# Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII: specs and price

**Price (US):** $1199 (US MSRP $1,199. SpeakerDecision states verbatim "Cambridge CXA81 II has an MSRP of 1199$"; corroborated by two retailer listings at $1,199.00 (The Audio Legacy and Dedicated Audio). Note the original non-MkII CXA81 carried a higher $1,299 MSRP, confirming this figure is the Mk II price.), as of 2026-07-13. Among the 7 integrated amplifiers we track it is #5 cheapest of 7; category median $1099.95.
**Brand:** Cambridge Audio
**Deskmark:** Silver Deskmark — pay-blind category standing 57/100, #3 of 7 in class (independent, computed from sourced data, never for sale).

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price (US) | $1199 |
| Brand | Cambridge Audio |
| Power per channel8 ohm (W) | 80 |
| Power per channel4 ohm (W) | 120 |
| Amplifier class | AB |
| Thd percent | 0.02 |
| Snr (dB) | 105 |
| Built in dac | Yes |
| Phono stage | none |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Analog inputs | 5 |
| Digital inputs | 4 |
| Headphone output | Yes |
| Weight (kg) | 8.68 |

## Where it stands

At $1199, the Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII is #5 cheapest of the 7 integrated amplifiers we track, where the median is $1099.95. On the spec sheet, its analog inputs of 5 is the highest of the 7, its digital inputs of 4 is the highest of the 5, and its thd percent of 0.02 is below the median of the 6.

## What reviewers say

Only What Hi-Fi, among whitelisted testers, ran a genuine hands-on review of this exact model; SoundGuys, TechRadar and others had none. It praises big, clear, authoritative sound, a decent DAC and a generous feature set, but faults muted rhythmic drive, ultimately judging it beaten by the rival Arcam A15. (Based on 1 review, 2025-07-11.)

Praised: Big, spacious, authoritative sound with gains in clarity, detail and openness; Decent DAC; improved digital circuitry (new ESS SABRE32 chip); Generous feature set (balanced XLR, aptX HD Bluetooth, sub and pre-out).
Flagged: Lacks rhythmic drive and cohesion versus its predecessor; Beaten for outright expression by the class-leading Arcam A15; Bluetooth noticeably cruder and less detailed than wired inputs.
Disagreement: Only one whitelisted source, so no cross-source comparison is possible. What Hi-Fi's verdict is internally consistent: clear tonal and technical gains over the original CXA81, but rhythmic drive and musical expression fall short of the Award-winning Arcam A15 at the same price.
Sources: What Hi-Fi? (2025-07-11, whathifi.com)

## Frequently asked questions

**What do reviewers say about the Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII?**

Only What Hi-Fi, among whitelisted testers, ran a genuine hands-on review of this exact model; SoundGuys, TechRadar and others had none. It praises big, clear, authoritative sound, a decent DAC and a generous feature set, but faults muted rhythmic drive, ultimately judging it beaten by the rival Arcam A15. Praised: Big, spacious, authoritative sound with gains in clarity, detail and openness; Decent DAC; improved digital circuitry (new ESS SABRE32 chip); Generous feature set (balanced XLR, aptX HD Bluetooth, sub and pre-out). Flagged: Lacks rhythmic drive and cohesion versus its predecessor; Beaten for outright expression by the class-leading Arcam A15; Bluetooth noticeably cruder and less detailed than wired inputs. (From 1 tester review.)

**How much does the Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII cost?**

The Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII has a US price of $1199 (US MSRP $1,199. SpeakerDecision states verbatim "Cambridge CXA81 II has an MSRP of 1199$"; corroborated by two retailer listings at $1,199.00 (The Audio Legacy and Dedicated Audio). Note the original non-MkII CXA81 carried a higher $1,299 MSRP, confirming this figure is the Mk II price.), as of 2026-07-13.

**How does the Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII compare on price?**

At $1199, the Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII is #5 cheapest of the 7 integrated amplifiers we track, where the median is $1099.95.

**What are the Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII's key specs?**

Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII (Cambridge Audio): powerPerChannel8OhmW 80, powerPerChannel4OhmW 120, amplifierClass AB, thdPercent 0.02, snrDb 105. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-07-13.

Source: https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/hi-fi/cx-series/cxa81-mkii (cambridgeaudio.com, accessed 2026-07-13)
Corroboration: https://speakerdecision.com/amplifiers/Cambridge-Audio-CXA81-Mk-II (accessed 2026-07-13)
Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/product/integrated-amplifiers/cambridge-audio-cxa81-mkii/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, the Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII price of record was $1199 as of 2026-07-13 — https://frontdeskreview.com/product/integrated-amplifiers/cambridge-audio-cxa81-mkii/
License: CC BY 4.0. Price history: https://frontdeskreview.com/data/price-history.jsonl