The short version: Good neutral sound with probably the worst build quality ever.

The longer version:
I bought this unit back in 2005 together witj the 640C CD player and combined it with a pair of tannoy R2 speakers. The sound it produced is very neutral and laid back but involving at the same time. Later I replaced the Tannoy with the Audiovector K3 speakers and that was a perfect match. Clear, vivid sound. However it does lack a bit of commanding presence. The sound stage is a bit small and the depth too is a bit small. My current Marantz puts up a more realistic sound stage.

Sound is well balanced with an ever so slight tendency to the higher tones and a bit lacking in bass punch.

No other issues there. The only thing they should have done, is lower the output of the CD player or decrease the amplification of the amp. You cannot put the volume control pass the 9 o'clock position without playing too loud. A pair of attenuators took care of that problem.

The biggest problem is its build quailty. The build quality of the unit (and also CD player) is very poor. The CD player failed after just 1 year. After having it repaired a couple of months later the control buttons on the unit failed.

The amplifier damaged its left channel twice over the period I owned it. I never play loud (I live in an appartment) and the speakers a very amplifier friendly.

Enough miseryfor me to not recommend this unit.

Sound quality.

Overall build quality.

Great sound. Poor build quality. The unit sounded great with my KEF speakers, very open and natural. Unfortunately, the left channel went bad at about 10 hours. After shutting off power for 10 minutes or so both channels came back but heavily distorted. The unit was returned to Audio Advisor. In all fairness, this was a "demo" unit but still should not have shut down and failed.

Customer Service

Good from Audio Advisor in taking the unit back but I had to pay return shipping.

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Denon MosFet amplifier, Samsung CD player, KEF speakers, Yamaha A/V receiver.

An overachiever, delivering ultra-smooth and almost tube-like liquidity from a budget solid-state integrated amplifier.

Could be underpowered for some speaker systems. Careful speaker matching is important.

The Cambridge Audio Azur 640A is a heck of good amp. An overachiever, delivering ultra-smooth and almost tube-like liquidity from a budget solid-state integrated amplifier is a rare find. The 640A sounds more powerful than its 75Wpc rating and the 640A’s build-quality, features, and remote control make this amp a tremendous bargain. I paired the 640A with Cambridge Audio's Azur 640C CD player. The two have a synergy that is hard to fault and for the price, are incredible values.

In comparison with my NAD 372, I found this amp - especially when paired with Cambridge Audio's Azur 640C CD player, to be superior to the NAD in almost every way. Even though the NAD's superior power rating (150 wpc vs. the Cambridge Audio's 75 wpc) may work better for your speakers, I found the 640a to be an excellent match for the Definitive Technology BP7006s. Of course the Definitive Technology BP7006 Bipolar SuperTowers have two 8" infrasonic bass radiators driven by a built in 300-watt amp relieving the 640A from having to power the woofers. That leaves 75wpc for the mids and highs in my system so you may experience different results with your speakers in your room.

As for me, the Azur 640A and 640C have transformed my room into a refuge where I immerse myself in whatever music I play. "Immerse" is the right word, for this system as it provides marvelous soundstaging, pinpoint imaging, and virtually holographic presentations of musical events. It's incredible-and addicting. The spatial aspects of recordings - depth, height, and width are exemplary. The system also presents a very good sense of the recording venue with a sense of air over and around performers. The combination produces a seamless, wall-to-wall soundstage with excellent depth and precise image focus. On the best program material, the speakers fade, letting the performers and music take over. Not at all aggressive or forward in its presentation, the amp is neutral, non-fatiguing and easy to listen to. You'll probably hear things on your favorite recordings you haven't heard before. And because the darn thing is so musical, you'll spend a lot more time being immersed in music than wondering if you are hearing every little detail contained in recordings.

That's not to say you'll be missing anything, you'll hear it but with this amp it won't matter - you'll be enjoying the music. On one of my favorites for spatial information, detail and soundstaging is the Cowboy Junkies "Trinity Session." While this is old news, on the first track "Mining For Gold" as the tape rolls, a HUGE soundstage is presented. You can hear the air surrounding the musicians in the church where the tracks were recorded. It also sounds like an air vent is flapping in the background as Margo Timmins starts to sing the first track. And Margo Timmins is RIGHT THERE in the room!

For a more contemporary example, on the Various Artists album, Dirty
Martini, the Afrolicious track by The Dining Rooms. The music literally surrounds me. Front, behind, sides, depth, layering (you get the idea) - and from only two speakers! Imagine that only TWO speakers!! Imaging, detail, dynamics - it's all there and then some!

For something completely different, I put on Telarc's recording of Erich Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Mancini's Greatest Hits. This is a great recording for choral vocals and a great test for how well your system handles imaging and detail. The 640A excelled as and is especially evident on the Moon River and Days of Wine and Roses tracks. Each person's voice in the chorus is easily identifiable. What is heard on lesser systems as voices singing in a chorus, you hear individual voices singing in unison.

Some say the Azur 640A's power capabilities at 75 wpc are a drawback. I haven’t found this to be true. I’ve played a lot of material that demands to be played at fairly loud volume levels. Unless the volume level became insanely loud, I never got the sense the amp was close to meltdown. Even on "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits, the guitar solos and drums were driven well. As I turn up the volume knob on recordings, the amp/speaker combination was plenty loud and loud enough for me. I never felt like I needed more as the amp allows me to "dial in" the appropriate amount of volume for each recording.

Bass is tight and defined too. Better than I have heard from my Definitive
Technology speakers when paired with other amps and receivers including the NAD 372 and a SONY STR-DG710 AV Receiver. In deed, several DVDs like War of The Worlds and the Star War movies produced room shaking bass. Indeed music was no different with the bass drum featured on the "Dances with Wolves" soundtrack well defined, deep (for these speakers) and controlled. Not sure why this is since the speakers have a built in amp. Go figure!

The midrange was also very good. It’s neutral and extremely easy to listen to. No fatigue here! If I had to say whether the amp errs on the analytical vs. sweet side, I’d definitely say the sweet side. This amp would never be confused with a tube amp but it does deliver ultra-smooth and almost tube-like liquidity. The amp simply doesn't call attention to itself in the all important midrange. Music lovers know what I mean. There are times when you are playing a recording and you find yourself thinking "wow" – music. Not “wow” - my equipment sounds good! (Although it is fun to say both - let's face it!) Once such recording for me is on Chris Botti's album "To Love Again: The Duets." Paula Cole's voice on "My One and Only Love" is superb. Her voice hangs between the speakers – smooth and liquid. Imaging is excellent as you can hear every breath she takes as she sings this song and in three dimensions. Vocals, especially female vocals are always difficult to get right and this amp does it extremely well.

The highs are silky-smooth and somewhat extended. I can't say that the
BP7006's are the last word in extended highs but the music was consistently smooth with an appropriate amount of sheen and sparkle. Way better than the NAD which I find to be rolled off. The 640 was extended without any hint of harshness.

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NAD 372 Integrated Amplifier

Outstanding sound: warm, musical, and engaging
Huge soundstage presence
Plenty of clean power reserve
Looks sexy...the wife likes it
Low price = great value

Remote is finicky at best.
The volume knob could be better.
Speaker wire terminals in back are a little weak.
No performance weaknesses at all

A smashing amp! I've only had it for about a month now, and I'm in love with it already. Smooth, warm, deep and powerful sound. I agree with the other reviewers, that pairing is very important. It likes high quality speakers that are bright, fast and forward sounding. I have mine paired with Monitor Audio Silver rs6, and it sounds absolutely fantastic. The soundstage is huge and engaging. Bass is deep and warm, yet controlled and accurate. I really can't say enough about the sound. Sure there are better amps out there, but for this price? Look no more. I highly recommend this amp to anyone putting together a solid hi fi system on a budget.

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Rotel, NAD, Marantz

Honest fidelity

No midrange bloom to color or gloss over bad recordings.

I need to preface this review by saying I have the 75 watt 640A v.2 as opposed to the older 65 watt model. I don't think this amp lacks for very much. The power is good on my Tannoys and the distortion is very low. Most types of music sound good. People wanting a colored sound will not find it here. The response is flat and clear. If you want a taste of the high end start with this amp. Better sound will cost twice as much at the least. Piano and plucked strings sound astonishing. It is brutally honest on horns with a good recording sounding like the instruments are in your room.

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Jolida 801, some type of NAD product

clarity,warmth, surprisingly good build.

so hard to say. this is a budget amp that does way more than it's job. i own the original a60, this is just so much better to hear, doubt it will live as long tho. I actually own the cambridge azur 640 v2, only difference really being the extra 10 watts. This amp LOVES better speakers, i partner mine with Castle Conway 3's, an amazing combination. The Cambridge is quality with lesser speakers too

wow!!!! Think people need to listen to what they get for the dosh paid out. This amp is surprisingly lovely, rich bass, good build and warm. Partner it with the right speakers and u'd have to shell out £500 plus to better the sound. I love heavy dance but as a pianist, have a lot of piano concertos that i love listening to on my system.

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Mordaunt Short ms 3/40's, castle stirlings (1988) Monitor Audio BR6, Castle Conway 3

suitable for small budget system

underpowered for 60wpc, poor sound quality

Comparing this unit to my old but reliable Cyrus 2 amp technology seems to have advanced little since 1986, i intended to use this amp for biwiring but stuck to single wiring on my old amps, the sound being far superior. i bought the Azur 640A in a clearance sale for half its full price, though this price still seemed overpriced when auditioned - the sound is compressed, flat, unmusical, leaden, underpowered, and even the addition of high quality Kimber cables failed to liven it up, the bass was especially poor, and made my speakers sound like a couple of cardboard boxes - so back to the shop it went. Hope the V2 gives a vast improvement, though will be keeping my old amps!

Customer Service

returned for exchange

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Cyrus 2/Azur 640c

Low price

flat and weak

I got this since I also have the 640C CD player so I intended to pair them. Unfortunately I could not stand the sound of it. Having listened to the Cd player with better amps I thought from the reviews that the amp could be equaly as good in its field. No, this is a very ordinary amplifier, meaning that it is what you pay for not more like the VD player is. I am talking about the V2 version here.

If you are not an audiophile and have not heard something better by all means go ahead and buy it. If you are looking for something extra though and you can not afford the expensive stuff you better save for some time longer because your money on this will be wasted.

Slick design

Bit harsh and restrained mid,not enough punch in the bass, the 75 watt a channel cannot be true if compared with my marantz pm44se with a much lower power rating. It can drive my loudspeakers much harder. Be sure to take some cello recordings with you when consider to buy this amplifier. It will struggle to reproduce it.

Initialy i was very happy with this amp, it replaced my worn out marantz pm44se amp. Then i started to notice some flaws in the overall sound.I am going to have my old marantz restored. The azur remote broke down a month or two ago.

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Marantz pm44se amplifier

Enchanting, powerful yet subtle sound.

Feels cheap, lots of minor faults.

This is a wonderful sounding amp. It sounds really clear and powerful and it totally transformed the way my KEF Cresta 3 speakers sound. That said, it's a pity this product, like the 640C cd player, has 'el cheapo' written all over it. The volume adjustment on the remote is useless, the amp sometimes sends a cracking sound to the speakers (and almost always to the headphones if you've connected them) when you power on the unit - really annoying. Also if you accidentally turn off the mains using the wall switch, the amp makes the speakers scream like there's no tomorrow. The black finish feels cheap and gets dust and fingerprints easily. I saw some display models at Richer Sounds which had the whole front panel totally discoloured - I only hope that with a bit of care that I can avoid that. In summary, this is the best amp I've ever had. It is a brilliant performer let down by a few foibles. If you can afford something twice as expensive you will probably get the same kind of sound quality PLUS a properly finished product. If you want wonderful sound for a budget price, this is the amp for you.

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