Cambridge Audio CXA81 Review (Sample 2)

[Another Audiophile]

So, I finally figured out what "Virtue Signaling" is all about.
You Da Man - Thank you!

Still no apology for the fastuous behavior in his video and the fact that he probably mislead readers and/or buyers. When you are in a position of influence you should have the moral capacity to apologise for wrongdoings. But as I said, that’s a virtue.

 

[diddley]

Still no apology for the fastuous behavior in his video and the fact that he probably mislead readers and/or buyers. When you are in a position of influence you should have the moral capacity to apologise for wrongdoings. But as I said, that’s a virtue.

He put the blame on himself, that's good enough apologie to me.

 

[Another Audiophile]

He put the blame on himself, that's good enough apologie to me.

Not really. He didn’t apologise. Anyway, my take is on the questionable credibility overall and the humbleness to apologise when you are on the wrong. It takes humility to say I am sorry and I apologise.

 

[amirm]

Not really. He didn’t apologise. Anyway, my take is on the questionable credibility overall and the humbleness to apologise when you are on the wrong. It takes humility to say I am sorry and I apologise.

What was wrong with the first review?

 

[terrys999]

Another CONCLUSION:
I am glad I went PA5. Terrific.

Me too.

 

[sarumbear]

What was wrong with the first review?

Nothing!

 

[pseudoid]

What was wrong with the first review?

@amirm, if you continue to respond to such posts, you will force me to unfriend you.

 

[terrys999]

Amirm first sample was done properly, how would anyone have known that if the usb cable is connected it screws up!
That’s on Cambridge. Not amirm.
He shouldn’t have to apologise for anything.

 

[Thomas savage]

It would be the best invention in the world. I use my tiller to attack them but they come right back up when you plantings are in there. And then becomes a tedious hand pulling.

Ah ' tedious hand pulling ' , maybe some roll play could freshen things up .

Noticed you've been enjoying some of your favourite tea of late , a little ASR special blend , a cup of 'Cambridge storm ' for everyone.

A fair conclusion, arrive at with more grace than previously. You must be going soft in your old age ha ha .

 

[BinkieHuckerback]

A scientist, a measurer, and a gentleman.

...walked in to a pub

 

[Jimbob54]

hmmm... Good for the collaboration from CA's side. I went through the comments from the previous review and I am not sure how much confidence I have in other decapitated reviews where the maker(s) didn't even bother to challenge. For example there are no measurements with optical for the chord mojo 2 and/or intermodulation distortion. I guess it is all work in progress here like in every measuring methodology.

you mean this IMD chart?

 

[formula 977]

Ah ' tedious hand pulling ' , maybe some roll play could freshen things up .

Noticed you've been enjoying some of your favourite tea of late , a little ASR special blend , a cup of 'Cambridge storm ' for everyone.

A fair conclusion, arrive at with more grace than previously. You must be going soft in your old age ha ha .

Did you hit post rather than PM? If not maybe you could let the rest of us in on the joke.

 

[Jimbob54]

Did you hit post rather than PM? If not maybe you could let the rest of us in on the joke.

It's Thomas, so it will be an onanistic reference.

 

[pseudoid]

What transpired at the pub? I hope it was not onanistic...

 

[formula 977]

It's Thomas, so it will be an onanistic reference.

Based on personal experience I gather.

 

[formula 977]

What was wrong with the first review?

If the first review was okay why do another? Simple question, which review should we pay attention to in your opinion.

 

[PeteL]

Amirm first sample was done properly, how would anyone have known that if the usb cable is connected it screws up!
That’s on Cambridge. Not amirm.
He shouldn’t have to apologise for anything.

I think we can all chill a bit about apologies and such, I agree with that he retested, gave the opportunity to show that it's a competent unit, and gave the precision on what has changed and why. Amir have put the extra work, no apologies needed there. But still we could debate about if "It's on Cambridge":

"Issue was brought up that this is an instrumentation thing that the Audio Precision analyzer is creating a loop and ground noise that would not be there. While this is true, I explained that I have tested hundreds of DACs that don't have this problem."

So the key word here is: instrumentation issue. If a measurment shows a problem that don't exist in real life usage, we can hammer as much as we want that others don't have this "problem", but if it's only present when you connect an AP and in no other situation, if the matter is understood, and it can be demonstrated that no possibility it creeps into the audio signal when listening to music, well, it's a non issue, it's not "On Cambridge". Electronic designers need to use instrumentation of course, but they don't design to fix analysers weird behaviours. If some do, it may be by chance, it may be just different way of working the grounding scheme, or maybe they put the extra work on looking good on AP, but looking good on an AP analyser is not a design goal in itself, it's a consequence. If there is no problem, there is no problem.

 

[_thelaughingman]

Still no apology for the fastuous behavior in his video and the fact that he probably mislead readers and/or buyers. When you are in a position of influence you should have the moral capacity to apologise for wrongdoings. But as I said, that’s a virtue.

Sheesh, lay off the smug attitude already. You seem the type that wouldn't apologize for your transgressions in the first place but want to raise yourself to some authority demanding an apology when he admitted to his shortcoming in the first review. He doesn't owe you an apology, get on and live with it.

 

[formula 977]

Sheesh, lay off the smug attitude already. You seem the type that wouldn't apologize for your transgressions in the first place but want to raise yourself to some authority demanding an apology when he admitted to his shortcoming in the first review. He doesn't owe you an apology, get on and live with it.

If a dac is specified to work within it's linear range at a maximum level of somewhere under 2V you would be well aware of the restrictions put on it under normal operating conditions. Testing this device at close to clipping and insisting that the measurements are valid is the epitomy of arrogance. This has nothing to do with the fact that a preamp putting out a less than reasonable output level is an engineering decision that no one in his right mind would agree with.

Let's say Amir decides that not only does a dac need to be able to produce a randomly chosen voltage level no matter the effect on the measurements, he decides that all of the amplifiers he tests need to put out 100 watts/ch because almost all speakers need to have at least that much power according to him. Every amp he tests with less than 100W out seems to have measurements that are less than stellar, for some reason he can't exactly put his finger on. Should that be taken seriously?

Is this a good analogy or not?

 

[GXAlan]

@amirm
Would line conditioners or “audiophile grade” USB cables make a difference? Do you have any to even test?