The Cambridge Audio Evo One is not often the kind of product I cowl, however I felt intrigued once they listed ‘gaming’ as a possible characteristic of a pricey £999/$1499 all-in-one music system. It is a product that is extra basic hi-fi than gaming soundbar, however with 14 audio system inside and compatibility with the finest gaming TVs, it is really a reasonably highly effective possibility that is price understanding about.
When it comes to seems to be, the Evo One jogs my memory of a modernised model of previous hi-fi cupboards from the Seventies, pairing a big 6.8-inch IPS show on the entrance and a detachable black encompass cloth grille with a walnut end on prime. It is simply the suitable mix of previous and new to suit nearly anyplace.
Weighing in at 14.5kg and measuring 67.5cm huge means you will want someplace strong and durable to match the speaker’s high-quality ending – mine has been dwelling on my eating room sideboard for musical functions, and it will nearly match underneath my 32-inch monitor on a desk for gaming. The speaker really sits on a recessed stand, so it is raised barely off the bottom – one other good contact.
The massive display screen may be very helpful for at-a-glance details about the music you are listening to, plus it will possibly show every thing from VU meters to album art work, and it will possibly additionally work as a clock. The choice of buttons beneath the display screen handles extra menial duties, resembling quantity management, monitor in search of and extra moreover. They’re a little bit low cost feeling in opposition to the sleek, slick lit-up dial and touchscreen combo you will discover on the aggressive Naim Mu-So 2, however they work properly sufficient.
Connectivity is plentiful, too, with every thing from HDMI eARC, for connecting to your TV (or a gaming monitor) as a really highly effective soundbar, to a USB port for enjoying recordsdata instantly off a drive, an Ethernet port for wired networking and extra typical aux-in and optical inputs. This technique even has a shifting magnet phono stage inside, so you possibly can hook up a turntable on to it for having fun with vinyl on a contemporary system. You may as well connect with it over a community and stream instantly out of your cellphone (or via Cambridge’s Streammagic app), with assist for Tidal Join, Spotify Join, Deezer and Qobuz. Plus, there’s AirPlay 2, Google Solid, Bluetooth 5.1, and it is Roon Prepared should you’re a paid-up subscriber. The Evo One additionally accepts music over the app from a community server by way of UPnP (which is what I have been doing with my QNAP NAS over Plex).
Alongside integrating it with Spotify Join and UPnP, I have to additionally commend the Google Solid integration. I do know a whole lot of of us within the know can be stunned that I’ve solely simply found this, however it’s attainable to create multi-room audio over Wi-Fi with two or extra totally different audio system that assist Google Solid within the Google House app. You possibly can create a speaker group within the app with audio system linked to Wi-Fi in separate rooms (it’s a must to designate every speaker a separate room within the app) after which carry them along with a few small faucets, so you possibly can have multi-room audio with out being on the behest of getting matching audio system a la Sonos. In the lounge, there is a Naim Mu-So Qb 2, with the Evo One within the eating room, and it really works with no hitch.
The Streammagic app can also be there for whenever you need to management music at a distance from the Evo One, offering you with the identical diploma of management as with the show, plus it integrates with the streaming companies above in a slick and neat interface. There are additionally extra settings, resembling for room compensation and speaker placement and a seven-band EQ so you will get audio excellent. The app additionally lends itself properly to getting the unit arrange initially, offering on-screen directions on getting it linked to Wifi, after which working over-the-air firmware updates so it is able to go in a matter of minutes.
The Evo One options what I feel is the most important variety of drivers in a single field so far, that includes a set of 14 drive models with upwards of 700W of amplification that is aided with digital sign processing – Cambridge says that is designed to assist the Evo One produce deep and managed bass, as an illustration. You get 4 25mm silk dome tweeters, with 4 57mm aluminium cone mid-range models, and an additional six 70mm woofers which might be designed to provide massive sound to fill a big room.
With such an enormous array of audio system and versatile use circumstances, I had excessive hopes for this Cambridge system. The factor that instantly hit me when placing it via my customary checks of each September from Earth, Wind & Fireplace and 2112 from Rush was the width and expanse of the audio. Its sound extends past the confines of the unit, and carries some wonderful precision and house for clearly selecting out totally different parts, resembling September’s far-off bongos, or 2112’s working water within the ‘Discovery’ part.
Within the Bee Gees’ Nights on Broadway, as a lot because the monitor’s marvellous harmonies have been entrance and centre, I may nonetheless hear the monitor’s clavichord and electrical piano work far off on the space with the utmost readability. I additionally like to make use of a stay lower of George Benson’s Affirmation (thanks, DankPods) for testing soundstage as a result of crowd noise initially, plus the monitor’s percussion and clapping parts, whose element was discernable even amongst a busy stay recording. Talking of busy, Model X’s Dance of the Unlawful Aliens is a very busy jazz fusion monitor with every thing from frenetic bass and rolling drums to percussion and extra moreover; the music’s bongo hits felt far off on one route, past the confines of the unit, and nearly in the direction of the again of the set.
The Evo One’s bass is as described above, I might argue, with good depth and management to it. In some cases, it will possibly encroach a smidgen on the mid-range and supply this technique with a heavier-handed strategy, however this may be adjusted with EQ settings do you have to want. In spinning up The Invisible Man from Marillion, the monitor incorporates a deep and brooding bassline amongst an atmospheric vocal from Steve Hogarth that demonstrates each its extension and energy, but additionally the depth and physique that lends itself properly to darker–sounding, busier songs. I felt a lot the identical with Steven Wilson’s very difficult In the meantime from his final album, which has a gritty bassline at one specific level contrasted with lighter acoustic guitar work – there is definitely loads of rumble.
As a lot because the low-end can really feel a little bit overbearing at occasions, there may be nonetheless loads of room for the remaining to breathe. On James Taylor’s September Grass, his heat vocal and the monitor’s acoustic guitar parts got here via with some attractive element and richness with out feeling pushed again into the unit. The identical was true for the brighter Tape Deck from Jack Johnson, along with his vocal, the music’s minimalistic acoustic guitar and light-weight drum and percussion work every occupying their very own house within the combine.
In contrast to different audio system, the highest finish from the Evo One is not sharp or overbearing, and this technique would not lend itself to a V-shaped profile (that’s, one which prioritises bass and treble above all). It is a exact and vivid treble, as I famous with the competing percussion intro to Steely Dan’s Do It Once more. That may be notably difficult for any speaker to grasp, however the mixture of the sparkly really feel and huge soundstage implies that Cambridge’s unit dealt with it with panache. The Strokes’ On The Different Facet gives an fascinating problem, with its introduction pairing a pounding bassline with fixed cymbal hits, and as a lot because the booming bassline was there constantly, the cymbals did not really feel drowned out and held their very own within the combine.
The expansive soundstage and constant efficiency, irrespective of how far you might be away from the unit, additionally lend themselves properly to video games. Granted, it is not the everyday use case for this technique, however hook it as much as a suitable TV or monitor (uncommon, however attainable) by way of HDMI eARC, and it really works a attraction with the mixture of a strong low-end for environment for gunfire or engine noises, plus expansive house for the mids and highs for vocal readability. I am not saying to make use of it for aggressive eSports resembling Counter-Strike 2, the place precision is important, however for extra cinematic titles with scale and depth, resembling Cyberpunk 2077 and even my typical Forza Horizon 5 and EA FC titles labored nice with noise resembling deep engine rumbles and the far-off noises of crowd chants.
The Cambridge Audio Evo One is a genuinely attractive all-in-one system that is equally adept for video games as it’s for music. Its match and end is superb, and I am detest to ship it again with how nice it seems to be in my eating room. To not point out, its very versatile connectivity, the bonus of a giant display screen and useful app assist. Its audio is expansive, detailed and splendidly clear with tight bass, wealthy mids, and surprisingly vivid treble that sounds incredible. Some could want a speaker that is not as heavy-handed with the low-end at occasions, however to my ears, it is nonetheless an enormous technical achievement. It is certainly price recommending as one of many finest console or pc audio system, a uncommon product that ticks mainly each field – simply so long as it bodily suits the place you need to use it.
