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Cambridge Audio Evo 300
Cambridge Audio is expanding its Evo series, a range of all-in-one systems designed for listeners who want a real hi-fi setup without building a traditional stack of separate components. This approach has become one of the most interesting directions in modern home audio. More people now listen through streaming services, connect their systems to a TV, sometimes return to vinyl, and still want to keep passive loudspeakers and full-scale stereo sound. From the beginning, Evo was created for exactly that kind of user - connect speakers, configure the network, and use a single device that combines an amplifier, streamer, DAC, and a broad range of inputs. Now the British manufacturer is taking the concept further with the Evo 300, the most powerful and most advanced streaming amplifier in the history of the series.
The new model becomes the flagship of the Evo family and clearly moves the range toward more serious stereo systems. Cambridge Audio says the Evo 300 was developed for demanding listeners who expect not only ease of use and wide network functionality, but also substantial power reserves, firm loudspeaker control, and sound quality strong enough for the unit to serve as the center of a proper hi-fi system. In practice, this means a product designed to combine the simplicity of an all-in-one system with solutions more commonly associated with higher-end integrated amplifiers and separate components.
At the heart of the Evo 300 is a new dual-mono architecture using Hypex NCOREx Class D amplifier modules. The unit delivers 2 x 300 W into 8 ohms and 2 x 550 W into 4 ohms, placing it well above earlier Evo models in terms of output power. This kind of reserve is not only useful in larger rooms or at high listening levels. It can also translate into better bass control, greater dynamic freedom, and easier cooperation with speakers that need a stable, high-current amplifier. Cambridge Audio says the dual-mono layout is intended to improve channel separation and stereo imaging precision while maintaining a coherent signal path.
The changes do not end there. The Evo 300 also features a fully balanced preamplifier and independent analog volume control circuits for each channel. This matters because in all-in-one systems it is easy to focus on streaming functions, apps, and digital inputs while forgetting that the final result still depends heavily on the quality of the analog section. Cambridge Audio appears to have avoided treating the preamp as a secondary feature. The balanced architecture, separate left and right volume control, and refined analog signal path are intended to preserve detail, dynamics, and stable imaging even at lower listening levels.
Digital-to-analog conversion is handled by an ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M DAC, a chip widely used in modern converters and network audio products. In the Evo 300, it supports PCM up to 32-bit/768 kHz and DSD512. In everyday use, most music will probably come from streaming services, local network libraries, or a TV, but such broad format support gives the device room for the future and allows it to function as a flexible digital hub. Users can therefore treat the Evo 300 as a straightforward streaming amplifier, a DAC for a computer connected via USB Audio, or the center of a system built around hi-res files stored on a home network.
Network functionality is based on the latest StreamMagic Gen 4 platform. This is one of the key elements of Cambridge Audio's current products because it determines not only access to music, but also stability, ease of use, and long-term software support. The Evo 300 supports internet radio, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, Deezer, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, UPnP, and Roon Ready operation. As a result, the user is not locked into one app or one listening method. Music can be played through the StreamMagic app, sent directly from popular streaming services, managed through Roon, or streamed from a local network library.
The connection set is equally important. The Evo 300 includes HDMI eARC, allowing it to operate not only as a music system, but also as part of a TV setup. This has become an increasingly valuable feature in modern stereo amplifiers, as many users want to improve television sound without building a full home theater system or relying on a soundbar. The new Cambridge Audio unit can take audio from a TV while remaining a classic stereo system based on passive loudspeakers. The rear panel also includes an MM phono input, analog RCA and XLR inputs, USB Audio, Pre-Out, a subwoofer output, a 6.3 mm headphone socket, Ethernet, and dual-band Wi-Fi. Wireless connectivity is completed by Bluetooth 5.4 with SBC, aptX, and aptX HD support.
Compared with earlier Evo models, the new unit also stands out with a larger display. The 7.8-inch color screen can show album artwork, playback information, a clock, or VU meters. This does not directly affect sound quality, but it matters in daily use. Evo has always been a series designed to be seen in a living space rather than hidden away in a cabinet, so the way the device presents information is part of its overall concept. The interchangeable side panels also remain a characteristic design feature, allowing the user to adapt the look of the amplifier to the room. The package includes two sets of side panels, one installed at the factory, a remote control with batteries, a power cable, a quick-start guide, and safety documentation.
The Evo 300 measures 386 x 90 x 317 mm and weighs 7.2 kg. Maximum power consumption is specified at 1200 W, falling below 2 W in network standby and below 0.5 W in standard standby. It remains compact considering what it offers, but structurally and functionally it goes far beyond simple lifestyle systems. It can be seen as an alternative to a setup built from a streamer, DAC, preamplifier, and power amplifier, especially where ease of use, space saving, and integrated source handling are important.
Cambridge Audio positions the Evo 300 as the new reference model in its all-in-one offering. The idea is not to create a small system for occasional listening, but a device that simplifies modern hi-fi without reducing it to the role of a network speaker or decorative living-room accessory. It is designed for users who want one system to handle streaming, vinyl, TV audio, computer audio, headphones, a subwoofer, and passive loudspeakers, while still delivering the power and control expected from a serious stereo amplifier.
Cambridge Audio was founded in 1968 and has long been associated with hi-fi electronics designed in London. The brand is known for amplifiers, CD players, DACs, streamers, and all-in-one systems that combine traditional audio engineering with the functionality required by contemporary listening habits. The Evo series is one of the clearest examples of that philosophy, allowing users to enjoy passive speakers, vinyl, streaming, internet radio, TV sound, and hi-res files without building a multi-box system. The Evo 300 is listed in Europe at €3999. Info and photos by Cambridge Audio.
