View offers: BestAmplifiers2023
Arcam A5 £749
Arcam’s new entry-level amplifier is a fresh and modern-looking product. We like its simple yet elegant exterior. The yellow highlights around the large control dials, vents and sides give a sleek appearance, while the front-panel control dials are nicely weighted and spin smoothly.
This amplifier is more than just a pretty face, though. The company has obviously thought long and hard about the features to include, and has come up with what is arguably the most comprehensively equipped stereo amplifier we have reviewed at this level. There are three line-level inputs and a moving-magnet phono stage, plus preamplifier outputs for those who feel the A5’s 50W per channel output won’t be enough. On the digital side is a pair of coaxial inputs and a single optical input that can handle streams of up to 24-bit/192kHz thanks to an ESS ES9018 DAC chip. Two-way Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive is also on the menu.
An amplifier at this level has a difficult balancing act to perform. It is as likely to be partnered with budget kit as it is
