Sound

Hexgears Impulse Keyboard Review: Incredible Typing and Hot Swapping on a Budget

Our Verdict

The ultimate typing keyboard at a budget price, the Hexgears Impulse provides amazing key feel out of the box and also lets you swap switches.

For

Hot-swappable key switches
World-class typing experience
Lightweight and compact
Great value

Against

No software
Dull light show

When I first reviewed the Hexgears Impulse in 2019, I was impressed with its compact design, budget-friendly price and the incredible typing experience, highlighted by its Kailh Box White Switches. A few months ago, the company made a small but critical revision that makes this full-size gaming keyboard even more compelling. The revised Impulse (which is not being listed with a new name or model number) now has hot-swappable switches, which means that, if you would like to replace the default Box Whites with something else, you can use an included switch-puller to do just that.

However, if you like clicky switches, you may never want to change. Available on very few keyboards, the Kailh Box Whites have ever-so-slightly less travel than traditional Cherry MX Blue switches but fantastic feedback that allows you to hit the keys frequently in a shorter timespan and with much greater comfort.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Available for just $99 with RGB pudding-style keys and hot-swap capability and a mere $89 for one that’s not hot-swappable with white / gray keycaps, the Hexgears Impulse is an incredible bargain and one of the best gaming keyboards. However, you lose out on custom software and have a slightly-less vibrant light show than some competitors offer.

Specifications

Switches	Kailh Box White (tested), Kailh Box Brown, Hako Clear
Cable	Braided USB Type-A
Key Caps	PBT Pudding or Gray / White
Construction	Plastic Shell, Metal Inside
Lighting	RGB / White Backlight
Size	17.25 x 6 inches (43.8 x 15.2 cm)
Weight	2 pounds (918 g)

Design of the Hexgears Impulse

It doesn’t have the most premium design, but despite its low price, nothing about the Hex Gears Impulse looks or feels cheap. The top of the Impulse’s outer shell is made from painted aluminum while the bottom is black plastic, and on the inside, it uses a rigid metal mounting plate that gives it plenty of stability. A tapered top edge that curves down like a waterfall adds a nice touch of style. And speaking of water, the keyboard is IP56 water resistant so it can survive a small spill.

The Impulse is available in one of two styles. The $99 RGB style features colorful backlighting and “pudding style” keycaps that have translucent sides and a black top surface with translucent markings. The $89 model has white backlights behind its solid gray and white keys (the letters and numbers are white while most special keys are gray). Only the RGB model allows hot swapping of switches.

If you don’t like clicky switches, the Hexgears Impulse is also available with quiet, Kailh Box Brown tactile switches. If you don’t mind or even like audible feedback, the White switches have an amazing feel you shouldn’t deny yourself.

Hexgears Impulse Non-RGB Version has nicer keycaps.

Whichever model you choose, the caps are made from durable PBT plastic, and there’s an RGB light ring that surrounds the entire top surface. As is typical for mechanical keyboards, there’s a braided, non-removable USB Type-A cable that connects to your computer.

Unfortunately, the RGB model just isn’t that snazzy. The combination of the cloudy translucent plastic on the pudding keycaps and the muted light that shows through them leads to a visual experience with colors that aren’t as vibrant as you get on other RGB gaming keyboards, like the Patriot Viper V765, the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT or Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro.

Though it doesn’t have colorful lights behind the keys, I prefer the look of the white and gray keys. The aesthetics on this monochrome model reminded me of my old IBM Model M keyboard, but with a touch of RGB magic from the ring.

Hexgears Impulse

At 17.25 x 6 inches (43.8 x 15.2 cm), the Hexgears Impulse is very compact for a 104-key keyboard with a full set of keys and numpad. By comparison, the Patriot Viper V765 (18.4 x 6.4 inches / 45.5 x 20.3 cm) is quite a bit larger, though the Viper also finds room for media controls, something the Impulse lacks. At 2 pounds (918 grams), it’s heavy enough to feel stable on your desk without being a heavy lift.

Unlike some other keyboards that either have no feet at all or feet that lift it only a tiny bit off of the desk, the Hexgears Impulse has two sets of flip outs that give it different heights. With both feet retracted, the keyboard is a mere 0.8 inches (2cm) high, and with the smaller feet extended, that lifts it only 0.1 inch (0.25cm) higher. However, with the larger feet enabled, the back of the keyboard measures a full 1.25 inches (3.2cm), a lift of 0.45 inches (1.1cm). That makes it noticeably taller than the Patriot Viper V765, which tops out at 1.1 inches (2.8cm). The added height makes typing on the Impulse that much more comfortable.

Hot-Swap Capability of Hexgears Impulse

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

If you were to place the original version of the Hexgears Impulse next to version 2, you wouldn’t notice a difference. However, in the box, you get a keycap puller and a switch puller, which allow you to yank out the preloaded switches and replace them with any Cherry MX-compatible switch you want. This keyboard makes it as easy as possible to change mechanical switches without any soldering.

Removing the keycaps with the included key puller is easy, but yanking out the switches with the cheap metal switch puller is a hassle. To get them out, I had to carefully place the tiny tabs on the puller’s legs under the plastic of each switch and yank really hard. Popping in new switches was really simple, as all I had to do was put them into the hole and push.

Though I love the Box White switches the Impulse comes with, I wanted to try Kailh’s Box Jade switches which promise a slightly crisper click. In my testing, the Jade switches popped in perfectly and worked flawlessly with the Impulse’s keycaps.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Interestingly, actually typing on a full keyboard with a switch is way different than just clicking one sample switch on a switch tester. While the Jade and White switches felt nearly identical outside of the keyboard, the Jades felt much heavier during actual typing, even though both are rated for the same actuation force.

This exercise taught me that I like the Box White switches better, but ultimately, it shows the power of having a hot-swappable keyboard. You can buy switches of different kinds and type on them, without the effort and expense of building a custom keyboard or desoldering switches from an existing one.

There aren’t many hot-swappable, full-size keyboards on the market, so the Hexgears Impulse really stands out. The Glorious GMMK, another full-size keyboard that hot swaps, goes for $109.

Typing Experience of Hexgears Impulse

Wow, just wow. The Hexgears Impulse, provided you get it with the Kailh Box White switches, offers an amazing typing experience, which, even two years after I first tried it, is the best I’ve ever had on a mechanical keyboard. The clicky, Kailh Box White switches offer the perfect balance between feedback and resistance.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Where popular Blue and Green-style switches have 4mm of travel and actuate at 2mm, the Box White switches have 3.6mm of travel with a 1.8mm actuation point. That’s still plenty of travel, but the lower actuation point allows you to activate each key just a little bit quicker.

The keys feel lighter and easier to press than Blue or Green, but the tactile feedback is just as strong if not stronger, and the sound of the click is marvelous. Hexgears made the bold choice of putting a Blue-style switch under the spacebar only, because the largest key (which most people hit with their thumbs) should be a bit stiffer. At first, I thought that having a different switch under just one key was a weird choice, but I found the added resistance helpful. As a result, I enjoyed typing on the Impulse more than on the Viper V765, which has White switches under every key, including the spacebar.

Because of the fantastic switches, the solid, matte texture of the keycaps and the strong incline from the flip-out feet, I scored 111 words-per-minute with a 3% error rate on the 10FastFingers.com test. That’s my best score ever and far above my typical 95 to 100 wpm.

You can also buy the Hexgears Impulse with the non-clicky, but tactile Kailh Box Brown switches and the company says it may add more switch options eventually. However, it’s the White Box option that we tested and recommend.

RGB Lighting and Controls on Hexgears Impulse

The Hexgears Impulse has no software at all; you control everything via keyboard shortcuts. On the bright side, you can count on the Impulse to work the same way whether you use it on a computer with Windows, Linux, macOS or even with a set-top box. On the dim side, you need to remember (or read) a lot of key combinations in order to change the lighting or set up macro keys.

However, overall, I appreciate Hexgear’s decision to forgo software altogether rather than making a half-hearted effort or, like Razer keyboards do, nagging you to install something every time you plug in.

Setting up macros is a fairly frustrating process so you’d be better off finding your own macro software. The very-limited instruction card, which is just a list of key combinations, is confusing. But eventually I figured out how to record macros and assign them to one of the five possible macro keys (Y,U,I,O and P). However, you can’t edit the macros nor can you change the timing of a recording to insert delays, because there’s no software. And, in order to use the macros, you first have to hit Fn + Y to activate “macro mode,” which means that you can’t use any of those keys for their regular functions.

You can set per-key lighting on the RGB model, but there are only nine colors you can choose from for each letter. Want a royal blue instead of the dull blue that’s available? Get a different keyboard.

As is commonplace on any RGB keyboard, the Impulse also has a series of built-in lighting effects, such as breathing and wave motions. You can speed or slow these down and change the brightness level, but that’s about the only way to customize them. And, as I noted above, the color on the lights is bland.

Gaming Experience on Hexgears Impulse

The Hexgears Impulse offers a solid gaming experience. Whether I was playing a simple sandbox game like Lego Worlds, an epic adventure such as Rise of the Tomb Raider or a first-person shooter like Call of Duty II: Black Ops, the keyboard was responsive and easy to use.

If hitting too many keys at once is a concern, the keyboard lets you toggle between 6 key rollover and full key rollover modes by hitting Fn + ~. However, in my gaming experience, I never had an issue.

When it comes to gameplay, the Blue-switch spacebar is a double-edged sword, because if you need to jump rapidly you can’t press it as quickly as the White-switched spacebar on the Patriot Viper V765 (in fact, all of the White-switch keys on the Viper V765 seemed a little softer, perhaps because I had broken it in for longer). So what’s great for typing isn’t necessarily as good for fast-paced gaming. However, because the keys are hot-swappable, you’re always welcome to put a different switch under the spacebar, provided you have one.

The Impulse’s biggest gaming downside, however, is its lack of serious macro and lighting controls. While other keyboards have software that lets them customize their look and shortcuts by software, the Impulse gives you the same five macro keys for everything. There’s nothing you can do about the lighting, but you can have a better macro experience by installing third-party software, such as Clavier+ or AutoIt.

Bottom Line

It’s not a perfect gaming keyboard, but the Hexgears Impulse (with Kailh Box White switches) is an incredible value that offers the best typing performance I’ve ever experienced, surpassing even my old-school IBM-style keyboard and others I’ve used with Cherry MX Blue or Razer Green switches. Better still, the new hot-swap capability means that you can try out other switches, and see if there are any you like even better.

If you’re not interested in hot swapping and don’t care about having RGB effects (apart from a ring around the keyboard itself), you can save money and get a more subtle and professional looking design with the $89 monochrome model.

However, if you’re looking for a better gaming experience with superior lighting, macro creation and media controllers, the Patriot Viper V765, which has Box White switches, is a better choice. And if money is no object and you don’t mind Cherry MX Blue switches, consider the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT, which has dedicated function keys, powerful software and attractive, highly-customizable RGB lighting.

But if you want the ultimate typing experience or the ability to hot-swap switches, the Hexgears Impulse is your best choice.

16 of the best Rega products of all time: turntables, amps and phono stages

To call Rega a little bit dominant in the world of turntables would be rather an understatement. After all, of the 30+ turntable What Hi-Fi? Awards we’ve dished out over the last five years, Rega has scooped up around half of them, leaving its rivals to scrap over what’s left.

The current Award-winning turntables didn’t come out of nowhere: they’re the culmination of over four decades of tireless development and refinement and built upon the legacy of the turntables that have gone before.

But while record players and cartridges are what Rega are most renowned for, and quite rightly so, the British company has also excelled in a range of electronics – mostly amplifiers and phono stages – over the years that have many an accolade and an impressive heritage of their own. It’s got a few pairs of speakers under its belt, too, having recently launched the Kyte.

That makes this a perfect time to revisit Rega’s greatest hits, from its very first turntable to its most recent What Hi-Fi? Award-winners across a number of categories.

Rega Planet (1973)

Pre-Rega, founder Roy Gandy spent his free time installing, upgrading and repairing turntables. Dismayed by the poor reliability of the decks he was seeing, Gandy set out to make an alternative with real solidity and longevity.

He also wanted his first turntable to look different to everything else that was available at the time. “Why can a turntable not have three outrigger points spinning round, that people might buy as a piece of sculpture?” he asked.

The result of his experience, goals and theorising was the Rega Planet, with its three-spoke, steel and aluminium platter and Acos Lustre tonearm. This was also the beginning of Rega as a company.

Rega Planar 3 (with RB300 arm) (1983)

As you’d assume from the name, the Planar 3 was not the first Planar by Rega. What’s more, the model we’re highlighting here wasn’t even the first Planar 3. What makes this the Planar 3 to focus on is the RB-300 tonearm that came pre-installed on it.

Having used Japanese and Danish manufactured arms for the first decade of its life, Rega’s own RB-300 and RB-250 took performance to new levels and received plaudits that you might not expect, with Modern Metals magazine proclaiming that it was ‘still trying to figure out how you produce such a long cored hole so accurately’.

More importantly (we hope), we proclaimed at the time that the RB-300 edition of the Planar 3 ‘seemed to get so much more off the discs’. This is arguably the point at which Rega came of age.

Rega Brios (1991 and 2018)

(Image credit: Rega)

The original Brio amplifier first launched in 1991 – it was the company’s third model after the higher-end Elex and Elicit – ever since has pedalled a reputation for being a musically engaging affordable amplifier.

The generations we’ve seen over the years have all stayed true to the original’s musical foundations, managing to be sonically engrossing to entertaining and mostly class-leading degrees. And while they haven’t strayed far from the original design in terms of aesthetics and connectivity – half-width casing and analogue-only connectivity is infused into their design DNA – the performance benchmark they set has continued northwards. The current, sixth-generation Brio – the standout iteration alongside the first-gen model – is the best in the line yet: a stickler for detail and dynamics, rhythm and timing and, perhaps the simplest, truest summation, outright fun.

Read the Rega Brio review

Rega P5 (2002)

Rega spent much of the ’80s and ’90s focused on electronics and speakers, ensuring that someone looking to build an entire two-channel system could do so using Rega components alone. New decks were occasionally launched along the way but it’s the P5 and its 15mm glass platter of 2002 that we’re picking out.

The idea here was to bring some of the features of the company’s more premium turntables – particularly the P25 of 1998 – within the reach of more hi-fi fans, hence the aluminium surround, complex CNC machined skeletal low mass micro-fibre plinth, and the RB700 tonearm of the P7.

Rega P3-24/Elys 2 (2007)

It would take Rega 24 years to launch the second-generation Planar 3, called the P3 2000, but then just seven years to launch the third model – the P3-24.

This model kept much of what made the original Planar 3 great but added some serious upgrades, including a new plinth, arm and motor.

You could buy just the turntable and arm for £400, but our sample was also fitted with Rega’s own Elys 2 cartridge, a model that would become part of the Rega furniture for years to come.

It was a terrific-sounding package, with class-leading and rival-obliterating drive and rhythmic ability. It’s fair to say this turntable left a lasting impression, so much so that it won the Product of the Year Award twice in a row.

Read the Rega P3-24/Elys 2 review

Rega RP8 (2012)

Rega’s goal of combining lightness and rigidity bore striking fruit in 2012 with the launch of the RP8.

The skeletal plinth was constructed using little more than foam – closed cell, polyolefin foam to be precise. Phenolic resin skins were added to both top and bottom surfaces to deliver higher rigidity and an element of damping, but the RP8’s plinth still wound up being seven times lighter than that of the original Planar 3.

To say we were impressed by the RP8 – which is still available, by the way – would be an understatement. ‘When the company really goes for it, shooting for the stars rather than trying to meet a price point’, we said, ‘the results are spectacular’.

Read the Rega RP8 review

Rega Naiad (2013)

It should be clear by now that Rega is renowned for building brilliant turntables at the relatively affordable end of the spectrum, which is why the Naiad might come as a bit of a surprise – it costs £30,000. Not that you can buy one even if you had the money: only 50 were ever made.

Built to celebrate Rega’s 40th birthday, the company considers the Naiad to be the ultimate representation of its engineering ideas when executed with little regard for cost or ease of manufacture. In other words, it’s the best deck Rega knows how to make.

Unfortunately, we’ve never tested the Naiad – there’d be little point reviewing a product almost no-one could buy – but it’s fair to assume it should sound pretty special, given Rega’s track record. And it sure is pretty.

The making of: Rega Naiad

Rega Elex-R (2014)

(Image credit: Future)

Rega’s Elex-R arrived in 2014, 13 years after the original Elex, which was the company’s second-ever amplifier following its debut Elicit the year prior. It’s still going strong today – something we’re very thankful. Because while the Elex-R’s five-time What Hi-Fi? Award-winning streak came to an end in 2019 when Cambridge Audio’s better-connected CX models showed up, it still remains a go-to for analogue purists who aren’t worried about digital connectivity.

As with the Elicit and Brio siblings, its biggest strength lies in its effortless, uncompromising musicality; it’s the kind of product that gets straight to the heart of the music and conveys all the emotion in the recording with ease. We anticipate the next-generation Elex (which we’d imagine is due in the not-too-distant future) with avid eagerness.

Read the Rega Elex-R review

Rega RP1 Performance pack (2014)

We’ve always been fans of Rega’s entry-level turntable, the RP1, but this enhanced version took things to a new level.

Mostly, this is the same turntable we know and love, but with a few key tweaks. For starters, there’s a new, thicker drive belt. You also get a new mat: it’s thicker, and made of natural wool as opposed to the synthetic material of the original. The moving-magnet cartridge is new, too, with the standard Ortofon OMB5 having been replaced by Rega’s own Bias 2.

We proclaimed the RP1 Performance pack a ‘blindingly good turntable for the money, and a great entry point into the world of vinyl’.

Read the Rega RP1 Performance Pack review

Rega Planar 2 (2016)

In 1976, three years after Rega’s creation, the Planar 2 launched as one of the brand’s very first turntables. Its S-shaped tonearm was then replaced in 1984 with Rega’s RB250, and at the turn of the century a brand new version of the deck – fittingly named the P2 2000 – took its place in Rega’s catalogue until 2005.

Over a decade later, the Planar 2, having been developed over the past two years, was brought back from the dead – this time with the unabbreviated ‘Planar’ name.

The only things existing from the original being the drive belt and the plastic mouldings for the dust cover lid hinges, despite the two decks looking remarkably similar. But changes included a new plinth, power switch, 24v low-noise motor, central bearing, platter and feet. Quite a lot, then.

Most importantly, the Planer 2 received Rega’s new RB220 tonearm, which features new ultra-low friction ball bearings, a stiffer bearing housing and an automatic bias setting, making it virtually plug ’n’ play.

We proclaimed it a ‘proper step-up in performance from the RP1’, which is saying quite a lot.

Read the Rega Planar 2 review

Rega Planar 3 (2016)

Despite there being a 40-year gap between the original and current Planar 3, we surmised that if we put the two side-by-side, ‘most people would be hard pushed to find any differences beyond the smarter plinth and the updated tonearm’.

In actual fact, almost every part had been revised since the last iteration – the P3-24 of 2007. The company had, fairly unusually, put some real effort into the styling, too. The core of the turntable was the same, though: simple, well-engineered and designed to put performance first.

“Want the best value turntable on the market?”, we asked. “This is it”.

And it is still.

Read the Rega Planar 3 review

Rega Planar 6 (2017)

£1400 is no small price to pay for a turntable, particularly when a perfectly capable version of the same turntable is available for £200 less. But, such is the quality of the combination of Planar 6 and Ania cartridge, it’s a price well worth paying.

‘It’s a frankly astonishingly refined and mature sound’, we said in our review of the Planar 6, ‘with refinement adding to the deck’s customarily musical and insightful performance’.

It won an Award that year and repeated the feat in 2018. Will it be third time’s the charm? You certainly wouldn’t bet against it.

Read the Rega Planar 6 review

Rega Aura MC (2018)

(Image credit: Rega Research)

While Rega is a leading light at the more affordable end of the turntable and electronics fields it is a part of, ever mindful of value, it certainly knows how to make high-end products too. The Aura MC phono stage, which launched at £3999 ($5995), demonstrates that entirely.

Largely thanks to a three-stage symmetrical FET (Field Effect Transistor)-based main circuit board that’s packed with good quality components and driven by a generously specified power supply, the Aura MC is a virtuoso with moving coil cartridge-fitted record players, able to squeeze every last drop of energy from music signals it’s handed – not surprising considering that’s what Rega components do best. “If you have a system that can make the most of a phono stage of this level, dive right in,” is how we ended our review, and two years on from penning that statement we stand by it.

Read the Rega Aura review

Rega Planar 8 (2018)

If you’re not one of the lucky 50 who managed to get hold of the Naiad, above, you should probably take a good look at this Planar 8, which is designed to encapsulate the essence of the Naiad at a far more affordable price.

To these eyes it’s a gorgeously designed turntable that looks like nothing else out there. It’s vastly more capable than Rega’s more affordable models, too, including the Planar 6.

‘Rega has pushed the boundaries of performance at this level and has given premium rivals positioned above it plenty to worry about’, we said at the time, and little has changed since.

Read the Rega Planar 8 review

Rega Planar 1 Plus (2018)

When we heard Rega had finally developed a turntable with a built-in phono stage, the reaction of the What Hi-Fi? reviews team was a mixture of relief, anticipation and a fair bit of “about time, too”.

The Planar 1 Plus is essentially a Rega Planar 1 turntable with the Rega Fono Mini A2D built in. Both are Award-winning products, of course, and Rega says it only felt natural to combine them together. We absolutely agree.

‘Rega has struck gold in combining two superb products into one’, we said, commenting that in some ways it’s actually a better performer than when the turntable and phono stage are bought and combined as separates. This is a future classic and no mistake.

Read the Rega Planar 1 Plus review

Rega Planar 10 (2019)

(Image credit: Rega)

While the sparkliest jewels of Rega’s crown are arguably its lower-ranging Planar decks, its mainstream range-topper is the pinnacle of the Planar series and demonstrates the level of impressive engineering available at this price point.

The closest the company has got to building a production version of the Naiad – closer still than after the Planar 8 that came just before it – it’s an exceptional performer that packs clever engineering and fine build into a visually striking design. In fact, it’s the most sonically capable turntable we’ve heard at this price. If you really want to find out what’s hidden in that record groove, start here.

Read the Rega Planar 10 review

MORE:

10 of the best British record players of all time

12 of the best Cambridge Audio products of all time

10 of the best Wharfedale speakers of all time

10 of the best Arcam products of all time

(Image credit: Future)

There must be something in the water in Cambridge, England.

Not only did Cambridge Audio emerge from the university city, but so too did another bastion of British hi-fi. Amplification Recording and Cambridge (as it was known originally) was founded back in 1976, the brainchild of John Dawson and Chris Evans, who met while studying at Cambridge University. Over the years, the name was shortened to A&R Cambridge before Arcam was adopted in the 1980s.

Arcam has cast its product net far and wide over the years, always willing to experiment and entertain new product categories as they have emerged. From iPod speaker docks to standalone DACs, DVD players to music streamers, Arcam hasn’t been afraid to push itself, and the sonic envelope, in terms of both design and performance.

And the results speak for themselves. We’ve seen some absolutely classic products emerge over the years, and in celebration of British Hi-Fi Week, we highlight a number of them below. We kick things off where it all started, with a classic stereo amplifier…

Read our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features

A&R Cambridge A60 (1979)

(Image credit: Future)

Arcam got off to a flier with its first-ever product, the A60. Launched in 1976, it was a well-equipped integrated amplifier, with a solid selection of line-level inputs and a quality moving-magnet phono stage. We were impressed by the A60’s solid build and sound quality from the start. It cost £190 in the early Eighties and was very much the go-to middle-market amplifier of the time.

The A60’s smooth presentation and expressive midrange made it a fun and entertaining listen. It was surefooted rhythmically and provided decent punch too. The power output of 40W per channel wasn’t special, by any means, but it was still enough to work with a wide range of speakers.

That Was Then… A&R Cambridge A60 (1976) vs. Arcam A19 (2013)

A&R Cambridge P77 (1977)

(Image credit: Future)

If you were looking to upgrade your record player in the late 70s, Arcam’s budget P77 cartridge would probably have been somewhere on your shopping list. It was designed using Japanese parts and boasted excellent tracking ability, although you needed to get the right capacitive loading to get the best sound from the moving-magnet design. We were big fans of its wonderfully open and intimate soundstage at the time, as well as its dynamics, and its rhythmic ability.

The cartridge wasn’t completely immune from criticism, however. We questioned its “slightly fat bass quality and a brightness when not correctly loaded”, proof that there’s always room for improvement, even in some top-performing products.

A&R Arcam Two (1985)

(Image credit: Future)

Arcam might be better known for its electronics, but in 1985 it managed to serve up a cracking pair of stereo speakers in the shape of the Arcam Two. For petite budget standmounters, these really stood out from their rivals. This was partly down to the fantastic build quality on offer. The real-wood finish was superb, while each cabinet was heavily braced and damped to keep vibrations to a minimum. A&R even offered optional wooden pedestal stands for you to perch them on.

We highlighted their “marvellous” stereo imaging and the fact they weren’t lacking in top end detail. They also displayed a “midrange resolution which is of benefit with any kind of music”. At the same time, though, this was a pair of speakers that also benefited from careful system matching. We noted the Arcam’s weighty bass had the potential to sound a little thick and unwieldy if the speakers were partnered with unsuitable electronics.

17 of the best British speakers of all time

Arcam Alpha 7 (1996)

(Image credit: Future)

Based on Arcam’s landmark Alpha One CD player, the Alpha 7 left the competition in its wake when it launched back in 1996. The ‘7’ featured a modular design, which offered the possibility of an upgrade path. This meant that with a new DAC board and a badge change you could transform the Alpha 7 into an Alpha 8. Neat.

It had a smooth, mature and relaxing sound, which made for treble that was softer than that from other players. But the sound had a good weight to it, which helped tracks sound big and substantial where necessary. The Alpha 7 took the game to similarly priced Japanese efforts and held its own – and not many affordable British-made players achieved such a feat.

Arcam Alpha 7SE – The What Hi-Fi? Hall of Fame: 1990s

Arcam DiVA A85 (2001)

(Image credit: Future)

The A85 was different from its forebears. Where previous Arcam efforts veered towards warm and safe, the A85 had the ferocity of a sledgehammer smashing through glass. It worked well with all genres of music, with no trace of boom or bloom, and a clarity that extended throughout the frequency range.

We noted its “immaculately clean” midrange that had a resolution its rivals couldn’t match. The A85 was a sonic leader in its class, a fully featured amp that blew away the competition.

11 of the best British stereo amplifiers of all time

Arcam FMJ AV8 / FMJ P7 (2002)

(Image credit: Future)

If we were to make a list of home cinema highlights from the noughties, then Arcam’s potent processor/power amp combo would be a shoo-in. Granted, at £5500 for the pair, it wasn’t cheap, but the AV8/P7 justified every penny thanks to its breathtaking sonic ability.

The P7 power amp boasted an impressive 170W of power into seven channels, and it deployed it all with a sofa-shaking amount of force. The beauty of this Arcam pairing, though, was also its musicality. It was capable of elevating any movie soundtrack to a level where the listener couldn’t help but be blown away.

For the time, there was also a fair chunk of technology on show too. The AV8 showcased THX Ultra2 certification, and included format support for THX Surround EX and DTS-ES, among others. Remember, this was before the days of HDMI sockets and Dolby Atmos.

Our pick of the best AV receivers you can buy

Arcam Solo (2005)

(Image credit: Arcam)

For hi-fi fans who couldn’t accommodate a stack of separates, the Arcam Solo was the perfect solution – it provided the convenience of a one-box micro system with sensational sound quality. All you needed to do was add speakers. It was the benchmark product of its kind back in 2005, a premium hi-fi set-up that delivered brilliance across the board.

Playing a wide variety of genres, the Solo just refused to put a foot wrong and produced “consistently listenable results, packed with detail and expressive dynamics”.

The Arcam looked understated, but extremely elegant at the same time – the unit felt solid and was beautifully finished too. It combined CD player, DAB/FM tuner and amplifier to fantastic effect and you even had the option of connecting an iPod and controlling it through the Solo’s remote control. As an all-in-one proposition it was very tough to beat.

Read our Arcam Solo review

Arcam rDAC (DAC) 2010

(Image credit: Arcam)

Thanks to the increasing amount of music being stored on computer hard drives, DACs (digital to analogue convertors) had exploded into the mainstream by the time the Arcam rDAC arrived on the scene in 2010. It was a talented device and Arcam got the design, the feature set and the sonic performance absolutely spot on. Emphasis was put on the performance from the asynchronous USB input for computer-based music and the company focused heavily on reducing jitter (digital timing errors).

But to be fair, the rDAC performed well across all inputs delivering a “spacious, controlled and big-boned sound”. Low frequencies were controlled yet authoritative, and detail levels and the DAC’s ability to translate textures accurately was second to none at the money. A superb example of its kind.

Read our Arcam rDAC review

Arcam rCube (2011)

(Image credit: Arcam)

With the rCube, Arcam proved it could be flexible enough to shift from traditional separates and embrace new sources of audio – in this case, the Apple iPod. This portable music player’s emergence spawned the arrival of numerous iPod speaker docks which brought added convenience and a new angle to home audio.

There was no lack of rivals on the market at the time, but, to its credit, Arcam rose to the challenge. The rCube not only delivered excellent cohesive sound quality, it also offered portability (via the rechargeable battery) video playback and a wireless option; it even had multi-room potential – you could buy two and stream from one to the other. Its design meant the speaker dock sounded better tucked in the corner of a room, but it also featured an all-important ‘bass’ boost function which gave it a helping hand in open space. A very clever speaker that stood out from the crowd.

MORE:

Read our Arcam rCube review

6 of the best British hi-fi innovations and technologies

12 of the best Cambridge Audio products of all time

Linn’s next-gen Klimax DSM flagship streamer introduces Organik DAC

(Image credit: Linn)

Linn has taken the wraps off its next-generation flagship Klimax DSM music streamer, the original of which kickstarted the British company’s successful journey into hi-fi streaming way back in 2007.

According to Linn, the all-new Klimax DSM represents “a complete reimagining” of its top of the line streamer. That’s largely down to its Organik DAC, the first ever all-Linn digital to analogue converter, manufactured entirely in-house. Organik combines FPGA processing (which uses custom algorithms to increase upsampling and ensure precise volume control) with a discrete conversion stage that benefits from a new ultra-low jitter oscillator and clock distribution network. This combination – implemented in a double-sided circuit design to reduce signal paths – has allowed Linn to have control over every stage of the conversion process.

Linn says Organik measures better than anything the company has achieved before, offering significantly lower noise and distortion and its “most natural sound ever”.

Read our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features

(Image credit: Linn)

It feeds a plethora of digital inputs – USB-typeB (24-bit/384khz, DSD256), optical and coaxial. They are complemented by analogue RCA and XLR inputs, which should benefit from an all-new ADC design that has its own circuit board with dedicated power supply, as well as wi-fi, Bluetooth and Airplay for a range of streaming needs. Linn’s dedicated Exakt Link ports enable direct hook-up of an LP12 turntable with Urika II phono stage, too.

A home cinema variant of the streamer, the Klimax DSM (AV), expands that connectivity list with HDMI socketry (four ins, one eARC-compatible out).

Both versions are housed in a new chassis, which is machined from solid, special-grade aluminium and takes on an aesthetic that’s in line with both the latest Majik DSM and Selekt DSM as well as the Klimax DS heritage.

To that end, you’ll find diamond-cut circles on the upper surface, stainless steel buttons and a mirror-screen frontage, not forgetting the beautiful, custom designed, precision-cut glass control dial with 100 status lights. Each unit will also be signed by the Linn engineer who built it from start to finish.

(Image credit: Linn)

The sheer weight of the machine, coupled with internal damping, helps isolate the Klimax DSM from vibration in the room, while a number of pockets and partitions separate the analogue, digital and power stages in an effort to reduce interference.

The Linn Klimax DSM (either the ‘Audio’ or ‘AV’ variant) costs £30,000.

Linn is also taking this opportunity to offer an Organik DAC upgrade for its Klimax 350 speakers and Klimax Exaktbox, costing £10,800 and £5400 respectively. New orders of the 350 and Exactbox, priced £57,500 and £15,000, will come with Organik as standard.

(Image credit: Linn)

Finally, there’s the Klimax System Hub (£15,000), which is for anyone “seeking the highest performance from a complete Linn system”. Designed for use in a Linn system with Exakt technology, the System Hub is housed in the same new enclosure as the Klimax DSM. It also uses the company’s latest ADC design, and features the same inputs as the Klimax DSM (AV) variant – including the option to upgrade with surround 7.1-channel capability.

The pinnacle pairing is, Linn says, between the Klimax System Hub and the Klimax 350 speakers or Klimax Exaktbox, both with the new Organik DAC onboard. An impressive system, no doubt.

MORE:

Read our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features

See our pick of the best Linn products of all time

Interview! Cyrus XR Series: a clean break from Classic

We ask the industry: is there such thing as ‘British hi-fi sound’?

Bose Frames Tempo review: the specs to beat

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It’s still fair to call audio sunglasses a niche category, but with Bose offering several models, Amazon in the game, and counting recent announcements from Razer and JLab, it’s certainly a growing one. There are people out there who just aren’t particularly fond of earbuds — often because they dislike the feeling of silicone tips plugging up their ears. Open-style products like the standard AirPods and Galaxy Buds Live are one alternative, but then you still face the possibility of losing them. If you’re running on a trail or out for an intense bike ride, it’s not an insignificant risk.

For those people, I can absolutely see the appeal of the Bose Frames Tempo, which have speakers built right into their frame and will stay planted on their face no matter how strenuous outdoor activity gets. The Tempo glasses are the sportiest model of Bose’s Frames family, clearly geared at hikers, runners, cyclists, and anyone else who spends a good chunk of their time outside. Bose says they’ve also got the best sound performance of the bunch.

From the front, they look like your typical pair of Oakley, Nike, or Under Armour sunglasses. Bose is clearly going after that same market with the $250 Tempos. If you’re more fashion-forward or looking for a pair of audio sunglasses that don’t give the impression you’re in the middle of a triathlon, you’ll want to stick with the Tenor or Soprano styles of Frames. These come with black mirrored lenses in the box, but Bose also sells a couple of other pairs of $40 lenses that you can swap in to let different amounts of light pass through. The oversized temples are where it becomes more obvious that these are audio sunglasses.

But there’s a benefit to that chunky design: unlike the Tenor and Soprano Frames, which use a proprietary charger, the Tempo model has a regular USB-C connector on the left temple. Bose says the frame is made from “TR-90 nylon.” There’s not much give, but they feel rugged to me, and they’ve got an IPX4 water and sweat resistance rating, so if you get caught running or biking in the rain, they’ll survive.

The large temples are the obvious tell that these are audio sunglasses.

For the first couple of days wearing the Tempos, I felt a slight squeeze at the sides of my head that got uncomfortable. Now, I’ve got an extremely large dome — they used to have to bring out a special-sized helmet in Little League, friends — but thankfully, the fit loosened up a bit because this pressure went away by the end of the first week. The sunglasses didn’t get loose enough to where they started bobbing on my head or anything; they still felt nice and secure. (My friend Theresa, who has a normal-sized head, never mentioned any headache-inducing tightness.) Bose includes three sizes of nose tips in the box, and I found the large to be the right match. Even if my face was covered in sweat from a long run, the nose tips helped ensure the sunglasses didn’t slide around.

The frames have an IPX4 rating for water and sweat resistance.

The controls that Bose came up with are wonderfully foolproof, which is crucial when you’re trying to stay focused on other things. You swipe across the right temple to raise or lower the volume, and on the underside of that temple is a small circular button that you can press to play / pause, double-tap to skip tracks, or triple-tap to go back. In no time at all, these controls felt so natural and easy. Powering off the Frames Tempo just takes holding down the button for a few seconds. Or you can flip them over and lay them down with the top of the frame on a surface. After two seconds in that orientation, they shut off. (You can disable this in settings, but I found it really convenient and, again, natural.) Battery life is listed as eight hours, and that’s lined up with my experience so far. The sunglasses take roughly an hour to charge back to 100 percent. Bose’s mobile app lets you update the sunglasses’ firmware, but there aren’t any EQ controls or other options that adjust their performance.

The sunglasses stay firmly in place through all sorts of outdoor activities.

Describing the sound quality of audio sunglasses can be tricky. They’re nothing like headphones or earbuds since these are essentially down-firing speakers pointed at your ears. But Bose stepped up its game compared to the first-generation Frames, which I’ve tried on occasion. These have more life to them across the whole EQ range.

There’s a surprising amount of separation between vocals and instrumentation, and the Frames Tempo have a nice clarity and even-handed balance. There’s more bass than before, but this is where I think it’s most important to set reasonable expectations: the low end you get from any decent pair of in-ear buds will blow these out of the water. No contest. That said, Bose has at least reached a place where the bass no longer sounds anemic or flat, which is a legitimate improvement over the first-gen Frames. It’s there and perceptible.

Sound bleed is easily canceled out by everyday street noise, but if you’re inside with the volume turned up, people nearby will be able to tell that you’re listening to music. These are sunglasses, after all, so I imagine those situations will be few and far between. The Bluetooth connection has held stable throughout the vast majority of my time with the Frames Tempo so far. No complaints there.

Voice calls while wearing the Tempos have also been a joy. Callers say I sound nearly as good as when speaking directly into my phone, and something about taking calls with your ears totally open just feels very cool.

Bose sells additional $40 pairs of lenses that let in different amounts of light.

Even after a relatively short time using the Frames Tempo, I get this audio glasses thing. I really get it. It’s like Dieter recently wrote: “Not having to put in or take out headphones changes your relationship to audio — it’s just always available, always there when you want it.” Do I wish I could pop clear lenses into them and wear them everywhere? In theory, you bet. But this style wouldn’t really work for that, nor is it what the Tempos are meant to be at the end of the day. So I can’t knock Bose for the disappointment I feel when switching back to my normal glasses, which now seem so very primitive.

The Bose Frames Tempo let you hear the world around you with no obstructions — with a soundtrack playing over everything, while at the same time giving your ears a bit of a break compared to normal earbuds. At $250, they will be a tough sell for some. But I’ve come to realize that audio sunglasses are the exact sort of thing you won’t ever realize you needed. Until you put ‘em on — and all of a sudden, you do.

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge

How Rogers Hi-Fi is bringing back some iconic BBC speakers

(Image credit: Rogers Hi-Fi)

To the younger hi-fi enthusiast, of whom there are undoubtedly some among our ranks, it might come as a surprise to learn the BBC once designed its own speakers. The same licence fee that’s now used to fund new series of Mrs Brown’s Boys was once invested in what Rogers Hi-Fi’s Andy Whittle calls Britain’s “world-breaking commitment to audio”.

The task of building the speakers was divided up between a thriving British hi-fi industry – Rogers was among the companies holding licenses, along with Goodmans and Spendor. Having already brought the LS3/5A and LS5/9 back to the market, Rogers has plans to re-release more of the company’s back catalogue in the future.

Though the parts are more or less the same, drivers previously built by KEF have had to be reverse-engineered. As Whittle explains, this is as much about recapturing the sound and the essence of the speakers as it is following an old recipe.

Read our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features

A personal history

(Image credit: Rogers Hi-Fi)

What Hi-Fi: Let’s talk about your background. How did you get from where you started to where you are today?

Andy Whittle: I started in 1985 with Goodmans loudspeakers. At that time, Goodmans had a license for making the BBC LS3/5A. I worked on what was then the MkII Goodmans Maxim; there was an original Goodmans Maxim in the 60s, which was partly designed with Laurie Fincham from KEF. When I worked at Goodmans, they were making 3/5As and wanted to reinvent the Maxim name, but a cheaper version. I designed the Maxim II speaker, which got some awards and good reviews.

So that’s how I started. I did a spell with Celestion in Ipswich, which at that time had a professional market and a domestic hi-fi market. I was working on the professional side, on 10- and 12-inch guitar speakers. It’s the polar opposite to home audio because you’re not trying to introduce distortion, but guitar speakers like distortion in certain places at certain times.

You’re actually trying to colour the sound there?

You want some break-up, but also a particular tone. It’s interesting – you spend most of your career trying to get rid of distortion and then someone asks you to put it back in. It’s like, let’s look through the other end of the telescope and see what happens.

After that, I did a bit down at Mordaunt-Short, which was part of the TGI group that owned Tannoy and Goodmans. TGI also had Epos and Creek Audio, and there was a period in the late 80s when we were all together under one roof. I ended up working with Robin Marshall on the Epos ES11 bass unit.

Rogers LS3/5A tech specs

(Image credit: Rogers Hi-Fi)

System type Two-way infinite baffle

Frequency response 80Hz-20KHz

Nominal Impedance 15ohms

Bass/midrange 110mm Bextrene cone

Tweeter 19mm Mylar dome

Sensitivity 82.5dB

Finishes Walnut, Rosewood and Olive

Grille Black Tygan

Dimensions (hwd) 30.5 x 19 x 16.5cm

Weight 4.9kg (each)

In the early 90s, I moved to Rogers. It’s a small industry, of course – everyone moves around and knows everybody else. At that time, Rogers was making all the BBC monitors. I carried on the Rogers tradition of the BBC-balanced sound and brought out one or two new ranges. I did the AB1 subwoofer that went with the 3/5A, and then we did the DB101.

Michael O’Brien, who owned Rogers, sold the company to the Wo Kee Hong Group in Hong Kong. They ran it for four or five years before the big financial crisis in the late 90s when they pulled the plug on the UK manufacture. They weren’t making those products in Hong Kong or China, they were basically making their own products and introducing them to the domestic market; so they moved a bit more mainstream, doing more AV stuff. But that was all kept in the domestic China market.

After that, I ran Exposure for about five years, and then for the past ten years, I’ve been working with Audio Note UK. I kept in touch with the Rogers people, and a few years ago they contacted me and said they were looking to make a small batch of speakers in the UK for Rogers’ 70th anniversary.

We got those made, then I said to Richard Lee, the chairman of Wo Kee Hong, ‘Why don’t you just start making the 5/9 and 3/5A back in the UK?’ My friend Kevin from Talk Electronics has a factory, so I spoke to him and that’s what we did.

So we get the cabinet and the crossovers made here in the UK. I reverse-engineered the drive units, because KEF doesn’t make those anymore. They come in from China, we finish the drive units here and we assemble the tweeter – we put the dome into the magnet – so the final assembly is done here.

We’ve been doing that now for about 2.5 years. We have a BBC licence for that and do the same for the LS5/9. We’re also looking at making an active LS5/8; we’re doing the amplifier design and are hoping those will be ready this September.

A certain character

(Image credit: Rogers Hi-Fi)

Why did you want to start making these BBC speakers again?

There still seemed to be an appetite for BBC-designed products. I was in the audio industry, travelling around to shows and, without being arrogant, most of what I heard didn’t actually sound that good. I’d start listening to the older stuff and think, that sounds better than some of the newer stuff. Why not make the old stuff again?

It has a certain character you don’t get with modern products. Maybe it’s a bit like driving a Morgan car: it’s not going to set the world alight with its 0-60mph stats or top speed, nor is it the last word in handling, but it still provides a purpose.

If you look at the quality of the R&D and the resources available to the BBC at the time, there must have been millions of pounds spent on developing the 3/5A – or certainly a considerable amount in today’s money. These days I wouldn’t know, but I don’t think so much is invested in the acoustics of the speaker.

You talk about the character of these speakers; how would you describe it, and what makes that BBC character so special?

I don’t have a BBC background on the design side, but ultimately, it’s all about the vocal and the voicing. If it’s for an outside broadcast van and they are mixing, the vocals have to be 100 per cent spot on. If you get that right in the critical mid-band, the bass and top aren’t so critical. Get it right and you’re pretty much home and dry.

Rogers LS5/9 spec sheet

(Image credit: Rogers Hi-Fi)

System type Two way bass reflex

Tweeter Audax 34mm with phase correction

Mid/Bass Rogers 210 mm polypropylene cone vinyl surround

Crossover 3KHz 27 precision element 18dB per Octave

Sensitivity 87dB for 1W at 1M

Nominal Impedance 8 Ohms

Power handling 100 Watts unclipped

Maximum SPL 106 dBA typical in room

Cabinet 9mm Birch plywood hardwood battens

Grille Black Tygan

Finish Walnut, Rosewood and Olive

Connections Stereo pair 4mm banana sockets

Dimensions 460mm x 275mm x 285mm (HxWxD)

Weight 12Kg (each speaker)

In terms of the driver development and crossover integration, it’s seamless and you can’t hear the join. So there’s no phase, there’s no funny off-axis performance, it’s easy to hear the layers – which, again, is quite important for recording.

It comes back to the tonality. It’s easy to design speakers to try and chase more detail and a brighter edged sound, but it’s like putting more salt on your dinner – you just upset the balance of the flavours. Ultimately, it’s about that presentation, that tonality and the ability to reproduce the human voice.

If you look back at what was around in the 1970s that has stood the test of time, there are only a few things – maybe a Mini or a London bus. But it’s trying to nail that flag that says this is what we made in the UK, this was our world-breaking commitment to audio back in the 70s, and it still seems to have some merit today.

If you take a pair of the new 3/5As and put them against the old 3/5As, there are subtle differences, but for all intents and purposes, they have the same DNA. You can follow it through.

Cranky old drive units

(Image credit: Rogers Hi-Fi)

How many comparisons have you done with the new speakers?

I’ve done comparisons with earlier Rogers products, including a pair of 3/5A from 1976 that I use as my reference. The BBC licensed it out to more than one supplier in case of supply issues, but they should have been able to take one from any manufacturer and swap them out. The left speaker could have been a Spendor and the right a Rogers, and you should have still been able to mix on it.

You mentioned KEF now not making the drivers. Is that the main thing that’s changed from the 1970s to now?

Yes, that’s the biggest thing. KEF used to make the woofer and tweeter, then the independent licences used to make their own crossover. And there came a bit of argy-bargy between people saying these drive units are no good, and KEF would say, ‘Well it’s your crossover’. Eventually, the BBC stamped that out, so KEF would produce the matched woofer, tweeter and crossover.

When KEF was bought out by Gold Peak – around the same time Gold Peak bought Celestion – they weren’t interested in making 3/5As, as they had bigger fish to fry. They were looking at seriously growing the company, to the point where now KEF does the consumer side and Celestion does the pro side. And you can see with their modern products that they’re going great guns. They aren’t interested in making cranky old drive units – they leave that to us.

Sorting out the drive units was the biggest challenge. But on reflection, we’re quite happy we managed to capture the essence of that. The way it’s partnered with the crossover and the cabinet, with those three ingredients we’ve got the right result.

So are these current versions geared more towards hi-fi or pro?

I don’t know how the market has changed on the pro side, but I want to get these speakers back into the BBC studios. I want to say to them: ‘Whatever you’ve got in Maida Vale, throw it in the bin and put the Rogers 3/5A in’. That’s my plan anyway.

Want more of this kind of thing? Check out the best British speakers of all time

(Image credit: Cambridge)

In the early 1960s, before it became known as ‘Silicon Fen’, the small university city of Cambridge, long a magnet for scientists and engineers, started to attract a new breed of technologically minded entrepreneurs.

It was in this stimulating environment, with networks of like-minded people, that a group of young graduates decided to establish an R&D prototyping business at the old Enderby’s Mill in St. Ives, Cambridge: Cambridge Consultants.

By 1968, the company had grown to include a sub-division, Cambridge Audio. The small team led by Gordon Edge, a scientist with a head for a business who would go on to become a key figure in the Cambridge technology sector, was tasked with addressing a particular problem – how to create a hi-fi that could deliver the ‘Great British Sound’ into people’s homes.

British bands and recording studios had become a dominating force in music, and Cambridge Audio wanted to deliver a ‘neutrally British’, uncoloured and balanced sound that let the original recordings shine. And that ethos continues today. The company’s designs have always been minimalist and necessity driven: from the upside-down labels on the back panels for easy reading when setting up, to a rule limiting one switch per function, the customer at home is always considered.

Cambridge Audio has a policy of continuous improvement, whether it’s for high-end or budget equipment, and being relatively small has allowed it to adapt and innovate quickly. The company has a history of upgrading its hardware far more frequently than other UK brands (sometimes to its customers’ frustration). Many of the products featured on this list are the results of this culture of research, refinement and frankly borderline obsessive ‘Great British’ tinkering.

Read all our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features

Cambridge Audio P40 Amplifier (1968)

(Image credit: Cambridge)

Like many long-established audio firms, Cambridge made its name by releasing the most crucial piece of any hi-fi system: a quality stereo amplifier.

The P40 integrated amp was the company’s first-ever product, developed by Gordon Edge and Peter Lee, who took a simple approach with just a few transistor stages. But they were also willing to take chances, and the P40 became the first-ever amplifier to use toroidal transformers, a nascent technology that just happened to be being manufactured by another local company at the time.

The risk paid off, and these days, toroidal transformers are a standard component inside high-end amplifiers.

While the P50 and P60 amps that followed quickly on its heels offered greater reliability and efficiency (as well as sales), it’s the P40 with its elegant low-contour case from Woodhuysen Design, boldness and longstanding influence that makes it the first of six Cambridge amps on this list.

Old amplifier vs new amplifier: which is better?

Cambridge Audio C75 preamp and A75 power amp (1984)

(Image credit: Cambridge)

The C75 pre-amplifier and A75 power amplifier were the first of a new generation of Cambridge amps split into two units that could be combined using end panels. The idea was to shield the sensitive input circuitry from the electrically noisy power amplifier, improving the sound and giving better performance.

And the separation didn’t stop there. The C75 implemented a phono stage that used a new technique called ‘segmented equalisation’ whereby the signal current would pass through discrete stages of passive EQ and amplification.

Passive EQ was preferable to an active circuit, as it kept negative feedback consistent across all frequencies and tracked the required RIAA equalisation to very high frequencies. However, it was also prone to increased noise interference and degradation of the dynamic range. By alternating EQ and amplification circuits, Curtis overcame this issue and produced a superb sound in the process.

The A75, for its part, kept Cambridge’s trademark toroidal transformer, but added a power supply for each channel, resulting in an impressively high output current capability.

While the C75/A75 combination was costly to build, the level of detail taken in developing the circuitry and careful choice of components ensure its status as one of the best Cambridge products of all time.

9 debut stereo amplifiers from iconic hi-fi brands

Cambridge Audio CD1 (1985)

(Image credit: Cambridge)

When Cambridge released the CD1, it was the first player to be split into 2 boxes; the upper deck carried the power supply and disc tray while the lower housed the DAC circuitry. A third box was soon added with a quality assurance module that corrected for inaccuracies on the disc.

The DAC section cleverly used three matched 14-bit DACs per channel to cancel out errors; this resulted in a linear performance to -120 dB, an incredible feat at the time. The transport mechanism was mounted on a lead beam to increase isolation, and there were separate power supplies for the digital and analogue circuits.

Another novel feature of the CD1 was the inclusion of playback filters. Different studios were using different pre-conversion filters at the time as there wasn’t yet a standardisation for digitising analogue master tapes to CD. Cambridge recognised that to get true fidelity to the original recording, the digital to analogue conversion performed by a CD player needed to have an accurate mirror image of whichever filter process had occurred to begin with. The company came up with nine filter options for the CD1 meaning that almost every CD could be played back faithfully.

Unfortunately, this idea increased the manufacturing cost, which in turn meant that the CD1 cost a small fortune – at £1500 – double the cost of most other players at the time. Still, despite the price, its ability to read the fine detail on discs accurately made it hugely popular with music lovers and CD manufacturers alike.

12 of the best British CD players of all time

Cambridge Audio A1 Amplifier (1995)

(Image credit: Richer sounds)

The A1 was the company’s first product after being bought in 1994 by James Johnson-Flint and Julian Richer. Keen to make their mark, they hired the prodigious designer Mike Creek and tasked him with delivering the A1 in only one month.

A true classic budget design, costing £80, the Cambridge Audio A1 integrated amplifier brought low-priced high performance to the masses. Even a more premium upgraded version with improved circuitry and toroidal transformers cost a mere £20 more.

The A1 maintained Cambridge’s principle of simplicity while bringing a new definition of quality to an affordable price range. It went on to become one of their best selling products ever.

Best stereo amplifiers 2021

Cambridge Audio DacMagic (1996)

(Image credit: Future)

The DacMagic was one of the last of the original generation of DACs. Unassuming to look at it had a lot to show for its £150 price point, raising the standard for the amount of functionality that could be packed into a stand-alone DAC.

By the mid-90s, manufacturing for Cambridge took place primarily in China, which designer John Westlake described as an electronics “candy store”, offering him the flexibility to upgrade to high-end components without the cost becoming prohibitive. As a result, the DacMagic boasted three separate transformers feeding 19 independent power supplies, BNC inputs and outputs, as well as balanced outputs on two gold-plated XLR connections.

Sonically superb, direct and detailed, the DacMagic earned comparisons to much more expensive equipment, coming out at a time when a CD player with balanced outputs could cost you in the region of £1000. And it gave Cambridge its first outright What Hi-Fi? Award win.

DACs – everything you need to know

Cambridge Audio CD4SE CD player (1998)

(Image credit: Future)

Sometimes an upgrade can feel as though a few stripes have simply been drawn on; on other occasions it takes a good product and elevates it way beyond its original brief.

The latter was the case for the CD4SE. Originally intended to be a special edition of the CD4, it instead became a total revamp. Circuitry was simplified, and the transport functions sharpened up, while the engineers casually deployed a few innovations at the same time.

Cambridge became the first manufacturer to use dual Crystal DACs, which oversampled, offering 20-bit performance. This enhanced the player’s dynamic range while reducing distortion and giving a truly musical performance.

Refinement at this level for the low price of £200 bags the CD4SE a place on our list.

Best CD players 2021: CD players for every budget

Cambridge Audio Azur 640A Amplifier (2003)

(Image credit: Future)

The Azur range epitomised Cambridge’s commitment to high-quality budget equipment, and the formidable 640A integrated amplifier was no exception. When we gave it five stars back in 2003, we described it as “good enough to strike fear in the heart of the establishment”; and it did just that.

Dynamically vivid, the 640A delivered a polished sound, full of fluidity and precision, lacking any hint of the gentle compression that other amps at this price level were prone to employ.

With a pretty muscular 65 Watts per channel, high-quality circuit enhancements and impressive quality of build, the 640A displayed a level of detail that made it a great all-rounder and set it apart from its rivals.

10 of the world’s most expensive stereo amplifiers

Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1 speakers (2013)

(Image credit: Future)

With the introduction of the Aero 5.1 range, Cambridge shifted its focus from making excellent value electronics and sought to become a force in speakers, establishing itself as a serious alternative to the likes of B&W, KEF and Monitor Audio. Going up against such established rivals, the company’s solution was to offer something a bit different – BMR (Balanced Mode Radiator) technology.

BMR drivers work like a traditional piston driver for low frequencies, while higher frequencies are produced using a vibration motion across the surface of the speaker diaphragm. This technology allowed the Aero range to reproduce a wide frequency range using just a single small driver, without the need for a separate tweeter. It also meant it could achieve a near 180-degree dispersion, making the sizable boxes flexible to position within the home.

The result was a cohesive sound field with an articulate, detailed and punchy presentation. It’s no surprise that the Aero 5.1 speaker range went on to win What Hi-Fi? Awards in both 2013 and 2014.

Read our Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1 review

Cambridge Audio CXN Music Streamer (2015)

(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)

Cambridge was one of the first of the ‘traditional’ hi-fi brands to embrace digital music wholeheartedly by including streamers as part of its core hi-fi ranges. And 2010s NP30, 2013s Audio Stream Magic 6 and 2014s Audio Stream Magic 6 V2 all won What Hi-Fi? Awards.

By 2016, streaming had most definitely gone mainstream with faster connection speeds and wide adoption of subscription services, and Cambridge’s response to this trend was sonically game-changing. At £700 when we first reviewed it, the CXN was mid-range only in price, with a fantastic, incisive sound and excellent low-end impact.

Offering a full-colour screen for artwork, third party app support and digital inputs capable of playing high-resolution files of up to 24-bit/192kHz (upsampled to 384kHz), the CXN was packed with future-proofed features to keep it relevant in rapidly changing times. So much so that when the updated CXN V2 (yet another award winner) was released, we were relieved to find that the sound we had come to know and love was still intact.

Read our Cambridge Audio CXN review

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 (2019)

(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)

After tentatively dipping a toe into headphone production with a pair of wired earbuds in 2017, Cambridge made a splash with their inaugural true wireless offering, 2019’s Melomania 1.

Literally meaning ‘crazy about music’, these minimalist designed in-ears punched well above their weight, offering an expansive listening experience that few other brands achieve at this price.

Forgoing the bells and whistles of many big brands, Cambridge focused on the basics: battery life, connection stability and above all else, the sonic experience. Melomania 1 delivered on all fronts receiving five stars and best wireless in-ears £75-£150 at the What Hi-Fi? Awards. A great win for a headphones newbie and proof that sonic expertise can still prevail even in the smartfeature-centric world of portable audio.

Read our Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 review

Cambridge Audio CXA81 amplifier (2019)

(Image credit: Future)

Like other products on this list, the CXA81 started as a mere refurb and turned into a renovation. Cambridge engineers took the four-star CX81 amp and upgraded the op-amps, capacitors and DAC, and in doing so made progress in almost every sonic regard.

Adding to that a USB input supporting audio of up to 32-bit/384kHz, an aptX HD Bluetooth receiver and a pair of Toslink optical inputs, the CXA81 set a new baseline for thousand-pound integrated amplifiers bagging a What Hi-Fi? Award in 2020 in the process.

One thing that the CXA81 was missing, however, was the tone controls that Cambridge had continued to include on their amplifiers long after most manufacturers had dismissed them. The company often cited the consumer’s need to adjust the sound to suit their taste, space and playback; but with the CXA81, a new, more purist standard began.

Dominic Baker, technical director at the time, explained the reasoning to the FT saying: “Tone controls came into existence in the days of cassettes, and the very poor sound quality they gave. There’s good reason today to let the music sound how it left the recording studio, which CD and digital allows.”

The CXA81 had a seismic impact on the market, disposing of its rivals with its powerful, dynamic, and astonishingly detailed sound.

Read our Cambridge Audio CXA81 review

Cambridge Audio Edge A amplifier (2019)

(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)

Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Cambridge Audio, the Edge series (named after founder Gordon Edge, not Bono’s mate) was the culmination of a three-year process that started with a blank sheet of paper and no time constraints.

Harking back to the P40’s original innovation, the engineers designing the Edge A took toroidal technology one step further by using two opposing transformers to cancel out electromagnetic interference, offering outstanding power and maintaining consistent tonality.

Elsewhere the signal path was shortened as much as possible to reduce significantly the chance of colour or distortion being added to the sound. Capacitors were removed from the signal path, and a DC-coupled topology was introduced to the circuit board.

The result was an impressive sound that won five stars from us. At £4500, the Edge A amplifier is a premium product with a premium price, signalling that, despite its long-term commitment to excellent-quality budget products, Cambridge Audio can still compete at higher price point too.

MORE

Read our Cambridge Audio Edge A review

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Driver Type	53mm
Impedance	23 Ohms
Frequency Response	20 – 40,0000 Hz
Microphone Type	Cardioid boom, detachable
Connectivity	3.5mm or USB Type-A
Cables	3.9 feet (1.2m) 3.5mm cable
	3.3 feet (1m) USB cable
	6.5 feet (2m) extender/mic splitter
Weight	0.8 pounds (348g)
Lighting	None
Software	None
Extra	1x extra set ear cushions

Our Verdict

For

Against

Specifications

Design of the Hexgears Impulse

Hot-Swap Capability of Hexgears Impulse

Typing Experience of Hexgears Impulse

RGB Lighting and Controls on Hexgears Impulse

Gaming Experience on Hexgears Impulse

Bottom Line

Rega Planet (1973)

Rega Planar 3 (with RB300 arm) (1983)

Rega Brios (1991 and 2018)

Rega P5 (2002)

Rega P3-24/Elys 2 (2007)

Rega RP8 (2012)

Rega Naiad (2013)

Rega Elex-R (2014)

Rega RP1 Performance pack (2014)

Rega Planar 2 (2016)

Rega Planar 3 (2016)

Rega Planar 6 (2017)

Rega Aura MC (2018)

Rega Planar 8 (2018)

Rega Planar 1 Plus (2018)

Rega Planar 10 (2019)

A&R Cambridge A60 (1979)

A&R Cambridge P77 (1977)

A&R Arcam Two (1985)

Arcam Alpha 7 (1996)

Arcam DiVA A85 (2001)

Arcam FMJ AV8 / FMJ P7 (2002)

Arcam Solo (2005)

Arcam rDAC (DAC) 2010

Arcam rCube (2011)

A personal history

A certain character

Cranky old drive units

Design

Features

Interface

Sound quality

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How to Turn Raspberry Pi into an Electronic Door Chime

Our Verdict

For

Against

Build

Comfort

Verdict

Design

Specification changes

Visuals

Controllers and battery life

Conclusion

Design & Display

Performance & Battery

Cameras

Also consider

OnePlus Nord

Our Verdict

For

Against

Fnatic React+ Specs

Design and Comfort

Audio Performance

Microphone

Features and Software

Bottom Line

Cambridge Audio P40 Amplifier (1968)

Cambridge Audio C75 preamp and A75 power amp (1984)

Cambridge Audio CD1 (1985)

Cambridge Audio A1 Amplifier (1995)

Cambridge Audio DacMagic (1996)

Cambridge Audio CD4SE CD player (1998)

Cambridge Audio Azur 640A Amplifier (2003)

Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1 speakers (2013)