$7000 Audiophile Setup! Cambridge Audio EDGE NQ Preamp & W Amplifier Review

[@briancody8663]

Just got the Edge W and have the Edge NQ on order.. Hooking this up to JBL 590's.. Hope to do a review also. Thank you for the review, nice production quality!

[@therealshanelee]

Awesome let us know how you like it 👍

[@serged6836]

and do you like the Edge NQ ? :)

[@LesleyWesleyPresley1]

Great review. Just ordered the W and going to pair it via XLR with my Lumin T2. Monitor Audio Gold200 speakers. I’m expecting big things :)

[@hi-fihaven2257]

That is some great looking gear!

[@bumstudios8817]

Save that spare change for this system!

[@therealshanelee]

🤦🏻‍♂️

[@Audioholics]

LOL so in other words, it's a Class AB with a higher Class A bias. It must run warm. Nice review, beautiful gear.

[@JuanLega]

It seems to me this is the same XD technology they had for years now. I think marketing finally realized that by calling it XD they were making people think it was a class D amplification, and so they changed it to XA so people associate it more with class A amplification. The technology lowers the distortion created during the push pull stages between the transistors.

[@Audioholics]

@@JuanLega yes crossover distortion is reduced by biasing the transistors into an "always on" state, which is Class A. Nothing new or revolutionary about that.

[@JuanLega]

@@Audioholics that's not what that technology is. The transistors are not running class A constantly. It is a class AB amplifier with a 'trick' on the transition between class A to B.

[@Audioholics]

@@JuanLega its likely a sliding bias. I need to see a schematic, not marketing claims. The fact that Shane noticed yhis unit runs hot with all that heat sink area leads me to believe it has a high Class A bias.

[@johnwhite2576]

No offense Shane, but if you are gogin upscale in a two channel setup you need to “get out more” as they say LOL. For $4k i just don’t see how this “Edges” a Benchmark with comparable power, MUCH less noise,runs cooler and longer warranty. Is a comparably Powered Hegel not worth 50% more ? Or the JC-5 ? A Bryston 75% more ? Seems to me this is a tweener product, and they stepped away from Cambridges legacy of real value. At $3 k this amp is noteworthy; but not at $4k.

[@hushpuppykl]

Really nice review!

[@therealshanelee]

Thanks!

[@ravi2396]

Hello my friend great vide .. I enjoyed it watching it.. I am planning to buy one and use it with my CXA 80 amplifier. I listen to Spotify and depend on the equalizer built into the Spotify app. However if I listen to Spotify on the edge nq using the Cambridge audio stream app and connect app or Chromecast, will I be able to access the equalizer in the Spotify app through Cambridge audio stream app and connect app. Thank you very much my friend..

[@patrickdesmet7457]

Here also not a good experience with the Edge. I was happy to return it.

[@frederikhoremans4700]

Waarom was je niet tevreden van de Edge als ik vragen mag?

[@gsmd770]

Great review! I rock that same Rotel RB 1590 in my cinema setup. I use it for the 2 front channels in my cinema setup. When I like to listen to my music I use the 2 channel Rotel,but cinema I use 2 Rotels. I'm just the oppsite. I listen to a lot of music. Jazz,R&B,Soul,Old School Hip-Hop(Eric B. & Rakim),Blues! Keep up the great work!

[@therealshanelee]

The 1590 runs my front stage in my theater too. Was a pain to move it for the review. Awesome amps.

[@johnwhite2576]

SpareChange so Shane i assume you prefer the rotel still as it has a price “edge” LOL over Cambridge ?

[@therealshanelee]

@@johnwhite2576 guess you haven't been keeping up with the channel 🤔

[@fredflabat6930]

I've had this Cambridge Edge NQ in demo at the beginning of this year for almost one month and I didn't like the whole concept. At first everything sounds and looks ok, like in most of the reviews. The problems start when you're more demanding and discovering it's problems. 80% are software problems with volume jumping, communication between the Edge and my iPhone, software that blocks the whole player, the app that stopped suddenly, Tidal does't start up, presets of the tuner that are lost, ... Not my cup of tea. Build quality is superb but Cambridge has still some serious homework for this one.

[@alexojeda9048]

To be honest, I'd by it just on looks alone, that's how beautiful they look. Do they come in black?.

[@therealshanelee]

Only silver.

[@alexojeda9048]

@@therealshanelee Shame! Thanks for the quick response.

[@mikesaini5258]

Shane I got the Mono HTP 1 it’s pretty sweet ... thoughts?

[@johnwhite2576]

So Shane what is the best 2 channel amp youve had in the house prior to the Edge W?

[@therealshanelee]

The Edge is still right up there.

[@johnwhite2576]

SpareChange -yes , but what were the competitors beyond Rotel ?

[@toksmoore31]

Good review on the cambridge amps. Does the preamp come with inbuilt spotify, tidal etc. 2ndly, how would you rate bass/mid/high of the Arendale 1723 thx tower speakers as a stereo speakers for music. can it stand on it's own without subwoofer? Using perhaps SvS Ultra Towers as a reference.

[@therealshanelee]

Yes the apps are built in. I can't comment on the Arendal towers cause I've never heard them unfortunately.

[@toksmoore31]

@@therealshanelee thanks for clarifying streaming apps but I'm sure I've seen your review on Arendale speakers set up for home cinema though with an MTM setup for the fronts.

[@therealshanelee]

I have the Arendal bookshelf speakers not the towers.

[@DanielPierce]

Add a pair of Tekton Double Impacts for $3000 and you’ve got yourself a fantastic setup for $10k

[@aabuahro]

Why do u guys don’t speak mostly about sound quality, believe it or not that’s what most of us care about the rest we can read on the manufacture site!

[@joekelly9369]

no more cambridge 😁😁 chord for me . i know i can trust them

[@serged6836]

The Wifi is really terrible. What a shame for such a 4000 euro network player. Lots of software problems also. I have regretted my purchase for a long time already.

[@johnwhite2576]

Wi-fi in a $6k product is a bit out of place way too much noise .whats the point of spending this much on a great amp and stream wi-fi ??

[@serged6836]

The Wifi is really terrible (Edge NQ Cambridge). What a shame for such a 4000 euro network player. Lots of software problems also. I have regretted my purchase for a long time already.

[@serged6836]

Don't buy this streamer. A lot of troubles with synchronisation, wifi-connection, the streamer that simply freezes, ...

[@serged6836]

Don't buy the Edge NQ streamer. The Wifi is really terrible. What a shame for such a 4000 euro network player. Lots of software problems also. I have regretted my purchase for a long time already.

[@therealshanelee]

They have an upgraded wifi dongle I believe. You may just have to reach out.

[@serged6836]

@@therealshanelee I asked Cambridge for some help but the shop where I bought the NQ blocks everything. No real service possible.

[@therealshanelee]

You might be getting any help at this point in time.

[@jstpsgthru]

You may not be able to place the components close enough, but I use an ethernet cable with my 851N with great success.

[@serged6836]

@@jstpsgthru i tried that also with a long cable. I got other bugs than before. And still the shopowner says it's all my fault. I'm doing it wrong. Terrible stubbern character of the man.