Cambridge Audio EVO 150 - A Much Better One-Box System Than You Might Think!

[@nickevans3190]

Fantastic review from both of you, I'd love to go down to the Hi-Fi pub 😀 and have a great Hi-Fi chat with you both 😀 it's a personal choice as you mentioned for me it's the Naim for me

[@MrVinylista]

Thanks Nick - mine's a pint, if you're going in the general direction of the bar. Orange juice for Mike as he's driving!

[@nickevans3190]

@@MrVinylista thanks dave, always best to get mike to drive

[@banginghats2]

Sounds good. They could have a guest beer and a guest system playing too.

[@titntin5178]

Thanks guys. If you dont need the extra inputs or grunt, the Naim is a better sounding unit to these ears and having run an atom for a while, you'd be suprised at the grunt and control it offers. Nothing wrong with Cambridge sound though, they have been firing on all cylinders for a while, im just enamoured of Naims toe tapping musicality and moved on to a NAP 250DR from the Atom for more.. Unless you need touch screen input, the screen is just wrapping paper using money to not achieve any sonic benefit, but it seems like all such units will need a screen to engender that initiall 'wow', until you realise its not doing anything for you. Im currently using an Auralic G1, and at least with that you can turn off all the info you cant see from the listening position anyway so it just displays cover art, and mine is set to switch off tge screen 10 minutes after a user change, so most of the time my black boxes just sit and make music - as it should be! Many of us are Roon users, anything I need to see about my music or streamer is visable on the tablet and I use a dedicated apple ipad as my system remote, screens are not needed. Im a little disappointed none of the manufacturers have included some funky visualisers into these screens? A couple of them offer some retro looking uv meters, but given the possibilities , nobody has been inventive yet... Having used a cambridge cnx in the past, I didnt really rate their app. Unless they have improved it... I used bubbleup for the cambridge unit. Now im converted to the dark side of Roon Id never buy any equipment that was not a roon endpoint, so software is no longer a concern when looking for streamer...

[@MrVinylista]

Fair points, well made. Thanks Tintin. Agree with much of this, and I'll see you on the dark side of the Roon!

[@TheCharlesAtoz]

Definitely some of the best commentary on hifi. At least the riffing part.

[@NigeSavage]

Another great riff guys! I can't justify spending £2,500 on a streamer as I'm almost exclusively vinyl, but I still enjoyed watching this - thanks for the great content and please send the address of The Hi-Fi Arms when it's open!

[@kennybrown1315]

I’m mostly vinyl too playing it through a Moon Ace. I was sceptical about streaming though. Dipped my toe into Qobuz through the free months subscription offered. At £129 for a year it is incredible value. Some streams at hi-res are as good as my LP12

[@MrVinylista]

Thanks Nige, and yes - The Hi-Fi Arms is a good idea. An old Jag parked outside, a proper vinyl jukebox inside and a cigarette machine stuffed full of old packets of Benson & Hedges. Stale lager and a well thumbed copy of 'Hi-Fi Serious' magazine on the bar. What's not to like? 😀

[@NigeSavage]

@@MrVinylista Sign me up!

[@nandopelusi7699]

I've had it for abut a year and have enjoyed its practicality with TV, Apple Music, and Phono. I've had to reboot it occasionally -- and updated firmware, but it seems to be ready for anything after a few seconds of warmup.

[@richardparnell6551]

Great review. About 2 years ago I bought a Quad Vena ii for a second system. I tried it out in my main system displacing my Conrad Johnson pre power driving my elderly but lovely Martin Logan Aeons. The CJs have sat idle since then despite being sonically superior. The main system serves the family for both TV and music listening, and the sheer convenience of the little Vena has made great audio more accessible. It is also so neat! A tiny box instead of umpteen boxes festooned with cables. I am now thinking of getting the Uniti Atom or Evo 150 to add better streaming than the Bluetooth on the Vena. Great sound is important to me, but I have realized that if it is easy to access, and is “fit and forget” I listen more to music than I did, and I think less about the technology as an end in itself. I will keep my complex system, because there are times when the very best sound is what I crave. But these latest one box systems seem to blend sound quality and convenience so well. Keep up the riffs! They are so enjoyable.

[@Romulus980]

This review became something more when the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 was partnered with ATC SCM40...! It's a good indication that the EVO '150' managed to drive these speakers well and taking into consideration the features on offer atleast in that direction it has an ace up it's sleeve compared to Naim Unity Atom with the same speakers....

[@kennybrown1315]

Nice riff guys. This has a lot going for it, the phono amp will be a deal breaker for many against the Naim. Better lighting and camera positioning since the early shows. Content hasnt changed though and thats a positive

[@MrVinylista]

Agree about the phono stage, that will be a real attraction for some. And thanks, we're slowly getting better at this video lark.

[@amitpatel-gy3tu]

I like your naim atom comparison but would be really interested to see an Evo vs a Cambridge axr100 plus a cheap streamer eg arylic or WiiM mini. I’m going to do the AXR plus streamer vs my Atom soon.

[@timothyfreeseha4056]

I guess I would join the chorus of approval for convenience & looks. Still, a difficult sell as I like the adjustability of separates.

[@MrVinylista]

You and me both, but some of these one-box systems are now really snapping at the heals of separates systems.

[@user-br1sn3xi3y]

Hi guys, wonder if you tried the EVO-150 with those Falcon BBC LS3/5As gold-badge ( Nominal Impedance 15ohm) ? I asked for info at CA but the only repeated their spec. of being able to drive 4 to 8 ohm speakers and had not tested anything higher.

[@bruunm1975]

So this would be powerful enough for my Focal Chora 826s? Running a Rega Brio-R which is amazing and (sorry) sooo musical. However, low bass sometimes lacks punch and depth. So wonder if that’s because the Rega only has 50 watts and Choras go down to 2.9ohms or something.

[@fidel3370]

I have atc scm11 speakers. I am currently doubting between the naim and the evo. As you mentioned the evo drives the scm40s well, would the naim with 40 watts also be abke to drive these speakers, hence be able to drive my scm11s? By the way, my turntable is a rega P3 so that would complete my system well, I guess...

[@MaxZappa1]

Will this drive my Linn Kan Mk1's? Naim Uniti Atom or Cambridge Audio evo 150 for my Linn Kans?

[@MrVinylista]

Yes, it has loads of grunt and will likely drive your Kan Is better than a Naim UA. Great choice of speaker by the way, wish I still had mine!

[@MaxZappa1]

@@MrVinylista Your luck may be in David. I have 2 pairs of Mk1's, both having been professionally restored. I can't justify keeping both pairs. I'll be selling one pair soon on Ebay. The reserve price will be £700. Should you be interested, let me know.

[@tonyhodgkinson4586]

Does CA still have an image problem compared to the likes of Naim? I’m not so sure.

[@MrVinylista]

I think that Naim has a stronger brand at the moment - but Cambridge Audio is very much challenging the more established marques now.

[@razisn]

I’m sure the 150 will have no problem driving those ATC Actives pictured… lol

[@MrVinylista]

😀Well done sir, you spotted the (ahem) deliberate mistake!

[@zjzozn]

👍🌈

[@siriosstar4789]

i bought one (the 150 ) for my wife's Klipsch 800s and it sounds horrible . the volume control is annoying as hell . it spins and spins endlessly with little change in the volume . it's ok for classical at low volume but won't push the speakers at rock levels of listening . The more i turned it up the more muddled the base became to the extent that it washed out the mids and highs .

[@Hi-FiRiff]

Very sorry to hear that.

[@siriosstar4789]

not as sorry as me .😂😉 fortunetely my wife has agreed with zero effort from me, to let me buy my own system for my room . (we sleep in different rooms because she goes to bed at 8:00 and gets up at 4:00 in the morning) .🤬 anyway ,now i know what i DONT want .