Cambridge Audio Sonata AR 30 Compact Stereo Receiver with iPod Dock, Silver Reviews
Cambridge Audio Sonata AR 30 Compact Stereo Receiver with iPod Dock, Silver
- 40W per channel (8 Ohms)
- Dedicated iPod dock with quasi-differential noise cancelling technology which guarantees first class audio playback and auto-charge.
- Made for iPod Mini, iPod (4th, 5th generation), iPod Nano (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation),
- FM/AM 2.1 receiver with RDS, Front mounted MP3 in socket for other portable music devices, Sleep and alarm timers
- Subwoofer output, Subwoofer input for pass through of LFE channel on matching DVD player, User nameable AUX input for simple customisation
- A trigger-out feature on the receiver switches on the Sonata DVD or CD player when each source is selected
- Micro surface-mounting circuit technology for improved signal path performance, Easy to read attractive Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD)
- Stylish metal chassis – only 270mm wide – offers stunning looks and build quality
The AR30 FM/AM integrated 2.1 receiver proves Sonata’s beauty is way more than skin deep. Using a substantial toroidal transformer and fully discrete amplification, this svelte receiver offers genuine hi-fi performance and an impressive 40 Watts per channel (8 Ohms) of controlled, refined power.
Complete iPod integration
Sonata’s custom-designed iPod dock can vastly improve your digital music thanks to Cambridge Audio’s quasi-differential noise cancelling technology.
Drawing every last drop o
Price:
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Solid receiver with quality build and great sound…,
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|Great compact receiver,
In terms of performance, I’m very happy with the ease of use, sound quality, and functionality of the AR30 and the other Sonata components. From a cold start, the AR30 is a tad slow–8.4 seconds from clicking the remote on to ready-to-play–but not enough to complain about. With 40w per channel at 8 ohms, it’s more than enough to drive my Klipsch RB-61 II speakers. The volume control maxes out at a setting of 39, and I’ve never had it over 25, so unless you like busting your eardrums, you’ll be fine.
Each component in the Sonata system comes with its own remote, and they are all interoperable. There are dedicated buttons at the base of the remote for selecting which component to control. The DVD remote has the biggest array of buttons, and is a little heavier than the receiver or CD remotes. All the components have simple. clear arrays of buttons on their front panels The receiver controls are basic–there’s no graphic equalizer, for example, just bass, treble, and balance–but I haven’t found this to be a drawback, since the sound quality is crystal pure. The receiver has a separate in/out for a subwoofer (the input comes from the DVD player), and works fine with my Polk PS10.
The Sonata line has been discontinued by CA, and has not been replaced by a similar small footprint model. The Sonata is only 270mm wide, whereas the CA Topaz and Azur current lines are full-sized at 430mm wide. So if you’re in the market for a compact component system, grab one of these now before current retail inventories disappear. I bought three of the four components from Amazon (2 new, 1 barely used) and I got the NP30 used, 6 mos old, on eBay. With careful shopping, I paid just $1,008 for everything, shipping included. If money is no object in your pursuit of perfect audio, then you can indulge in higher-end components than the Sonata. But if you’re on a budget, or if you need a second system for a rec room, etc., the Sonata delivers terrific sound at a great price.
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|Small Size, Big Sound, Excellent Quality,
Even just opening the box reveals the above-average engineering design, which extends even to packing materials, which were made with cutouts for each included unit. That seems a small, perhaps even inconsequential observation, but the results are a well-protected package which makes a nice presentation when unpacked.
Sound quality is very good, with an excellent top end. Sparkle and shimmer of cymbals, chimes, and other such instruments is exquisite, mids are good and the 2.1 receiver’s subwoofer output provides the signal for a powered subwoofer to provide the bottom end, relieving the small on-board amplifier of that duty thus extending it’s dynamics.
With or without a subwoofer, I highly recommend this receiver. With smaller receivers currently rare – most choices being either cheap crap or prohibitively expensive – the CA Sonata AR-30 falls right into a reasonable price range at the current close-out. It seems the number of units available are restricted. Get yours while the getting is good.
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