CXA81
Integrated Stereo Amplifier
$999.00
4.5
(103)
  • Award-Winning Sound - 4x winner of What Hi-Fi? Product of the Year
  • 80 watts per channel –  power to drive the most demanding speakers 
  • Class AB Amplification – for balanced & efficient performance 
  • Toroidal Transformer – for incredible sound-staging 
  • High Quality ESS Sabre ES9016 DAC – to realise digital music at its best 
  • Digital inputs – TOSLINK, Coaxial & USB Audio Input (up to 24-bit/384kHz & DSD256 digital files from Mac/PC) 
  • Balanced XLR inputs – for premium connection  
  • Bluetooth aptX HD input – connect wirelessly to devices, incl. Alva TT V2
Colour
$999.00
FREE DELIVERY
60 DAY FREE RETURNS
EXCELLENT SUPPORT
  • CXA81 What Hi-Fi? Product of the Year 2022

    Rewarding Performance 

    Our CXA81 integrated amplifier builds on the foundations laid by the first CX Series, and over 50 years’ experience of building amps. It offers a progressive perspective – effortless, poised and sophisticated. 80 watts per channel give CXA81 complete authority over music, to reveal every emotion and nuance from your whole music collection – be that streamed or on disc. 

    CXA81 Black Edition

    CX Black Edition

    We present a 1000-piece limited edition of each CX Series 2 model in a minimalist matt black finish, with discreet gloss black branding. The same award-winning sound as CX, only in black. Why? Because we thought they’d look dead cool. If you want some, please don’t delay – CX Black Edition won’t be here for long. 

    CX Series Hi-Fi stack in living room

    Your World’s a Stage

    The thing that hits you when you hear CXA81 for the first time, is just how detailed everything sounds. You’ll pick up instruments, subtle shifts in tone, and harmonies you’ve previously missed. Close your eyes, and you’ll be able to place every musician in the soundstage. Once you’ve experienced CXA81, there’s no turning back.

    Engineer working on Cambridge Audio product

    Return on Investment

    Our engineering team in London invested hours researching, developing, experimenting and, above all, listening to ensure that CXA81 was right. Their goal: to make the most accomplished and absorbing integrated amp in its class. Every component selected, and decision made, based on the desire to deliver the most complete musical picture possible.
     

    CXA81 in use in a living room

    Effortlessly Musical

    At the heart of CXA81 beats a Class AB power amplifier stage with optimised capacitor values. It takes the musicality of Class A and blends it with the efficiency of Class B. The amp’s short signal path is efficient, leaving little opportunity for interference. The resulting sound is pristine while delivering the emotional impact the artist intended.

    Close up of CXA81 detail

    Power with Control

    Thanks to a generous toroidal transformer, CXA81 delivers a prodigious 80 watts of power per channel. Dual taps into the left and right of the amplification board mean that, in effect, each channel has its own power supply – resulting in a vivid sound stage. Dynamic shifts in music – like those loud then quiet moments – are handled with ease. 

    Man in chair using StreamMagic to control a CX series Hi-Fi stack

    Get the Message 

    Designed to bring your music to life, CXA81’s state-of-the-art digital circuit board includes the cutting-edge ESS Sabre ES9016 digital-to-analogue convertor (DAC). This means digital audio files, up to a heady 32-bit/384kHz or DSD256, are energised – with every subtle detail delivered in full. CXA81 combines unparalleled accuracy with vivid musicality, doing so beautifully.

    Connectivity options at rear of CXA81

    Get Connected

    CXA81 has connectivity covered. As well as digital optical, coaxial and USB Audio, it features stereo RCA inputs, balanced XLR sockets plus wireless hi-res connectivity via Bluetooth aptX HD – perfect for Alva TT V2. You can even connect a second set of speakers, to hear your music in another room.

    Button being pressed on the CXA81

    Designed for Life

    Thanks to the relentless dedication of our team in London, CXA81 is a complete solution. Its combination of versatility, power and audio excellence means it can form the centre of your musical experience for many years to come. Its elegant, minimalistic lines, crafted from aluminium and steel, will endure both physically and aesthetically. 

    • Superb Amp. I Can’t Stop Smiling

      "I bought this amp a week or so ago and cannot recommend it enough. The clarity, soundstage and depth are a giant stride better than my old amp. Everything is so tight and crisp. Digital or vinyl it’s like I’m listening to my music collection for the first time.”

      CXA81 Listener – West Midlands, England

  • Technical Specifications

    POWER OUTPUT 80W RMS into 8 Ohms, 120W RMS into 4 Ohms
    DAC ESS Sabre ES9016K2M
    FREQUENCY RESPONSE <5Hz– 60kHz +/-1dB
    ANALOGUE AUDIO INPUTS 1x balanced XLR, 4 x RCA
    DIGITAL AUDIO INPUTS 1 x S/PDIF coaxial, 2 x TOSLINK optical, 1 x USB audio, Bluetooth (integrated)
    COMPATIBILITY TOSLINK optical: 16/24bit 32-96kHz PCM only, S/PDIF coaxial: 16/24bit 32-192kHz PCM only, USB: audio profile 1.0/2.0 (default 2.0), up to 24-bit 384kHz PCM, up to DSD256 or DoP256, Bluetooth: 4.2 A2DP/AVRCP supporting up to aptX HD (24bit 48kHz)
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  • Product Support & Downloads

  • CXA81 Reviews

    4.5

    4.5
    (103)

    66 Reviews

    very happy

    I bought this a couple of weeks ago as my "old" C. A. material doesn't support Bluetooth. Delivery was very fast (next day ), installation was extremely easy, and I'm impressed by the power it delivers.

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    If you want the fifth star... Read on

    Very, very happy with the full amp, CD and streamer limited black edition offering of the CX range. Looks delicious and sounds beautiful
    However, I'm left with a problem. I have a turntable, equally gorgeous but Cambridge don't offer a black edition phono stage. It's silver and it would somewhat ruin my overall finish.
    Reverted to using an old NAD PP2 with a gleaming green perma light distracting the eye from the main act.
    Any chance of a black edition of the Alva duo?

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    Response from Cambridge Audio

    Dear Customer

    Thank you for your valuable response.

    We have passed on your suggestions to our team.

    We will work on it in near future.Kind Regards

    Cambridge Audio Customer Support

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    Lovely soundstage that is warm and muscial

    I bought this not so long ago having compared a handful of other amps. I am no audiophile so went with the sonic characteristics that appealed to me. Some of the others sounded clinical in the name of clarity and boomy in the name of deep bass. But the CXA81 brought it all together. It felt warm, musical and controlled. The soundstage appeared wider with the ability to easily distinguish perception of depth in the placements of various musical instruments. Everything felt controlled. The built-in DAC is extremely good. But nothing like the Mojo 2 for those of you who use it. I have used the CXA81 with the Q Acoustics 3020i as well as Oberon 5s. Add Mojo 2 to the mix and the result was astounding.

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    Replaced Marantz PM6006 with a CXA81

    I replaced my Marantz PM6006 with a Cambridge CXA81, and the upgrade was noticeable right away - even before burning in the caps. Different power output (45wpc vs. 80wpc) and different price points, so maybe not a fair comparison, but I was pleased that the difference wasn’t subtle. Better clarity and separation, wider sound stage, and tighter bass. Drives my Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary speakers really well. Can’t wait until it’s properly broken in.
    No tone controls, but I’m not missing them. The direct sound is balanced and full, but not dark or bright.
    My Sennheiser HD1s (wired) sound great, the onboard DAC is quite nice. I also like the clean, streamlined look of the amp. No phono stage, but I already had a Schiit Mani that works great with it. I actually prefer that Cambridge focused on making this the best clean power source they could rather than defer some of that engineering to the inclusion of a preamp.
    All in all a great amp at this price point. Recommended.

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