in Rotel's srp, one would naturally expect to get more bang their buck anyway.  Well worth it IMHO.

Design wise and aesthetics - you won't go wrong with both.  For me both are clear winners - very stylish / minimalist, fresh and uncluttered.  I love the metal feel of the Cambridge remote though - very premium looking - solid build. 

Just my 10cents mga sir.  Thanks for indulging.

Cheers!
Marl_1

[macdon]

If I may share mga boss cause I do have an Azur combo and recently acquired a Rotel pre/amp/cdp set-up.  I am very happy with the 640c.  Actually started out as being a too bright for me, but somehow mellowed-down after a couple of hours more run time.  What's amazing though is the versatility of how it negotiates various genres of music - you can jump from crystal clear vocals to rapid and boomy R&B and it will still do a fine job transitioning.  Tone controls of the 640A would likewise help you control the sonic output effectively to suit your preference (albeit being contrary to audiopurists' stance).

Now I haven't spent that much time with the 'Tels yet but offhand performance-wise - it does sound more forward.  Details do come out more clearly IMO and I feel it has so much clarity and depth that results in a wide soundstage.  Well for the added $ in Rotel's srp, one would naturally expect to get more bang their buck anyway.  Well worth it IMHO.

Design wise and aesthetics - you won't go wrong with both.  For me both are clear winners - very stylish / minimalist, fresh and uncluttered.  I love the metal feel of the Cambridge remote though - very premium looking - solid build. 

Just my 10cents mga sir.  Thanks for indulging.

Cheers!
Marl_1

Mukang naikabit na sa itaas ah Congrats sir & nice to finally meet you
Hope na hindi naman ako napahiya for reco the 1072

[Marl☆1]

Mukang naikabit na sa itaas ah Congrats sir & nice to finally meet you
Hope na hindi naman ako napahiya for reco the 1072

Nice meeting you to bro - really appreciate your inputs on the 'tels.  Btw, hope your mymitsu event panned out well.
Cheers buddy! 

[ivannn]

does the 540c compliment well with altec lansing amps?

i tested the cdp last weekend sa 5th ave pero yung setup nila dun is using cambridge amp and MS speakers. i cant bring my amp naman to 5th ave kasi medyo mabigat ang amp ko.

from my audition session i can say na maganda naman ang tunog ng 540c, even the 640c. i also compared it with the 340c and a marantz na i cant recall the model #.

[macdon]

does the 540c compliment well with altec lansing amps?

i tested the cdp last weekend sa 5th ave pero yung setup nila dun is using cambridge amp and MS speakers. i cant bring my amp naman to 5th ave kasi medyo mabigat ang amp ko.

from my audition session i can say na maganda naman ang tunog ng 540c, even the 640c. i also compared it with the 340c and a marantz na i cant recall the model #.

Between the 540c & 640c, better get the 640c......lalo na malapit nalang price nilang dalawa

[ivannn]

Between the 540c & 640c, better get the 640c......lalo na malapit nalang price nilang dalawa

yup actually yan din nasa isip ko na gawin. nagulat nga rin ako at ganun kalapit ang price nila.

my worry lang din kasi talaga is how it will sound with my audio setup. pag weekdays my folks will be using it mostly for classical music and mga herb alpert and the tijuana brass mga ganyang types of music ang listen namin. tapos ako naman sa gabi if maaga nakauwi from work and pag weekends naman.

[Marl☆1]

yup actually yan din nasa isip ko na gawin. nagulat nga rin ako at ganun kalapit ang price nila.

my worry lang din kasi talaga is how it will sound with my audio setup. pag weekdays my folks will be using it mostly for classical music and mga herb alpert and the tijuana brass mga ganyang types of music ang listen namin. tapos ako naman sa gabi if maaga nakauwi from work and pag weekends naman.

IMHO, yakang yaka ng Azur yan.  Aside from the nice & clean aesthetics - I find it's versatility quite amazing to cross music genres.  Tad on the bright side though 

[macdon]

yup actually yan din nasa isip ko na gawin. nagulat nga rin ako at ganun kalapit ang price nila.

my worry lang din kasi talaga is how it will sound with my audio setup. pag weekdays my folks will be using it mostly for classical music and mga herb alpert and the tijuana brass mga ganyang types of music ang listen namin. tapos ako naman sa gabi if maaga nakauwi from work and pag weekends naman.

The Azur 640c would do wonders for you - in fact, when we auditioned both the 640c & Rotel flagship RCD-1072 they sounded similar - but then we were also using a Cambridge amp during the audition.
Cambridge & Rotel cdps are forward sounding - unless of course if you dont like that presentation.

[Blade]

I just got word from my contact in 5th ave shang that they have a price drop on both the 540c & 640c on cash purchases:

540c.......15k cash
640c........16.9 cash

5th Ave shang - 633-8315 and look for Francis.

wow tha 640C is now within my reach...
will use it muna with my H/K 330...will sell my H/K amp...
tapos palitan ko na lang ng Azur 540A or 640A...
 

[ivannn]

thanks Marl_1 and macdon sa inputs!

my observation lang din based dun sa audition na ginawa ko, medyo kulang talaga sa bass ang cdp or dahil sa amp and speakers na gamit nila when i auditioned it?

[macdon]

thanks Marl_1 and macdon sa inputs!

my observation lang din based dun sa audition na ginawa ko, medyo kulang talaga sa bass ang cdp or dahil sa amp and speakers na gamit nila when i auditioned it?

Brader Ivann - the best route to take is to really bring your amp in 5th ave to audition the cdp. However, last I heard - 5th ave can give you 24hours to return the item with your money back - so in a way, parang na home audi mo narin yung cdp.
While I'm sure it would be preferred to have it longer, but atleast you have that option compared to none at all.

If you'll be visiting 5th ave Shang - just look for Francis & tell him I sent ya

[ivannn]

i see. okay pala yun lalo na if bibigay nila ang option na 24hours na home test ko and if hindi ako satisfied eh i can return it agad and ill get my money back.

okay sir macdon, thanks for the information. pag naka buy na ako ng cdp eh post ko na sa gallery ang audio setup ko.  sa ngayon kasi cd/dvd player na jvc ang nakakabit.

[czrocker]

ok kaya mag ka interface ang 640C sa amx tube amps

[Qman]

ok kaya mag ka interface ang 640C sa amx tube amps

just got 640C from 5th Ave. Shangrila paired with AMX Duetto.  No reviews yet bago pa lang and bihira ko pa rin ma play as im always out ng bahay.

[macdon]

just got 640C from 5th Ave. Shangrila paired with AMX Duetto.  No reviews yet bago pa lang and bihira ko pa rin ma play as im always out ng bahay.

Congratz! That should be a good match

[praktikal]

just got 640C from 5th Ave. Shangrila paired with AMX Duetto.  No reviews yet bago pa lang and bihira ko pa rin ma play as im always out ng bahay.

feedback ka agad amigo ha... 

baka next year itutuloy ko na ang balak kong bedroom tube setup 

[ivannn]

just got a cambridge 540c kanina bukas ko siya gagamitin. hehe feeling ko ill be up all night sa sobrang excited to try it out. hehehe!

[romymartinez]

just got a cambridge 540c kanina bukas ko siya gagamitin. hehe feeling ko ill be up all night sa sobrang excited to try it out. hehehe!

Congrats Sir

[John E.]

I just got word from my contact in 5th ave shang that they have a price drop on both the 540c & 640c on cash purchases:

540c.......15k cash
640c........16.9 cash

5th Ave shang - 633-8315 and look for Francis.

i had the pleasure of auditioning some cambridge cdp's earlier as i have realized that auditioning i really the key. i did'nt really want to ask how much the cdps are before auditioning but i had my wife with me so i asked the prices first before pointing what cdps to tests.

i was surprised that the price of the cd 640c went back up to 20,500. i also inquired at both 5th ave branch at shang and trinoma but the price is back to 20,500.

it was my first time to audition a cdp so for my virgin ears all of them sounded good! i auditioned the

CD 340c
CD 540c
CD30 sonota

btw it's only the CD30 and the 640c that has the black color. the cdps we driven by the mini fatman amp (dared mp-5 equivalent) if they had the same specs then it would be a 13watter amp paired with a mordaunt short mini floorstander, i was amazed with what that little amp can do...but thats a different story

the CD 340c went first. it started a bit weak and missing some of the details but when i asked if it was an audiophile cd they were using, the sales rep said that that was only a cdr. over all it sounded well. i can't recall the price but i think i goes for 11,800.

the CD30 went next. the rep said that this is the new mini line of cambridge which just arrived last month. it is the same size as the dared/fatman amp.



oh boy this sounded really well. i thought the 340c sounded well but his was musical and detailed compared to the the 340c. it looked well built with its black aluminum finish and the easy to read attractive vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) the letter kinda looks blue on the lcd cool!

upon research i found these on the net

Technical Data | Features:

• D/A Converters: Wolfson Microelectronics WM8716 (24-Bit/192kHz capable) for incredible detail and stereo imaging
• plays CD, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA and MP3    
• CD-Text support
• Slim-line navigator style Azur remote control
• Stylish custom designed metal chassis - only 270mm wide - offers stunning looks and build quality
• S/PDIF coaxial and Toslink digital outputs
• Automatically switches on when source is selected on receiver
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz (+/-0.5dB)
• THD: <0.003% @ 1kHz 0dBFs <0.005% 20Hz – 20kHz 0dBFs
• Max. Power Consumption: 7W
• Dimensions (W x D x H): 270 x 285 x 67mm
• Weight: 2.3kg (5.0lbs)

and did i say it comes in black i forgot the price again but if i can recall correctly its around 13k less the discounted price making it a little less than 13...12+ if you card 0% interest but no discount.

this cd player impressed me but what i did'nt like was it's size but hey it's cambridge mini line!

the 540c priced at 15,500. i did'nt really noticed that much sound difference compared to the cd30.

Cambridge Azur 540C V2 CD Player Specification
Frequency Response: 10Hz to 20KHz (+/- 1dB)
Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.003%
Digital to Audio Conversion: Single Wolfson WM8740 24-bit/192kHz DAC
Dynamic Range: > 95dB
Channel Separation: > 80dB
Correlated Jitter: < 260ps
Digital Outputs: Coaxial,Optical
Power Consumption: 17 Watts
Dimensions (WxDxH):43 x 31 x 7 cm
Weight: 4.6 kg

no black color available.

all cdps were very sturdy and did'nt notice any noise coming from it. it was a pleasurable experience but am still on a hunt for a new cdp

if i wwere to pick one id pick the cd30 sonota.

[macdon]

i had the pleasure of auditioning some cambridge cdp's earlier as i have realized that auditioning i really the key. i did'nt really want to ask how much the cdps are before auditioning but i had my wife with me so i asked the prices first before pointing what cdps to tests.

i was surprised that the price of the cd 640c went back up to 20,500. i also inquired at both 5th ave branch at shang and trinoma but the price is back to 20,500.

it was my first time to audition a cdp so for my virgin ears all of them sounded good! i auditioned the

CD 340c
CD 540c
CD30 sonota

btw it's only the CD30 and the 640c that has the black color. the cdps we driven by the mini fatman amp (dared mp-5 equivalent) if they had the same specs then it would be a 13watter amp paired with a mordaunt short mini floorstander, i was amazed with what that little amp can do...but thats a different story

the CD 340c went first. it started a bit weak and missing some of the details but when i asked if it was an audiophile cd they were using, the sales rep said that that was only a cdr. over all it sounded well. i can't recall the price but i think i goes for 11,800.

the CD30 went next. the rep said that this is the new mini line of cambridge which just arrived last month. it is the same size as the dared/fatman amp.



oh boy this sounded really well. i thought the 340c sounded well but his was musical and detailed compared to the the 340c. it looked well built with its black aluminum finish and the easy to read attractive vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) the letter kinda looks blue on the lcd cool!

upon research i found these on the net

Technical Data | Features:

• D/A Converters: Wolfson Microelectronics WM8716 (24-Bit/192kHz capable) for incredible detail and stereo imaging
• plays CD, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA and MP3    
• CD-Text support
• Slim-line navigator style Azur remote control
• Stylish custom designed metal chassis - only 270mm wide - offers stunning looks and build quality
• S/PDIF coaxial and Toslink digital outputs
• Automatically switches on when source is selected on receiver
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz (+/-0.5dB)
• THD: <0.003% @ 1kHz 0dBFs <0.005% 20Hz – 20kHz 0dBFs
• Max. Power Consumption: 7W
• Dimensions (W x D x H): 270 x 285 x 67mm
• Weight: 2.3kg (5.0lbs)

and did i say it comes in black i forgot the price again but if i can recall correctly its around 13k less the discounted price making it a little less than 13...12+ if you card 0% interest but no discount.

this cd player impressed me but what i did'nt like was it's size but hey it's cambridge mini line!

the 540c priced at 15,500. i did'nt really noticed that much sound different compared to the cd30.

Cambridge Azur 540C V2 CD Player Specification
Frequency Response: 10Hz to 20KHz (+/- 1dB)
Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.003%
Digital to Audio Conversion: Single Wolfson WM8740 24-bit/192kHz DAC
Dynamic Range: > 95dB
Channel Separation: > 80dB
Correlated Jitter: < 260ps
Digital Outputs: Coaxial,Optical
Power Consumption: 17 Watts
Dimensions (WxDxH):43 x 31 x 7 cm
Weight: 4.6 kg

no black color available.

all cdps were very sturdy and did'nt notice any noise coming from it. it was a pleasurable experience but am still on a hunt for a new cdp

if i wwere to pick one id pick the cd30 sonota.

Great review brader John
Sayang, at tumaas na ang presyo ng 640c - 3.6k din ang tinaas. However, sale kasi sila dati kaya nasa 16.9k before.

Kumusta yung sale sa Robinsons - akala ko kumuha kana ng Marantz at 7k?

[John E.]

Great review brader John
Sayang, at tumaas na ang presyo ng 640c - 3.6k din ang tinaas. However, sale kasi sila dati kaya nasa 16.9k before.

Kumusta yung sale sa Robinsons - akala ko kumuha kana ng Marantz at 7k?

eiy brader mac thanks! im taking my time with purchasing a cdp...isip isip muna para sars proof. maganda yung cambridge cdps lalo na yung 640c. sayang lang at tumaas ang presyo like the dali speakers. sabagay maraming good audiophile brands na nag tataasan ang presyo.

first time audio hobbiest eh. i did'nt want to commit the same mistakes i did when i was starting with ht pansin mo panay audition bago vanat hehehe. hirap din kasi papalit palit ng gears or stucked with a gear you cannot sell dahil masyado lugi.

im still contemplating on the marantz cd 5001 good brand and good net reviews. hindi ko lang talaga type yung gold.

but the cd30 sonota is on my shortlist...yun nga lang minis

[accastil]

eiy brader mac thanks! im taking my time with purchasing a cdp...isip isip muna para sars proof. maganda yung cambridge cdps lalo na yung 640c. sayang lang at tumaas ang presyo like the dali speakers. sabagay maraming good audiophile brands na nag tataasan ang presyo.

first time audio hobbiest eh. i did'nt want to commit the same mistakes i did when i was starting with ht pansin mo panay audition bago vanat hehehe. hirap din kasi papalit palit ng gears or stucked with a gear you cannot sell dahil masyado lugi.

im still contemplating on the marantz cd 5001 good brand and good net reviews. hindi ko lang talaga type yung gold.

but the cd30 sonota is on my shortlist...yun nga lang minis

both the marantz and the CA makes good cdps bro. with the F2 as the speakers, may i suggest though that you go for more laid back sounding gears than both brands could offer. arcam, consonance, njoe tjoeb, nad, exposure, could be some of your very good options if youd stick with the F2 for audio....exposure would be the most laid-back sounding among the bunch ive mentioned btw.
goodluck in your digital source hunt.
i forgot to mention pl, the bel canto DAC would sound excellent with speakers such as the F2 . if u could find this in the market, go and audition.

[John E.]

both the marantz and the CA makes good cdps bro. with the F2 as the speakers, may i suggest though that you go for more laid back sounding gears than both brands could offer. arcam, consonance, njoe tjoeb, nad, exposure, could be some of your very good options if youd stick with the F2 for audio....exposure would be the most laid-back sounding among the bunch ive mentioned btw.
goodluck in your digital source hunt.
i forgot to mention pl, the bel canto DAC would sound excellent with speakers such as the F2 . if u could find this in the market, go and audition.

thank you for the tips sir! coming from an experienced audiophile like you sir it's highly appreciated

[accastil]

thank you for the tips sir! coming from an experienced audiophile like you sir it's highly appreciated

it is what this forum is all about...we are supposed to help. enjoy.