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Cambridge Audio Edge W

Power amplifier

Relative price

typical

Among the 25 power amplifiers in the catalogue, this one is typical.

A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.

What it is

I/O: accepts both RCA and XLR.

Competition record

Assessed against 19 rivals across the sixty systems: 5 head-to-heads won, 55 lost.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • bass control ×20
  • vocal presence ×19
  • timing and drive ×6
  • low-level clarity ×5
  • midrange truth ×3

Who it comes up against

Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units)

13 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Characterful, PRaT, Reference, Romantic

Against the Anchored brief, the Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units) keeps the slot decisively.

With the Emmae Reginae (custom), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

straight wire with gainaudioXpress (Masciarotte) 2020

NVA S80 Stereo

7 lost· 1 won · Artisan, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path

Against the Characterful brief, the NVA S80 Stereo keeps the slot clearly.

With the NVA P50 MKII, the pairing gives up most on vocal presence.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the stronger power amplifier — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the NVA P50 MKII gives up vocal presence under the Characterful weighting.

It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the power amplifier position.

Audiolab 9000P

5 lost · Anchored, Characterful, PRaT, Romantic, Silent Path

Against the Characterful brief, the Audiolab 9000P keeps the slot decisively.

With the Audiolab 9000Q, the pairing gives up most on vocal presence.

With the Neat Petite Classic, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

deep, tight, controlled bass without overbearingHiFiMART user review + Audio Tailor review

Sugden ANV 50

4 lost · BBC Sound, Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Sugden ANV 50 keeps the slot decisively.

Leema Hydra II

4 lost · Cavity-Native, Characterful, Romantic

Against the Cavity-Native brief, the Leema Hydra II keeps the slot decisively.

With the Emmae Reginae (custom), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

With the Leema Neutron, the pairing gives up most on vocal presence.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

Hydra II reference Leema stereo power ampLeema Hydra II positioning

NVA S300 Stereo (Artisan)

4 lost · Artisan, Cavity-Native, Intimate, Reference

Against the Intimate brief, the NVA S300 Stereo (Artisan) keeps the slot clearly.

With the NVA P50SA MKII, the pairing gives up most on vocal presence.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

Audio Note P1 SE

3 lost · Intimate, Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Audio Note P1 SE keeps the slot by a whisker.

With the Emmae Reginae (custom), the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

With the Music First Audio Baby Reference V2, the pairing gains most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

crosstalk below -100dB; SNR >93dBaudioXpress (Yaniger) 2020

EAR Yoshino V12

3 lost · BBC Sound, Vocals-First

No completion of this shape fits that slot's budget.

Exposure XM9 Biamp 2x2 (4 units)

3 lost · Artisan, PRaT, Reference

Against the Artisan brief, the Exposure XM9 Biamp 2x2 (4 units) keeps the slot decisively.

With the Emmae Reginae (custom), the pairing gives up most on timing and drive.

With the Exposure 3510 Preamplifier, the pairing gives up most on vocal presence.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

straight wire with gainaudioXpress (Masciarotte) 2020

EAR Yoshino 890

2 lost · Intimate

Against the Intimate brief, the EAR Yoshino 890 keeps the slot decisively.

With the EAR Yoshino 868L (Line), the pairing gives up most on midrange truth.

With the Emmae Reginae (custom), the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

Chord ULTIMA 6

1 lost · Cavity-Native

Against the Cavity-Native brief, the Chord ULTIMA 6 keeps the slot decisively.

With the Emmae Reginae (custom), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

Ultima 6 stereo with high-frequency feed-forwardChord Ultima 6 stereo positioning

Longdog Audio P6100M (pair)

1 lost · Anchored

Against the Anchored brief, the Longdog Audio P6100M (pair) keeps the slot clearly.

With the Neat Petite Classic, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

Rega io

1 lost · Twin Arms

No completion of this shape fits that slot's budget.

Leak Stereo 230

1 lost · Vocals-First

No completion of this shape fits that slot's budget.

Creek 4040A

1 lost · BBC Sound

No completion of this shape fits that slot's budget.

Quad Artera Stereo

1 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Quad Artera Stereo keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Cambridge Audio Edge W is the weaker power amplifier for that brief.

Exposure 3510

0 lost· 1 won · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Cambridge Audio Edge W takes the slot decisively.

Sugden A21 Signature

0 lost· 1 won · BBC Sound

Against the BBC Sound brief, the Cambridge Audio Edge W takes the slot decisively.

What the reviewers said

Edge W stereo flagship power amp Cambridge Edge W positioning· Physical impact
gut-churning weight... a hammer TAS (Moulton) 2019· Physical impact
straight wire with gain audioXpress (Masciarotte) 2020· Dynamic coherence
crosstalk below -100dB; SNR >93dB audioXpress (Yaniger) 2020· Electrical noise floor
composed and transparent TAS (Moulton) 2019· Tonal body

How it scores

Clarity

  • Electrical noise floor 76 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Tonal body 70 from listening evidence

Bass

  • Bass control 68 from specification
  • Physical impact 76 from listening evidence
  • Bass extension 64 from specification

LowerVolume

  • Low-level noise floor 70 from specification
  • Micro-dynamic resolution 70 from specification
  • Tonal consistency 70 from specification

Specifications

is monoblockFalse
is balanced internalTrue
power classXA
power 8ohm w100.0
power 4ohm w175.0
damping factor200.0
accepts rcaTrue
accepts xlrTrue
accepts dinFalse
input impedance rca kohm47.0
input sensitivity rca mv1000.0
speaker terminal typebinding post
gain db30.0
sold as pairFalse
notes