Arcam A5+ Integrated Amplifiers

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Arcam A5+ Integrated Amplifier at Vinyl Sound Toronto Canada The A5+ is an entry-level Class AB integrated amplifier from Arcam (Cambridge, England), available at Vinyl Sound in To ronto, Canada. Built on nearly 50 years of amplifier heritage tracing back to the 1976 A&R Cambridge A60, the A5+ is the latest evolution of Arcam's acclaimed Radia series — delivering 50W per channel into 8 ohms (75W into 4 ohms) with harmonic distortion of just 0.003%, alongside Bluetooth 5.4 with Snapdragon Sound and Auracast, an ESS ES9018 DAC, and a meticulously tuned MM phono stage. Refined internal components and lower power supply impedance over the original A5 give the A5+ a quieter noise floor and more composed presentation across all inputs. The A5+ was named a What Hi-Fi? Award winner for 2025 in the stereo amplifiers category, succeeding the original A5's back-to-back What Hi-Fi? Awards in 2023 and 2024. Class AB Amplification with Enhanced Power Supply The A5+ uses a Class AB amplifier topology with component-level refinements to the internal circuitry and a lower power supply impedance compared to the original A5. Arcam's engineers targeted PCB interference reduction and improved noise performance at the entry-level price point, with intelligent power management that powers down the DAC when an analogue input is active and disables the Bluetooth module when Autoswitch is off — keeping the noise floor as low as possible during all listening modes. The result is 50W per channel into 8 ohms (75W into 4 ohms) delivered with a harmonic distortion floor of 0.003% at 80% power — and a signal-to-noise ratio of 106dB on analogue inputs and 109dB on digital. Despite its compact dimensions, the A5+ is capable of driving a wide range of loudspeakers, from bookshelf standmounts to moderately sensitive floor-standing designs, and includes a preamp output for adding an outboard power amplifier should greater headroom be needed. Snapdragon Sound, Auracast, and Wireless Headphones The A5+ is built around Qualcomm's Bluetooth 5.4 platform with Snapdragon Sound certification, enabling high-quality wireless audio transmission alongside AAC and LE Audio support. Auracast broadcast technology allows the A5+ to stream simultaneously to an unlimited number of compatible Bluetooth headphones or speakers with no individual pairing required — making it straightforward to share music across a room or enable quiet listening for multiple people at once. The amplifier functions as both a Bluetooth sink (receiving from a phone or tablet) and a Bluetooth source (transmitting to wireless headphones), with the front-panel 3.5mm headphone output supporting wired listening across a load range from 16 ohms to 2 kilohms. Key Features What Hi-Fi? Award Winner 2025: Named best stereo amplifier in its price category by What Hi-Fi? magazine, following the original A5's back-to-back Award wins in 2023 and 2024. Class AB Amplification, 50W per Channel (8 ohms): Musical, composed Class AB design with 75W into 4 ohms — suited to bookshelf and moderately sensitive floor-standing speakers alike. Enhanced Power Supply: Component-level refinements lower PCB interference and reduce power supply impedance for improved noise performance over the original A5. Snapdragon Sound with Bluetooth 5.4: Qualcomm's wireless audio platform enabling high-quality streaming via AAC and LE Audio, with two-way Bluetooth for both receiving and transmitting audio. Auracast Broadcast Audio: Stream simultaneously to an unlimited number of compatible wireless headphones or speakers with no pairing required. ESS ES9018 DAC: 24-bit/192kHz capable digital-to-analogue converter handling all digital inputs via optical and coaxial connections. Fine-Tuned MM Phono Stage: Precisely voiced moving magnet phono input (47kΩ + 100pF, RIAA-accurate within ±1dB from 20Hz to 20kHz) for detailed, engaging vinyl playback. Wired and Wireless Headphone Output: Front-panel 3.5mm output delivering up to 5V RMS into 300 ohms, compatible with headphones from 16 ohms to 2 kilohms. Preamp Output: RCA preamp output for connecting an outboard power amplifier to expand headroom when needed. Plastic-Free Packaging: 100% biodegradable packaging using natural materials throughout, with no single-use plastics. Technical Specifications Continuous Power Output (8 ohms, 2 channels, 20Hz–20kHz, 0.5% THD) 50W per channel Continuous Power Output (4 ohms, 2 channels, 1kHz) 75W per channel Harmonic Distortion (80% power, 8 ohms, 1kHz) 0.003% Amplifier Class Class AB Analogue Inputs 3 x RCA pairs Analogue S/N Ratio (A-wtd, ref. 50W, 1V input) 106dB Analogue Frequency Response 20Hz–20kHz ±0.2dB Phono Input Impedance (MM) 47kΩ + 100pF Phono Frequency Response (RIAA) 20Hz–20kHz ±1dB Digital Inputs Optical (TOSLINK), 2 x Coaxial DAC ESS ES9018 (24-bit/192kHz) Digital Input Sample Rates 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz Digital Input Bit Depth 16, 24-bit Digital S/N Ratio (A-wtd, ref. 50W, 0dBFS) 109dB Digital Frequency Response (Filter 1) 20Hz–20kHz ±0.2dB Headphone Output (max RMS into 32 ohms / 300 ohms) 2.5V / 5V Headphone Load Range 16 ohms – 2 kilohms Bluetooth Version 5.4 Bluetooth Features Snapdragon Sound, AAC, LE Audio, Auracast Bluetooth Profiles A2DP Sink/Source, AVRCP, BLE Mains Voltage 100V or 110–120V or 220–240V, 50–60Hz Maximum Power Consumption 350W Standby Power Consumption Less than 0.5W Dimensions (W x D x H including feet and terminals) 431 x 344 x 83mm Weight (net) 8.14kg Weight (packed) 11.36kg Supplied Accessories Mains lead, remote control with 2 x AAA batteries, Quick Start Guide, Safety Instructions Connections at a Glance 3 x Analogue RCA line inputs 1 x MM Phono input (RCA) 1 x Optical (TOSLINK) digital input 2 x Coaxial digital inputs 1 x Stereo preamp output (RCA) 1 x 3.5mm headphone output (front panel) Bluetooth 5.4 (transmit and receive) Speaker terminals (rear panel) Awards and Critical Recognition What Hi-Fi? Award Winner 2025 — Stereo Amplifiers category, What Hi-Fi? magazine What Hi-Fi? Award Winner 2024 — Stereo Amplifiers category (original Arcam Radia A5), What Hi-Fi? magazine What Hi-Fi? Product of the Year 2023 — Stereo Amplifiers category (original Arcam Radia A5), What Hi-Fi? magazine Frequently Asked Questions What is the Arcam A5+? The Arcam A5+ is a Class AB integrated stereo amplifier from Arcam, a British hi-fi manufacturer based in Cambridge, England, delivering 50W per channel into 8 ohms and 75W into 4 ohms with harmonic distortion of 0.003%. It includes a built-in ESS ES9018 DAC, MM phono stage, Bluetooth 5.4 with Snapdragon Sound and Auracast, and a front-panel headphone output. The A5+ won the What Hi-Fi? Award for 2025 in the stereo amplifiers category and is available at Vinyl Sound in Toronto, Canada. How does the Arcam A5+ compare to the Cambridge Audio CXA61 and Rega Elex MK4? The Arcam A5+ competes directly with the Cambridge Audio CXA61 and Rega Elex MK4 at a comparable price point. The Cambridge Audio CXA61 offers Bluetooth aptX HD and USB-B audio input, but lacks a built-in phono stage. The Rega Elex MK4 is a purist analogue design with no digital inputs or wireless capability. The A5+ distinguishes itself by combining a MM phono stage, digital inputs with an ESS ES9018 DAC, two-way Bluetooth 5.4 with Snapdragon Sound and Auracast, and a headphone output in a single chassis — alongside three consecutive What Hi-Fi? Award wins across the A5 platform from 2023 through 2025. Is the Arcam A5+ powerful enough for floor-standing speakers? The A5+ delivers 50W per channel into 8 ohms and 75W into 4 ohms, which is well-suited to bookshelf and moderately sensitive floor-standing loudspeakers in small to medium-sized rooms. For listeners who need greater headroom or plan to drive large, inefficient floor-standers in bigger spaces, the Arcam A15+ (80W/channel) or A25+ (100W/channel, Class G) are the recommended steps up within the Radia+ range. The A5+ also includes a preamp output for adding an outboard power amplifier if more power becomes necessary. What is Snapdragon Sound and does the A5+ support aptX Lossless? Snapdragon Sound is Qualcomm's certified wireless audio platform, designed to ensure consistent high-quality performance between compatible transmitter and receiver devices. The A5+ carries the Snapdragon Sound certification and supports AAC and Bluetooth LE Audio. Based on Arcam's published specification for the A5+, aptX Lossless is not listed among the supported codecs for this model — listeners requiring aptX Lossless should consider the Arcam A15+ or A25+, both of which include the full aptX codec suite. Does the Arcam A5+ have an HDMI input? No, the A5+ does not include an HDMI eARC input. Its digital inputs consist of one optical (TOSLINK) and two coaxial connections, all supporting up to 24-bit/192kHz. HDMI eARC connectivity is available on the step-up Arcam A15+ and A25+ models within the Radia+ range. Where can I buy the Arcam A5+ in Toronto or Canada? The Arcam A5+ is available at Vinyl Sound, an authorised Arcam dealer in Toronto, Canada. Vinyl Sound carries the full Arcam Radia+ lineup and can arrange in-store demonstrations of the A5+ alongside partnering sources and speakers. Can the Arcam A5+ be used with a turntable? Yes, the A5+ includes a built-in moving magnet (MM) phono stage with an input impedance of 47kΩ + 100pF and RIAA-accurate frequency response within ±1dB from 20Hz to 20kHz. It is compatible with any turntable equipped with a moving magnet cartridge and does not require a separate phono preamplifier. How does the A5+ differ from the Arcam A15+ and A25+? The A5+ is the entry point of the Radia+ range at 50W per channel Class AB, with optical and coaxial digital inputs but no HDMI eARC and no USB input. The A15+ steps up to 80W per channel with an upgraded transformer, HDMI eARC, and the full aptX Lossless codec suite. The A25+ is the flagship at 100W per channel using Arcam's patented Class G topology, adding USB-C hi-res input (32-bit/384kHz), a dual-DAC architecture with a dedicated ESS9018 chip for S/PDIF inputs, and a precision-cut glass front panel. All three share the same Bluetooth 5.4 platform, Auracast, MM phono stage, and Radia+ design language. Show more