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Cambridge Audio CXA81 Review and Thoughts?

Though it’s likely too mid-fi for most folks on this forum to be bothered, I thought I’d share my experience w/ this amp and also see if anyone else has thoughts or advice. I have mixed feelings about the amp.

My previous amp was a Creek Classic 5350SE. My speakers are Dynaudio Audience 52s. Source is Tidal on an iMac connected via USB to a Musical Fidelity V-DAC ii. I was having problems w/ the old Creek amp (channel drop-out) and so finally decided to replace it with the CXA81.

I find the CXA to be much more forward in presentation than the Creek. The level of detail and the soundstage is much more apparent. In addition to the highs being more emphasized, the bass has more drive, yet is sufficiently firm and resolved to my humble ears. Certainly there are some things I like about all this. Though I really don’t like the onboard DAC that comes with the CXA amp. It’s pleasantly detailed but sounds thin. Female vocals in particular, which once were the focal point of a track, lack presence and seem to disappear in the background, leaving only the breath-y upper registers. So I’ve switched back to using my old V-DACii.

But even with my old DAC, I’m trying to decide if the amp is still too forward and fatiguing for me. I like the level of energy that the amp brings to music. It’s more engaging than the 5350. But I’m trying to decide if it will be too fatiguing and if the presentation is somehow "false." I listen to all kinds of stuff, lot’s of neo-classical, minimalist piano, folk, ambient electronic. I have another month to spend with it and still be able to return it. I’m also thinking of swapping out my DAC with a Schiit Modi 3, which has a reputation for having a sweet, strong midrange presentation which I thought could pair well with the cool, airy CXA81.

The CXA81 gets tons of very good reviews, but maybe these reviews are all very influenced by some back room marketing dynamics.

Thoughts?
olilama76
olilama76 OP
5 posts
 
Just wanted to provide an update here in case it's useful for anybody considering the CXA81.  I ended up returning it because after months of listening, I found the sound to be too forward and fatiguing.  Before returning it, I replaced my DAC with a Schiit Modi 3, which has a reputation for having a sweeter and perhaps more full-bodied sound than my previous DAC.  I also bought a Schiit Loki tone control so that I could roll off the highs a bit, to try to make the CXA81 sound less bright.  But still I found the sound too forward, and lean.
I ended up getting a Schiit Vidar and Saga S and A/B'ed them for a few weeks.  The Schiit pairing was slightly less revealing than the Cambridge, but the sound was much more full bodied and a little darker/sweeter. In the end I decided that the Schiit worked better in my system.  As many have said, I think it's important to consider the overall quality of the sound and the way different components work together. Though I could impress my friends with the detailed sound of the CXA81, in the end I didn't find it to be as enjoyable a sound as that which I got with the Schiit Vidar and Saga.
I later got also got a Bluesound Node 2i to stream music from, instead of streaming from my iMac with a USB connection to the DAC.  That was a noticable improvement and I wish I had made that change before I returned the CXA81.  I suppose it's possible that some of the harshness and forwardness that I was hearing was a result of jitter from the iMac USB setup.  I would have been good to at least just learn from that experiment. Regardless, I'm really happy with the sound from the Schiit Vidar / Saga S streaming via the Node 2i, going to my Dynaudio Audience 52s.  Pretty underwhelmed with the BluOS app, though, but that's another story.
ohmy
8 posts
 
Thanks for posting this. I discovered it while searching for a comparison between Cambridge Audio amps and Schiit amps. Your experience with the CXA81 mirrors my own with the CXA61. I landed on the CXA61 because of stellar reviews and an overall brand reputation. However, after using it for two months I could not stop headaches from happening while listening to music. It took a while to even identify that it was the music that was causing them. If someone had told me a particular piece of audio equipment could cause headaches (which I think some people call listener fatigue) I would have told them to just turn down the volume, but this had nothing to do with the volume. It was the strangest thing. For what it is worth, I used the CXA61 with its built in DAC via USB and Optical, with a PC onboard DAC via RCA and optical, and with a Schiit Modi 3+ via USB and optical. My ears hurt while listening to all of them, and they stopped hurting as soon as I went back to my cheap AudioSource AMP100VS. I think it’s pretty clear the fatigue had something to do with the CXA61.

Since then I’ve experimented with a few of Schiit’s products. Right now I have a Sys, Loki Mini+, and Modi 3+ Multibit hooked up to my AudioSource amp. As is, I really like the quality of the sound, but I noticed a nice broadening of sound when I tried a Valhalla 2 and Bitfrost combo in Schiit’s store. So now I’m entertaining the idea of a Schiit Vidar and one of their preamps. I’m not sure if I should go with the Saga+, Freya, or less traditionally used Valhalla 2 that I enjoyed in store. Anyway...

I’d be curious to hear about your experience with the Vidar/Saga combo. Have you continued to like it? Did you trade-in or upgrade since then?
catecholcool
1 posts
 
I just set up listening system which includes a TV, HD radio, Bluetooth sourcing, and a-pro-ject X1 turntable playing via a Schitt Mani phono preamp. All this is driven by a Cambridge Audio CXA81 into Elac Debut 2 B6.2 speakers and Elac 1010 subs. I am very pleased with the result. 
I’ve read so many tiresome reviews written by self anointed and self-glorified audiophilliac aficionados. These guys, many of whom worked in hi-GI retail, were raised on equipment so expensive and rarified that the left handed, grudging, and lilting complements for the equipment accessible to us, the hoi pollois, should provoke anger and resentment in us consumers for these reviewers. They have little respect for us, the middle level consumers looking for the best we can afford. 
Remember whom these reviewers are serving and are beholden, the high level marketers and manufacturers whose intention it is that we never forget that our limited means made us settle for less than is available so that we may never be happy with what we have until we aspires and spend beyond our means to deign to reach hi-fi Nirvana. Beware, resist, and enjoy the best of what you can have without loosing sight of the goal: enjoy the music.  
muddywaters61's avatar
muddywaters61
41 posts
 

Here’s my 2 cents worth, if you’re getting listening fatigue with this amplifier you better not ever get into real high end gear because it will only be more apparent. 
From my own experience thats such a fine line the higher up the chain you go. 
I’ve been running high end McIntosh gear now for 7 years, last Intergraded was the MA6600, I’m currently looking at the higher end Luxman stuff but in the mean time my buddy lent me this Cambridge amp to tide me over until I find what I’m looking for. Personally I’m so impressed with this little guy I’m trying to justify spending 10 times the $ on something else. A little background on the front and back end is I’m using an Oracle turntable with a SME Series III arm with a Grado Sonata wood body cartridge’$700’. This is going through a Pass Labs Phono Preamp XP15. The speakers are Harbeth 30.1. $4-5k. So ya I’m putting a nice signal in and the Harbeth’s are working with what they are given. To my ears this amp sounds well above its price point. Stereo separation is phenomenal, lots of clean tight bass and the highs aren’t the least bit shrilly or overwhelming. My McIntosh was 200 watts where this is 80 but not that noticeable of a difference. One reason I got rid of the McIntosh was listening fatigue and just plain tired of the hard dynamic sound. 
Trying to describe what we hear is such a challenge but I will say this, I was up late last night listening to this amp saying one more album ok one more, needless to say to my ears very engaging. I couldn’t wait to have another listen this morning and hooked up my old Arcam CD player, it sounds smoother the vinyl does. 
Bottom line is I’ve realized you don’t have to spend stupid money to get great sound. Well matched gear can make all the difference. I’ve often heard it said that good speakers are a great starting point and maybe that’s why this bad boy sings in my set up. Fit and finish on this is top notch, it’s got some weight to it & that’s important to me and hearing those relays click inside when changing inputs sounds so solid and precise. I’m in my 60’s and been at this game since I was a kid. 
What is sold on the market today for the money is incredible. As long a products like this keep showing up the industry will be continue to grow.
Well done Cambridge 👍😎

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