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"Way Beyond What We'd Expect," Says What Hi-Fi?
"Five Stars" from What Hi-Fi? and a Hi-Fi Choice "Best Buy"
What do you get when you opt for the Cambridge Audio Azur 640C rather than its little brother, the 540C? And what is it that separates the 640C from lesser players with a similar price tag? The December 2003 issue of What Hi-Fi? magazine provides the answer. "The 640C goes way beyond what we'd expect of a player at this price." It earns a 'perfect' rating of FIVE STARS from this respected British audiophile journal. "This is a fine all-round performer, capable of scaring a few pricier machine."
A January 2004 What Hi-Fi? review marvels, "There's not much this side of $800 that can touch the 640C." According to the review, the 640C "goes way beyond what we'd expect of a player at this price and is capable of scaring a few costlier machines."
England's Hi-Fi Choice magazine awarded the 640C its coveted "Best Buy" rating in its special Awards 2003 issue. "This elegant budget player can hold it’s own in very elevated company," concludes the review."
"A Cracking Performer"
Hi-Fi World & Computer Audio magazine reports in its December 2003 issue, "Right across the board, from bottom to top, this is a cracking performer and no aspect of its sound is sacrificed for the sake of another. The result is a superbly well-rounded yet superbly capable music maker. Recommended."
The amazing specifications of the Azur 640C CD player from Cambridge Audio testify to its high levels of engineering and design. Although similar in looks and architecture to the 540C, the 640C is distinguished by a premium Wolfson WM8740 DAC which gives the 640C a leading edge in bringing out the subtlest musical details from an exceptionally quiet background.
Impressive Numbers
The numbers tell part of the story. The 640C delivers over 100 dB of dynamic range (compared to over 95 dB for the 540C), THD of less than -88 dB, a signal-to-noise ratio of more than 117 db (compared to more than 100 dB for the 540C), and greater than 90 dB of channel separation (compared to greater than 80 dB for the 540C). Jitter is vanishingly low at less than 260 pS (compared to less than 300 pS for the 540C).
High-Resolution Sound Quality
Impressive as the 640C's specs may be, they only hint at the high-resolution sound quality. What Hi-Fi? magazine describes the sound of the 640C as "sweet, tight, and utterly involving."
Solid engineering using premium components throughout its construction (including polypropylene film capacitors) make the Azur exceptionally musical while at the same time precise. The outstanding performance begins with the latest generation 24-bit / 192 kHz DAC from audiophile component manufacturer Wolfson. Proprietary data reclocking delivers exceptionally low levels of jitter. Proven Sony laser optics operate at their peak in alliance with a custom-designed Cambridge Audio servo system and transport mechanism.
Separate power supplies for digital-to-audio circuitry and analog stages ensure minimum interaction between internal components and ultra-quiet operation. Advanced filters deliver lower distortion and balance matching for the best overall performance. Coaxial and optical digital outputs give a variety of external processing options or let you use the Azur as a dedicated transport.
The Azur's immediately striking and stylish casework isn't just about fabulous looks. The chassis is acoustically dampened and specially designed for low resonance, helping to keep unwanted vibration out of the signal path - keeping your music as pure as you want it to be. A slim-line, elegant wireless remote with full control features makes operations convenient.
List: $529.00
