Cambridge Audio A5 Integrated Amplifier

Cambridge Audio A5 Budget Amplifier

If your starting off and want an amp that will do the job, this is a good buy, if you can pick up a good one for around the £60 mark it makes solid sense. The connections for plugs and speakers are solid for the money. The sound is good enough, for the price.

I had one as a second system when I spent a lot of time living in two places. It performed well and has reliable. The phono stage is an optional extra. If you already have a separate phono stage, consider bypassing the one that comes with this amp. Recently my main amp (Audiolab 8000A) gave trouble with dodgy interconnects. While I waited for the parts to get to me I plugged in the old A5 through my B&W 601 speakers the thing sounded flat and 2D compared to the Audiolab, Detail and pace in the bass was very average. Basically, it stopped me listening to my music.

Having said that, Hi-Fi experience is relative. When new, these things sold for around £120 back between 2000 & 2002. My point is that a lot of things happen when it comes to amp quality at A5 money & ones the sell for £500. So my experience is a bit unfair but I put it down because if your shopping around it's the nature of the second hand market that you might come across a much better amp for only a small bit more cash.

Anyway, This is a good little amp for the right money and if paired with a reasonable set of second hand speakers (for as much as you can afford / fit in your gaff) the A5 will serve you well and blow away anyone who has been suffering sounds from a MP3 dock etc. If that's where your at - you will be smiling!

Beware - once you start getting into Hi-Fi there's no going back!

I bought this Cambridge A5 amp second hand and faulty. Sent it to A.R.S. [i know], got it back after being breathed on by those that know how it should perform, [thanks Paul].I can honestly say this is the best amp i have ever owned, having owned Cyrus, Arcam and Sony QS it knocks them into a tin hat. I have never heard such depth, seperation, and downright musicality from a little black box, albeit a very well built one. If you are looking for a stormer at a very reasonable price, look no further,you can always send it back to the boys and ask them nicely to breath a bit of their magic on it, you will not be dissapointed. I am running a souped up cambridge D300SE cd player in analogue, it's "SUPERB" and i listen to all kinds of music from gut-wretching rock to Eva Cassidy to folk and brass. I LOVE THIS COMBO wired into a pair of Tannoy Mercury standmounts although it has been plumbed into a pair of Mission 752 Freedoms without any stress. If you see one grab it quick.

Having brought a Cambridge Audio DAB300 tuner I was very impressed by it's build quality and performance. It was this that spured on my decision to purchase the A5 and at the same time brought a Cambridge Audio CD5 to match.

I have the A5 running bi-wired to a pair of Celestion F30 floorstanders. The sound these produce is quite simply stunning. Bass & treble are well controled and defined. The A5 is caple of being bi-wired from its 8-post speaker output, has ample inputs and is not overcomplicated with sound degrading nonsence such as idiot lights and loundness functions. If you are looking for a budget amp that performs as well as far more expensive units you will not go far wrong with an A5.

The Cambridge Audio A5 Integrated Amplifier has simple controls. good looking. quality feel

Excellent value and quality from Cambridge Audio for people who value performance and money spent!

Overall the Cambridge Audio A5 is a fairly good deal new if you are in the market for a modestly featured amp at a good price, but if you can pick one up second hand I really recommend it, I couldn't resist (seeing as it was second hand and there was no warranty to worry about) taking a peek inside, everything in there looked fairly well put together with a decent sized toroidal transformer and a fairly good sized heat sink. Higher quality overall than I expected.

Bottom line, use it with some half decent speakers. The KEFs I mentioned are very good, I got them when they were on sale in richer sounds for £50! and some quid or so a meter copper cable and be very proud of what you've achieved with so little money.

There is no doubt, that for the money, this is a superb piece of kit. It gives you a punchy 60 Watts per channel at 8 ohms. And for only £119.99 in Richersounds, there is not much to complain about.

Treble is crystal clear, bass packs a punch, but its tight and well controlled. The 60 watts really fells like more power than it is.

Features 9/10... You have the treble, bass controls, source direct button, volume, input selector, power button, balance... what more do you need. A loudness button would have been nice, but no complaints.

Sound quality 10/10... for the money, nothing comes close.

This amplifier is brilliant, and would give more power to speakers with lower ohms. I am running 8 ohm Kef's on this amplifier, but it sounds fantastic. 6 ohms I think would give you around 75/80 watts per channel.

All in all, a superb buy.

Let me tell you one story:

I bought one Cambridge Audio A5 Integrated Amplifier in 2000. Then in 2001 I faced a little problem - I had output of 220v on speakers (now I don't have them, heh).

I took them to Richer Sounds to be repaired, one week later they gave me a new amp...

So be careful, do not shake it too much!

(A new one has been working for 2 years without switching off - perfectly!)

I am really impressed with my Cambridge Audio A5 Integrated Amplifier. When my father bought a sony amplifier I remember thinking how wonderful it was and how many things it could do to improve your listening experience. Then I bought my Cambridge Audio A5 Amplifier and I was amazed to find that this simple looking amplifier could produce such a brilliant sound. I am currently using it with a Cambridge Audio CD5 and some Gale Silver Monitors which I think is a good setup considering i got it all for £170. It can play all sorts of music with plenty of umph when needed and finer touches when necessary. A good catch!