Cambridge Audio A500 amplifier

Cambridge Audio, founded in 1968 in Cambridge, UK, has been at the forefront of audio innovation, blending cutting-edge technology with British design. Its debut product, the P40 amplifier, set a high standard for performance and reliability. Over decades, the company has expanded its portfolio up to modern day, gaining a reputation for delivering hi-fi sound accessible to all. Committed to "Great British Sound," Cambridge Audio emphasizes simplicity, craftsmanship, and rich, immersive audio experiences.

The Cambridge Audio A500 looks like a typical British integrated amplifier of value. Born in 2000, but backed by proven design and years of expertise, it shines as a smooth, non-aggressive sound unit. The board is clean, the heavy toroidal transformer and the overall build quality is at level with more expensive neighbours of Musical Fidelity, Arcam and the like.

It excels in producing warm mids, rich bass, and light airy treble, making it an ideal companion for bookshelf speakers that may sound sharp or lack low-end depth if they are not well married.

We have tested it in that respect on several of our bookshelf speakers, that all behaved happily and enlived.

While it has the valuable options like tone direct and a pre out out, as plenty of source inputs, to be noted is the lack of phono, because it was an optional plugin board on this model, designed by Mike Creek. With modern turntables integrating an RIAA amp or the excellent and cheap separate phono amp units like those of Pro•Ject, this will not be a drawback for many. The module is still available and pops up from time to time, it is a pluggable board and requires no soldering.