Cambridge Audio Edge A

Features

Edge Series: Over three years in the making and utilizing a team of nine engineers, the Edge Series is the embodiment of Cambridge Audio's signature Great British Sound and pinnacle of 50 years of Hi-Fi expertise. When creating the Edge Series, Cambridge Audio chose components based on their sonic merits (not price, not specs, not measured performance). This "listen first, measure later" philosophy means blind-auditioning all price and performance levels and only going with those that sound the most dynamic, give the greatest presence, offer a revealing clarity; and are most musical. The Edge Series is designed and assembled in the UK.

Class XA integrated amplifier: Cambridge Audio's unique Class XA amplifier topology brings Class sound quality, but with improved efficiency and less heat. Cambridge Audio added a bias voltage to a traditional Class AB design to shift the crossover point to a position where distortion is inaudible to the human ear. This unique configuration also produces less heat and makes the whole system much more effective. The Edge A is made to be played loud. So when you do turn it up, expect nothing but a dynamic and punchy sound that captures all the musicality of your songs. For all its power, the Edge A is also remarkably detailed. The sound is finely balanced, with a musical depth and clarity that comes through with every note.

• Continuous Power Output: 100 watts x 2 channels (8-ohms); 200 watts x 2 channels (4-ohms)
• THD (Total Harmonic Distortion): <0.02% 20Hz-20kHz at rated power (8-ohms); <0.002% 1kHz at rated power (8-ohms)
• Frequency Response: 3Hz to 80Hz (+/-1dB)
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >103dB (full power)
• Crosstalk: <-100dB @ 1kHz

Opposing Twin Toroidal Transformers: Cambridge Audio pioneered the use of toroidal transformers in amplifiers, which led to improved performance. In the Edge A integrated amplifier, Cambridge audio takes it one step further, using opposing twin toroidal transformers. This cancels out electromagnetic interference while offers outstanding power and maintain consistent tonality, no matter how loud its played.

Short Signal Path: To remove the barriers between you and your music, Cambridge Audio worked hard to minimize the number of components in the signal path. With only hand-picked components, the Edge A integrated amplifier has one of the cleanest signal paths available. As a result, the Edge A integrated amplifier delivers a more faithful reproduction of the original recording; an impressively detailed three-dimensional sound, with striking staging and focus. It truly delivers Cambridge Audio's breath-taking, unadulterated British sound (nothing added and nothing taken away).

Unique Printed Circuit Board (PCB): With a revolutionary PCB that reduces interference and creates an incredibly clean signal path, the Edge A plays your favorite music with astonishing depth and clarity. Cambridge Audio designed the Edge A with a circuit board unlike most others. Conventional capacitors were replaced with a DC coupled topology, which reduces distortion for an unaltered, natural sound. . Additionally, a solid-state volume control ensures channels are balanced at any volume.

32-Bit/384kHz DAC: The Cambridge Audio Edge A integrated amplifier utilizes an ultra high-performance, state-of-the-art 32-bit/384kHz DAC (digital-to-analog converter) to bring your digital audio music files to life, with every detail and nuance delivered intact. The Edge A supports 2ch stereo digital audio files up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 (11.2MHz).

• 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 (11.2MHz) via USB-B
• 24-bit/192kHz PCM via HDMI ARC or Coaxial (RCA) digital
• 24-bit/96kHz PCM via Optical (Toslink) digital

5 Year Warranty With Registration: The EDGE series comes with a standard 2 year warranty, which can be extended to 5 years if you register the product with Cambridge Audio. You can register your product by clicking here.

Connections

Bluetooth 4.1 w/ aptX HD: The Cambridge Audio Edge A integrated amplifier offers built-in Bluetooth 4.1 with support for wireless audio streaming (A2DP) and control (AVRCP). It can be used as a Bluetooth receiver or transmitter. You'll be able to wirelessly stream stored music, music apps, and other audio content from your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, tablet, desktop computer, laptop, or music player to the Edge A stereo network preamp. In addition to Bluetooth's standard SBC audio codec and Apple's AAC codec, the Edge A also supports Qualcomm's aptX HD. aptX HD is an enhanced codec that supports 24-bit audio over Bluetooth and has been engineered to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, resulting in lower background noise. With the ability to support streams up to 24bit/48kHz, you're able to wirelessly stream from an aptX HD compatible device to the Edge A without sacrificing sound quality and listen to "better-than-CD" quality audio.

• You can pair multiple device to the Edge A, but only one Bluetooth-enabled source device can be connected and used for playback at a time.
• Make sure the included Bluetooth antenna is connected to the rear-panel of the Edge A integrated amplifier.

Asynchronous USB-B Input: The asynchronous USB-B input lets you connect the Edge A to your Windows PC or Mac computer for playback of 2ch PCM (32-bit/384kHz) and DSD256 (11.2MHz) music files. The asynchronous USB-B port allows the Edge A to act as a high-quality DAC/sound-card with very low jitter for your computer, offering genuine Hi-Fi quality playback from your stored Hi-Res digital music files. A separate USB driver will be required for playback of 192kHz or 384kHz PCM music files and DSD256 music files from a Windows PC. Windows PC will not require a separate USB driver for 24-bit/96kHz playback. Mac computers do not require a separate USB driver for PCM or DSD playback.

Note: Good practice is to create folders for Artists within which you should have sub folders for each Album which then contain the tracks for that Album. Libraries with thousands of tracks in one folder will progressively slow down the unit's media browsing.

HDMI ARC: The Edge A features a HDMI ARC jack to connect the integrated amplifier to your TV's HDMI ARC input. The integrated amplifier's ARC jack only supports 2ch PCM audio (up to 24-bit/192kHz). It is not compatible with Dolby Digital, DTS, or other multichannel audio formats.

Optical & Coaxial Digital Inputs: The Cambridge Audio Edge A's two optical (toslink) digital inputs and one coaxial (RCA) digital input allow it to act as a high quality upsampling Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) to improve the sound from other devices, such as set top boxes, games consoles, or disc players. The optical digital inputs support up 24-bit/96kHz stereo PCM audio, while the coaxial digital input supports up to 24-bit/192kHz stereo PCM audio.

• If a digital input is connected to a TV, you can enable TV mode in the input settings of the Edge Remote app. This mode minimizes lip-sync delays
  on the audio path by bypassing MQA decoding and also reduces the chance of dropouts and glitches from some TVs.
• The digital inputs do not support Dolby Digital, DTS, or any other multichannel surround formation.

Balanced & Unbalanced Analog Connectivity: The Cambridge Audio Edge A integrated amplifier offers balanced XLR & unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs. Balanced XLR is a higher-quality connection that can reject noise and interference from source components and amplifiers with with balanced connections.

• XLR and RCA Line-Level Inputs: The Edge A features a balanced stereo XLR line-level input and two unbalanced stereo RCA line-level inputs to connect an analog, line-level source component (such as a CD or SACD player). There is no Phono input. To connect a turntable, you'll need a turntable with a built-in phono preamplifier or an external phono preamp (sold separately - see Accessories Tab).
• XLR & RCA Preamp Outputs: The Edge A integrated amplifier is outfitted with a balanced stereo XLR preamp output and an unbalanced stereo RCA preamp output for connecting to an external power amplifier (such as the Edge W power amplifier, sold separately)

Binding Post Speaker Output Terminals: The Edge A integrated amplifier is equipped with a set of heavy-duty, gold-plated, binding post speaker output terminals for the connection of a pair of 8-ohm or 4-ohm loudspeakers. The binding post terminals will accept bare wire (up to 10AWG), pin-connectors, spade-lugs, and banana plugs (single only). High quality 24K gold-plating on the speaker terminals provide excellent signal transfer and resistant to corrosion.

Front-Panel Headphone Jack: The Edge A's front-panel headphone output consists of a 3.5mm jack that allows connection of a set of headphones. Connection of a set of headphones will automatically mute the integrated amplifier's speaker outputs and preamp outputs. Headphone impedance of between 12 and 600 ohms is recommended.

Controls

Simple Volume/Source Knob: Gone are the rows of buttons and dials you often see on high-end audio gear. Instead, the Edge A integrated amplifier features one high-quality dual concentric volume and source select control knob, enabling you to navigate menus and control the volume with a simple twist.

IR Remote: The Edge A comes with an IR remote for wireless operation of the integrated amplifier. The remote provides Power On/Off, Source Selection, Volume/Mute, Play/Pause, Previous/Next Track, and 6 Presets. The 6 Presets store a particular source at a specific volume level.

Trigger In/Link Out: The Edge A integrated amplifier features a 12V Trigger Input (3.5mm) that allows power on/off synchronization with a source component that features a 12V Trigger Output. The integrated amplifier's 12V Link Out (3.5mm) lets you "daisy-chain" the incoming trigger voltage to another amplifier or component in your system for synchronized power on/off of the entire system.

RS232 Port: The player's RS232 port is used for control of the Edge A in custom install situations from an external controller (sold separately). A full protocol is available for the Edge A on the Cambridge Audio website.

Auto Standby: The Cambridge Audio Edge A stereo integrated amplifier will automatically go into Standby mode after 20 minutes of no audio signal or inactivity. This function can be enabled or disabled from the rear-panel.