Arcam A15

No excuses are required. The A15 is a stonking product

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The A15 sits between the entry-level A5 and range-topping Class G A25 in Arcam's Radia series of products. We really liked the A5, and wondered whether the step-up A15 could really offer any more. This middle-rung amplifier does more than offer a bit more power, though. The A5 outputs a claimed 50W per channel into 8 ohms while the A15 takes that to 80W into the same load.

Arcam has been generous with the spec sheet. We doubt this amplifier will ever get caught short in most setups given it has three line-level inputs, a pair of coaxial digital and a single optical. The popular ESS ES9018 DAC chip is at the heart of the DAC module. There is a preamp output for those who want to upgrade by adding an outboard power amplifier, and a 3.5mm headphone output on the front panel. Arcam has included a moving-magnet phono stage too.

It comes equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 and is compatible with aptX Adaptive, which opens up easy use with phones and laptops. The Bluetooth is two-way, so can receive signals but also send them out to a compatible wireless speaker or headphones.