The rest of this review focuses on the AXA35 exclusively as I don’t have an aXA25 for comparison. The AXA35 has plenty of useful facilities for a budget amplifier in the contexts of an aptly specified hi-fi system. When compared against a 2004 era Cambridge A5, years of inflation and cost prioritisation mean the omission of a preamplifier output and the second pair of speaker outputs for bi-wiring, not that bi-wiring offers any real-world advantage. There’s no true tape monitor in the newer amps either, nor an option to bypass the tone controls. You do get a remote though, which the A5 didn’t have. Easy to use, compact and stylish, the Denon DP-29F turntable makes it simple to get the best from your vinyl. Having said that, the AXA35 arguably sounds clearer and has a more neutral tonal balance, doing more than enough to justify a five-star rating at this price point. It looks and sounds the part, and if this is just a hint of what the rest of the Cambridge Audio’s AX range has to offer, we’re in for a sonic treat. The output signal from a turntable is very quiet, and needs additional amplification before it’s able to be put into an amplifier. This boost is handled by what’s called a phono stage. The LM3886 does, however, have inbuilt protection against over and under-voltage, power supply and output short circuits, thermal runaway and instantaneous temperature peaks. They are durable and reliable chips and offer excellent performance comparable to a discrete output stage. Regardless of the amplifier you use you should always consider its limitations in partnering equipment and the environment. I’ve fixed a few AM10s over the years with blown output chips all as a result of driving too heavy a load at too high a volume. If your system is obviously distorting or if you’re running the amp at or near its maximum volume, upgrade to a model with more power.

It's hard to believe that the original Wharfedale Diamond is now past its thirtieth birthday. All those decades ago, it was the Diamond speaker that proved, for the first time, that excellent quality sound could be achieved from a small, budget speaker. Since then there have been dozens of imitators, but the Diamonds remain amongst the best available. The woofer units are carefully designed to balance clear, articulate mid-range with powerful bass. The multifibre cones are attached to the chassis by fluted rubber surrounds. These effectively damp unwanted resonances, making the speakers sound exceptionally smooth and life-like.Some amplifiers will have a dedicated phono stage built in, so when you plug your turntable into the specific input, it’s signal is boosted and can be heard just like your other sources. These tips should help you bring down your insurance price as much as possible. We know that it can be frustrating that you have to pay more because of your age. However, by driving safely and building up your NCD, you should hopefully start to see your price come down over time. Time to get on the road Founded in 1910, Denon has over 110 years’ experience in audio and is one of the longest established hi-fi companies in the world. Since being at the forefront of gramophone technology in 1910, they went on to lead with professional disc cutting devices, LPs, audio cassette, professional and domestic CD, home cinema, DVD and much more. This unparalleled experience means you can be assured of the best performance-per-pound from the Denon DP-29F. The AXA35 like the AM10 predecessor is essentially a commercial ‘Gainclone’ implementation. The LM3886 output devices can theoretically deliver 68W per channel into a 4Ω load and 38W per channel into an 8Ω load with a symmetrical power supply delivering +/-28V. Cambridge’s specification of 35W into an 8Ω load is therefore a sensible one. The AXA35 will actually deliver the 38W into 8Ω before clipping.

At the heart of the 3020 are new drive units. Starting at the top, the new Ring Dome tweeter provides a more accurate response, for precise reproduction of even the most subtle aspects of music. The tweeter unit is decoupled from the rest of the cabinet, meaning that it isn't affected by vibration from the bass unit. The new Aramid fibre/paper woofer cone is light, rigid, and helps give the 3010s their punchy, agile sound quality. By the standards of budget-conscious stereo amplifiers, the Cambridge Audio AXA35 is a remarkably self-assured listen. No matter the sort of material you serve it up, there’s no suggestion it ever feels out of its depth. As well as being more powerful, the AXA35 also improves internal component quality, giving improved sonic detail and realism with less distortion. The toroidal power transformer and separate pre/power amp circuit boards are features usually only found in much more expensive amplifiers, making the AXA35 something of a giant-slayer.The cabinet isn't just compact, it's also very solid. This combination gives the Diamonds an extremely accurate sound quality as the cabinet doesn't flex or vibrate. Equally impressive are the drive units. A soft dome tweeter gives the clarity and smoothness of sound you'd expect from a more expensive speaker, while the woofer cone uses a carbon fibre type weave to offer extremely taut and responsive bass. The functions of an amp are split into two stages, preamplification and power amplification. Preamplification can be seen as ‘the part with all the knobs and switches’. It’s where you can select multiple inputs and level of gain (volume). The frequency response is relatively flat. There’s a gentle roll-off below 100Hz and above 10kHz, but it’s only 0.2dB down at 20Hz and 20kHz, the limits of the audio band. In reality this won’t be audible, so any characteristic sound will be due to its limitations in power, component-level tuning and preamplifier noise more than anything else. The preamp appears similar if not identical to the AM10. It is responsible for most of the noise in the amp’s output – 79.8dB signal to noise ratio (A-wtd, ref 0dBW). It’s a bit of a shame Cambridge didn’t spec up the preamp a bit to better match the performance of the output stage. Nevertheless it is well designed with NE5532s unsurprisingly making up the basis of its audio circuitry and input selection and volume control handled by digital logic.