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Arcam A5
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
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Professional Reviews 91/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
87/100
Features Connectivity
90/100
Value for Money
91/100
The A5 delivers a full-bodied, articulate sound with convincing depth, punchy bass, and a nicely layered soundstage, making it feel far more serious than its compact class suggests. What Hi-Fi? and Sebastian Polcyn both praise its musical ease, while the feature set adds real one-box versatility.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Insightful, articulate sound with strong rhythmic drive and engaging musicality.
Full-bodied midrange, controlled bass, and an expansive, well-layered soundstage.
Excellent feature set for the class, including MM phono, DAC, Bluetooth 5.2, and bidirectional wireless audio.
Sturdy aluminium build and smart, modern styling.
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Cons
No USB input, which may disappoint listeners wanting broader digital connectivity.
The frosted front-panel display is less crisp than it could be.
Rear speaker terminals are a little cramped for larger or more elaborate cables.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviewers consistently describe the A5 as clear, articulate, and highly musical, with enough warmth and body to stay engaging rather than analytical. It also gets repeated praise for strong bass control, convincing drive, and a presentation that lets listeners hear deep into recordings without sounding strained.
Transparency Resolution
93/100
The A5 is repeatedly praised for resolution and insight. Reviewers mention hearing fine details such as string noise, clearly rendered instrumental strands, and a low-noise phono stage that sounds clear and expressive.
Tonal Balance Musicality
91/100
Its tonal character is described as balanced, pleasing, sweet, full-bodied, and smooth, with a touch of warmth and the familiar vibrant Arcam timbre. Reviewers say it stays musical and enjoyable rather than intruding on the performance.
Dynamics
92/100
Despite modest rated power, reviewers say it drives speakers confidently, keeps rhythms surefooted, and handles larger dynamic swings with conviction. Bass is described as punchy, agile, and well controlled, with no sense of the amp running out of steam in the tested systems.
Soundstage Imaging
92/100
The A5 is credited with an expansive, well-layered stage and good depth, with sharply focused instruments and no confusion when many elements are playing at once. One review specifically notes that the soundstage extends noticeably into the depth plane, with voices having strong presence and substance.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
87/100
Reviewers describe a sturdy aluminium case, smart finish, and pleasantly weighted control knobs, with the overall feel suggesting a product built to last. The only recurring physical quibble is limited space around the rear speaker terminals, but that is presented as a practical annoyance rather than a quality concern.
Features Connectivity
90/100
The A5 is notably well equipped for a conventional integrated amp: three line inputs, MM phono stage, coaxial and optical digital inputs, an ESS DAC, Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive, and a headphone output. Reviewers also note the bidirectional Bluetooth implementation, letting it send audio to wireless headphones or speakers, and they only mention USB as a missing convenience rather than a serious omission.
Value for Money
91/100
Reviewers are clearly positive about the asking price, calling it affordable, feature-rich, and level-headed for the entry-level Radia model. It is also described as strong enough to sit at the top of a shortlist and as a product that can anchor a starter system without making listeners feel an immediate need to upgrade.
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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 — in-store — Nîmes, Occitanie, France (website)
and 200 more verified dealers