Overview:
Improving on such a highly regarded amplifier as its predecessor was never going to be easy. But by taking the award-winning 340A SE and adding some elements from the multi-award-winning 550A/650A platform, the new 350A is truly an amplifier to be reckoned with.
True refinement
- Separate high quality integrated circuit amplifier modules eliminate all possible crosstalk and guarantee excellent stereo imaging. Very close attention has also been paid to the quality of passive components selected and their performance potential. In particular, a very high quality ALPS black box film volume pot has been specified for its superior sound quality and excellent channel balance. This is particularly noticeable at low volumes when your awareness of left and right channel balance is most acute.
Power and pace
- The power supply is a critical component in any power amplifier and here, we've stretched our budget to the limit to bring you an oversize toroidal transformer. Selected for its very low external magnetic field and much lower noise than laminate type amplifiers - as are more commonly specified in entry-level amplifiers - power and refinement are palpable from the moment the music starts.
- Tone controls further enhance your listening experience giving subtle control of the frequency response and enable compensation for ‘difficult’ room acoustics. And for the true audiophile touch, they can be defeated using the Direct switch to ensure the shortest possible signal path.
- Indeed, the performance of every single component specified in the 350A has been maximised to the last degree by the engineers at Cambridge Audio’s London-based R&D centre to guarantee that every last drop of your music is realised.
Connect just about anything!
- Just as importantly, in terms of connectivity, the 350A offers a plethora of inputs and outputs to accommodate sources of all types. iPods and MP3 players get the VIP treatment and can be connected directly to the front panel via a dedicated 3.5mm jack and matching source control. In addition, the supplied Navigator remote features iPod command codes enabling control of any iPod (except Shuffle) when connected to a suitable dock such as Cambridge Audio’s new iD50.
Features:
- Audiophile grade toroidal transformer and substantial extruded heatsink allowing 2 x 45 watts RMS into 8 ohms
- 5 inputs, 1 Tape in, 1 Record Output
- New ALPs film type ‘black box’ volume pot for improved low level channel balance and stereo imaging
- Speakers B connection for connection of additional pair of speakers
- New low dissipation polypropylene signal capacitors and custom made electrolytic capacitors in critical positions
- Brand new wrap-around casework design with substantially thicker brushed aluminium front panel
- Front mounted 3.5mm iPod/MP3 player connection
- Available in black or silver finishes
1.) Power On/Off - Switches the unit on or off.
2.) MP3 Input - This source input allows you to connect a portable audio device such as an MP3 player, plugged into either the rear panel Phono/RCA input pair (labelled ‘MP3’) or the front panel 3.5mm stereo-jack input (labelled ‘MP3 In’). Press the MP3 button on the front panel to select the input, or insert a device into the front panel socket which automatically selects the input and overrides the rear Phono/RCA sockets.
3.) Phones - Allows for the connection of headphones with a ¼" jack plug connector. Headphones with an impedance of between 32 and 600ohms are recommended. When the headphones are connected, the loudspeaker relay is released switching off the output to the loudspeakers (speakers A and B).
4.) Speaker B - Turns on/off the secondary set of loudspeaker terminals on the back panel. This can be used for listening to an extra set of loudspeakers in another room. Please note that care should be taken when selecting if two loudspeakers are going to be used on each channel. If the combined resistance measured on the loudspeaker terminals is too low the amplifier may not switch out of Standby mode until a suitable load resistance is detected. Note: When using two pairs of speakers, use speakers with a nominal impedance of between 6-8 ohms each.
5.) Direct - This control gives the audio signal a more direct path to the power amplifier stage of your amplifier, bypassing the bass and treble control circuits for the purest possible sound quality.
6.) Bass and Treble - These controls allow subtle adjustments to the tonal balance of the sound. In the central position these controls have no effect. They only modify the sound through your loudspeakers and do not affect the signals sent through the Rec Out connections. With a well-produced CD and a good system, the tone controls are unnecessary and can be switched out by the ‘Direct’ switch. If the musical recording is of poor quality or other factors are affecting the sound quality, it may be necessary to adjust the tone controls to compensate.
7.) Infrared sensor - Receives IR commands from the supplied Azur remote control. A clear, unobstructed line of sight between the remote control and the sensor is required.
8.) Volume - Use to increase or decrease the level of the sound from the outputs of the amplifier. This control affects the level of the loudspeaker output, the preamp output and the headphone output. It does not affect the Rec Out connections. It is advisable to turn the Volume control fully anti-clockwise before switching the amplifier on.
9.) Balance - This control allows you to adjust the relative output levels of the left and right channels. In the central position the output from each channel is equal. This control only modifies the sound through your loudspeakers – it does not affect the signals sent through the Rec Out connections.
10.) CD, Tuner/DAB, BD/DVD, Aux - Push the appropriate input selection button to select the source component that you wish to listen to. The signal selected is also fed to the Tape Out sockets so that it may be recorded. The input should not be changed whilst recording (but the recorded signal can be checked using the tape input Tape Monitor).
11.) Tape Monitor - This control lets you listen to the output signal from a tape recorder or signal processor connected to the amplifier's Tape In/Rec Out sockets. When Tape Monitor is selected, the source component chosen by the input selection buttons continues to be routed to the Rec Out sockets for recording or processing
Remote Control Features:
- Mute - Mutes the audio on the amplifier. The mute mode is indicated by the source and speaker LEDs flashing. Press again to cancel mute.
- Volume controls - Increases or decreases the volume of the amplifier output.
- The six source select buttons are used to directly select the input source to the amplifier
- Standby/ On – switches the 350C between on and low power eco-friendly standby mode
- Open/Close - Opens and closes the disc tray.
- Numerical track select - Press the number of the desired track. The track will then play automatically from the start of the track.
- Track select - To select a track number greater than nine, press -/-- followed by the track number. Playback of the chosen track starts automatically.
- Play/ Stop/ Pause - Press the relevant button to play, stop or pause the CD
- Right Skip - Press to skip forward by one track on the CD.
- Left Skip- Press to skip backward by one track on the CD.
- Scan - Press and hold to scan within the selected track. Hold down for seven seconds to increase scan speed. Press the right button to fast forward, the left button to rewind.
- Info - Used with CDs that support CD-text. In stop mode, press to toggle between album name and total time on the display. During playback, press to toggle between track name and track time
- Bright - Alters the brightness of the display backlight. There are three levels of brightness: Bright, Dim and Off
1.) MP3, CD, Tuner/DAB, BD/DVD, Aux - These inputs are suitable for any 'line level' source equipment such as BD/DVD players, DAB or FM/AM tuners, CD players, MP3 players, etc.
Note: These inputs are for analogue audio signals only. They should not be connected to the digital output of a CD player or any other digital device.
2.) Record Out - These output sockets can be connected to a tape deck or to the analogue . Record In sockets on a MiniDisc or CD recorder.
3.) Tape In - Connect to a tape deck or to the analogue output sockets on a MiniDisc, portable digital music player or CD recorder using an interconnect cable from the recorder's Line Out sockets to the amplifier's Tape In sockets.
4.) Loudspeaker terminals - Two sets of loudspeaker terminals are available, A (main loudspeaker terminals, left terminals) and B (secondary switchable loudspeaker terminals, right terminals). Connect the wires from your left channel loudspeaker to the LEFT positive and negative terminals, and the wires from the right channel loudspeaker to the RIGHT positive and negative terminals. In each case, the red terminals are the positive outputs and the black terminals are the negative outputs.
5.) Mains voltage selector switch - Switches the mains voltage between 115V and 220-230V. For use by installer/dealer only.
6.) AC power socket - Once you have completed all connections to the amplifier, plug the AC power cable into an appropriate mains socket and turn the unit on. Your amplifier is now ready for use.
Basic connection
The diagram below shows the basic connection of your unit to a CD player and a pair of loudspeakers
Tape connection
The diagram below shows how to connect the amplifier to a tape recorder or other source with a record and monitor connection. Please note that either of the tape loop outputs can be used (as they are both the same signal in parallel).
Speaker B connections
The Speaker B connections on the back of the amplifier allow for a second set of speakers to be used (ie speakers located in another room). The Speaker B button on the front panel allows this second set of speakers to be switched on and off. Note: When using two pairs of speakers, use speakers with a nominal impedance of between 6-8 ohms each
- Power Output .................45 watts (into 8 ohms)
- THD (unweighted)....................... <0.02%@1kHz, 80% of rated power / <0.15% 20Hz – 20kHz, 80% of rated power
- Inputs.................................... 5 inputs, 1 Tape Input, ¼’’ headphone input, 3.5mm MP3 input
- Outputs................................. Speaker A & B outputs, 1 Record Output
- Frequency response (-1dB)..........................5Hz – 50kHz
- S/N ratio (ref 1W) ................................>92dB (unweighted)
- Input Impedances............................... 47k ohms
- Max. Power Consumption .....................320W
- Bass/Treble controls............................ Shelving, ultimate boost/cut +/-10dB @ 20Hz and +/-6dB @ 20kHz
- Dimensions (H x W x D)....................... 86 x 430 x 340mm (3.4 x 16.9 x 13.4’’)
- Weight............................................. 6.0kg (13.2lbs)