Cambridge Audio 540A Version 2
"Wild West Electronics is proud to be an authorized Cambridge Audio dealer"
About Cambridge Audio:
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.
About Cambridge Audio Azur Range:
Cambridge Audio’s Azur range of hi-fi
electronics was introduced in 2003. It was the company’s first completely new
series of products for nearly five years. While Cambridge Audio had an enviable
reputation for engineering quality components at great prices, it was felt a new
series was needed to tackle the demands of the new millennium.
Our engineers were given a clean slate from which to work. They went back to the
drawing board intent on building the ultimate series of electronics. Azur has
been designed from the ground up and takes in many innovative, proprietary
technologies. All the years of painstaking audiophile research and development
has paid off. Azur is by far and away the most critically acclaimed range of
hi-fi and home cinema components Cambridge Audio has ever introduced.
The Azur name is also your guarantee of the class leading performance. Don’t
take our word for it, the rapturous applause Azur has received from the
world’s hi-fi press is testament to the performance, build quality and value
for money featured in the latest Cambridge Audio range.
Importance of a Good Amplifier:
The amplifier is the workhorse of your system. It is responsible for delivering electrical power to your speakers. You will need a quality amplifier to get the best from your speakers and make the most of your source signal.
In very simple technical terms an amplifier takes the signal and – as the names suggests – amplifies it. It takes this weak audio signal and boosts it so that it is powerful enough to drive a speaker. This power is measured in Watts. This figure is in itself of very little importance to sound quality. Just ensure your amplifier has enough Watts to drive your speakers i.e. it matches their lowest power rating.
Key features of an amplifier can include a second set of speaker outputs, remote control, a headphone output, and tone controls, which you should be able to bypass. Cambridge Audio Azur amplifiers all come with these features.
Just as important as the amplifier are the cables that run from it. There’s no point having a great power source and using poky cables. Budget to spend about 10-15% of your entire system cost on cables.
Cambridge Audio Azur 540A Version 2 Integrated
Amplifier Product Summary:
The 540A is back and better than ever with a wave
of upgrades and refinements. It is now rated at 60 watts per channel at 8 Ohms
making it 10 watts more powerful than its predecessor. A chunkier heat sink
allows the amplifier to dissipate more energy and run cooler than before,
meaning the amplifier punches well above its weight.
The sensitive preamp circuitry has also been significantly redesigned,
generating lower noise and THD, while delivering greater levels of transparency.
The Azur 540A also sees improvements to the power amplifier circuitry layout,
with many small refinements further reducing distortion and improving the drive
capability with real world speakers.
The Cambridge Audio Azur 540A Version 2 also sees improvements to the power amplifier circuitry layout,
with many small refinements further reducing distortion and improving the drive
capability with real world speakers.
All this technology is housed on Cambridge Audio’s hugely respected low
resonance, acoustically damped chassis, which takes in a thick aluminium front
panel and all-metal construction. Here you’ll find changes to the volume, tone
and balance controls, with new pots offering better feel, as well as greater
accuracy and improved channel matching at low volumes. There’s also a heavier
steel skin on the main volume knob for a more solid feel.
To allow seamless integration with multi-room entertainment systems, a Control
Bus input and output have been fitted, as has an IR emitter input. Outputs for
Cambridge Audio’s new Incognito multi-room system are even included. This
enables self-amplified Incognito multi-room keypads to be connected to the 540A
allowing the hi-fi system to be shared with up to two other rooms. Each gains
local control.
Completing the upgrades is a highly ergonomic navigator style Azur remote
handset. The Cambridge Audio 540A V2 is available in either silver or black.
Cambridge Audio Protection 5 (CAP5):
CAP5 (Cambridge Audio Protection 5) is an innovative and intelligent protection system. It constantly monitors your amplifier, without degrading signal purity, ensuring ultimate reliability. This incorporates a clipping sensor that reduces volume to keep levels in a safe range. There is also short-circuit detection and a solid-state temperature sensor with over-heat cut out. Combined these technologies ensure your Cambridge Audio Azur amplifier will deliver years of reliable high performance.
A proprietary non-invasive five-way protection circuit CAP5 was the subject of a separate research and development programme within Cambridge Audio. The aim was to develop a highly innovative protection system that would not affect the sound quality of our amplifiers.
The five detection mechanisms are detailed below:
1-Perhaps most innovatively the circuit measures the distortion of the output signal relative to that of the input. This means the CAP5 circuit is able to tell when the unit is being driven too hard and applies the protection. The mechanism triggers a two-stage response. For small excursions into clipping, CAP5 'nudges' down the volume control. For gross clipping the CAP5 protects the unit by going into Standby.
2-The circuit constantly measures the DC level at the output terminals. It immediately disconnects the speakers if any DC is detected. This protects the attached speaker in the event of an amplifier fault.
3-The circuit constantly monitors the current in the output stage and the voltage across it. It ensures levels remains within a safe operating area. The CAP5 immediately protects the amplifier should this be exceeded.
4-The circuit measures the temperature of the internal heatsink. If this exceeds a set temperature reading the unit is shut down.
5-Each time the amplifier is turned on, CAP5 measures the resistance across the speaker terminals. It checks for a short every time the unit is turned on before allowing use. The most likely time this occurs is when a customer changes his/her speakers.
Performance Features and Specifications:
- 60 watts per channel (8 ohms)
|
- 80 watts per channel (4 ohms)
|
- CAP5™ protection system with no sound
quality degrading active circuitry added into the signal path
|
- Incognito Ready(TM) (Type 1) A-Bus
multi-room outputs
|
|
|
|
|
- Improved volume, tone and balance
controls
|
- New custom designed 3-way terminals
|
- Solid aluminium front panel with
acoustically damped chassis and all metal casework
|
- All new navigator style Azur remote
control
|
- Available in Black or Silver
|
| Power
Output: |
60
Watts into 8 Ohms
80 Watts into 4 Ohms
|
| Input
Impedance: |
47k
Ohms
|
| Loudspeaker
Impedance: |
4
to 8 Ohms
|
| Line: |
330mV
|
| Phono
(using optional phono stage): |
1.75mV
|
| Total
Harmonic Distortion (into 8 Ohms 80% rated power): |
0.008%
THD (No weighting) @ 1kHz
0.005% THD (A weighted) @ 1kHz
0.02% THD (No weighting) 20Hz-20kHz
|
| Frequency
Response: |
5Hz
to 50KHz +/- 1dB
|
| Bass: |
+/-
10dB @ 100Hz
|
| Treble: |
+/-
10dB @ 10kHz
|
| Signal
to Noise Ratio (No weighting): |
>92dB
|
| Slew
rate (into 8 ohms): |
>30V/uS
|
| Max.
Power Consumption: |
515
watts
|
| Dimensions
(W x D x H): |
430
x 320 x 100mm
16.9 x 12.6 x 3.9"
|
| Weight: |
7
kg/15.4 lbs |
Downloads:
Cambridge
Audio Azur 2008 Brochure
Owners
Manual
"Wild West Electronics is proud to be an authorized Cambridge Audio dealer"
