Cambridge Audio Evo One

Composed, spacious sound in One neat package

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₹1,65,000

The world of all-in-one systems isn't as overstuffed as the land of Bluetooth speakers or wireless earbuds, but there is still plenty of quality competition for Cambridge Audio's new and somewhat boastfully named The One. The Naim Mu-so 2 has been around for more than five years, yet continues to earn plaudits at its ever-reducing price, whereas the stunning Ruark Audio R410 is the bruiser to beat on this block. Some decent alternatives are out there, but is the Evo the 'One' for you?

Classy looks

Built like a sort of scaled-down Brutalist structure, the Evo One's careful blending of a rectangular exterior with that dominant front grille makes for a pleasing fusion of hard and soft. It's a classy system and, when put up against the retro-modern aesthetic of the Ruark Audio R410 or the industrial looks of the Naim Mu-so 2, demonstrates that there is more than one way to skin this particular metaphorical cat. The Ruark's crafted wooden grilles are arguably on another level of drop-dead gorgeous, while Naim's metal finish and illuminated control dial has a touch more je ne sais quoi; but the Evo One is far from an ugly stepsister.

It is a bit of a beast, measuring 12.9 x 67.5 x 29cm (hwd) and weighing 14.5kg, so you'll need to make sure you have a sturdy, robust and sufficiently capacious surface on which to house it. Beastly it may be in terms of dimensions, but there's beauty to be found as we cast an eye, and indeed a hand, over the Cambridge's particulars. The removable honeycomb grille sits tight to the main unit, whereas that smooth walnut top panel - very much the star of the show - lends a premium feel. Squat down and you'll notice that the Evo One is mounted on a recessed base stand, allowing the speaker to stand above its surface without detracting from the frontage's bold aesthetic - again, that's a nice touch.