| | |  | Interconnects | Home » » Cambridge Audio Azur 840C CD Player -silver | | | | | | | Description: | | The 840C marks the zenith of Cambridge Audios critically acclaimed Azur line up. Like all Azur products, the 840C promises unseen levels of performance and engineering excellence to the price points in question. But rather than redefining expectations in the entry-level market, the arena most often associated with Cambridge Audio, the company will reinvigorate the mid-end price sector.
The 840C embraces a raft of proprietary technologies including ATFTM (Adaptive Time Filtering) asynchronous up-sampling technology which has been developed in conjunction with Anagram Technologies of Switzerland. This system intelligently interpolates 16-bit/44.1kHz CD data to 24-bit/384kHz data, through the use of a 32-bit Analog Devices Black Fin DSP (digital signal processor). This in turn feeds two 24-bit/384kHz DACs from the same company in dual differential formation.
Each DAC handles just one channel for excellent stereo imaging, operating fully in differential mode for exceptionally low distortion and noise.
Both unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR outputs are fitted. Two digital inputs are also provided which even allow the up-sampling and playback of other sources such as a DVD player via the Azur 840C. In addition, a recording digital output can even allow bit-for-bit data or upsampled data at 48, 96 or 192 kHz to be recorded by a suitable device.
A Control Bus In/Out, an IR emitter in connection and an RS232 port are provided for easy multi-room connectivity. The RS232 protocol enables a two-way interface with third party home automation touchscreens.
As with all Azur products, the foundation of the 840Cs excellence is a bespoke chassis. This comprises an incredibly thick 7mm front panel and extruded side panels, both fashioned from aluminium, which combines with a 2mm formed steel base plate and specially designed vibration absorbing feet. The result is an ultra rigid, low resonance, acoustically dampened platform for the electronics to sit in. | | | Features: | |
• Adaptive Time Filtering (ATF) asynchronous up-sampling technology converting 16-bit 44.1 kHz CD data to 24-bit 384kHz
• 32-bit Analog Devices Black Fin DSP
• Dual differential DAC configuration using high-end Analog Devices AD1955 DACs
• Two digital inputs allowing up-sampling and playback of other sources
• Digital outputs allow recording of up-sampled audio
| | | Product Details: | | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 2 reviews |
| | | | Used and New: | | | |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
2 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Fantastic PlayerJan 27, 2009
Fantastic player, you'll have to spend much more to find something better. That said, it can be found MUCH cheaper elsewhere.
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Excellent CD Player!Jul 10, 2008
Let me give you first some background information. I am an audiophile (or aspiring one if your prefer) on a budget and I have owned several brands of players since the creation of the format (JVC, Technics, Sony ES) until 1992 where I found about the Pioneer Elite PD-65 (Stable Platter Technology), This player was so good in comparison to others that I have owned or auditioned before (At my local Sound Advice in Miami) that it stayed with me until a few months ago, so we are talking roughly 15 years plus a few months. During this time, as technologies, were advancing I auditioned other units but I always came back to my faithful PD-65. Again at the end of 2007 I came into serious "upgrade mode" and the reading of several reviews drove me to a Marantz SACD/CD Player (in Stereophile's current recommended component list) and survived with it a few months in a love/hate relationship, -Love- because when it got it right the sound was wonderful, even better than the PD-65 and -Hate- because sometimes it refused to play a few titles (The PD NEVER did) and ultimately I read so very good reviews of playback of plain Red Book discs with this unit that I had very high expectation of what to expect with the playing of poor recordings (let's be honest a lot of CDs out there sound terrible) but they still sound bad. As we all know "Garbage in, Garbage out".
So I started looking again and came into the Cambridge Audio 840C which was well beyond my budget but I jumped and I don't regret the decision. This player is simply fabulous, I have it connected with balanced cables (XLR) to my Adcom Pre-amp and GFA-5800 Amplifier. Maybe it is synergy, maybe just plain good luck but for the first time (at least for me) I can hear "silence" and that makes every single sound listenable in a way I could not hear before and to top it off I recover a lost appreciation of my music collection (including poor recordings that now are listenable).
As any advice you can take this with a grain of salt but this is my personal experience and I can not find exact words to describe the excitement of owning a player that finally delivers and that have made my music alive again. I know that a lot of people might say.. "You have not auditioned brand XYZ which sounds way better than the 840" to what I will simply respond that my opinion is based in the brands that I mentioned and a few others that I had the chance to listen to over the years.
Thank you for your time reading this.
| | |
|
