Something I've noticed about cambridge amps

  • Thread starter Thread starter C64
  • Start date Start date

C64

C64

C64

Soldato
Joined
16 Mar 2007
Posts
12,884
Location
London
I was about to purchase a cambridge audio A5 amp in silver and was amazed to see there's no headphone socket.

Why do people recommend cambridge audio A5's so much I was shocked upon investigating further to find out the A1/A5's have no headphone socket ! I find it bizzare that they don't.

I wonder how many people have bought one on recommendations from here only to be gutted when they find out there's no headphone socket.

For me a headphone socket would be an essential for any amp.
 
What about if you plug in to your pc though ? I think the recommendations for A5 and bookshelfs are more for pc use ? and really you need that headphone socket.
 
C64 said:
What about if you plug in to your pc though ? I think the recommendations for A5 and bookshelfs are more for pc use ? and really you need that headphone socket.
Click to expand...

I've got it hooked up to my pc and use a 3.5mm splitter to connect my headphones to my soundcard, I suppose it may be different if I used my headphones for listening to music but I only use them for gaming so I dont need top quality
 
I am going to buy a cambridge audio A5 tomorrow (or, if it is still in stock, the azur 640A for £149). I have a cambridge audio CD4SE and a DACMAGIC 2 which have been hooked up to a cambridge audio A3i for the past 12 years but now it is blowing the internal fuse all the time. I have to say that for the price of this kit i think it sounds fantastic. I also have to say that in the past twelve years i have never thought "these cambridge audio amps are s*** as they don't have a headphone socket".

:D Purchase a Goodmans amplifier as they will come with a headphone socket :D
 
Most amps have a headphone socket the cambridge azur does I see no reason to recommend an A1 or A5 purely on the basis that they have no headphone socket.
Whats with the goodmans comment ? any decent amp has a headphone socket.
 
C64 said:
Most amps have a headphone socket the cambridge azur does I see no reason to recommend an A1 or A5 purely on the basis that they have no headphone socket.
Whats with the goodmans comment ? any decent amp has a headphone socket.
Click to expand...

I think your too obsessed with a headphone socket tbh. :p


How about a NAD C320BEE/315/325?
 
meh. really wouldnt bother me. most headphone outputs on amps arent up to much anyway, and since id rather have a proper headphone amp i wouldnt miss it at all.

My onkyo 805 has a headphone socket. thats rubbish too.
 
Headphone outputs on amps being poor is another good old myth, most use a resister connected to the same amp as the speaker output as opposed to a separate circuit so if the amp is good for stereo speakers it's good for stereo headphones.
I remember having a NAD amp (not a very expensive one) that was better than a more expensive Corda headphone amp I owned. A lot of people just want to hear a difference in their dedicated headphone amps when they aren't necessarily an improvement.
It's not a universal truth and I currently use a lovely headphone amp but you shouldn't discount the headphone output on your speaker amp.
 
Sorry about the Goodmans comment C64, i was only joking and pointing out that even the cheapo, rubbish amplifiers can have more functionality then better sounding, more expensive amps.

I went to my local branch of...... (can't say the name of them as OcUK now sell NAD stuff) but i am sure you will know who i mean. I bought a cambridge audio Azur 340A (WHICH DOES HAVE A HEADPHONE SOCKET) for £149 as the 640A that was on the web site is sold out. The sales assistant told me the Azur 340A is a better amp than the A5 even though it is not as powerfull as the A5 plus is remote control. Had it on for a couple of hours now and i have to say i am impressed by the sound even though it will take 36 hours to break this amp in as it does sound a tad clinical, a few days of use and it will sound warmer.

Also decided to buy a pair of TDL saturn 10 floorstanders (£99) as my old bookshelf speakers (no brand name on them) had seen better days and i had no shelves to put them on. The build qaulity is very good (you even get a set of plinths with a slate top and spikes) Again, as with the amp these need to be run in for around 10 hours to 'loosen up' but again so far so good. Ijust need to have a play around with the location of these speakers but i will do this when they are run in a bit more.

C64, did you buy an amp, and if so what did you get.

p.s. Sorry if the Goodmans comment sounded a little sarcastic, i did not mean it to. I actually used to own a goodmans amp but some the buttons fell off and it sounded awfull :(
 
Can honestly say I've never noticed the lack of a headphone socket. I never listen to music though headphones at home and plug my PC ones directly into the front 3.5mm headphone and mic sockets on the front of my machine.
 
Last edited:
Can't say it really bothers me, as when I want decent sound quality I use speakers anyway, non expensive headphones don't really warrant a high end output, if I was using HiFi grade headgear all the time I might disagree, but I dont use my HD280 Pros all the time, so its fine.
 
fini said:
<looks at NAD S300>




:(



<goes to stick it on members market>
Click to expand...

Well that's really high end stuff which people buy purely for non headphone usage, no need to be sarcastic you know what I mean a budget amp.
As in my original point about some of these amps getting recommended for pc use, and i am sure most people game on headphones and are looking to use the amp as their headphone source.As I intended to, I was about to click buy on an A5 then suddenly noticed where's the headphone socket.
Connecting an x-fi music to a front headphone socket is a royal pain and my eclipse doesn't have one anyway.
I cant be blasting out music at 2am #1 I have neighbors and #2 other people are sleeping so for me a headphone socket is essential.
 
Last edited:
You said any decent amp has a a headphone socket - which is just really not true - even in the budget sector.

<controversial>If you really care about your music you shouldn't be getting an x-fi anyway</controversial>

USB headphone amps aren't that expensive. If need be factor that in to the cost or if you don't care about sound quality use a splitter and a long cable to bring it round to the front (or use analogue for headphones and output digital to a DAC outputting to the amp).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom