These products - the 540A and the 540C - are designed and built with sound quality as a goal, and the effort shows in the listening room. Musically, rhe 540A and 540C had a remarkable tube-like quality. The Cambridge's high-end design and parts-quality were easily audible. The presentation was smooth and even a little soft in the upper-midrange and treble. Forget your prejudices about how entry-level electronics sound; the Azur 540 series delivers the essence of what high-quality music reproduction is all about.

The review covers a budget system consisting of Cambridge Audio Azur 540A Version 2 integrated amplifier, Azur 540C CD player and Era Sound Design 4 loudspeakers.