Arcam A5
The Arcam A5 pairs full-bodied clarity with agile, authoritative bass, bringing rhythmic drive, deep soundstage layering and poise to demanding music. What Hi-Fi? applauds its articulate, entertaining presentation, while Fidelity Magazine highlights its resolving yet gently warm character. With an excellent MM phono stage, ESS DAC and bidirectional aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, it is a remarkably complete integrated amplifier.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
89/100
Features Connectivity
94/100
Value for Money
93/100
Pros
Insightful, full-bodied sound with articulate midrange, agile punchy bass and controlled dynamics.
Expansive, layered imaging with sharply focused instruments and convincing depth.
Exceptionally flexible feature set, including MM phono, ESS DAC, pre-out, headphone output and two-way aptX Adaptive Bluetooth.
Sturdy aluminium casework and smoothly weighted controls give it a premium, long-term feel.
Cons
No USB input for direct computer connection.
Frosted front-panel display lacks crispness, and tightly spaced speaker terminals can challenge bulky cables.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviews describe an unusually complete and engaging sound for the money: clear and insightful, full-bodied without sounding sluggish, and composed when music becomes complex. It combines authoritative, agile bass with a spacious, well-focused presentation that remains easy to enjoy over long sessions.
Transparency Resolution
92/100
Fidelity Magazine was impressed by the amount of low-level information retrieved, including guitar-string tension and finger-slide noises, and said the A5 lets the listener hear deeply into recordings. What Hi-Fi likewise found it insightful and articulate, with the phono stage sounding clear and expressive at low noise levels.
Tonal Balance Musicality
92/100
The A5 is consistently described as balanced, pleasing and musically involving, with a slight warmth in its fundamentals rather than an overt coloration. What Hi-Fi praised its sweet, smooth and full-bodied nature, noting that it retains life and momentum rather than becoming soft or overly polite.
Dynamics
92/100
Despite its modest 50W rating into 8 ohms, What Hi-Fi found the Class A/B design capable of driving a range of speakers to satisfying levels in a large room. Reviewers highlight confident rhythmic drive, strong control under pressure, convincing large-scale swings, and bass that is both punchy and agile.
Soundstage Imaging
91/100
What Hi-Fi reports an expansive, layered soundstage with sharply focused instruments and a convincing impression of depth. Fidelity Magazine similarly heard voices projected solidly ahead of the speakers and a stage extending notably behind them.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
89/100
The aluminium casework, tidy finish and weighted aluminium controls earned praise from both Fidelity Magazine and What Hi-Fi. Fidelity considers the housing substantial enough for long-term ownership, though it notes that the closely spaced speaker terminals can be inconvenient with especially bulky cables.
Features Connectivity
94/100
The A5 covers both analogue and digital systems well, with three RCA line inputs, an MM phono stage, coaxial and optical digital inputs, ESS DAC, headphone output and pre-out. Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive is especially flexible because it can both receive music and transmit to compatible wireless headphones or speakers; USB is the notable omission.
Value for Money
93/100
At roughly €850 in Fidelity Magazine's review, the A5 was described as affordable, feature-rich and capable of anchoring a genuinely audiophile starter system without creating an immediate urge to upgrade. What Hi-Fi went further, saying it is strong enough to worry the established leaders in its class.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
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Specifications
- Specification
- • Continuous power output (0.5% THD), per channel
- Specification
- • 2 channels driven, 20Hz - 20k Hz, 8Ω 50W
- Specification
- • 2 channels driven, 1k Hz, 4Ω 75W
- Specification
- • Harmonic distortion, 80% power, 8Ω at 1k Hz 0.003%
- Specification
- • Analogue Inputs
- Specification
- • Number of inputs 3 (RCA pairs)
- Specification
- • Signal/noise ratio (A-wtd, ref. 50W, 1V input) 106dB
- Specification
- • Frequency response 20Hz—20k Hz ± 0.2dB
- Specification
- • Phono (MM) Input
- Specification
- • Input impedance 47kΩ + 100pF
- Specification
- • Frequency response (ref. RIAA curve) 20Hz—20k Hz ± 1dB
- Specification
- • Digital Inputs
- Specification
- • Supported Sample Rates (k Hz)
- Specification
- • Coaxial (RCA) 192, 176.4, 96, 88.2, 48, 44.1
- Specification
- • Optical (Toslink) 192, 176.4, 96, 88.2, 48, 44.1
- Specification
- • Bit depths (bit) 24, 16
- Specification
- • Frequency response (fi lter 1) 20Hz—20k Hz ± 0.2dB
- Specification
- • Signal/noise ratio (A-wtd, ref. 50W, 0dBFS) 109dB
- Specification
- • Headphone Output
- Specification
- • Maximum output level (RMS) into 32Ω/300Ω 2.5V/5V
- Specification
- • Load range 16Ω - 2kΩ
- Specification
- • General
- Specification
- • Mains voltage 100V or 110–120V or 220–240V, 50–60Hz
- Specification
- • Power consumption (maximum) 350W
- Specification
- • Power consumption (standby) <0.5W
- Specification
- • Dimensions W x D (including speaker terminals) x H (including feet) 431 x 344 x 83mm
- Specification
- • Weight (net) 8kg
- Specification
- • Weight (packed) 11kg
- Specification
- • Supplied accessories
- Specification
- • Mains lead(s)
- Specification
- • Remote control with 2 x AAA batteries
- Specification
- • Quick Start Guide
- Specification
- • Important Safety Instructions
Manufacturer's Description — Arcam
The ARCAM A5 is for those intimate listening experiences with your favourite music.
The "A" in ARCAM stands for Amplification - this is our core competence. The A5 is the latest in more than 45 years of amplifier design and manufacture, going back to our first product in 1976 - the A&R Cambridge A60 amplifier. New components and materials have been painstakingly analysed and reviewed to ensure brilliant sound quality.
So you can play music straight out of the box, the ARCAM A5 includes a Bluetooth solution with Qualcomm AptX Adaptive technology. This provides up to 24-bit HD audio for the best sound quality from your phone or tablet, no matter what you are playing. It can also connect to Bluetooth headphones so your listening experience can continue sensitively after dark.
Hi-res audio is included with high resolution digital audio inputs included.
Like any ARCAM integrated amplifier, we pay particular attention to the built in phono stage to ensure your records sound as lush and engaging as possible.
- ARCAM Class AB amplification - provides brilliant musicality
- 50W per channel (8Ω) - powers loudspeakers with ease
- Bluetooth with aptX™Adaptive Technology - for the best sound with the most convenience
- Specially selected components and materials - to deliver on sound quality
- Wired or Wireless Headphones - connect your headphones for quiet listening with, or without wires
- All new Radia design - Purposeful yet playful
- MM phono stage - ready for Turntables
- Hi-Res Digital Audio Inputs
- Plastic Free Packaging - for easy disposal of natural materials
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Arcam A5
- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- Accent On Music — in-store — Mount Kisco, New York, United States (website)
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Acoustica — online and in-store — Chester, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Acton Gate Audio — online and in-store — Cymru, United Kingdom (website)
- Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Alpha Stereo — in-store — Plattsburgh, New York, United States (website)
- Ambiance Concert — in-store — Angers, Pays de la Loire, France (website)
- AMPL’HIFI — online and in-store — Nîmes, Occitanie, France (website)
and 201 more verified dealers