STEREO AMPLIFIERS

Some familiar products here after a remarkably difficult 18 months - but don't let that worry you: each one of these amps is a truly worthy winner

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Cambridge Audio CXA81

₹1,29,000

WHAT HI-FI? AWARDS 2021 ***** BEST STEREO AMPLIFIER ₹ 80,000-₹ 1,50,000 PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

It's a three-peat of Product of the Year Awards for Cambridge's remarkable CXA81 amplifier. This sweet-spot-hitting winner replaced the already impressive CXA80 in 2019, and immediately walked off with the top gong in the stereo amplifier category.

Although Cambridge's engineers kept this integrated amp's basic analogue circuit layout unchanged, they upgraded its signal path and the capacitors in both the pre and power sections. They also slotted in a superior ESS Sabre ES9016K2M DAC and an improved USB input that supports audio of up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256 quality. An aptX HD Bluetooth receiver allows direct streaming at up to 24-bit/384kHz.

On the analogue side there are four RCA ins and a balanced XLR, while the coaxial input will handle files up to 24-bit/192kHz. Its pair of Toslink optical connections take that up to 96kHz.

The CXA81 also has outputs for a pre-amplifier and subwoofer, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack and space for two pairs of speakers.

There are many Cambridge Audio hallmarks here that make this amp broadly comparable with its predecessor, the CXA80 - only this time there has been progress in every regard. From the opening bars of whatever piece of music we select, we are greeted with the same powerful yet punchy, dynamic and astonishingly detailed presentation.