News

26/9/2003

Cambridge Audio Azur 540D progressive scan/DVD-Audio player

Earlier this year, Cambridge Audio introduced its first multi-channel music and movie source components, in the shape of the sleek 50 Series components, to widespread critical acclaim. Never one to rest its laurels, the company has now unleashed a new, enhanced DVD-Audio design: the Azur 540D progressive scan/DVD-Audio player. Part of Cambridge Audio's remarkable new Azur range of hi-fi electronics, the company's first completely new series of products for nearly five years, the 540D has been designed from the ground up, incorporating many engineering lessons learnt during the design of the 50 Series.

During the research and development of the 540D, Cambridge Audio's engineers worked closely with a leading chipset manufacturer, and were able to use the very latest, highly integrated solutions, to create a wonderful performance that belies its competitive pricing.

Central to the audio performance is Crystal's CS4360 six channel digital to analogue converter, meaning the player is capable of playing conventional compact discs (16bit/44.1kHz) as well as 24bit/96kHz stereo from standard DVDs. The 540D can also implement Meridian Lossless Packing to deliver 24bit/96kHz multi-channel DVD-Audio and 24bit/192kHz stereo DVD-Audio. The DAC board is complemented by a proprietary high quality output stage, which makes use of audiophile polypropylene coupling capacitors.

Just as impressive is the video playback. This is taken care of by no less than six 54MHz/12bit video digital to analogue converters, which support both NTSC and PAL progressive scan, offering a considerable leap in picture quality from the already impressive standards set by conventional DVD-Video. Again, a separate output stage helps deliver the best possible performance, with the video decoupling being overrated to provide rock solid video synchronisation on progressive images.

All this proprietary engineering sits on a specially designed low resonance, acoustically damped chassis, while a newly styled outer casing, which is available in black or silver, takes in a thick anodised aluminium front panel.

Completing the package is a slim-line, elegant remote handset, while a full a complement of connections take in Composite, Component, Scart RGB, and S-Video outputs, two-channel stereo and a 5.1 channel output for DVD-Audio and surround sound.

www.cambridge-audio.co.uk