Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP amps

[corElement]

Hello all, as the title says, here goes:

Cambridge Audio Azur 840a v2: 2 channel integrated
(Original price bracket $2000 USD) -

Highs: Neutral with a hint of warmth

Midrange: VERY transparent with a neutral sound signature. Lots of detail!

Lows: Slow with poor grip on texture. This is apparent thanks to my Jamo e875's highly controlled low range woofers which have the ability to reveal when the lows are being controlled and when it's just let loose. My previous AVR had average mids and highs but excellent grip on low range texture. This lack of texture in low range is totally apparent as a weakness in the 840a. However this does not mean it's a bad amp in the least.

Verdict: Overall the sound signature is very pleasant, not a hint of harshness and very very smooth but needs faster drivers to compensate for slow lows and is better suited to 2 way speakers which integrates mid and lows instead of a 3 way floorstander where the lower frequency dissection is prominent.

Jamo e875 3 way floor standers in bi-amp'ed configuration from ca840a
(Original price bracket $1500 USD Danish vs 700USD of the present chinese c607) -

Highs: Between neutral & bright, can fatigue the ear if connected to a bright amp however beautiful performance if connected to neutral or warm amp.

Midrange: Very transparent with a neutral signature. Excellent detail but medium soundstage. Needs to be paired with a non bright amplifier or else it will reveal excessive harshness. Overall the midrange signature is neutral.

Lows: Excessively controlled, gives the impression of absent bass if the source/track does not have proper bass detail. The 2x low woofers on the e875 is comparable to the c607 where both reveals a lot about the amp's ability to control texture in low frequencies by grip. For example, the slow nature of the ca 840a's low frequencies fail to demonstrate this speakers amazing ability to produce texture in low freuqncies, however my previous receiver the Jamo AVR 693 though with average highs and mids, had excellent ability to grip the lower frequencies and reveal it through this speaker. This comparison is a good example of how even a relatively affordable multichannel receiver can have a quality a much more expensive integrated stereo amplifier may lack.

Verdict: The e875 is long discontinued however the c607 which is nearly identical is still available and shares similar qualities. If you're looking for a neutral speaker without a metallic / shrilly / harsh signature and like controlled punchy bass instead of a general hum, then you will enjoy this "near monitor-like" floorstander. But beware, it will reveal all the bad qualities of your source and tracks and is not bass happy.

Asus Xonar d2x
(On 2 channel analog stereo performance)
d2x non modified:
Transparency/detail: 70%
Vocals presence: 60%
Percussion 70%
Bass: Fast and lean
Highs: slightly harsh
Mids: good
Soundstage: small

stx with default op amps:
Transparency/detail: 60%
Vocals presence: 80%
Percussion: 50%
Bass: fast and lean
Highs: Average
Mids: lean
Soundstage: big

stx modified with OPA1612a & OPA1642 x 2 OP AMPS
Transparency/detail: 90%
Vocals presence: 91%
Percussion: 90%
Bass: slow but bigger
highs: Average
mids: Almost tubelike warmth
soundstage: Huge
Comment: these op amps need a few mins to warmup tosound good otherwise at first it sounds a little weird.

The default stx is in many ways inferior to the d2x on 2 channel analog sound quality, however OP amp rolling make a HUGE HUGE HUUUUGE difference in the STX's performance.

That's all for now folks

Soon to come
Jamo concert 8 / d830 Bookshelf speakers
Bogdan Audio Goldy Interconnects

 

[spirovious]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

Thanks for review,Are details on D2X really better/more than STX?

 

[corElement]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

Yes, in 2 channel analog stereo mode the d2x without modification had better detailing in the lower mid and upper mid freq range than the stx on stock OP amps. The stx on Stock op amps have better "absolute" middle freq's and similar lows and highs to the d2x.

 

[Rockfella]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

Thanks man. Nice job. All looks greek to me but still i enjoyed

 

[spirovious]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

How did you mod D2X?

 

[jaudere]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

Thanks for the review. I will always envy people like corElement who can describe qualities of an equipment in such language. I simply do not have the ability to describe each element separately and on various points like bass/mid/high/soundstage etc. I can only describe the whole system from source to speakers as Bad (I feel like switching it off), Good( I feel like listening to it for some time) and Excellent ( The system not only sounds great but does not allow me to do anything else but to listen to it).

 

[corElement]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

I didnt mod the d2x, that's why it's non modified

@ jaudere, it's a matter of perspective really. To me there is no such thing as good bad or amazing in sound. Mainly because my preference is dictated by my mood. In the morning I might like sound with detail and punch but at night i might prefer a laid back type of sound that does not fatigue the ear or make you feel like you're being forced to listen. At both times, the other setup seems bad to me!

Thats why I feel going up the chain on spending on audio makes no sense. Because at one duration of the day i might like the super expensive setup but another time of the day i might hate it entirely and want some broken down old computer speaker.

End of the day, our recognition of ourselves matter more than what equipment we throw our money at, so dont envy me, just enjoy yourself

 

[jaudere]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

Good to know that this happens to you as well. In Goa, I just love my system. When I reach pune (my parent's home), I love the Artis speakers that I bought some 8 years back and costs may be less than 1/5th of Goa system. I don't envy you for having expensive system. I have gradually built a inexpensive system which gives me complete sonic bliss. I like you ability to pin point good and bad points. I can tell whether system is good/bad but cannot tell why it is good/bad so well as you have done.

 

[square_wave]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

Thanks for the review. I will always envy people like corElement who can describe qualities of an equipment in such language. I simply do not have the ability to describe each element separately and on various points like bass/mid/high/soundstage etc. I can only describe the whole system from source to speakers as Bad (I feel like switching it off), Good( I feel like listening to it for some time) and Excellent ( The system not only sounds great but does not allow me to do anything else but to listen to it).

You are actually on the right track bro This is an advantage. Once you start looking at a music system in this light, you are at the next level.

 

[haisaikat]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

Can I look for DX over D2X at the price point difference? Want a low profile sound card to serve as analogue source until I get a dedicated DAC sometime in future ?

 

[corElement]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

Dedicated dac at par with xonar stx wont happen under 35-40k.

I don't know much about the DX but i know between the d2 and d2x, the d2x has superior performance.

 

[haisaikat]

Re: Brief review of Cambridge Audio Azur 840a, Jamo e875, Xonar stx & d2x & some OP a

D2X or STX are not low profile, for stereo can we get any low profile sound card