Arcam A5+ Integrated Amplifier The A5+ is the latest in a line of Arcam integrated amplifiers that stretches back to 1976 and the A&R Cambridge A60 — the product that started the company. Nearly 50 years of amplifier design is a long time, and the A5+ reflects it: an enhanced power supply over its predecessor, current-generation wireless capabilities built in from the outset, and a phono stage that has been tuned rather than simply included. It is a compact, honest amplifier designed for shared listening — for a room where music is played properly, not just streamed into the background. Class AB Amplification The A5+ uses Class AB amplification. Two channels driven, 20Hz–20kHz into 8Ω: 50W per channel. Into 4Ω at 1kHz: 75W per channel. Harmonic distortion at 80% power into 8Ω at 1kHz: 0.003%. The cabinet is aluminium throughout — front, top, sides and rear panels — with solid aluminium dials. At 431 × 344 × 83mm and 8.14kg, it is compact enough for a bookshelf system without feeling like a compromise. The DAC — ESS ES9018 The digital section is built around the ESS ES9018 DAC. Supported sample rates are 192, 176.4, 96, 88.2, 48, and 44.1kHz, at bit depths of 24 and 16. Digital frequency response is 20Hz–20kHz ±0.2dB, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 109dB (A-weighted, ref. 50W, 0dBFS). Hi-res audio digital inputs are included as standard. Phono Stage The phono stage is MM, with an input impedance of 47kΩ + 100pF and a frequency response tracking the RIAA curve to within ±1dB across 20Hz–20kHz. Arcam describe it as meticulously tuned — the analogue section as a whole measures 20Hz–20kHz ±0.2dB with a signal-to-noise ratio of 106dB (A-weighted, ref. 50W, 1V input). Three RCA analogue input pairs are provided in total. Wireless — Snapdragon Sound and Auracast Bluetooth is version 5.4. Snapdragon Sound is included — Qualcomm's end-to-end audio platform, delivering uncompressed digital audio over Bluetooth when both devices support it. The distinction from standard Bluetooth is real: most wireless audio at this price is lossy by default. Snapdragon Sound is not, when the source device supports it. Auracast is also built in: Bluetooth's broadcast audio standard, which allows the A5+ to share audio to multiple compatible headphones or speakers simultaneously, without conventional pairing. Supported codecs include AAC and LE Audio. Headphone Output A headphone output is provided, with a load range of 16Ω to 2kΩ. Maximum output level into 32Ω is 2.5V RMS; into 300Ω it is 5V RMS — a range that covers efficient in-ear monitors at one end and high-impedance over-ear headphones at the other. Technical Specifications Specification Value Power output (2ch, 20Hz–20kHz, 8Ω) 50W per channel Power output (2ch, 1kHz, 4Ω) 75W per channel THD (80% power, 8Ω, 1kHz) 0.003% Amplifier class Class AB Analogue inputs 3× RCA pairs Phono MM Phono input impedance 47kΩ + 100pF Phono frequency response 20Hz–20kHz ±1dB (ref. RIAA) Analogue frequency response 20Hz–20kHz ±0.2dB Analogue SNR 106dB (A-wtd, ref. 50W, 1V input) DAC ESS ES9018 Digital supported sample rates 192, 176.4, 96, 88.2, 48, 44.1kHz Digital bit depths 24, 16 Digital frequency response 20Hz–20kHz ±0.2dB Digital SNR 109dB (A-wtd, ref. 50W, 0dBFS) Headphone output (32Ω / 300Ω) 2.5V / 5V RMS Headphone load range 16Ω – 2kΩ Bluetooth 5.4, Snapdragon Sound, AAC, LE Audio, Auracast Dimensions (W×D×H, inc. feet) 431 × 344 × 83mm Weight (net) 8.14kg Weight (packed) 11.36kg Power consumption (max) 350W Standby
