The Cambridge Audio CXA61 stereo amplifier has dropped back down to £599 at Richer Sounds courtesy of a £100 discount, and here's why anyone in the market for a mid-priced amplifier should care...
The CXA61 has been hands down the most successful mid-range amplifier of the past decade, winning four consecutive What Hi-Fi? Awards between 2019 and 2022 and only last year succumbing to the Arcam A5. The British brand has officially replaced it in its stereo amplifier lineup with the pricier CXA81 MkII, so the final CXA61 stock is being shifted to make way for the newcomer; once it is gone, it is gone. Indeed, Cambridge's own store supplies are now out of stock.
This relative veteran may not boast market freshness, then, but it remains the best performer at this discounted price, with the Arcam rival and its successor priced at £750 and £999 respectively. If you're looking for a mid-market amp and cannot stretch your budget to either of those newer models, you'd do very well to introduce the CXA61 into your system.
The £599 deal price is available to members of Richer Sounds' VIP Club, which is quick, easy and – most importantly – free to sign up for.
This deal matches the lowest price we have seen the amplifier drop to, most recently during last year's Prime Day 2 sale. It launched at £750 back in 2019 and in recent years has hovered between £599 and £699.
So, what do you need to know about the CXA61? Well, firstly it is packed with comprehensive features, with multiple analogue and digital inputs available: line-level RCA, digital coax and optical options. There's also a USB type B port, aptX HD Bluetooth, and it can handle hi-res audio up to 24-bit/384kHz and DSD256 files. You can even plug your favourite headphones into its 3.5mm headphone jack.
But its performance is what really wowed us. In our CXA61 review, our in-house review experts called it "transparent and playful", praising too its firm sense of control, impressive scale and authority and decent dynamic punch and expression.
You can add nicely judged tonal balance, impressive stereo imaging and a great sense of rhythm to the CXA61's talents, too. Our one grumble at the time was its increased launch price from its predecessor, but that issue disappears with this fantastic £599 deal price. And while the new Arcam A5 at £749 has muscled in on the CXA61's reigning territory in our best stereo amplifiers curation, the Cambridge Audio amp remains a fantastic buy and firm recommendation.
If you're looking for a terrific-sounding stereo amplifier with a great spread of features, you'll want to snap this deal up before stock runs out.
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