Cambridge Audio | AX vs. CX Series Comparison & Review

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Founded in 1969 by some budding engineers at Cambridge University in the UK, the company has always been about making high-value products that do not alter the sound of the incoming signal. The Cambridge Audio team will spend countless hours evaluating the component parts used in their designs to pick the ones that sound the most neutral. Two of their core values have been to use toroidal power transformers and to keep the signal path as simple as possible. They pioneered the use of toroidal power transformers with their very first integrated amp and the audio world followed suit as almost all high-performance audio gear makes use of toroidal power transformers these days. Cambridge Audio also makes great use of something we love to see in audio companies, trickle-down technology. The engineering team at Cambridge Audio was given a goal of making a new line of the best sounding gear they could, with the price being a distant concern. This resulted in the highly acclaimed Edge series. Much of the new technology they learned when producing Edge was incorporated in the new AX and CX series. Had they never made Edge, these new technologies would not have existed to incorporate into the new AX and CX models.

First we will go over the things both product ranges have in common. The models we will be talking about today are the AXA35, AXC35, AXR85, AXR100, CXA61, CXA81, CXC, and CXN V2. With 4 models in each lineup, we thought it was pretty neat that Cambridge Audio decided to give both series the same cosmetic appearance so you can easily mix and match them. All eight products come in a new lunar grey finish and have a floating look from the front. All of the amplifiers and receivers use their classic toroidal power transformer for better sound. Another classic Cambridge trait we love is the way they print all the labels on the back both right side up and upside down. The first time you lean over the back of a component to try and make a connection, you’ll have a great appreciation for this nuance. The amps and receivers in the CX and AX series all use very high-quality speaker binding posts which is pretty amazing to see on something as inexpensive as the CXA35. The front panel layout is also super clean and easy to figure out. And as we said, not only do they match in color, but the layouts are done in the same style to make mixing within the lines no issue from a cosmetic standpoint.

The AX models were replacements for Cambridge Audio’s acclaimed Topaz series which had won tons of press for being such a great audio value. It got a completely new look and a lot of tech from their more expensive models. The CX series has been around in the Cambridge line up for years. Their latest versions offer refreshed cosmetics and internal updates they learned when they created their top of the line, award winning EDGE gear. These units are all about stripping back anything some might consider “extra’s to allow their engineers to focus purely on creating the best possible sound for the money. When you compare the CXA61 or CXA81 to the AX series, you get a far bigger power supply and a much more stout power amp section. These amps can drive just about any speaker load except for the most demanding speakers.

They cover a wide range of prices and possibilities and we are happy to discuss with you which route is the best choice for your system. The AX gear is great for the music lover just starting out while the CX gear can satisfy someone looking for even more performance. We also highly recommend people looking for great performance to not write off the CX gear because it costs less than they would expect to pay for great sound. If you are like us, it will have you grinning ear to ear as it just sounds so good for the money!