Improving Upon the Award-Winning Cambridge Audio Azur 540 Series was Not Easy.....Introducing the New 550A!
18-months of Research & Development has Resulted in Numerous Critical Improvements
- Double-sided surface mount technology eliminating wire links and reduces signal path for greatly improved fidelity
- Extensive use of metal film resistors
- Extensive use of WTMA polyester capacitors
- Improved CAP5 protection circuit allowing increased dynamics
- Improved ALPS™ volume control and balance with better channel linearity
- Completely redesigned output stages with new Sanken output transistors for improved bass response and dynamics
- Front mounted 3.5mm mini jack input with auto selection for more easily connecting iPod's, iPhone's and other popular MP3 players and sources.
- Speaker A or B and A+B as opposed to the old way of A or A+B
- Dual layer damped feet for improved vibrations control
- New casework design using thicker brushed aluminum front panel with wrap around cover and no visible screws
- Energy Star certified (New innovative circuitry design consumes less than 1-watt during standby mode)
Cambridge Audio 550A Stereo Integrated Amplifier
Power and poise in perfect harmony
The new Cambridge Audio Azur 550A integrated amplifier focuses on our most closely guarded principles – explosive sonic performance, incredible value and timeless design. Whatever music you’re into, we guarantee we’ve invested all our passion into making the very most of it.
Cambridge Audio’s highly-respected amplifier topology goes to new levels of performance and refinement with the introduction of the 550A. A completely redesigned output stage helps improve bass response and dynamics even further while enabling control of virtually any speaker with aplomb.
Making the Cambridge Audio 550A a true category benchmark was of course a key requirement to Cambridge Audio’s design team.
One area which has received considerable attention is the company’s proprietary CAP5 protection system. Maintaining the original design’s raison d'être – constantly monitoring for overloads, faults and clipping whilst guaranteeing no sound degradation – this new iteration now allows for even greater dynamics and more powerful real-world performance. And like its highly respected predecessors, the 550A features an oversize toroidal transformer for excellent efficiency and extremely low noise.
But power is nothing without control and it’s not just at high volumes where this amplifier offer
peak performance. A completely new high specification Alps volume pot control ensures perfect channel balance at low levels and is complemented with new tone controls offering equally intricate level setting.
Other important improvements include new audiophile grade polypropylene signal capacitors, gold-plated speaker outputs, custom-made electrolytic capacitors in critical positions and several new carefully calculated circuit tweaks.
With so much shoehorned inside, it’s astonishing how the new Azur 550A looks so elegant. In addition to a raft of sonic and environmental benefits, the new Azur range has a completely fresh contoured look with razor sharp displays and velvety smooth controls. A substantial brushed aluminium front panel, a seamless wrap-over lid assembly and dual-layer damped feet all adhere to Cambridge Audio’s rock-solid design standards and also help improve performance through superb resonance control.
The Cambridge Audio 550A – the amp for your connected home
In terms of connectivity, the 550A offers a plethora of inputs and outputs to accommodate the most commonly used home entertainment sources. A front-mounted socket for iPod/MP3 players affords ultimate convenience. In addition, the supplied navigator remote can control the amplifier and either a 550C or 650C CD player as well as virtually any iPod when connected to a suitable dock such as Cambridge Audio’s new iD50.
You can of course also use your 550A to considerably enhance your TV audio output, DVD layer
or connect network music players such as Apple TV, Sonos and Squeezebox.
Azur 550A Performance Features
- 60 Watts X 2 (8 Ohms)
- 90 Watts X 2 (4 Ohms)
- 6 inputs, 2 outputs and tape In
- Oversize toroidal transformer and custom heatsink
- Revised output stage using new high current Sanken output transistors
- New Alps film type ‘black box’ volume pot for excellent channel balance
- Fully updated and re-tuned CAP5 technology for optimal protection and performance
- Control Bus and IR Emitter In connections for simple multi-room integration
- Pre-out for connection to external power amp / active sub
- EnergyStar certified ultra low power (<1W) standby circuit
- New ultra-rigid wrap-around casework design with thick brushed aluminium front panel
- Front-mounted iPod/MP3 socket
- Supplied with new Navigator remote – also controls Azur CD players and docked iPods
- Gold plated low-loss 3-way speaker terminals
- LED indicator shows which speaker terminals (A/B) are selected
- Black or Silver Finish available
Energy Star
So many highs… just one big low!
Reducing the energy consumption of our products within the bounds of maintaining optimal performance is an absolute priority for Cambridge Audio and after a lengthy research and development programme we’ve managed to produce some of the lowest consumption hi-fi ever developed.
Despite being bestowed with an unprecedented amount of technology, the new 550 and 650 ranges* benefit from a closely coveted stamp of approval by Energy Star thanks to their ability to consume less than one watt of power in standby mode. This is naturally brilliant news for the environment but what’s more, it all adds up to significant power consumption savings for you!
Critically, this incredible achievement has been realised without any effect on sound quality since Cambridge Audio’s proprietary standby circuit is totally isolated when the unit is in use. And for those occasions when you want to cut consumption completely – on holiday for example – hard power-down controls are located on the rear panel for complete isolation. So it would for once seem that immense performance and consideration for the environment are not mutually exclusive!
* Excluding 550T
Cambridge Audio 550A Amplifier Specifications
- Power Output: 60 Watts (into 8 Ohms)
- THD (unweighted): <0.002% @ 1kHz, 80% of rated power
- <0.05% 20Hz - 20kHz, 80% of rated
power
- <0.02% 20Hz - 20kHz @ 10W
- Frequency Response: 5Hz - 50kHz (-1dB)
- Signal to Noise Ratio: >92dB (unweighted)
- Input Impedance: 47kohms
- Power amp damping factor: >100
- Max. Power Consumption: 500W
- Standby Power Consumption: <1W @ rated mains
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 4.7" x 16.9" x 13.8”
- Weight: 17.6 lbs
Cambridge Audio has been at the forefront of British hi-fi for more than thirty five years. Since its inception in 1968, Cambridge Audio has brought some of the most innovative and technologically advanced products to market.
During the ‘70s, the P40, P50 and P110 amplifiers established the international reputation of the Cambridge Audio brand. The ‘80s saw Cambridge Audio launch the world’s first two-box CD player. In the ‘90s, the DacMagic was the first product in the company’s history to win an esteemed What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision Best Buy award. The new Millennium saw Cambridge Audio continue to innovate with its award winning DAB digital tuners and of course the highly-acclaimed Azur range.
Cambridge Audio has a philosophy of using only the finest quality components, all models are developed using state-of-the-art test and measurement equipment and feature the latest technology. This commitment to engineering excellence, combined with state of the art manufacturing facilities, means every Cambridge Audio product offers the best possible performance. Prior to launch, all designs undergo rigorous evaluation involving meticulous listening and fine tuning.
But the main reason for Cambridge Audio's success... our people. We employ nearly 80 colleagues, the majority at our London headquarters, including over 20 engineers in a dedicated research and development facility. Every member of our team shares the same passion for hi-fi and home cinema as you – our customers. That’s why we always go the extra mile to make sure we only produce products we're proud enough to take home – and trust us we do!
Cambridge Audio products are distributed in over 45 countries and the company turns over in excess of $40 million.
