Cambridge Audio
Discussion
Hi all,
I invested in a Cambridge Audio system nearly 6 years ago & shortly after the 1 year guarantee ran out the amp packed up. This was however replaced free although I did pay £40 to have it looked at by the suppliers repairers. The tuner has now failed, this is a little used Azure 640T & have again paid £40 to have it looked at and been told it's unrepairable due to parts being unobtainable. I can't replace this tuner with the new model as mine & the rest of the system is silver and now they are black. The question is am I right to feel a bit cheated that after 5 years this supposedly quality British built kit is scrap due to a faulty part that the manufacturer can't supply? I can still get all necessary parts for my TVR & the factory closed yonks ago!
I invested in a Cambridge Audio system nearly 6 years ago & shortly after the 1 year guarantee ran out the amp packed up. This was however replaced free although I did pay £40 to have it looked at by the suppliers repairers. The tuner has now failed, this is a little used Azure 640T & have again paid £40 to have it looked at and been told it's unrepairable due to parts being unobtainable. I can't replace this tuner with the new model as mine & the rest of the system is silver and now they are black. The question is am I right to feel a bit cheated that after 5 years this supposedly quality British built kit is scrap due to a faulty part that the manufacturer can't supply? I can still get all necessary parts for my TVR & the factory closed yonks ago!
Edited by TVR Andy on Wednesday 21st December 19:19
RobDickinson said:
AFIK Cambridge Audio ceased being a high end English made brand when Richer sounds bought them and turned into another asia mass produced hifi company?
Yep - I wouldn't consider them to be 'quality' as such - a mate of mine in the industry a few years abck reckoned they were cost-engineered down in terms of the internals.None of the above is brand-snobbery - the only amp I own is a Cambridge Audio A5 - happy with it for the money, but consider myself fortunate that it's happened to last nearly 10 years!
RobDickinson said:
AFIK Cambridge Audio ceased being a high end English made brand when Richer sounds bought them and turned into another asia mass produced hifi company?
5 years isnt long for any hifi to last though, but it is long enough to be a reasonable lifetime according to UK law I think.
So Richer own Cambridge?5 years isnt long for any hifi to last though, but it is long enough to be a reasonable lifetime according to UK law I think.
RobDickinson said:
Yep no brand snobery they still make decent stuff for their place in the market now.
But they are NOT the same company that made hand built top end stuff in the 80's and early 90's
was it ever really top end? i dont think so...But they are NOT the same company that made hand built top end stuff in the 80's and early 90's
i have an amp from the early 2000's - but dont really think that it'll be more than an average 50 quid on ebay when replaced by a modern soundbar etc.
They were bought in 94 by Audio Partnership Plc :
"Closely associated with Richer Sounds due to the exclusive distribution of many of its most well known products in the UK through the chain, Audio Partnership has produced many products over the years. However, Richer Sounds does not own Audio Partnership (although Julian Richer, the owner of Richer Sounds, owns 51% of Audio Partnership), and other distributors are responsible for the distribution of Audio Partnership products outside the UK."
So no, not exactly owned by richer sounds in a purely legal point of view, in all practical terms yes they are.
They were not super mega expensive top end but pre 94 they were high end hifi, had built, custom designed stuff that was quite expensive. Dont compare the post 94 mass produced budget stuff with what they made before.
"Closely associated with Richer Sounds due to the exclusive distribution of many of its most well known products in the UK through the chain, Audio Partnership has produced many products over the years. However, Richer Sounds does not own Audio Partnership (although Julian Richer, the owner of Richer Sounds, owns 51% of Audio Partnership), and other distributors are responsible for the distribution of Audio Partnership products outside the UK."
So no, not exactly owned by richer sounds in a purely legal point of view, in all practical terms yes they are.
They were not super mega expensive top end but pre 94 they were high end hifi, had built, custom designed stuff that was quite expensive. Dont compare the post 94 mass produced budget stuff with what they made before.
You only need to look on Ebay, to see how often faulty Cambridge amps appear.
They are poorly engineered - the heatsinks are inadequate for the power output, and the power devices blow easily.
I once had a Cambridge 300 DAB tuner - that too went on the blink.
The earlier CD players frequently failed (display would not light up due to blown bulb) and there were other issues too.
The brand is definitely not as reliable as Denon / Teac / Yamaha etc.
They are poorly engineered - the heatsinks are inadequate for the power output, and the power devices blow easily.
I once had a Cambridge 300 DAB tuner - that too went on the blink.
The earlier CD players frequently failed (display would not light up due to blown bulb) and there were other issues too.
The brand is definitely not as reliable as Denon / Teac / Yamaha etc.
The Cheap stuff seems to last a while. An A1 I bought to keep the kids happy is still ok after a couple of years. However the 640 Amp a friend has has had problems. They have been making them in China for a while and are not "high end" and I wouldn't buy one for my system. Unless like the Blu-Ray Player it's really made by somebody else. Audio Innovations are another of their "brands". In that case they totally didn't "get" what they had bought.
Others Built in China but by IAG Include Audiolab, Castle, Mission, Quad, Luxman and Wharfedale. Most of the Hi-Fi world know it and to be Honest I wouldn't go there. Quad I think do still produce some kit in the UK but avoid the cheaper end.
Others Built in China but by IAG Include Audiolab, Castle, Mission, Quad, Luxman and Wharfedale. Most of the Hi-Fi world know it and to be Honest I wouldn't go there. Quad I think do still produce some kit in the UK but avoid the cheaper end.
Edited by telecat on Thursday 22 December 13:52
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