Unless you’re standing on the precipice contemplating which equipment in the tens of thousands of dollars, you’re going to get next, I’m not sure what more you need than this chic, efficient, well connected little compact amp has to offer. 

While certainly not cheap at $3,300 US, the bang for your buck that the Evo 150 offers is worth every penny. 

Measuring a little over 12 inches wide, just under 14 inches deep, and only about 3 inches high, this isn’t the smallest amp on the market but it’s certainly far from obtrusive. 

Given the size of this unit, it’s really quite remarkable how many features Cambridge has been able to pack into it. 

With its balanced analog input, one single-ended line-level input, and a single-ended input with phono EQ for moving magnet, the Evo 150 – while not exhaustive – is certainly not lacking in its available inputs for non-digital sources. 

As for the digital inputs, we have 2 TOSLINK optical, 1 S/PDIF coax, an HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, and USB; not to mention, the Evo 150’s integrated StreamMagic Gen 4 Module for streaming via Wi-Fi or a wired ethernet connection. 

For those of you who are more sensitive to the industrial design of your gear, included are two options for decorative side panels that are easily swapped out and held in place with magnets. 

There’s a black panel with a wave-like texture and, the option I preferred, a matte, natural wood veneer, and the fit and finish actually felt congruent with higher dollar items. 

In fact – this isn’t something I comment on often as I’m not convinced that it’s relevant when judging whether to buy a product or not, but the unboxing experience was definitely better than most by quite a margin. 

From the moment I unsealed the box, every step made this product seem like you get more for your dollar. 

Before going on to sound quality I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to share my experience with the StreamMagic app. 

I felt Cambridge knocked this out of the park. After plugging in the Evo 150, I fired up the StreamMagic app and setup was as close to effortless as one could hope for. My device immediately discovered the amp on the network and already had my Qobuz account connected. 

The creation of a queue for listening was straightforward, and files stored directly on my device were available at the swipe of a finger. 

Now, as streaming services own ‘Connect’ apps become more ubiquitous, use of an OEM’s streaming interface may begin to wane. 

If nothing else, this is simply another area where Cambridge went the extra mile when compared to others it competes with – again, making the user feel they got more for their money. 

While streaming, the LED front display shows album art and track meta data clearly and large enough to be seen from across the room. 

In addition to streaming information being displayed on-screen, from within the StreamMagic app users can rename inputs. Meaning remembering which source is connected to which input is a thing of the past. 

Switching inputs is done by simply rotating the silver ring that encompasses the units volume knob or from the selection buttons opposite the volume on the remote. 

And the remote is worth noting; it has great feel in your hands, and the volume adjustment is arranged in a way that allows the two buttons to operate similar to a rocker switch, which made for a very fluid experience when adjustments were made. 

Oh, and when switching inputs on the amp, it remembers the volume setting previously used on the input selected and readjusts – a feature I quite liked. 

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Okay, how does the Evo 150 sound? For the purposes of this review, I conducted the majority of my listening from my library in Qobuz via the native StreamMagic app. 

The most noteworthy quality was how the Evo 150 just simply had its way with whatever speaker I lashed to it. From my – not so efficient – reference GoldenEar BRXs to the – soon to be reviewed – Martin Logan Motion XT F100 (with 92dB sensitivity at 4 ohms). 

This intense control over the drivers paired with an incredibly silent (or black) background meant the inter-transient silence (that quietness between notes) had a smile– inducing believability. 

If I were to make one stroke with that broad brush I mentioned in the intro, it would be the absence of a musical signal past 100kHz due to the filter for removing the switching carrier signal. 

I completely understand that signals in this range are not audible, but this doesn’t mean they’re not felt or sensed. You really have to experience megahertz bandwidth equipment to get a sense of this, but after you do, trust me, you feel when that signal has been filtered out. 

Almost all amplifiers anywhere near this price point have similarly limited bandwidth. 

In the Evo 150, this filter has been so seamlessly integrated that the lack of these higher frequency signals is hardly a distraction. It’s just that it left the music feeling ever so slightly sterile. Really, this is pretty subtle stuff, but I’d regret not mentioning it. 

Alright, back to the good stuff – of which there’s a lot with this amp. Okay, imagine your components as panes of glass through which you’re viewing the music.  

I tend towards a camp that prefers the clearest possible glass for viewing and even if I would prefer my view to be ‘colored’ in any particular way, I would just as soon leave that for the final pane – the speakers. 

With a plethora of speaker options on the market, if you’re able to present the clearest image possible to the speaker of choice, certainly you could find a speaker that suits your coloring needs. 

Of course, that’s just my opinion and if you prefer to mix more complicated cocktails, who am I to stop you? 

Suffice it to say, the Evo 150 is like a top-shelf vodka, that is, its job is to pack a punch and get out of the way for whatever else is mixed with it. 

I fear I’ve begun mixing metaphors so let me get back to sharing my experience with the amp. 

With 150 watts per channel, the energetic punch offered from this polite looking little amp is anything but polite; although – tonally – the Evo does tend to mind its manners; it’s not edgy or strident.  

But dynamically, from tight punching snaps on a snare drum to solid thick whacks on the kick drum. This amp lets you have it. 

Wasted On You from Morgan Wallen’s 2021 album, Dangerous, has a hefty bass line and the energy that the Evo 150 pumped into the room was engaging and rendered the music in a way that freed me to feel the lyrics in a whole new way. 

Earlier I mentioned the black background that this amp presents, and this offered such a pleasant experience with vocals. Voices seemed to materialize out of thin air before my very eyes allowing me to forget that what I was listening to was emanating from the equipment in front of me. 

The frequency response presented by the Evo 150 was nicely balanced and relatively flat if only slightly lifted in the bottom end. 

This meant complex recordings sounded well organized and cohesive, but the Evo 150 demanded such control from the speakers that individual performers stood out as separate while the music overall remained cohesive. 

An example of this was on the recently released album from Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra – Still Blooming. On their rendition of Bye-Ya, each performer came forward in the music during their respective solos and then settles back into the background as an individual amongst its band mates. A real ‘you’re there’ moment. 

More generally, even at low levels, delicate details were rendered in full, making for quite enjoyable background listening. 

And when I wanted to crank it up, the Evo 150 never lost control. Timbral clarity and distinction remained as this authoritative little amp had its way with the transducers. 

In the introductory track to Fredrika Stahl’s album, Sweep Me Away, Fredrika whispers in the background and these whispers were rendered so clearly the hair on the back of my neck stood up – it was as if I could feel her breath in my ear. 

Additionally, on John Mayer’s cover of Everyday I Have The Blues, his Strat sings with all the warmth and bloom you’d expect. This amp is musical and engaging. 

What the engineers at Cambridge were able to extract from the incredible work of their engineering brethren at Hypex makes for a super exciting product. 

And because this amp is truly the whole package, credit must also be given to the product development team at Cambridge Audio. 

If you need a unit that packs a punch for a little listening session, looks pleasantly inconspicuous on your media console while seamlessly integrating with your television, and is a breeze to connect to for playing a little background music while hosting friends. 

Look no further than the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 Streaming Amplifier. 

Simply add speakers of your choosing and there’ll likely be years of sonic satisfaction in your future. 

Thanks for sticking with me while I shared what I heard when listening to this product and if you made it this far, you might consider subscribing to our print magazine. There’s a link in the description. 

And don’t forget to make listening fun again! 

That vibe continues on the front panel where, rather than the normal for the sector disjointed scattering of switches and lights we find, apart from a 6.3mm headphone socket,  just two large chromed knobs, one left, one right. If we place a questing finger-tip on either one we find that it rotates freely, with a pleasing weight to it. The left knob allows sources to be selected, the right one volume. Segments around the perimeter of each knob light up to show source and volume status. Both functions are also controllable via the supplied hand-held remote. 

On the back things get rather more industry-standard with four sets of XLR line inputs, a pair of RCAs and a grounding post for phono input, along with XLR pairs for fixed and variable out, a stubby Bluetooth (aptX) antenna and of course two pairs of speaker binding posts. The Double Shot is also designed to work with digital audio, but limits the inputs to just a single USB-B input. This is understandable, as the rear panel is densely packed with XLR sockets, but more digital options would be nice. 

Light-dependent

Inside is Java Hi-Fi’s design of an active line stage using light-dependent resistors. Bell has combined this with OEM boards from several different suppliers. The power amplifier modules are GaN FET-based Class D units by Elegant Audio Solutions, a well-regarded pioneering specialist in the field. There are two, configured for fully balanced operation, allowing the Double Shot to deliver 400 Watts per channel into eight Ohms. The DAC module uses dual Burr-Brown PCM1794As ASICS and supports up to 24-bit 192kHz PCM and DSD. The phono stage is built around an LCR network using Japanese resistors and German capacitors. It is Moving Magnet only.

Paired with the household’s PMC MB2se speakers, the Double Shot produced a sound that I consider would have most buyers in Java’s target market segment purring with delight. Readers harbouring any lingering doubt about full-range Class D amplification need to take a listen to the current crop of amplifiers – the Double Shot included – to hear how far things have come. The jury’s still out on whether or not GaN sounds superior to MOSFETs in switching amplifiers, but pioneering engineers like Skip Taylor of Elegant Audio Solutions are working hard to drive it to the point where it becomes the default technology in high-end audio. We should nod towards Bell too for making what some might regard as taking the bold option and choosing to use switching GaN in his aspirational products.

In the Double Shot, he pulls it off though. Some might be tempted to suggest that the amplifier offers an almost tube-like level of liquidity and sonic saturation, but having lived with a review sample for a while I can report that this would be an overreaction, perhaps brought on by relief at the discovery that it doesn’t exhibit the dry and somewhat colourless sound that used to be associated with Class D.

As an amplifier of external line sources, the Double Shot achieves a level of transparency up there with that offered by some of the better alternative integrated amplifiers on the market, irrespective of their underlying technology. Some of this may be a result of Bell’s implementation of light-dependent resistor attenuation – attractive since it reduces the number of noise-prone contacts in the signal path. LDR is not more commonly seen because it requires an ultra-quiet power supply if the noise advantage is not to be thrown away. 

Up to the mark

The quality of the power supply specified by Bell is evidently up to the mark here, and as well as strong transparency, it also allows the Double Shot to deliver all four musical pillars to a satisfying and broadly competitive degree of competence. There’s the required grunt and speed to support the GaN modules in driving big transients with a satisfying snap, underlying power and some pleasing richness. The combination doesn’t lean out and get flatter dynamically through the midrange like Class D of yore, and there’s enough tonal and textural detail at the top end to render cymbals, for example, as quite believable wooden stick-on-alloy events.

Selecting the in-built phono stage and then a little later the DAC only firmed up the sense of all-round solid competence and balance. It may contain an assemblage of functional modules from different sources, but the Double Shot has them all flying in formation, just as if they were all from the hand of the same designer and manufacturer. 

It did strike me that the moving magnet-only phono stage might be seen as a misstep in the primary intended market for the Double Shot. It wins points for being very quiet and linear. But in my head at least, Mr and Ms Loft Dweller have a tricked-out vintage LP12 hung with a moving coil cartridge, and they’ll not be thrilled to learn that they must buy a step-up transformer for it to work with the Double Shot. 

However, in some regions, MM/MC phono stages are viewed as heresy and a step-up transformer is a mandatory part of the deal. So maybe I’m being a bit too Brit-fi here!

Visually arresting

How to sum up this visually arresting integrated amplifier? In the review system, the Java Double Shot did not make a case for being regarded performance-wise as a sonic outlier, hugely better or any worse than the small number of alternative GaN-based amplifiers already on the market. Or, for that matter, most of the larger number of MOSFET Class D amplifiers available. In a way that’s reassuring, indicative perhaps of the relative maturity of a sector that is, as Skip Taylor and the other GaN pioneers intend, getting to the point where the once remarkable is now unremarkable.

With his Double Shot integrated amplifier Java’s Martin Bell is demonstrating both a marketeer’s nose for a relatively under-served market sector and an engineer’s ability to put together a satisfyingly well-rounded sonic performer. The Java Double Shot can go head-to-head with Class A or B alternatives that have strong established audiophile credentials. And it looks beautiful too. 

Specs & Pricing

Type: Integrated amplifier
Analogue inputs: 4 x pairs of XLR line-level inputs, MM phono stage (RCA inputs)
Analogue outputs: 2 x pairs of XLR outputs (fixed and variable), headphone socket
Digital inputs: USB, Bluetooth aptX
DAC Sampling Rates: PCM up to 24 bit, 192kHz, DSD
MM Input Impedance: 47K Ohm.
MM Input Capacitance: 200pF load.
MM Gain: 45dB signal gain (at 1KHz).
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR): 124dB (A-weighted).
Residual Noise: 1.6uV (A-weighted).
Dynamic Range (DNR): 122dB.
Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (THD+N): -110dB or 0.0003%.
Output Voltage: 2.5Vrms (+10.2dBu)
Finish options: Seven casework finishes, with black, silver or bronze front panel options
Dimensions (WxHxD): 44 x 13 x 41.5cm
Weight: 11.6kg
Price: £14,995, $12,995, €13,500

Manufacturer
ava Hi-Fi
www.javahifi.com

Based on the body types trotting around AXPONA, the Venn diagram of audiophiles and cyclist has little overlap, so I’ll keep this succinct.

On the farthest reaches of the road bike end of the spectrum, we have race bikes; designed to transfer power from rider to road as efficiently as possible, rider comfort – while considered – doesn’t top the list of priorities. Think, CH Precision 10 Series.

Conversely, on the opposite end of the spectrum we have downhill bikes. Often incorporating suspension travel nearing 8 inches, rider comfort nears the top of the priority list hear if only to ensure rider and bike make it to the bottom of the mountain with one accord as quickly as possible. Think Dumbleland – and nobody could send that baby headlong down a mountain as well as Stevie Ray Vaughn.

I’m going to let that analogy marinate for a bit while I touch on the specs and user experience with the MSA5500.

Esthetically speaking let’s just say, if you lost your ability to see in 1975, even you know what this amp looks like. That is, Mc developed a design that connected with consumers decades ago and has leveraged that design to this day to remain one of the top selling brands in the industry.

The MSA5500 is by no means a compact amp at roughly 18” wide, 6” high and nearly 19” deep. Coming in at 38 pounds, this Mc – like its siblings – is bound to make a statement.

Okay, so this is McIntosh’s first attempt at an ‘all-in-one’ box and up until 4 weeks ago, I would have ignorantly said the only real difference between streamers is their software and how the unit displays “Now Playing” information. Two areas where McIntosh didn’t seem to devote much time when developing the MSA5500.

It shares the same dot matrix LED display panel as just about every other Mc product – again if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – and relies on Connect services from the likes of Tidal or Spotify for software. Another option here is to connect via a Roon server – this is what I opted for when listening.

The Mc specific software that did exist – both as a web app and mobile device app – offered nothing more than the ability to enable Google Cast and to change the network name of the device. These two setting, along with a handful of others, were also available within the units own 2-dial settings interface.

In the past, the sonic difference between entry-level streamers that I was familiar with was quite small and difficult to articulate.

That was until I heard the Antipodes Kala 50 that Tom had in his listening room – that listening session was seriously revelatory. Not all streamers are created equal.

All of this to say, when I noticed the absence of a high-resolution color display on this streaming amp, I was hopeful McIntosh went the route of focusing on the sonic characteristics of the streaming DAC module.

In an effort to approach this more scientifically, I enlisted the help of a Wiim Pro Plus streaming DAC. I first listened with the digital out from the Wiim in an attempt to mark the characteristic of the DAC in with the Mc. Then I switched to analog out using the single ended connections offered on the Pro Plus – bypassing the MSA5500’s streaming DAC altogether.

I rounded out my experiment streaming directly from the Mc. I was a bit disappointed that the differences weren’t more than subtle. Especially seeing as how the McIntosh is an $8,000 US piece of equipment.

But, McIntosh is primarily an amp manufacturer so enough with the potatoes and beans let’s get to the meat.

At risk of being too vulnerable, this amplifier had me tearing up and feeling a bit nostalgic. Let me set the stage.

I started down my typical path of analytical listening using familiar test tracks to really draw out what this amplifier had to offer, and I wasn’t initially impressed.

I was trying to contrast this feeling with the understanding that there are a great number of audiophiles who hold McIntosh in high regard and – certainly – they can’t all be wrong, so I put my nose down and dug in to figure out what I was missing.

After noticing subtle distortions in otherwise clear and detailed recordings, I began to think what if distortion was the name of the game and thought of 70’s rock.

I had to go back and tap the annals of my childhood and was brought back to sitting in the child car seat in the back of my parents car in the early to mid-90s.

At that time, my parents listened to the oldies station in our town and on that station: a lot of 70’s rock. So, I queued up some Boston and I was immediately transported back in time.

I think this was the first time since I began listening to high-end gear that this genre sounded so right. The big sound of the 70s; meters waving away; this amp rocks!

Brad Delp screaming away; Tom and Sib rocking out; A truly energetic and engaging performance.

After wiping my tears of anamnesis, I returned to my familiar playlist of test tracks – music with breath, openness, and minute detail – to develop a clearer understanding of what the MSA5500 has to offer.

This is where I return to my analogy; the MSA5500 is like a cross-country mountain bike which has suspension with minimal travel and wider tires to absorb some of the bumps along the way.

It’s certainly more forgiving than the road race bike, but not so mushy gushy that you’ll wanna send it careening down the side of a mountain.

This also means that if you just want a little easy listening in the back, the MSA5500 puts on quite a detailed and balanced sonic performance – the amp sounds well composed.

It’s when you give the volume knob a twist that it begins to color the music a little more, favoring energy in the bottom end.

For instance, on Tu Con El from Rauw Alejandro’s 2024 album Cosa Nuestra. Alexis Perez’s snaps on her upright bass are presented with force. This bump in bass energy left for relaxed and sustainable listening even if it didn’t offer the greatest fidelity.

This favoring of the bottom end tends to leave the upper octaves sounding ever so subtly dissonant. That said, I feel this may we well judged by McIntosh as often listeners find equipment that more transparent in the upper half of the frequency spectrum to be fatiguing – although I argue this doesn’t have to be the case.

With 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms, dynamically rich recordings are no trouble for the MSA5500.

The Audiophile Society’s recording of the Czech National Symphony performing Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra is just one example of this. Many of you are likely familiar with this piece and this particular recording presents Strauss’ work in all its dynamic glory.

I was blown away at how effortlessly the Mc rendered this and, again, a dramatic performance from the meters.

With its gently juicy sound and powerful dynamic punch, this amp is likely to impress.

If you’re more of an analytical listener who wishes to queue up an aria from an 18^th century opera and settle in with a glass of wine, there’s equipment on the market that will certainly please you – this isn’t it.

However, if you’re more inclined to grab some beers and rock out with some buddies while going hand after hand in poker or covering each other’s back in Call of Duty, look no further than the McIntosh MSA5500 Streaming Integrated Amplifier.

And don’t forget to make listing fun again!

Suggested Retail Pricing

DX-5       USD $1,499.00

The Icon Series features Onkyo’s proprietary DIDRC, Dynamic Intermodulation Distortion Reduction Circuity, which reduces beats generated in the ultra-high frequency band by DIDRC’s High Slew Rate Circuit to improve the sound of analog recordings and stabilizes audio signals with positive and negative signal symmetry to reproduce minute signals such as those of MC cartridges even when amplified.

Icon P-80 – 2-Channel HiFi Network Pre-Amplifier

The P-80 Preamplifier is no exception to Onkyo’s commitment to impress. The DIDRC, ONKYO’s patented technology that reduces high-frequency noise at a high slew rate, is installed in the DAC Filter section and Phono stage, allowing users to experience an emotional sound.

Thanks to HDMI ARC, Dirac Live Room Correction (Limited Version 20Hz-500Hz), (w/DLBC/ART option), Wi-Fi/Airplay2/Chromecast, Bluetooth, Roon Ready, Separate Phono stage, supports (MM/MC) and a high-quality phono terminal, 5mm Aluminum Front Panel, 3-pieces housing, a fan-less design to eliminate noise, the P-80’s premium stereo DAC reduces distortion, and extrusion aluminum heat sink for vibration suppression, this preamp lays a solid foundation for superior sound.

Users curated playlists play well with the Onkyo P-80 Preamplifier. Seamlessly hardwire or cast your content from any of the built-in platforms: Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, qobuz Connect, Amazon Music, TuneIn, QQ Music, AirPlay 2 and Google Cast, and is Roon Ready. Controllable with Onkyo Controller, our proprietary application.

Model: Model: Onkyo Icon P-80 /  US SRP $1,999. Available in Q4 2025

Icon M-80 – 2-Channel HiFi Power Amplifier                                                                                                                   

The new Icon M-80 2-Channel Power Amplifier (200W@4ohms, 150W@8ohms) features a Symmetrical Class AB amplifier with 3-stage Inverted Darlington (output stage), high current drive with low distortion.   It features the patented DIDRC distortion reduction circuitry (Driver Stage), 3-pieces housing, 5mm Aluminum Front Panel, and a fan-less design that eliminates noise, a custom high current power supply to provide, dynamic full-range sound, and an extrusion aluminum heat sink that suppresses vibration. These material elements allow you to experience Onkyo’s unique delivery of sound.

Add in hi-fi grade terminals, quality capacitors, copper bus bar, and anti-vibration rigid 5mm Aluminum front panels and you will get world-class playback that packs a punch.

Model: Onkyo Icon M-80 / US SRP $1,999.  Available in Q4 2025     

Icon A-50 – 2-Channel HiFi Integrated Amplifier

Thanks to patented DIDRC circuitry, the Icon A-50 Integrated Amplifier, Symmetrical Class AB amplification with three-stage inverted Darlington amplifier (180W@4ohms and 140W@8ohms) that drives high current signals with minimal distortion for clear and strong content just as the creator intended.

Combined with HDMI ARC, Dirac Live Room Correction (full bandwidth is optional), Wi-Fi / Airplay 2 / Chromecast, Bluetooth, Roon Ready, Separate Phono stage, supports (MM/MC) and a high-quality phono terminal, 5mm Aluminum Front Panel, a fan-less design to eliminate noise. Like the P-80, its premium stereo DAC reduces distortion, and extrusion aluminum heat sink for vibration suppression with fan-less design to eliminate noise, premium stereo DAC that reduces distortion, and extrusion aluminum heat sink for vibration suppression, this preamp lays a solid foundation for superior sound.

Hi-fi grade terminals, quality capacitors, copper bus bar, and rigid front panels further reduce vibration and signal degradation. And with a separate, high-quality phono terminal that supports MM/MC, and more!  Its separate Phono stage supports (MM/MC), a high-quality phono terminal and 5mm Aluminum Front Panel suppress vibration to deliver crisp and clear sound reproduction.

The Onkyo A-50 streams music content from any of the built-in platforms: Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, qobuz Connect, Amazon Music, QQ Music, TuneIn, AirPlay 2 and Google Cast, and is Roon Ready. Controllable with Onkyo Controller, our proprietary application.

Model: Onkyo Icon A-50 / US SRP $1,499.  Available in Q4 2025