Cambridge Audio built the 851A without sonic compromise, and that 's true of the connectivity too. There's a first time for everything. I suggest you mention it for every product. The packaging is refreshingly simple – the amp comes in a strong box with 2 thick foam inserts supporting it at either end. Same thing I can say about NAD C370... had two of them bridged... both died the same way. Upsampling DAC, CD Player & Preamplifier. I understand completely the frustration, however, I've not given up on my beloved 840E (pre-amp); believing I can find a suitable (much higher quality/power/heat-dissipation resistor-relay 'board' (or necessary parts). Azur 851 Outstanding audio performance ... Yours, the Cambridge Audio Azur 851 Series team. I forgot about audio and was dancing to some artist I don't usually enjoy. Speaking of Cambridge Audio, many people are familiar with it. It works fine and sounds great, except the volume control knob is dangerously unreliable. A power supply board? (turning it down turned it up) so I had to use remote but, that was fine. I understand completely the frustration, however, I've not given up on my beloved 840E (pre-amp); believing I can find a suitable (much higher quality/power/heat-dissipation resistor-relay 'board' (or necessary parts). . Cambridge Audio’s Azur 840C CD player made quite a splash back in 2007. The Azur 851A let me lock on to and fall into this virtuously poetic musical event. After a few stressful intimate moments with the Reset button, I called John Bevier at Audio Plus Services, Cambridge Audio's US distributor, who sent me another Azur 851A. My only caveats concern its charming azure lights and their programmed ability to flash aggressively scary warnings, and those nice little plastic tone controls, one of which got stuck and stopped working. On any same ol' day in the Kingdom, it should have you up, bobbing your head and step-marching like an old drunk on his way to the bar. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. A digital chip board? Could you fill in? The mains switch is on the rear panel, as are two sets of speaker terminals (A and B, selectable via the front panel), an infrared emitter input, an RS232C port for external control in a custom installation, preamp out, and record in and out. I mean, the first sample did not work, the second had problems in the right channel. Its great that stereophile can find these faults with measurements, but that does little for the average consumer who just got screwed. But I have made my choice. It was late; Duke was sitting at the piano, improvising, dreaming, thinking about Billy. You mentioned the Rogue Audio Sphinx as Associated Equipment but didn't write a word of comparison. No problems when using the remote. I Just installed a Rogue Audio Sphinx v2 in my rig to replace it during the 851 repair and it's a dream. Listening Cambridge Audio's Azur 851A integrated amplifier appealed to my listening habits and taste. The Cambridge Azur 851A was doing it all. The total price of my Dr. John system was about $15,000, including cables, jambalaya, and Bananas Foster. Join us on Facebook I hooked up the Azur 851A, switched it on, and pushed the front-panel button that toggles the amp between Standby to On—which caused the rectangular display to glow a beautiful shade of soft gray-blue. BOOM! The 8 series range is fundamental to our commitment to the continual development of the Azur range. Description Hauling it out of its box, it felt much heavier than the claimed 15Kg weight, possibly because the new chassis is so damn solid. Right out of the box, I was having feelings of warmth and excitement about this Cambridge integrated. There is a loud noise coming from the left channel when you first turn on the CD player. Music had a bubbling, exciting energy that I had never experienced with an audio component at this price level. Never mind the built in DAC, the amp gels superbly with the Rega in apodizing mode. . What dealer did the repair? See all our hi-fi amp Best Buys. With amplifiers that use a more conventional potentiometer, halfway is near the maximum rated output. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Every component has been designed for sonic excellence and the signal path has been revised, reviewed and optimised for minimal distortion. I don't understand what is confusing you. I never really liked Dr. John—once I started hanging with Boozoo Chavis, Clifton Chenier, and Professor Longhair, I got too hip to step down to faux voodoo. Just too many other makers for me to take a chance on CA gear again. Provide a good solid-state amplifier of medium to high power, but don't go crazy with the cost. Manufacturers comments that they monitor quality contol or own the factory are meaningless. But listening to Thibaudet's Satie: The Complete Solo Piano Music (5 CDs, Decca 473 620-2), I also feel I can better grasp those eccentric, weirdly poetic "performance indications" that Satie famously inscribed between the staves: "without pride," "with astonishment," "sadly," "gravely," etc. OMG! "Poor little Sweet Pea, Billy Strayhorn, William Thomas Strayhorn, the biggest human being who ever lived," said Duke Ellington. I have a 840E preamp -great piece, but damn the under-spec'd resistor/relay 'volume attenuation' (that constantly overheats -at high attenuation- causing hi-fi buff's to fear losing their prized kit. Cambridge Audio 851A: Verdict. The manufacturers seem to think this is acceptable since they provide us with a short warranty period. Find out more. Manufacturers comments that they monitor quality contol or own the factory are meaningless. Maybe I got a lemon 851a. Totally get what you say about texture and color, and from one junkie to another, you should have a look at the Hegel H80. As I mature, my need deepens for reverie-inspiring music with long, slow beginnings. All cambridge product are off my list. Yes, it was just out of warranty, I paid for the fix. I groped frantically for the Standby switch and stared at that pretty blue display. What does the Red symbol on the 851N's screen mean? The new Cambridge Audio Azur 851A continues the conventional design of Cambridge Audio, and the sound quality is very British. Totally get what you say about texture and color, and from one junkie to another, you should have a look at the Hegel H80. If I cannot afford a north american or european product I will buy something used or wait. It scared me less than the first one—and liked me more. Something really good was taking place—either the LP, the Cambridge Azur, or the front end was making some unusually exciting music. 0 valoraciones En ... TV, etc., ¡eliminando el problema perenne de tener que recordar qué dispositivo está conectado a qué entrada! Nights of listening with the Azur 851A left me drunk on music and high on moderately priced audio. We should get a reliable product that should last for years. In my review of that device (Issue 174, September, 2007) I was shocked not only by the advanced technologies and build-quality of this $1499 player, but more importantly by how good it sounded. Is this normal? To understand this music, the listener must surrender to the full implications of the composer's highly structured and extremely painterly use of tone and texture. It was out of warranty and you repaired a $1200 to $1500 component for $700.... What shop or dealer handled the $700 repair? A power supply board? If they work in an F16, they'll surely outlast all these fashionable, programmable, namby-pamby, chip-based interfaces.". I gave up on Cambridge Audio, although that DAC was really doing magic while it worked. The precision volume control provides remarkable stereo separation, while the overall effect is to give your music collection a new lease of life. No more made in China for me. Cambridge Audio has some fine product; the 851A reviewed case in point. Maybe it was because I'd surrounded this excellent integrated with some well-chosen stuff. I have had bad luck with made in china products. The manufacturers seem to think this is acceptable since they provide us with a short warranty period. CLASS XD + TWO TRANSFORMERS "[H]e successfully married melody, words and harmony, equating the fitting with happiness." I assume you contacted the same people when it happened the second time...whether out of the repair warranty period or not. "Class XD (crossover displacement), gives the benefits of pure class-A operation at low levels and eliminates the distortion associated with conventional class-B operation as the fragile audio signal passes through the zero crossing point from transistor to transistor. It lasted for a bit over a year and died just like it did the first time. What did they have to say for themselves? Those encountering the Cambridge marque for the first time will find the 851A and 851C well thought out, and not requiring the remote for most functions. One heck of a pre -a rare (musical) treat. But I have made my choice. Cambridge Audio 851A . A few years back I also stumbled, fortuitously it proved, on a CA product; 840E preamplifier. BOOM! Cambridge Audio has some fine product; the 851A reviewed case in point. A year later, it failed, the same way it failed the first time! A theophany is a visible manifestation of a deity, and Tavener describes his work as "an attempt to show the presence of God in all things." Life and fire I mean, the first sample did not work, the second had problems in the right channel. Partnerský zesilovač 851 A je vlkem v rouše beránčím, svalnatý zesilovač, jenž uchvátí reprosoustavy a vyždímá z … In short, I want a cornerstone on which I can build a high-quality high-end system that should retain its usefulness and resale value—and that I should enjoy—for decades to come. Great sound nice features but not reliable aa one would expect. I became a Tavener zealot. Thoughts on the Cambridge Audio Azur 851A Integrated Amp? "Lotus Blossom," the last song on side 2, was recorded after the session in Studio A was completed. Cambridge Audio's 840a is a terrific value, offering near-high-end sound at a very competitive price. What problem was that exactly that happened twice to the CD player? I couldn't tell exactly where the mikes were placed, but in the three. For, as you say, CA otherwise has shown it can make some impressive kit. As I said at the beginning, with a high-quality, "essentials only" line integrated amplifier, the sound character can be easily upgraded and refined with the choice of superb sources and the amp-speaker combination of your dreams. What have I done? To do this, Cambridge Audio use a blend of clever technology and high-end components. Right now, I'm on NAD m51 and m3... fingers crossed master series will last longer. A year later, it happened again. The koto was enjoyably present, detailed, properly scaled, and sounded very natural. FE C10427K 1205 0137) using my recently recalibrated Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com, and the January 2008 " As We See It For the tribute to Strayhorn, I was using some slightly more exotic audio bits: Zu Audio's DL-103 MC cartridge, Intact Audio's nickel-core 1:10 MC transformer, April Sound's BB1 tubed phono stage, and the DeVore O/93s. What did they have to say for themselves? It was about a $1200 component, at least two years old, which means depreciated to about $600 or $700, and you spent $700 to get it fixed. Consumers dont have test gear, we sort of have to hope that things work..... Can you imagine what a hassle the dealer would give you if you tried to return a product saying the right channel sounds distorted? Never mind the built in DAC, the amp gels superbly with the Rega in apodizing mode. After a few days of breaking in the second Azur 851A by streaming electronic dance music, I played Japanese Koto Classics (LP, Nonesuch Explorer Series H-72008). I wouldn't use the phrase "motherboard" for a CD player, personally. Crisp and colorful!, I kept thinking, and wondered: Maybe I underestimated how vivid and dynamic the Ortofon 2M Black and Soundsmith MMP3 could be. Do muzikálna dolaďovaly set Cambridge Audio reprosoustavy Sonus Faber Venere 2.0. This gear cost a lot of money. The stream magic app will also change the volume on the the 851A if you have the remote interconnect ... Great sounding amp though, no problems with the sound, just unsaleable if i ever decide to upgrade due to the above problems. Tavener's orchestral vision is forged in rich colors and bas-relief textures; rhythm and harmony are minimized. That way, I can add a DAC, server, phono stage, or Bluetooth, of any quality level, any time I choose. Yes, it was just out of warranty, I paid for the fix. They replaced the complete motherboard the first time. A great midrange should be overflowing and "ripe" with texture and color. I played the CD over and over, day and night, for three days. Theophany I don’t think the Cambridge has ever given me problems. $1,500. . Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Cambridge Audio Azur 851A Integrated Class XD Amplifier - Silver at Amazon.com. Through the Azur, I could not only hear the musicians talking as they packed up their instruments in the background—I could hear (and see) the room. Sitting on the floor, hyperventilating, I checked the manual for troubleshooting tips and discovered explanations of the CAP5 Fiveway protection system. $1,500. I liked the sound and several digital inputs it offered. Just too many other makers for me to take a chance on CA gear again. Its great that stereophile can find these faults with measurements, but that does little for the average consumer who just got screwed. It made funny noises but after warmup you could use it normally? . My Cambridge Audio 840C cd player died twice. Makes me want to stay away from the whole company. Then, when everything else is in place, I can choose a different amp—the one that makes the most magic with the speakers I've chosen. Very nicely done. How do I perform a factory reset on the CXA60/CXA80? Thibaudet brings me even closer than Ciccolini to the piquant, melancholy effects called for in Satie's notes, and shows me even more of Satie's moods. Integrated Class XD Amplifier. Finally, Control Bus inputs allow the linking of compatible Cambridge Audio products for easy control from one remote. They changed the complete *motherboard* with DAC, CPU's, condensators, external connectors, everything. In case you haven't guessed, I'm a texture freak and a color whore. And these are samples send to reviewers, not purchased by the unsuspecting customer. It was flashing "DC ERROR! With these thoughts, I replaced the DeVore O/93s with the KEF LS50s and slid into the CD player Sir John Kenneth Tavener's Theophany, with Richard Hickox conducting the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (CD, Chandos 9440). Azur 851N - Information about the latest firmware update; Why do I have to turn the volume control on my 851A up past halfway to get the volume level I want. There's a first time for everything. Date published: 2020-02-05. Making the 851C switchable between USB 1.0 and 2.0 avoids this problem. Cambridge Audio Azur 851A Integrated Amplifier - 120: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics Select Your Cookie Preferences We use cookies and similar tools to enhance your shopping experience, to provide our services, understand how customers use our services so we can make improvements, and display ads. For those ready to embrace the brave new world of multizone audio the Cambridge’s flexibility may also prove irresistible. Follow whathifi.com on Twitter. IR Remote Control: The 851A is supplied with an Azur Navigator IR remote control that operates both this amplifier and Cambridge Audio Azur-series CD players. Description On their website, Cambridge Audio describes the Azur 851A ($1900) as their "Flagship Integrated Class XD Amplifier," and that it provides "120 watts per channel of Class XD amplification" from "an acoustically damped full metal chassis." No Mono button? I am not going to spend 700 USD again to fix it. What board? If I cannot afford a north american or european product I will buy something used or wait. I'd add; dispense with those ridiculous "tone" controls altogether. I wrote in the previous message, it had loud white noise going on a left channel, until it warmed up. Make sure this line stage has appropriate gain, and high input and low output impedances. for us to look at: mendaily DOT com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12 FORWARD SLASH Cambridge-Audio-Azur-851C-Inside DOT jpg. What a giant-killer match! Turn off, turn on, turn off... let it warm up and after some time the *loud* white noise stops and you can start using it. the up/down/runaway volume). Consumers dont have test gear, we sort of have to hope that things work..... Can you imagine what a hassle the dealer would give you if you tried to return a product saying the right channel sounds distorted? Could you fill in? A digital chip board? I find this comparison rather interesting, both integrated being fully analog, almost same price range, but different approach. If they work in an F16, they'll surely outlast all these fashionable, programmable, namby-pamby, chip-based interfaces.". i.e. Right now I'm sitting, listening, and thinking: I love all the newest amps from Pass Labs—I'd buy one if I could, but I can't afford them. (Hallucination publicitaire?). Turn off, turn on, turn off... let it warm up and after some time the *loud* white noise stops and you can start using it. The one that represents cambridge audio and sells the CD player. Theophany unfolds in three sections that move from dark stillness to light, and sonically from near silence to startling cacophony. DACs - What is Digital Pre-Amp Mode and how does it work? The precision volume control provides remarkable stereo separation, while the overall effect is to give your music collection a new lease of life. Why would I complain again? (turning it down turned it up) so I had to use remote but, that was fine. I am so in love with Aldo Ciccolini's spirited, irony-filled renderings of Eric Satie's piano music that, every time I listen to Ciccolini's student, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, playing these masterpieces of La Belle Epoch, I feel I'm cheating on my girlfriend. Driving the KEF LS50s, the Cambridge Azur 851A seemed to show me everything. A bag containing the documentation, a remote and batteries lies on the top in between the 2 foam ends. The volume control is a completely linear scale so halfway is exactly 50% of the rated output. I Just installed a Rogue Audio Sphinx v2 in my rig to replace it during the 851 repair and it's a dream. . AZUR 851A The Cambridge Audio A851 possesses incredible power, finesse and astonishingly low distortion. Cambridge Azur 851A integrated amplifier Measurements I measured the second sample of the Cambridge Audio Azur 851A (serial no. Azur 851W. Azur 851A. The other work on this disc, Eis Thanaton (Ode to Death)—with Hickox conducting the same singers and, this time, the City of London Sinfonia—features stirringly prayerful counterpoint between Stephen Richardson's hypertextured bass and Patricia Rozario's solemn soprano. OK I got mine in 2012 and LOVED it, by 2014 it was randomly turning off and weird volume knob issues. A look at the new amp at the heart of my HiFI...and a re-cap of the other components that make up the rest of the system...(this week). I can't remember having ever been impressed or excited by the 2M Black's microdynamic expression—and now I was. See all our hi-fi amp Best Buys. Maybe I got a lemon 851a. The A500's do chernobyl taking out a … I know they are making them in China but for close to $2k I certainly expect better QC! What? The 851A volume control is slightly different to other Cambridge Audio amplifiers. All available for free download. A few years back I also stumbled, fortuitously it proved, on a CA product; 840E preamplifier. Cambridge Audio Azur 851A. To this audiophile, the Azur 851A represents a versatile and extraordinarily musical cornerstone on which to build a truly enjoyable high-end system that can play all types of music with righteous aplomb for little cost. Hey Frems: Solid review. and his mother called him Bill" (LP, RCA Living Stereo LSP-3906), I felt not only that happiness, but the sadness in Ellington's heart. Great Review! What dealer did the repair? What could they say? Fearful for my privates, I shut it down again. I found a nice image of the guts (C rev.) What were the symptoms of this failure? What dealer? I don't understand what is confusing you. I swear, I thought I could feel the screens on the mikes! Like all Cambridge Audio products, the 851A adheres to our three core I did not want to buy a new one, I fixed the old one. Cambridge Audio's Azur 851A might just be that type of integrated amp. You mentioned the Rogue Audio Sphinx as Associated Equipment but didn't write a word of comparison. The 840 "disappears," conveying the sound of the source without adding any coloration. Cheating on Aldo For the first time ever with this music, I felt it was all there before me. Color and space everywhere, with more flashy sonics and sinewy transients than I'm used to from my system. With this setup it was easy to enjoy the tone and rhythms of Ellington's piano, but it was also clear that these notes and tones had originated in his heart. for us to look at: mendaily DOT com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12 FORWARD SLASH Cambridge-Audio-Azur-851C-Inside DOT jpg. On their website, Cambridge Audio describes the Azur 851A ($1900) as their "Flagship Integrated Class XD Amplifier," and that it provides "120 watts per channel of Class XD amplification" from "an acoustically damped full metal chassis." Comparison with Associated Equipment (Sphinx)? Cambridge Audio's Azur 851A integrated amplifier appealed to my listening habits and taste. Cambridge Audio 851A: Verdict. ... My only caveats concern its .... nice little plastic tone controls, one of which got stuck and stopped working ...hermetically sealed, military-spec pots and switches? In many stereophile articles you mention where the product is made. Join us on Facebook Terrible. Cambridge Audio power amplifier products with traditional British blood have always attracted many music lovers with their simple design and natural British sound. Cambridge Audio's Azur 851A might just be that type of integrated amp. Happy with my Rogue. Dennis Burger takes the Cambridge Audio Azur 751R AV receiver and puts it to the test in this review. The Azur 851A/C Navigator remote control can also control the basic functions of Apple devices, such as Apple TV and Apple's iPod/iPhone/iPad when docked in a Cambridge Audio or Apple dock (sold separately). Right now, I'm on NAD m51 and m3... fingers crossed master series will last longer. The Azur 540R is a bit of a lemon, has problems with the volume control. I selected Source 1, and pushed Play on my CD player. I have had bad luck with made in china products. As far as I can tell, there are two reasons Cambridge calls the Azur 851C not just a preamplifier but a digital preamplifier. I did not want to buy a new one, I fixed the old one. Your report mirrors my experience with CA products. The biggest collection of Cambridge Audio manuals and schematics. I'm talking under $5000 for amp, speakers, and cables that play with the impact, sophistication, color, and refinement of systems costing maybe $20,000 or more. The azur 840A is beautifully made, and its power, clarity, detail, and life-like dynamics make it a blast to hear. Everything looked pretty okay, so I turned the volume up a smidge, to –82, and suddenly the volume went full throttle (–00), instigating crashing sounds and insanely pumping cones. No more made in China for me. If only CA could rid themselves of a few of these glaring mis-steps, they'd have a stunning, high-performance, high-value offering that would satisfy audiophile's (rightful) expectations. One has to do with volume, which, once this is enabled through the menu system, is … Conclusion Amps or speakers that many audiophiles call transparent achieve their apparent transparency, I believe, by losing small-signal textural and color information. Driving the un-broken-in Enzos (review to come), the 851A presented music with deep, deep, well-defined, tuneful bass, elegantly stated detail, and startling dynamics. DC ERROR!". I was even having flashbacks of the Koetsu Rosewood Signature. The one that represents cambridge audio and sells the CD player. The more integrated amps I review, the more I want to tell manufacturers: Please, skip the DAC, omit the phono stage, lose the Bluetooth—just give me the best sound quality, and the most vivid, most transparent line stage and control center (with pre-out) you can design.