Best Cambridge Audio Amplifier in Canada (2026): CXA81 Mk II vs EXA100 vs EVO 150 SE
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Cambridge Audio has been making amplifiers in London since 1968. They have narrowed their lineup in recent years rather than expanded it — a sign of a company that knows what it is good at — and the result is one of the most coherent integrated amp ranges in British hi-fi. For a Canadian buyer looking at Cambridge, the question isn't really which brand to choose. It's which Cambridge amplifier fits your room, your speakers, and the way you actually listen.
At Noteworthy Audio, we carry three Cambridge integrated amplifiers and one stereo receiver. Three of them will be the right answer for most buyers in this category — the CXA81 Mk II, the EXA100, and the EVO 150 SE. Each one is built around a different idea about what an integrated amplifier should be.
Here is the short version before we go deeper:
- CXA81 Mk II — the integrated amplifier most people should buy. The best-value Cambridge for the buyer building a serious separates system.
- EXA100 — the genuine step-up integrated for the listener who already has a strong source and wants more amplifier underneath it.
- EVO 150 SE — the all-in-one for the buyer who wants streaming, DAC, phono, and amplification in a single box, with the design and ergonomics to match.
If you already know which of those buyers you are, jump to the section. If you don't, the comparison below will get you there.
Shop the Cambridge Audio collection at Noteworthy Audio →
A quick word on Cambridge Audio
Cambridge was founded in 1968 on the idea that high-fidelity sound shouldn't be the exclusive territory of expensive boutique brands. Nearly six decades later, that brief has held remarkably well. The current Cambridge lineup — the CX series, the EX series, the EVO series, and the more affordable AX range — is a careful expression of that original philosophy.
The thread that connects every Cambridge integrated amplifier is the engineering ethos: clean signal path, well-implemented Class AB or Class D power, and DAC and connectivity choices that respect the way people actually listen in 2026. They are British amplifiers in tone — slightly toward the musical and warm side of neutral — without the romanticised colouration of older British designs.
Noteworthy Audio has been an authorized Cambridge Audio dealer in Canada for over 25 years.
The three Cambridge integrated amplifiers we carry
| Feature | CXA81 Mk II | EXA100 | EVO 150 SE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topology | Class AB | Class AB | Class D (Hypex NCore) |
| Power output (8 Ω) | 80 W/ch | 100 W/ch | 150 W/ch |
| Power output (4 Ω) | 120 W/ch | 150 W/ch | 250 W/ch |
| DAC | ESS Sabre ES9018K2M | ESS Sabre | ESS Sabre |
| Streaming built in | No | No | Yes — StreamMagic platform |
| Bluetooth | aptX HD | aptX HD | aptX HD |
| Phono input | No | No | Yes — MM |
| HDMI ARC | No | No | Yes |
| Headphone output | Yes (1/4") | Yes (1/4") | Yes (1/4") |
| Price tier | Mid | Upper-mid | Top of integrated lineup |
| Best for | Serious separates system | Upgrade-an-existing-source buyer | One-box system, no rack |
Spec figures reflect Cambridge's published values at the time of writing. Verify against the Cambridge Audio product pages before final purchase decision.
Three integrated amps, three different philosophies. The CXA81 Mk II and EXA100 are pure Class AB integrated amplifiers — analog signal paths, no streaming, designed to be the amp in a separates stack. The EVO 150 SE is the modern all-in-one — a clean Class D design that includes everything a contemporary listener needs in one chassis. None of them is the wrong choice. They just answer different questions.
Cambridge Audio CXA81 Mk II — the integrated amplifier most people should buy
The CXA81 Mk II is the heart of Cambridge's current integrated range, and for most buyers in the $1,500–$2,500 system-spend tier, it is the right answer.
The Mk II revision refined what was already a strong product. The DAC stage uses an ESS Sabre ES9018K2M chip — the same family of DAC chips used in equipment costing several times the price — and the power stage delivers 80 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 120 watts per channel into 4 ohms. That is enough power to drive virtually any sensible bookshelf or floorstanding speaker in a domestic-sized room without strain.
What the CXA81 Mk II does well is the boring stuff done correctly. The analog signal path is clean. The DAC implementation is genuinely good — not "good for the price," but good. The output stage has the headroom to control loudspeakers properly rather than just driving them loud. Bluetooth aptX HD is included for casual use, and there is a competent dedicated headphone output on the front panel for late-night listening.
What it doesn't do is stream. There is no Wi-Fi, no Spotify Connect, no Tidal Connect, no Roon Ready, no AirPlay. That is deliberate. Cambridge made a decision that the CXA81 Mk II would be an amplifier — that it would do amplification, DAC, and analog connectivity to a high standard — and that buyers who wanted streaming would either add a separate streamer (the Cambridge CXN-100 streamer is the obvious pairing) or step over to the EVO 150 SE.
Buy the CXA81 Mk II if:
- You are building a serious separates system from scratch
- You want the analog signal chain done well at a sensible price
- You're pairing it with a competent source — a DAC/streamer, a turntable with its own phono stage, or a high-quality CD player
- You may want to upgrade pieces of the system independently over time
- You prefer the discipline of a pure amplifier to the convenience of an all-in-one
Skip the CXA81 Mk II if:
- You want streaming, phono stage, and HDMI built in — that is the EVO 150 SE's job
- You're driving particularly inefficient or large-room speakers that need more power — consider the EXA100
Shop the Cambridge CXA81 Mk II →
Cambridge Audio EXA100 — the genuine step up
The EXA100 is Cambridge's upper-tier integrated amplifier — a step above the CXA81 Mk II in power, refinement, and price.
The format is the same: pure Class AB integrated amplifier, analog signal path, no streaming. What changes is the execution. The power output is higher (100 W/ch into 8 Ω, 150 W/ch into 4 Ω), the component quality across the power supply and output stage is uprated, and the DAC implementation reflects the higher tier. The result is an amplifier that is more relaxed at any given volume, more confident with difficult speaker loads, and more capable in larger rooms.
Whether the step from CXA81 Mk II to EXA100 is worth it depends almost entirely on the rest of your system. If you are driving sensitive bookshelf speakers in a 200-square-foot room with a moderate listening level, the CXA81 Mk II will not be the limiting factor. If you are driving harder-to-drive floorstanding speakers in a 400-square-foot open-plan space at realistic volumes, the EXA100's extra power and refinement will be audible.
The EXA100 also makes more sense as the destination amplifier for a buyer who has already built a strong source. A high-quality external DAC or a top-tier streamer feeding the EXA100 is a system that can rival far more expensive separates stacks.
Buy the EXA100 if:
- You already have a strong source — a competent external DAC, a high-end streamer, or a serious analog front end
- You're driving larger speakers, harder-to-drive speakers, or a bigger room
- You listen at realistic levels and want headroom rather than a power figure that looks good on paper
- You want the integrated amplifier to be the long-term destination piece in your system
Skip the EXA100 if:
- You don't yet have the source to feed it properly — most of the EXA100's value sits in being fed well
- A smaller room and efficient speakers mean the CXA81 Mk II will do the same job at a lower price
Cambridge Audio EVO 150 SE — the all-in-one for the buyer who doesn't want a rack
The EVO 150 SE is a different kind of product, and the right answer for a particular kind of listener.
Where the CXA81 Mk II and the EXA100 are pure amplifiers with deliberately limited feature sets, the EVO 150 SE is an everything-in-one chassis. It delivers 150 watts per channel into 8 ohms (250 W/ch into 4 Ω) from a Class D Hypex NCore power stage. It has a full streaming platform built in — Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz, Chromecast, AirPlay 2, Roon Ready, and Internet radio — through Cambridge's mature StreamMagic platform. It has a moving-magnet phono stage for a turntable. It has HDMI ARC for a TV. It has Bluetooth aptX HD for casual use. It has a 6.8-inch colour display on the front panel.
It is, in practical terms, a complete music system in a single box. Plug speakers into the back, plug it into the wall, and you can stream, spin records, watch TV, and play files from a network drive without a separates stack.
The EVO 150 SE is also a design statement. The wood-effect side panels, the central display, and the rotating selector make it the kind of piece you can leave visible in a living room rather than hide in a rack. That is part of what you are paying for.
The tradeoff is the closed nature of the system. The DAC is built in, the streamer is built in, the phono stage is built in — and you cannot upgrade any of them independently. If you are the buyer who wants to swap a DAC next year, the EVO 150 SE is the wrong product. If you are the buyer who wants to set it up once and live with it for a decade, it is exactly right.
Buy the EVO 150 SE if:
- You want a true one-box music system
- You stream most of the time and want a serious built-in streamer
- You also want a turntable input without adding an outboard phono stage
- You value the look of the equipment in your room
- You prefer to set the system up once and enjoy it rather than upgrade pieces
Skip the EVO 150 SE if:
- You want to upgrade individual pieces of the chain over time
- You prefer the discipline of a pure amplifier and an external source
- The all-in-one form factor doesn't match how you think about audio
Shop the Cambridge EVO 150 SE →
Which Cambridge amplifier should you buy?
The short version, in table form:
| If you're… | Buy the… | Because… |
|---|---|---|
| Building your first serious separates system | CXA81 Mk II | Best-in-class for the price, room to add a streamer later |
| Already running a great DAC or streamer and want more amplifier | EXA100 | The genuine step-up integrated amp in the Cambridge lineup |
| Looking for a single-box system with streaming built in | EVO 150 SE | Streaming, DAC, phono, HDMI, and serious power all in one chassis |
| Working with a tighter budget and want a Cambridge stereo receiver | AXR100 | Different category — receiver with FM tuner — but the most accessible way into the brand |
The CXA81 Mk II is the safest recommendation for most buyers. It does the most important things very well, leaves room to grow the system around it, and costs less than the alternatives. The EXA100 makes sense when you have already built a system worth investing in. The EVO 150 SE makes sense when the question you are actually asking is not "which amplifier" but "which complete system."
Pair it right — speakers and room
Choosing the amplifier is half the job. The other half is matching it to the speakers and the room.
The CXA81 Mk II pairs well with sensitive bookshelf and small floorstanding speakers — the kind that come up to volume on moderate power and reward a refined source. KEF, Totem, and Fyne all make excellent matches at the price tier the CXA81 Mk II lives in.
The EXA100 opens the door to less efficient and larger speakers — full-sized floorstanders, harder loads, and bigger rooms. The extra current is the point.
The EVO 150 SE has plenty of power for almost any sensible domestic speaker pairing. The bigger consideration with the EVO is system aesthetics — buyers who choose it usually want a speaker that complements the look as well as the sound.
If you're unsure how a given amplifier will pair with the speakers you have in mind, come listen in our showroom. We will set up the chain and let you make the call.
Browse our speakers collection →
Listen to all three in our King City showroom
There is only so much a written comparison can do. The CXA81 Mk II, the EXA100, and the EVO 150 SE are all in stock at Noteworthy Audio and available to demo by appointment in our King City listening room. We will set them up against the same speakers, on the same source, and let you spend the time to actually hear the differences between them.
Book a listening appointment →
Frequently asked questions
Is Cambridge Audio better than Marantz?
This depends almost entirely on what kind of sound you prefer and what features matter to you. Cambridge tends toward a clean, slightly warm, slightly forward presentation with strong analog signal-path engineering. Marantz tends toward a smoother, more romantic presentation with their long-running HDAM topology. Both are excellent — they sound different, and the right answer is usually whichever one suits the rest of your system and your listening preferences better. A direct A/B comparison in our showroom is the fastest way to know which one is for you.
Is Cambridge Audio a premium brand?
Cambridge sits in the premium end of mainstream hi-fi rather than the boutique high-end. Their products compete with brands like NAD, Rotel, Marantz, and Arcam, rather than with brands costing five or ten times more. Within that competitive set, Cambridge has built a strong reputation for engineering, value, and consistency over nearly six decades. The CX, EX, and EVO ranges are all designed and engineered in London.
Where is Cambridge Audio made?
Cambridge Audio is a British company headquartered in London, founded in 1968. Their products are designed and engineered in the UK and manufactured to Cambridge's specifications. They are not a Canadian or American company — they are British. Noteworthy Audio is an authorized Cambridge Audio dealer in Canada, distributing the full lineup with free Canada-wide shipping.
What's the difference between the CXA81 and the CXA81 Mk II?
The CXA81 Mk II is the current revision of the CXA81 platform. The refresh refined the DAC stage and updated several components in the power supply and analog signal path. The form factor, power rating, and overall positioning of the amplifier remain the same — this is a refinement, not a redesign. Current Cambridge dealers carry the Mk II.
Does the CXA81 Mk II have a built-in DAC?
Yes. The CXA81 Mk II uses an ESS Sabre ES9018K2M DAC, supporting up to 32-bit/384 kHz PCM and DSD256 over USB. There are also two optical and two coaxial digital inputs in addition to the USB input and Bluetooth aptX HD.
Can you stream music to the CXA81 Mk II?
Only via Bluetooth aptX HD. The CXA81 Mk II does not include Wi-Fi streaming or platforms like Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, or Roon Ready. If you want native streaming, the choices are to pair the CXA81 Mk II with the Cambridge CXN-100 streamer, or to step over to the EVO 150 SE, which has full streaming built in.
Three Cambridge amplifiers, in stock now
The CXA81 Mk II, the EXA100, and the EVO 150 SE are all in stock at Noteworthy Audio. We have been an authorized Cambridge Audio dealer in Canada for over 25 years. Free shipping nationwide, financing available, and a by-appointment listening room in King City, Ontario.
More from our Cambridge Audio collection: CXA81 Mk II · EXA100 · EVO 150 SE · AXR100 · CXN-100 streamer · DAC Magic 200M · Alva TT v2 turntable · CXC v2 CD transport
