Cambridge Audio 640C

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 587
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 10:10 am:

So now that I have these really nice speakers (MA RS6) I've decided that I want a half-decent CDP to complement them.

I was at a local audioshop where the sales guy showed me the various options in my price range, and suggested the Cambridge Audio line. I did a listening test on the 640C and the next model down in the line (can't remember the model number). There was actually a noticeable difference in SQ quality between two. The 640C seemed to handle the piano better (more pronounced), cymbals were more precise and vocals seemed to have a bit more depth.

The thing I liked about the 640C is that it has dual DACs. Probably worth the extra 200 bucks.

So my question is, do any of you guys out there have one of these? If so, how do you like it?

Thanks.

Relevant Product Info

Darren Mc

Bronze Member

Username: Darrenmc

Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada

Post Number: 49
Registered: Mar-04

Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 01:11 pm:

Hey David(fellow CDN!), I have the exact same speakers as you. I had the RS1's and exchanged them for the RS6's, difference was huge for me. I just love floorstanders. Anyway I'm in the process of upgrading my source as well. I currently have a NAD C542 player which would be in the same price range as the Cambridge Audio Azur 640c, maybe a little more expensive but both budget players. The NAD C542 is a good player but I will be moving up the chain at twice the cost. I haven't heard the 640C but will be doing a home demo of the 840C(3x the price)and will let you know what I think. What is your budget for a player?

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 6072
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 01:54 pm:

Both Cambridge players are very good values...

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 588
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 02:56 pm:

Hi Darren,

My budget is around $700, give or take a bit.

I had my eye on the NAD C542 as well, but I get the impression the CA is better both SQ and build quality-wise.

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 589
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 02:57 pm:

And how are things in the 'Peg? I was there a few years ago in the middle of Jan.

And I thought Ottawa was damned cold...

Darren Mc

Bronze Member

Username: Darrenmc

Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada

Post Number: 51
Registered: Mar-04

Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 03:30 pm:

Hey David things were damn cold in the Peg this week, in the -40 to -45 range with the windchill. Never been to Ottawa but would like to visit some day. Now to the cd players, I would pick out a few cd players within your range and give them all a test run. CA makes a good product and gives great value. Also you could throw the Rotel CD-1072 into the mix, it gets high praise for it's quality and does HDCD decoding if that matters to you, although I have never personally heard it. If you could stretch a little bit then I'd say listen to the Arcam CD73T and the CA Azur 740c.

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 590
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 03:41 pm:

When I was there I walked to Portage and Main, just to say that I'd been there (just like the song). I think it was around -40. I stood there for about 5 seconds.

The dealer I was at also carries Rotel CDP. I didn't have enough time to give those a listen. How would you say these compare to the CA's?

Silver Member

Username: Kevincorr

Fairbanks, Alaska
Usa

Post Number: 379
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Sunday, January 27, 2008 - 10:52 pm:

I am right now listening to a Rotel 1072 cdp. It sounds great to me on my humble budget set up. Rotel 1070 int amp and Quad 11L spkrs.

I have the Cambridge Azure 640C CD player in the bedroom, I have used it with 4 different amps and 3 different set of speakers and I have always found it musical and enjoyable...EXCEPT for quiet bedroom music.

As I have posted previously, it is noisy and not acceptable for that application. It is just that I want to keep the Rotel system together in the living room for synergy and the wife likes the looks of one matching system. It is good for higher volume, ie when the music is louder than the mechanical whirring of the Azure. It has been that way since I bought it new. I am far remote from the dealer so I chose to hope it would wear in but it has not quieted down. I
I would sell it cheap. It does not have excess wear because I have listened to 3 other cdp in the mean time, plus vinyl and FM. (Naim cdp, Rotel and Pionier cdr).

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 6099
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Monday, January 28, 2008 - 07:25 am:

Too bad about your Cambridge dealer being so far away. Sounds like a defective one which should be returned.

Silver Member

Username: Kevincorr

Fairbanks, Alaska
Usa

Post Number: 380
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Monday, January 28, 2008 - 08:13 am:

Yes, I should have but I waited too long. Oh well, now I have an excuse to get an Apollo! But no hurry. Waiting for a bargain deal.
I may get a decent price for the Azure when the time comes.

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 6103
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Monday, January 28, 2008 - 09:32 pm:

I really love my Apollo. This is really a cd player that I never tire of...though my P5 is better.

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 599
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 09:37 am:

Was reading up on the CA 640C on audioreviews.com and it seems a significant number of people have had issues with this CDP (such as channels dropping out).

Then again, I've heard the same kind of complaints about NAD CDPs...

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 6110
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 09:49 pm:

Yep.

Silver Member

Username: Kevincorr

Fairbanks, Alaska
Usa

Post Number: 382
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 11:17 pm:

Well the store where I bought my CA denies having above average problems with Cambridge but it is still their 3d favorite that they sell after Naim and Rega.
I feel that the sound of the Azure640C is a good value but feel that CA could have responded to my plight even though I failed to meet the deadline for return to dealer. They never responded to my request for help nor offered no suggestions. Maybe it is a simple fix and they would know that, but I got silence from them. Poor public relations. So now I am a Rega/Rotel guy.
btw, I do agree with that dealer that Naim is great. I had a Naim cdp that sounded the best that I have owned. I sold it just because it was hard to center the weight every time, and refused some cds. I do miss that clear sound.

Amit G

New member

Username: Amitg

Post Number: 3
Registered: Apr-07

Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 05:10 am:

Ive got both the 640c as well as the NAD 542. A bit tough to say which is better sounding but id think the 640c is slightly better with more rounded bass.

However the NAD is better put together. The 640c sometimes has a problem with the power supply making a buzzing sound when its in standby mode and the open/close button seems to have a mind of its own. The 542 is 6 months older but has never had any problems.

Silver Member

Username: Malco49

Baltimore, Maryland
Usa

Post Number: 148
Registered: May-05

Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 08:55 am:

i have had my cambridge 640C v2 for about one year.run it through cambridge 540A v1 and PSB image B25 speakers.and use it quite a bit,and have never had one problem with it.
what type of noise makes it noisy? i am not sure i have ever heard it making noise,except in transport.i have listened to quite music.
anyway i am a cambridge fan and have enjoyed my experience as my first move up into audiophile world.

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 721
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 10:37 am:

I've had mine for about 5 weeks and I've never had any issues with mechanical noise coming from mine. The only issue I had was when I first got it home the tray wouldn't open. I had to gently persuade it open, and I've never had any trouble since then.

Silver Member

Username: Kevincorr

Fairbanks, Alaska
Usa

Post Number: 473
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 08:16 pm:

So happy to have replaced my Cambridge Azure 640C. Apollo is now my main one and Rotel in the bedroom.

Anyone want to buy a used Azure 640C cheap?

The noise from the Azure is the sound of the disc spinning, like when you open a cheap boom box while it is turning. Mechanical noise, not electronic. What bothered me was that I could never get an answer or advice from Cambridge.
On their website there is a forum for problems where I got no help either. So simply due to their silence I am now converted to Rega and Rotel.
Just a few words from them could have made a loyal customer.

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 730
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - 02:23 pm:

Sorry to hear that you had so much trouble with Cambridge, Kevin. I'm very happy with mine so far (knocking on wood...).

Silver Member

Username: Kevincorr

Fairbanks, Alaska
Usa

Post Number: 477
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - 06:59 pm:

Thanks David. No breakdowns though, so I would call it reliable. It always worked fine.
Sounds good too.
It was my mistake to think that it would wear in and get quiet with age. I wanted to believe that because I hoped to not have to mail it away.
I think that if someone had bought it who used it in a higher volume setting would never have noticed. I did enjoy it for the loud music sometimes.
It was just that for the bedroom I need a quiet one. ECM and Windham Hill night music!

Silver Member

Username: Malco49

Baltimore, Maryland
Usa

Post Number: 149
Registered: May-05

Posted on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - 08:19 pm:

hello kevin.i am not being difficult but don't know what kind of noise you hear? i listen to a lot of minimalist classical and electronic music and hear no noise.my "rig" has been mentioned previously in this thread.
just not sure what kind of noise the CD player was making.could you explain?

Chris H

Silver Member

Username: Hawkbilly

Nova Scotia
Canada

Post Number: 173
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - 08:54 pm:

My own experience in this price range ($600-$800) was it was better to spend the money on a quality DAC, if you have a cdp that will function as a transport. I had been using my NAD 541i as a cdp, but it is now on transport duty. The difference with my DAC in place was the biggest single upgrade I've made to my system.

You will need to factor in the extra cable, but with the right DAC the improvement can be profound, and keep you in the same price range.

Just another option to consider.

Silver Member

Username: Kevincorr

Fairbanks, Alaska
Usa

Post Number: 478
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 12:26 pm:

mwf- "...don't know what kind of noise you hear?"

Just the disc spinning. You must have opened a boom box, cheap portable cdp and heard the spinning disc. Only difference is that you don't have to open the drawer to hear the disc whirring around, sort of like a regular scrape.

Silver Member

Username: Malco49

Baltimore, Maryland
Usa

Post Number: 150
Registered: May-05

Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 06:39 pm:

wow! i can't say that i have heard that with my unit.will listen to some really quite music with and without headphones and let you know what i discover

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 736
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 06:45 pm:

I'm listening to mine right now. I put my ear right up next to it and all I hear is a very faint whirring sound of the disc spinning. Perfectly acceptable to me.

Silver Member

Username: Kevincorr

Fairbanks, Alaska
Usa

Post Number: 481
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 05:49 am:

Great. I am glad that mine is the exception!

Silver Member

Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 740
Registered: Feb-07

Posted on Friday, March 21, 2008 - 10:18 am:

Seems that yours was not the exception Kevin. If you take a look at some of the reviews of it on AudioReview.com, there's a bunch of people with issues:

http://www.audioreview.com/cat/digital-sources/cd-players/cambridge-audio/PRD_29 9480_1586crx.aspx

Silver Member

Username: Malco49

Baltimore, Maryland
Usa

Post Number: 151
Registered: May-05

Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2008 - 08:28 pm:

regarding the noise from the cambridge AZUR 640C v2.you mean the sound of the disc spinning when you put you ear right up to the transport area! jeez! you can't hear that unless your ear is right against it,and with music on not at all.
talk about nit picking!!!

Silver Member

Username: Kevincorr

Fairbanks, Alaska
Usa

Post Number: 490
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2008 - 08:40 pm:

I am talking about 640C v1 and the noise you hear while laying in bed at night that is exactly the same level as the music. The only solution is to play the music louder than the noise which means daytime only.

Silver Member

Username: Malco49

Baltimore, Maryland
Usa

Post Number: 152
Registered: May-05

Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2008 - 10:00 pm:

well maybe the V1 made a louder noise.because the noise on my unit is not noticeable with music even at minimal volume

Silver Member

Username: Kevincorr

Fairbanks, Alaska
Usa

Post Number: 491
Registered: Jul-07

Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2008 - 11:49 pm:

Reading through David Mitchel's link above I noticed that many people had no problem. I did not take the time to count the % but it does look like a minority.
Then when you look at those with problems, dependability seems to be the main complaint. Mine works dependably.

Those with complaints of noise are only a few. Maybe 2 or 3 only. I did not add mine since I have posted it enough.
Also I did not pay attention to which version the problem ones were.

At this point I am past CA. Last step to sell it or give it away.

Nuck

Gold Member

Username: Nuck

Post Number: 9914
Registered: Dec-04

Posted on Monday, March 24, 2008 - 06:48 am:

Send it to me, KC,I will offer an opinion, hehehe.