Sound Advice: Streaming audio system is pricey but impressive

Q: Your review of the ZVOX AV455 soundbar reminded me of the new Evo One streaming audio system Cambridge Audio is releasing soon. It has optical and HDMI-eARC inputs to pair it with a television, and the specs look impressive. Have you had the opportunity to hear it at one of the trade shows you attend? I’m curious about your take on it. I like the idea of an all-in-one multi-input device that produces crisp, sharp audio.

A: I encountered the Cambridge Audio Evo One at the Capital Audiofest. And I am very familiar with the Cambridge Audio Evo streaming amplifiers that provide the foundation it is built upon.

The award-winning Cambridge Audio Evo 150 is pretty much my favorite audio component. I always have been very old-school in my approach and have a large amplifier connected to a preamplifier, a streamer and other full-size components connected to the preamplifier. It takes up a lot of space on my audio rack, collects a lot of dust and there is a rat’s nest of wires tying it all together.

Enter the compact Evo 150, which can replace three of those full-size components while providing similar or superior performance. I found that when everything is so easily controlled by my tablet or phone, I use my stereo more frequently. (And it gets a lot of use already!)

The large, high-quality display shows album art, track information or analog power meters, and if you use the matching Evo CD Transport, it displays album art when you play a CD. At $2,999, the Evo 150 is not inexpensive, but it costs less than multiple separate components of comparable quality. And the small size, high performance, simplicity of operation and beautiful display make it greater than the sum of its parts.

The $1,499 Evo One takes this goodness and puts it in a lovely cabinet as the foundation of a single-piece home entertainment system. It is the nicest of any single-piece system I have experienced, by virtue of the superior Evo platform as well as the 14 high-quality speakers powered by 700 watts of amplification. There also are new features in the easy-to-use Cambridge StreamMagic app that controls the system. For example, there is a slider with an icon representing the Evo One as placed in your room. Moving the slider fine-tunes the sound to the room placement. There are connections for a television, USB, a turntable input and other components like CD players.

Granted, you give up some home theater functionality. The Evo One has HDMI-eARC, but does not have Dolby Atmos or matching wireless surround speakers to provide true surround sound. Pretty much every soundbar package selling for around $1,500 has Atmos, wireless surround speakers and a wireless subwoofer. What the soundbar won’t have is the variety of inputs, streaming functionality, the crisp and colorful display and the superior sound quality of the Evo One.

You could decide based on intended usage. If you want surround sound from separate speakers placed around the room, get a soundbar with wireless surround speakers. If you prioritize simplicity and flexibility and the best possible sound quality, the Evo One is your choice. I also think it is a better long-term investment than a $1,500 soundbar. Video and surround sound technology changes frequently, but beautiful stereo music is forever! (cambridgeaudio.com)

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.