Topic: Cambridge Azur 540A (Version 2) Amplifier

[jayson]

I just bought it yester in Hong Kong. What can you say about this model / brand?

Power Output: 60 watts per channel (8 Ohms)
80 watts per channel (4 Ohms)
 
Input Impedance: 47k Ohms
Loudspeaker Impedance: 4 to 8 Ohms
Line: 330mV
Phono (using optional phono stage): 1.75mV
Total Harmonic Distortion (into 8 Ohms 80% rated power): 0.008% THD (No weighting) @ 1kHz
0.005% THD (A weighted) @ 1kHz
0.02% THD (No weighting) 20Hz-20kHz
Frequency Response: 5Hz to 50KHz +/- 1dB
Bass: +/- 10dB @ 100Hz
Treble: +/- 10dB @ 10kHz
Signal to Noise Ratio (No weighting): >92dB
Slew Rate (into 8ohms): >30V/uS
Max. Power Consumption: 515 watts
Dimensions (mm): 430 x 320 x 100
Weight: 7 kg/15.4 lbs
 

[classicman]

sir, how much did it cost you in HK, thanks........

[jayson]

Bought it at P15,500.00

[ding45]

Bought mine (Azur 540A v1) locally last week of December 2005 for P21,000...It is now in the closet  as I am
presently using a foreplay preamp & a T-amp......

[jayson]

Bought mine (Azur 540A v1) locally last week of December 2005 for P21,000...It is now in the closet  as I am
presently using a foreplay preamp & a T-amp......

Hi sir. Is the sound that bad, why put it in a closet? Do i need to sell mine and replace it with some other amp? :'(
 

[Weng!]

replace it with a t-amp

[ding45]

The Azur 540A is a nice sounding integrated amp except that for now I prefer to use the T amp..... The Cambridge Audio Hifi, A/V gears have good quality sound.....problem is they are being overpriced out of the
market by the local distributor.. The model you bought is being sold locally I think  for P34,500 !!!SRP

[ding45]

Correction pls.....P36,500 pala ang SRP for something you bought for P15,500 in HK

[jayson]

Correction pls.....P36,500 pala ang SRP for something you bought for P15,500 in HK

Wow, ang laki pala ng natipid ko!!!
More than half the price. Sir, Yung 36,500 ba version 2 or version 1.

[ding45]

P36,500 is for the Azur 540A Version 2 with phono stage

[lakambini]

Hello guys,

A very good observation indeed!  I was comparing prices of CA, Nad and Rotel amps lately.  To my surprise, the CAs are being sold far more than the prices of Nad and Rotel.  My choices now tricle down between Nad and Rotel.  The local distributor must have been very impressed with the appearance of the CAs!  But at the end of the day, the sound generated by the amp is what matters most ( as in the case of Nad )!

[av_phile1]

I was informed that Cambridge products are now made in China.  I think it's relatively more expensive here than Rotels maybe due to a smaller market recognition.  Definitely Rotels which are also made in China have a greater following here.  Quality-wise, the brand enjoys the same standing and respect among audiophiles as Rotels. 

[ding45]

Cambridge Audio 640Cv2, made in China, SRP in UK is 250pounds, in Phils. its SRP is P34,500!!  How come? Type na type ko pa naman itong CD player na to.. hindi ko tuloy mabili, super mahal ng local price ....he he..kaya NAD C542 nabagsakan ko na super ganda naman pala ng tunog....thanks Audio Den

[av_phile1]

Pricing often has little do with quality.  More to do with the ex-factory costs, distributor's cost recovery policies, market demand,  government importation taxes and shipping. Not necessarily in that order of impact. 

In terms of build quality I tend to go for Rotel. I've seen a cambridge CD player at Montage used to demo their CDs and it didn't inspire confidence for me.   

[justjasonine]

the reason cambridge audio is cheaper in the uk
is because of two reasons

first being that it is a uk audio company
and also it is only sold in the uk in richer sound stores

www.richersounds.com

richer sounds is a budget hi fi seller
they sell more hi fi then any other shop in the uk
mostly because they have shops that are small
and in areas were rent is low.
They have high turn around of stock
a kind of stack them high,
sell them cheap kind of shop

They happen to own  cambridge audio
as well as Mordaunt Short
but cambridge audio unlike Mordaunt Short
is ONLY sold in richer sounds stores as far as i know,
hance the low price


they are doing a system deal right now that for £399.95p
you get a cambridge audio 540A and cambridge audio 540C v2
with Mordaunt ShortMS902 standmount speakers.
the Cambridge Audio AZUR 640C Silver can now be bought for £169.95p
In a few months time, i have no doubt they will drop the price even more like they always seem to do.


i have a cambridge audio cd 4 player myself,
which has a amazing sound
paid only £20 for it from a seller on ebay.

I have had a rotel cd player in the past
and nad
but i like cambridge audio the best
as it has a more pure clearer sound
although nad sounds amazing with naim gear

the naim nait3 amp is by far the best non tube amp i have ever heard,
so crisp/clear and amazing punch to the bass
fast sounding though which for folk and metal is good.

back to cambridge audio
they have always had their gear made in china and
designed here in the uk.
they have won lots of awards here in the uk
and always seem to get rave reviews
they are bringing out a £750 amp and cd spinner soon
above my budget

whenever i am in manila i can never find shops that sell good hi fi
as i love to window shop
though i did find one shop in malate that had a few valve amps
for a good price
pre amp was around P9,000-P11,0009can not remember the correct price)
and the power amp was around P15,000-P20,000)

though bottlehead.com is a great diy tube amp company
they do great amps that are dead easy to build
and they charge just $379 for the basic model
though you have to make sure you can power them in the philippines
as they run on 110
another good ampcompany  is red wine audio
a american company,
the amps are hand made
and do not run off mains power
and the price is only $499
which for a hamd made amp is a good price


anyway i need bed as it is late in now
hance any bad grammer

great forum you guys have
by far the best i have come across

Jay

[allan1836]

Anybody here who has experienced using the Cambridge Audio 540R a/v receiver? Looks good in paper and reviews and considered one of the better a/v receivers for pure audio use. I'm very interested to know the comparison with Yamaha or Harman Kardon receivers with similar specs. Tnx. 

[accastil]

rotel, nad, cambridge audio...they all belong to the same class. they all sound good equally. preferences would just vary in accord to each individual's taste.

something better than any of those 3 would belong to another class.

[ert]

i think cambridge is already available at 5th avenue stores..

[allan1836]

Yes, I think Cambridge was first handled by Audio Den before and now by 5th Ave. which might be for the better since I noticed a price drop on this receiver now.
Just wondering if the rated 80w x 6ch is really rms and can really drive good speakers well? 

[gearhead]

P36,500 is for the Azur 540A Version 2 with phono stage

i asked the price of a CA integrated amp at 5th ave. trinoma. not sure if this is the exact same model but price is now only P18.000... closer to the P15k price of the threadstarter's hk bought 540A.

[kt]

i asked the price of a CA integrated amp at 5th ave. trinoma. not sure if this is the exact same model but price is now only P18.000... closer to the P15k price of the threadstarter's hk bought 540A.

hi bro i think the 18t is the azur 640A ver2

[gearhead]

if that is so... much much better given the excellent reviews for the 640A as compared to its sibling the 540A. 

[kt]

yup bro! i think its tagged at around 22t. arent there 5ch power amps by CA?

[gearhead]

yup... the CA 540R. it's actually a 6.1 receiver. inaabangan ko nga din yung version 3 nito. waitlisted ako sa 5th avenue for that amp.

[kt]

wala ba yung amp lang?

[gearhead]

CA Azur 540A and 540C now available at 5th avenue for the lowered price of P17.900 each.
CA Azur 640A and 640C also available for the discounted price of P21,800 each.

Call Alvin of 5th avenue Makati @ +63 918 6691-407.