Review Cambridge EVO 150: they use tussen hifi en design

As much as we would like to see it differently, the majority of the group of audiophiles consists of men – even though we saw more women at the past editions of DAE and the Audio Show iEar’. A good development, of course. Because while men can create the most absurd monstrosities of functional audio equipment, it is (more often) women who have an eye for the design. And if there is a progressive brand on the market that listens to those kinds of customer needs, it is Cambridge.

Cambridge Audio is taking a different approach these days and is active on social media. They listen and engage in conversation with their customers. As we understand, this can be about different things. For example, consider colors, buttons or functionality. And with that in mind, we understand how things and designs came about on the EVO 150. High time to take a closer look at the Cambridge EVO 150 and the EVO CD. And, a nice detail: Cambridge won no fewer than three prizes at the recent Audio Show iEar’, including for the EVO 150 discussed here.

Bite-sized Hi-Fi

A hi-fi set in 2023 must be able to do everything. Or at least for a large part of the target group. The largest source will probably be streaming music. In the form of a music service or via your own network from a NAS. We also want to listen to the radio, stream via Bluetooth and connect the TV to it. If that is not enough, a preamplifier for a record player must also be built in. And also easy to operate via an app. Have we forgotten something? Perhaps the option to also play CDs? Since that’s going to be the big next hype. That’s quite a laundry list. But if your name is Cambridge Audio and you have a great passion for music, then this is of course a challenge made for you.

Let’s start this review with the price; 2399 euros. What kind of things do you get for that? The name EVO 150, or at least the part ‘150’, did not just appear out of the blue. Among the specs we find a class D Hypex Ncore amplifier, with 150W at 8 Ohms. Including the option to connect a second set of speakers. The smart heart is an ESS Saber ES9018K2M, a 32-bit (computing power) DAC chip that can process 384kHz PCM data. The great thing about this DAC is that it uses a patented Time Domain Jitter Eliminator technology, so perhaps we can also read EVOLUTION or INNOVATION for EVO.

Then the connections. For analog sources: 1x RCA, 1x Balanced XLR and 1x phono in the form of MM. For digital sources there are the following connections: 2x optical, 1x coaxial, 1x HDMI (TV arc) and USB. We also have Bluetooth. Not to forget, the system can also handle Chromecast and AirPlay 2. In terms of output options, it is also good. We find the Speaker A/B function, 3.5 mm headphones, Pre-amp output, Subwoofer and Bluetooth. Just to be clear, Bluetooth is a two-way street here.

That’s it in a nutshell, for the full list we would like to refer you to the Cambridge website. If you are now thinking; “That’s quite a bit!”, we agree. Especially for that price. Because we haven’t even mentioned that beautiful screen on the front yet. Or the EVO CD that we put on top.

A set with personalized taste

In addition to the enormous list of possibilities, Cambridge plays with a stylish element. The side panels! Two different side panels are supplied; a wood-colored and a black wavy design, to match your interior. There are magnets on the panels that click into place on the housing. A nice concept, because it often happens that hi-fi equipment is simply not in the living room. And yes, we know it’s only two colors now. But suppose a white-colored side panel would look better, then a vinyl sticker, for example, could offer a solution. And perhaps Cambridge itself will come up with that option.

Anyway, it The complete design of these EVO models appeals to us. The size, when viewed from the top, is exactly the same size as an LP sleeve. There is an elevation at the bottom, which creates a floating effect. That piece of design flows from the EVO 150 into the EVO CD. That makes it an excellent combination to put down.

Made For Music

It should come as no surprise that the Cambridge EVO 150 is made for listening to music. “For music lovers, by music lovers,” so to speak. A small detail that stands out is the remote control. It comes with it, looks good and feels solid. But everything in terms of operation (and more) can be done via the StreamMagic app. So Cambridge could have said, we’ll sell the remote control separately. That in turn reduces the price or makes us a profit. But they didn’t. It’s just a point, but in the more than three weeks we played with this set, all those little things added up. Details that show that Cambridge designs the products with and for their customers.

This also applies to using the app. Cambridge asks you to create an account there, but you don’t have to. The app can also be used without an account. Anyway, enough intro. Time to listen!

To work

We listen to this on the ATC SCM 19, which is connected to the EVO 150 with the Ricable Dedalus. We also use a CAT 700 Pearl network cable and an AudioQuest NRG-Y3. That is sufficient for the EVO 150. For the EVO CD we use the special cable supplied.

It’s nice to know that the StreamMagic app makes the installation process very easy. Especially for streamers. We listen to music via Spotify, Internet Radio, a NAS and via the EVO CD. A very responsible and audiophile choice is “Wham – Last Christmas”…. Of course not, that should only be heard after Sinterklaas.

We start on Spotify with “Gregory Porter – Mona Lisa”. The integration between Spotify and the StreamMagic app works very well. It is also noticeable that there is virtually no delay in the app and the operation of the EVO 150. We know Spotify plays with compression, yet Gregory Porter sounds the way he looks; grand.

Throughout the song we clearly hear the subdued power in his voice. It is given a central place, while the instruments fan out. They fill the sides of the room with a warm glow. The ATC SCM 19 are not necessarily easy speakers to drive. They are not the most difficult, but there really needs to be good and strong control to make them sing.

If we stream the same song in High-Res from the NAS, we hear the true beauty of the song. The Cambridge EVO 150 shows that the ATC SCM 19 is an excellent combination. There is attention to purity in Gregory Porter’s singing, but also attention to the details of the complete orchestra, which can be heard filling the room. ATC and Cambridge give each other the value they deserve.

If we look for something with a bit more challenge from the NAS, we end up on the soundtrack of “Blade Runner 2049”. Opening track “2049” is a favorite when it comes to test cuts. Everything is in it. It starts immediately with a floating feeling of low tones and that immediately sets the setting. The Cambridge EVO 150 knows how to portray this well in the room. It is the rapid changes in the music where you hear that the EVO 150 knows how to control the ATC SCM 19 well. Especially after the first minute, when the mood of the song turns 180 degrees. It is not that the Cambridge EVO 150 tries to get the most out of the ATC SCM 19. It is more that the conventional character of the EVO 150, together with the ATC, manages to create a nice piece of music. That common character is somewhat reminiscent of a pop sound, but it does highlight the positive qualities of the speaker.

CD Transport, Not CD Player

Then there is the Cambridge EVO CD. The style and design are in direct line with the EVO 150, so it is an excellent combination. But if it doesn’t play CDs, as the subheading above suggests, what does it do? Very briefly put, the device is reading the CD and passes that data to the EVO 150. That is where the actual processing takes place. Art work is searched online and then shown on the display of the EVO150. The data from the CD is transported via a specially supplied cable to the chip/processing unit within the EVO 150, where music is then made from it.

Let’s ignore the technical side for a moment and focus on how it sounds. For this we use the album “Love & Hate – Michael Kiwanuka”. The EVO CD works like any other CD player, the drawer opens, we hear the CD spinning and not much later there is music.

On the EVO 150, the input can be selected with the gray/silver ring behind the volume knob. You can choose the input manually in the app. For example, if you do not want to see the input that you do not use as a choice, you can do so. The screen of the EVO 15o clearly shows the album cover and we can use the buttons next to the screen to play, stop, select next and previous song. Oh and the information knob, then you can choose how the information is presented on the screen. It sounds as we expected, very musical. And also in the right way. The sixth song “One More Night” is a good reflection of this. It comes across as a pop/soul sound and everything is right. The timing, rhythm, the low end which has a relaxed undertone and the vocals that bring it all together.

It sounds like music and brings the fun back to listening. The focus is on the music and not on how good or special a part of the chain is. We think that is where the true power of the Cambridge EVO 150 (set) lies. That said, the EVO CD remains an odd one out. Because it can only be used with the EVO 150 and no other device. Now we wouldn’t mind putting the Cambridge EVO as a set, but if you wanted to upgrade in a few years, you would also have to say goodbye to the EVO CD. We can imagine that there are people who would not choose the EVO CD in that case.

Conclusion

If there’s one word to describe the Cambridge EVO 150 (and the set with the EVO CD), it’s fun. Or in English; FUN! The musical performance of the EVO 150 is finger-licking from the very first moment. We estimate that the EVO 150 could work with 90 percent of the speakers. The combination with the ATC SCM 19 is wonderful, but we also know how the ATCs sound on a heavier power amplifier. That’s not why you would buy a Cambrige EVO 150. You buy the EVO 150 because you love music and are looking for an all-in-one hi-fi solution. That is the Cambridge EVO 150. And if you really want the set to be complete, you can also buy the EVO CD.

The Cambridge EVO 150 is difficult to pigeonhole. With classical music you can listen analytically, but with 80’s rock you can go all out. It is that common character that also makes it easy to match speakers. There is little chance that it wouldn’t work with the Cambridge EV 150, exotics and exceptions aside. The Cambridge EVO 150 is a system that is easy to use and that we can give everyone as a purchasing tip. Cambridge Audio does what they say and offers an affordable price. Because for 2399 euros you get pure audio pleasure that you will want to listen to all day and night.

Cambridge Audio
EVO 150 | 2399 euros
EVO CD | 1199 euros
rating 5/5
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