The Cambridge EVO 150 DeLorean Edition marks a refreshingly unique marketing choice by the folks at Cambridge Audio. They have taken their EVO 150 product which comes with the same built-in steaming features, 150 Watts of class D power into eight ohms, balanced (XLR) inputs, moving magnet phono preamplifier, HDMI-ins and all of its goodies and provided it with a stainless steel finish and DeLorean branding, as well as some really cool DeLorean gauges that show you how the power is being used that look like the gauges you would see in the car. I will skip the history of the car itself, if you’re not familiar with it as that is easy research from YouTube.com or Wikipedia. DeLorean is most famously known for its 1981 DMC edition which was the car that was used in classic 1985 film Back to the Future which made the car iconic with its gullwing doors and futuristic metallic/aluminum exterior. With all of that said, this integrated amplifier or as Cambridge Audio calls it a “All in One Player” on the surface has everything you need for a just-add-speakers solution but is also robust enough in its features to let you add everything that and audiophile might want to enjoy their music. So, let’s take a closer look…
What Makes the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition Integrated Amplifier So Special?
- The first thing that stood out to me was the slim size of the unit. Having reviewed many integrated amplifiers in the last year that offer similar features, the Cambridge EVO 150 is easily half the size of the HiFi Rose RS520, the LEAK Stereo 230, and FutureAudiophile.com’s Product of the Year for 2023 the NAD C 3050, while still producing 150 watts of power. Great Scott!
- Included is a really solid phono preamplifier. As a person who listens to vinyl on a fairly regular basis (easily a few times a week), one of the first things I noticed about the EVO 150 was the quality of its phono preamplifier. Vinyl sounded resolved and clear regardless of the age of the recording. Usually with built-in phono preamplifiers you need to increase the volume when using a turntable as often the gain from the turntable isn’t high enough but Cambridge Audio figured this issue with the levels out nicely.
- The Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition is a true all-in-one integrated amp. With the use of all of the Bluetooth codecs, Apple AirPlay, Chromecast, Tidal, Spotify, Qobuz and other streaming services built-in, along with HDMI eARC in, a dedicated subwoofer out, digital in, analog in, there really isn’t anything this integrated amplifier cannot do from a technical standpoint.
Why Should You Care About the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition Integrated Amplifier?
Increasingly we are seeing more and more integrated amplifier use both class D modules for power and the use of a screen on the front of the unit. As a person without an equipment closet and rack, I love both of these things. What sets the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean edition apart is that both factors make them ideal to fit into anyone’s listening room or living room. The sleek styling of the unit and its small form factor allow you to easily place this unit into your living room to entertain your friends or enjoy a relaxing evening at home with your loved ones, and when you add in HDMI arc it becomes so easy to have the album artwork on your TV to ease the question of “Which artist is this?” or “What was that song called?” I also particularly love that the folks at Cambridge chose to use a high-resolution LED screen that wasn’t touch capable. One of the biggest concerns I have around anything that uses the screen is it’s longevity. You’re going to pay thousands of dollars for a modern integrated amplifier that has all of the features of this unit, and the last thing you want is the screen to stop working, which would make the component unusable. With this integrated amplifier everything you need to do on the touch screen you can control of Cambridge Audio’s “Stream Magic” App which means even if the time comes where the pixels die on the screen, you can continue to enjoy this integrated amplifier.
Some Things You Might Not Like About the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition Integrated Amplifier
- The styling of the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition won’t be for everyone. In my listening space, the stainless styling of the unit stuck out like a sore thumb, as everything is wood grained up hear north of the boarder. The solution to such an aesthetic solution is to buy the standard edition which is pretty easy. Those on the coasts or who live in more homes with a more contemporary interior design schemes will love the modern look however.
- The physical dials on the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition can be a little confusing. When they built the unit, the dial to change the volume and the dial to change the input are overlapped. For a first time user you might not realize that the black one is even there to change the input. This isn’t a huge issue as you can do everything through the remote control or the app, but I’m sure many a person has gone to turn the volume up or done and changed the input instead.
- If you’re going to use HDMI make sure you have a modern, quality cable. The Cambridge EVO 150, and I assume the EVO 75 as well will only accept a HDMI 1.4 or above. I didn’t realize this and used an older cable to start and while the unit turned on, with my TV, I didn’t get any audio. A good HDMI cable isn’t too terribly expensive.
Listening to the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition Integrated Amplifier …
I ran this integrated amplifier with the MartinLogan Motion XT F100 floorstanding speakers, as well as the Pro-Ject X1-B turntable and the SVS 3000 Micro subwoofer. I streamed music using Apple AirPlay from my iPhone 13.
One of the first tracks I listened to was “Rock & Roll Stew” (on vinyl) from Traffic’s 1971 album The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. The phono section of the Cambridge EVO 150 DeLorean Edition allowed this progressive rock track to play smoothly and without any hiss even at higher volumes. That might seem like much of a statement but when you’re playing a 40 plus year old release on vinyl that is an accomplishment. The groove that is established with this incarnation of the band on this track immediately stands out as well. Winwood’s guitar fit in beautifully with the bass of Ric Grech, Jim Gordon’s drums and the percussion of Rebop Kwaku Baah.
A more modern-day track that I like to use is the track “Shame Shame” (streamed using Apple Airplay 24 bit/48 kHz) from the Foo Fighters 2021 album Medicine at Midnight. One of the best things about the Foo Fighters at this stage of their career is that the recording quality of their tracks is exceptional, and the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition shows if off very well with this track. This is another groove heavy track, but the implementation of the DAC allows you to hear all of the little subtleties from the hand clap that is mixed into the beat, all the way to around the three-and-a-half-minute mark when Dave Grohl’s vocal mixes in out of the backing stringed instruments. There are plenty of layers to heard and this integrated amp will be sure that you don’t miss any of them.
The last track I used to test the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition was “Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)” from Stevie Wonder’s 1972 album Music Of My Mind. This eight plus minute epic really shows Stevie flexing his muscles and freedom as this was one of his first records where he had more creative control. In this track the DAC really shines for the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition. Every note in this track has room to breathe and it really helps this track shine. Early you can hear Wonder’s synthesized keyboard as well as the guitar of Buzz Felton (if you ever want to see what a great career looks like check out the artists that Felton has appeared with). You could hear a slight warmth from the amplifier on this track as well which is to be somewhat expected from a British audiophile component. It didn’t negatively affect the sound of the track, but was noticeable.
Will the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition Integrated Amplifier Hold Its Value?
I would expect a limited-edition audiophile product like this to keep its value. There is certainly some gimmick to the styling of the unit, but this is a well-built full-featured integrated amplifier from a very well-known brand, so I cannot foresee any reason why you would see a more than average drop in price the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean edition at any point in the near future. This component has “collectable” written all over it.
What is the Competition for the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition Integrated Amplifier?
The HiFi Rose RS520 ($3,695) is a little more money than the Cambridge EVO 150, mind you it also comes with an extra 100 watts of power, and a full touch screen if you are into that sort of thing. What it doesn’t have though is a phono preamplifier built in, balanced inputs or a dedicated subwoofer output. The HiFi Rose RS520 in my time with it was very enjoyable, but has its flaws and is significantly larger than the Cambridge Audio unit.
When you’re looking at this price range you should always be looking at NAD Masters Series M10 V2 ($2,999). It has many of the same features, including dedicated subwoofer output, HDMI eARC, streaming components built in, as well as a 7-inch LED touch screen. The one thing this unit has that the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition doesn’t is room correction. If that is a feature you want for your audio system, then the NAD is worth a look, and it was well received when it was reviewed.
Lastly the Rotel RAS-5000 ($2,999) also looks to be a competitive unit at its price It uses class AB power to produce 140 watts into 8 ohms and 240 into 4 ohms. It has an LED screen on the front like the other units, as well as HDMI eARC, and features Bluetooth with the High-Resolution codecs, Spotify and Tidal connect, and Chromecast built in, and Apple Airplay to allow you to easily stream from your phone, computer or tablet. I haven’t has one of these integrated amplifiers to know how it sounds or operates, but it’s specs are promising.
Final Thoughts on the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean Edition Integrated Amplifier…
I have really enjoyed my time with the Cambridge EVO 150 DeLorean Edition. It has a very neutral sound, and as I noted earlier has a very good phono preamplifier to go along with all the digital components. The only things that I could see that would keep anyone from buying one of these units are the price or the look. To be honest those are both going to be up to personal preference, and as far as the look goes I think Cambridge Audio has you covered with that by also having the standard EVO’s woodgrain removable panels which allows you to personalize the look for your room. As far as the price goes, I can understand that someone might make the case for “it’s too expensive”, but when you look at it from an apples to apples perspective, I think it’s perfectly in line with the competition from NAD, Rotel, and HiFi Rose, and there are arguments to be made that the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean edition is superior to those items at its price as well.
If you’re looking for a plug and play integrated amplifier with a high resolution screen, HDMI eARC, and all of the modern streaming features with enough power to handle a small to medium room there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t check the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 DeLorean edition out. I am certainly you won’t be disappointed when you do.
