Today might end up being one of those major milestone kind of days for the team at Cambridge Audio. The British-based brand dropped a ton of news this morning that’ll ultimately help shape the future direction for the company and the fans of their gear. Among the items are new branding and a couple of new products.
The headline from the morning of news was their relaunched branding. Gone, it seems, is the ‘Audio’ portion of the name, leaving it as simple Cambridge. Known for over 50 years as Cambridge Audio, the company remains one of the few independent audio brands that continues to design and deliver some exceptional product.
“When I took over Cambridge Audio in 1994, it was a brand with a rich legacy that had fallen into neglect,” Cambridge Owner James Johnson-Flint said in a statement announcing the new branding. “I’m incredibly proud of the place it’s since become and of the phenomenal, joyful team we have today. Cambridge is ready for a new era, and I’m confident that this rebrand—together with many exciting new products we have coming—will connect our passion for music to an even wider audience.”
By simplifying the name, the company believes it will be able to break out of the traditional hi-fi world and “step into something more expressive, more contemporary, and more emotionally resonant.”
“As a lifelong music fan, getting to work at Cambridge and lead the brand through this transition is career defining for me,” Nick Udall, Head of Marketing and Brand Partnerships at Cambridge, said in the statement. “This rebrand is a new chapter, a statement of intent. It enables us to connect with listeners in new ways, from diversifying our product development to supporting cultural movements which celebrate their love of music.”
New Era of Product
In line with the new branding, Cambridge announced two new products that will be the first to visually reflect the company’s new direction: a new Evo 150 SE streaming amplifier and Melomania A100 true wireless headphones.
Designed and engineered in London, the Evo 150 SE brings together two 150W of Hypex NCOREx Class D amps that are tuned by Cambridge and wraps them in a gorgeous chassis that elegantly runs the company’s StreamMagic streaming platform.
“Evo 150 has been a very special product for Cambridge, merging true hi-fi sound with lifestyle-friendly aesthetics and convenience in a way that has really resonated with listeners,” Matt Dore, Chief Technical Officer at Cambridge, said in a statement announcing the product. “For this special edition, we’ve pushed the boundaries of what to expect from Class D amplification—an even more musical, emotive listening experience in a design that has been further refined.”
The Evo 150 will support all the major streaming platforms and connection standards, including AirPlay 2, Google Cast, HDMI ARC, Bluetooth aptX HD, RCA line input, balanced XLR input, coax digital inputs, and more. It’ll launch in July and run for $3,299.
With the Melomania A100s, Cambridge said it aims to redefine what hi-fi audio can sound like on-th-go with these true wireless headphones.
Available in black and white finishes, the buds support LDAC and aptX lossless playback, while the embedded DynamEQ tech promises to keep the audio balanced and powerful, even at low volumes. While the thought of wearing in-ear headphones for upwards of 11 hours sounds painful, Cambridge said the A100s can support that amount of battery life (or 6.5 hours with ANC activated) while the lightweight and premium materials make it a comfortable choice for the consumer.
The headphones will be available later this year and run for $149.99.
