Cambridge Audio CXA81 MK II Integrated Stereo Amplifier – Cambridge Audio
Rewarding Power
CXA81 Mk II builds on the success of its multi award-winning predecessors. Cambridge Audio hasn’t looked back since making their first integrated amplifier in 1968, always looking for new ways to improve your listening experience – while recognizing that great sound never goes out of fashion.
Raising the Standard
How does Cambridge Audio improve on CXA81, an amplifier regarded by many as the standard-bearer at its price point?
Focusing on the all-important signal path, Cambridge Audio re-engineered it with premium components end to end, plus an upgraded DAC and a whole load of listening and tuning; all part of a relentless drive to deliver new clarity and depth.
The outcome? Audio performance that goes way beyond expectations.
Your World’s a Stage
What hits you first when you hear familiar music through CXA81 Mk II, is just how detailed everything sounds. You’ll pick up instruments, subtle shifts in tone, and harmonies you’ve previously missed. Close your eyes, and you’ll be able to place every musician in the soundstage
Once you’ve heard CXA81 Mk II, there’s no turning back.
Effortlessly Musical
At the center of CXA81 Mk II lies a custom-designed Class AB power amplifier stage with highly optimized components. It takes the musicality of Class A and blends it with the efficiency of Class B. The amp’s short signal path is super-efficient, leaving little opportunity for coloration.
The result is a detailed sound that connects you to the emotional power of your music.
Power!
Thanks to a chunky toroidal transformer, CXA81 Mk II delivers a generous 80 watts of power per channel. Dual taps into the left and right of the amplification board mean that, in effect, each channel has its own power supply – resulting in a vivid soundstage.
Dynamic shifts in music – like loud then quiet passages – are handled with ease.
Digital Love
Designed to bring your digital music to life, CXA81 Mk II features the upgraded ESS ES9018K2M DAC (digital analogue converter) in its dedicated circuitry. This means that digital audio files, up to a heady 24-bit/384kHz or DSD256, are unpacked – with every subtle detail delivered in full.
CXA81 Mk II combines unparalleled accuracy with vivid musicality, doing so beautifully.
Get Connected
CXA81 Mk II has connectivity covered. As well as digital optical, coaxial and USB Audio (from computers), it features stereo RCA inputs, balanced XLR sockets plus wireless hi-res connectivity via Bluetooth aptX HD – perfect for Cambridge Audio’s Alva turntables.
You can even connect a second set of speakers, to hear your music in another room.
Total Control
Designed to work with carefully matched kit of a comparable quality, CXA81 Mk II isn’t festooned with switches and dials – to keep the signal path clear. Its minimal aluminum fascia has a power button, input selectors and a beautifully smooth volume control.
It’s also supplied with a CX Series remote control, which you can use with other products in the series.
Designed for Life
With elegant, minimalistic lines, crafted from aluminum and steel, CXA81 Mk II will endure physically and aesthetically. There should be no reason to change an amplifier for many years, if at all.
Making products that last is just one of the ways that Cambridge Audio can minimize their impact on the planet and maximize your listening pleasure.
What to expect in the box:
- CXA81 MK II Integrated Stereo Amplifier
- Power Cable
- 3 x AAA Batteries
- Remote Control
- Control Bus Cable
- Bluetooth antenna
- Quick Start Guide
- Safety Guide
Product Details:
- POWER OUTPUT: 80W RMS into 8 Ohms, 120W RMS into 4 Ohms
- DAC: ESS Sabre ES9018K2M
- FREQUENCY RESPONSE: <5Hz– 60kHz +/-1dB
- ANALOGUE AUDIO INPUTS: 1x balanced XLR, 4 x RCA
- BLUETOOTH APTX HD RECEIVER BUILT-IN: Yes
- ROON TESTED: Yes
- REMOTE CONTROL: Yes
- MAX POWER CONSUMPTION: 750W
- STANDBY POWER CONSUMPTION: <0.5W
- DIMENSIONS (H X W X D): 115 x 430 x 341mm (4.5 x 16.9 x 13.4”)
- WEIGHT: 8.7kg (19.1lbs)
- COMPATIBILITY
- TOSLINK optical: 16/24bit 32-96kHz PCM only
- S/PDIF coaxial: 16/24bit 32-192kHz PCM only
- USB: audio profile 1.0/2.0 (default 2.0)
- up to 24-bit 384kHz PCM
- up to DSD256 or DoP256
- Bluetooth: 4.2 A2DP/AVRCP supporting up to aptX HD (24bit 48kHz)