Cambridge Audio Azur 851C CD Player

The 851C comprises a high-tech CD player, a digital to analogue converter and a preamp, it also has balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analogue audio outputs, and selectable filters. So regardless of your input format, the 851C is designed to extract the purest sound quality possible.

THREE IN ONE

With the 851C you get three high performance components in one impressive package:

• CD playback supported by a number of digital inputs
• Digital to analogue conversion using an advanced Analog Devices 24-bit DAC
• Preamplification so all you need to add to create a system is a power amplifier such as the Azur 851W

CONNECT EVERYTHING

The 851C can link up to almost anything! Connect it to your TV, PC, iPhone/iPad docks and streamers to maximise their sound quality. Or do it the other way around and play your music files via the USB audio input which allows for streaming of up to 24-bit/192kHz audio from computer.

ATF2 UPSAMPLING 

Our unique ATF2 (Adaptive Time Filtering) upsampling technology was developed in conjunction with Anagram Technologies in Switzerland.

All incoming audio data, such as CD quality 16-bit/44.1kHz, is upsampled to 24-bit/384kHz using a high-end 32-bit Analog Devices DSP (Digital Signal Processor). "Polynomial Curve Fitting Interpolation" provides a much more accurate upsampled audio soundwave than traditional upsampling processes. And a unique timing system buffers audio data to almost eradicate digital jitter. Vital – as jitter, common in digital audio devices, loses vital detail, often leaving digital audio sounding flat and lifeless.

SELECTABLE DIGITAL FILTERS

Our latest ATF2 DSP also features a selectable digital filter with three settings to suit listener preferences and your particular system set-up: 

• The steep roll-off filter exhibits strong attenuation of aliasing images outside the pass band (i.e. above 22.05kHz) at the expense of a little pre and post-ringing in the time domain. 

• The linear phase filter uniquely features ‘constant group delay’ which delays all audio signals at all frequencies by the same amount meaning all audio is fully time-coherent at the output.

• Minimum phase meanwhile does not feature constant group delay but rather the co-efficients have been optimised without feed-forward so that the impulse response exhibits no pre-ringing in the time domain.

STRUCTURAL RIGIDITY

Particular attention has also been paid to the 851Cs casework, which combines massive structural rigidity, careful damping and control of acoustic resonance. Both inside and out, the 851C and matching 851A have all the hallmarks of high-end thoroughbreds.