Could this be the One you’re looking for?
About the only thing that the new Cambridge Audio ‘One’ system shares with it’s predecessor is it’s name – Cambridge’s sophomore effort is a brand new, built from-the-ground-up system; and we’ve been putting it through its paces!
If separates aren’t your thing, if desirability is as key a selling point as sound quality, then a mini system is probably your first port of call. Gone are the days when the words ‘mini hi-fi’ carried a stigma that sent the Audiophile Bourgeoisie running for the hills; clutching interconnects to their chests with an iron-tight grip!
As technology continually improves, manufacturers are able to find more and more ways to decrease size, without losing quality. One of the main benefactors of this is the (not so) humble mini system – and it’s the turn of Cambridge Audio to prove their mettle.
So first things first: the design. Once unpackaged and plonked down, it’s immediately apparent that cost was not an object in how this was put together. A three quarter wrap-around case cloaks the internals, with two sports car-esque vents symmetrically running down the top, giving an impression of luxury often found wanting at this price point. A single panel makes up the front display, and buttons are neat and tidy, keeping an aesthetic balance across the board.
One of my favourite design decisions is actually tucked out the way round the back – the speaker terminals are placed either side of the unit, giving a really quick and helpful way of showing left inputs from right, and also offering banana plug connectivity without adding any extra length to the unit – another piece of clever design.
Of course the real meat-and-potatoes of a hi-fi is in its selected parts, and it’s here that the One really starts to impress. With a proper ‘toroidal’ transformer under the bonnet, power is clean and linear – and is a ‘real world’ 30 watts per channel, with Cambridge measuring at the once industry standard, of power into 8 ohms, where so many now give a cheeky boost to figures by measuring lower. This extra grunt is hugely welcomed, and whether used with their own matching ‘Minx XL’ speaker range, or any other you choose to use, power and drive are never an issue.
Playback wise, the system has nods to both the past and the future, with a slot loading CD player sitting comfortably alongside very handy Bluetooth connectivity, and a USB DAC input for PC audio use. This last input in particular is key to getting the absolute best out of your PC or laptop, and any stored music from iTunes or Spotify etc.
All of this is all well and good on paper, but a hi-fi is purchased for one job, and one job only – to sound good! Fortunately, the ‘One’ is one of the most capable and impressive systems around. Its slightly wider and taller than normal design means that the previously mentioned toroidal transformer is able to do what smaller systems are not: Its sound is dynamic, big and bold, but with no loss of fine detail. Bass clarity and general impact were very good, even when partnered with relatively small speakers, and the ‘One’ showed no fear when held up against some of the burliest floorstanders around. For the price we found the performance simply remarkable.
If you are in the market for a new system, or just want to hear what all the fuss is about, pop in to your local store for a listen today!
Author – Chris, Liverpool store
*Title image – Cambridge Audio One pictured with the Cambridge Audio Minx XL speakers.
