Cambridge Audio Azur 540c
Apr 15, 2006 at 8:50 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 16

ajstark

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I am think of getting a real cd player like the Cambridge Audio Azur 540 c. I currently have a Sony Boom Box and Sony pcd.

I read some of the the reviews of the 540c and it seems like a nice cd player. How will it compare against the Sony boom box. I will be using a Sen 595 head phones to listen to classical music?

Also should I get an amp and what type of amp should I get?

Thanks

Al
 
Apr 15, 2006 at 9:28 PM Post #2 of 16
I did some research on it too. It seems to be a nice CD player. Audioadvisor.com is selling two versions of it. Price for 540c (V. 1) seems to be a steal. Good luck.
 
Apr 16, 2006 at 1:07 AM Post #4 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT
Doesn't look very good in that review
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2005/affordablecd.shtml



Quote:

Let me stress there isn't anything unpleasant about the 540's sound - it's just a bit ho-hum.


Actually that's a pretty decent review for a <$200 player, IMO. No serious flaws, just not very exciting... what more could you ask at that price.
 
Apr 16, 2006 at 1:19 AM Post #5 of 16
Quote:

Of the three players, the Cambridge is the disappointment, particularly after the the marvellous 640 model.


But you are absolutely right, for that price it's a steal.
 
Apr 16, 2006 at 1:35 AM Post #6 of 16
Apr 16, 2006 at 3:59 AM Post #8 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by mysticaldodo
Stretch your budget a bit and go for the 640C version 2. Its still the same price as version 1.


I am curious about it. Can you justify your point? I will appreciate that.
 
Apr 16, 2006 at 4:16 AM Post #9 of 16
the 640C v.2 has a dual dac

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cosmid
I am curious about it. Can you justify your point? I will appreciate that.


 
Apr 16, 2006 at 2:32 PM Post #10 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by ajstark
I am think of getting a real cd player like the Cambridge Audio Azur 540 c. I currently have a Sony Boom Box and Sony pcd.

I read some of the the reviews of the 540c and it seems like a nice cd player. How will it compare against the Sony boom box. I will be using a Sen 595 head phones to listen to classical music?

Also should I get an amp and what type of amp should I get?

Thanks

Al




i thought/thinking about getting this too but some review said the 640C is better.
as for an amp, i think you/i need to get one because it doesn't have a headphone out. i too only use a headphone(k601). so i'm only thinking should i get some other amp or the azur 640a. should i/he, anyone?
 
Apr 17, 2006 at 5:15 AM Post #11 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by jenhwa
the 640C v.2 has a dual dac


Additional improvements without an increase in price (around USD 500?). You can go to the Cambridge website and check what they upgraded. According to the HIFI choice review I read, there was a slight improvement over version 1. From what I remember, they sound the sound was cleaner or something like that and you have the option to turn of the display light.
 
Apr 18, 2006 at 4:28 AM Post #12 of 16
Ive auditioned the 540 and the 640. The 640 is hands down much much better than the 540. I dont really know how to explain it, except it just sounded better.
More soundstage, quicker and more revealing.

Plus it really wasnt that much more
 
Apr 18, 2006 at 5:08 AM Post #13 of 16
Here's a review from TNT Audio

Review

The review is by the far the best I've seen so far. If matched with the 640A V2 amplifier, the house sound is even stronger, slightly lean sounding, detailed but etchy character but good soundstaging.

I've changed my amplifier to a higher end one and it sounds more natural and enjoyable without losing detail or anything but the 640C I believe has a bit of an etched sound (is this present in budget << USD500cdp?). I'm modding the caps in the DAC section to see if it improves a bit but regret that I won't be able to do and AB comparison with an unmodded 640C. I'm using the version 1 by the way.
 
Apr 20, 2006 at 1:32 AM Post #14 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by mysticaldodo
Here's a review from TNT Audio

Review

The review is by the far the best I've seen so far. If matched with the 640A V2 amplifier, the house sound is even stronger, slightly lean sounding, detailed but etchy character but good soundstaging.

I've changed my amplifier to a higher end one and it sounds more natural and enjoyable without losing detail or anything but the 640C I believe has a bit of an etched sound (is this present in budget << USD500cdp?). I'm modding the caps in the DAC section to see if it improves a bit but regret that I won't be able to do and AB comparison with an unmodded 640C. I'm using the version 1 by the way.



Thanks for the review.

Some of review went over my head. I am a newbie with cd players. The best cd player I own is a sony boom box. But it seems like a nice cd player well worth the money.

What amp should I get with it. I will be driving Sen 595 headphones.

Thanks Again

Al
 
Apr 20, 2006 at 4:42 PM Post #15 of 16
I had the HD 595 and sold it (regret now).

Its a nice phone that should go well with most amps and cdps (most that I've tried anyway including NAD, NAIM and Creek), however in my opinion if does not scale alot with higher end equipment compared to something like the HD 650 so I think your basic SS amp would be good enough.

I liked it with my XCan, modded with black gates and panasonic caps.

Do a search for the HD 595 in the amps section. There are alot of threads on this from what I remember.
 

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