You will read about this in my column soon, but I am posting it here now for Sound Advice web readers. Through July 16th, you can get Cambridge Audio’s excellent Topaz AM5 integrated amplifier for only $100, 50% of the regular $200 price! Here is what I had to say about the Topaz AM5 in a previous column:
“Great sounding British stereo amplifiers with 20-25 watts per channel have been part of the audio hobby for decades, starting with the legendary NAD 3020, a 20-watt amplifier first introduced in 1978. (How legendary? The 3020 has its own Wikipedia entry.) I did not notice it until recently, but Cambridge Audio has such an amplifier, the 25-watt Topaz AM5. It is on sale now for $169, which is about half of what you would expect to pay for a quality amplifier from a high-end manufacturer. I ordered one to see how it would work with the T-Zero speakers.
When I received the Topaz AM5 I was shocked by the build quality. I was expecting the thin metal side panels typically found in gear selling for under $200, but what I held was a rock-solid piece of gear with a finely finished faceplate, a nicely embossed Cambridge Audio logo on the top and smooth-feeling controls. Opening the manual to the specifications, the Topaz AM5 was listed as compatible with 4-ohm speakers, though 4-ohm compatibility was not mentioned online. No 4-ohm power rating was given, but it seems potent as I could play the T-Zero speakers louder than I could stand to listen. Even dramatic classical music from CDs was not enough to stress the AM5, even at high volumes.
Combine a pair of Emotiva T-Zero speakers with a Cambridge Audio Topaz AM5 amplifier to form the heart of a great looking, great sounding system with high-end panache for a total of only $569.”
They are going to sell fast, even though they have quite a few to sell. If you want one, don’t wait!