This is a talented all-in-one music system that you can get your hands on without breaking the bank. The Cambridge Audio One comes with a multitude of features and all you need is just a pair of matching speakers to start your music listening experience. If you mainly use compact discs to play back your favorite music and songs then the Cambridge Audio One is certainly the one for you, as it has a built-in high-quality inhaler CD drive.
As mentioned earlier, you will need matching speakers but to find the right ones for the job, we will need to learn more about the Cambridge Audio One music system. We need to know what are its strengths and limitations as well as its sonic characteristics. With enough data, we will then be able to prepare a list of the best speakers which you can go for and pair them up with your Cambridge Audio One. This list of speakers will be shown to you later on.
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Sound Characteristics and Important Specifications of Cambridge Audio One
The Cambridge Audio One is compact and has a small footprint, making it ideal to be part of a desktop sound system. Furthermore, it is packed with features such as a built-in DAC Wolfson WM8728 which will help you to save some money and space as there is no need to get an external D/A converter. The inhaler CD drive and Bluetooth connectivity also give you similar benefits, making the Cambridge Audio One a fantastic all-in-one music system and it is value for money as well. There is even a DAB+ radio tuner and a headphone output but just to nitpick, it is a pity that the One doesn’t have a phono stage.
It has its own amplification which is rated 30 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms. This means the Cambridge Audio One is only good enough to drive bookshelf speakers that are not difficult to drive. We wouldn’t suggest playing them at too high volumes. Fortunately, there is a dedicated subwoofer output and we can use it to connect to a powered sub. Having a subwoofer will help significantly improve the overall bass performance since bookshelf speakers that can be driven by the Cambridge Audio One are mainly not efficient when it comes to low-frequency reproduction. Aiming for very efficient high-end floor-standing speakers will be pointless as they will cost a lot more than the music system itself so we will just stick to bookshelf speaker choices.
This Cambridge Audio all-in-one music system has a pleasing sound quality, making it easy to listen to and this is great for nearfield listening as well. The treble is not overly bright and overall it doesn’t sound harsh, allowing us to listen to our favorite tunes at all volume levels without worrying about listeners’ fatigue. There is a nice level of clarity and probably the best when compared to other music systems at the same price range. Music details can be heard clearly but the subtleties do lack audibility at times.
There is warmth in the overall sound reproduction and the music presentation has a wide dynamic range. The Cambridge Audio One is really enjoyable to listen to, the smooth music delivery and the pleasant presentation are simply easy on the ears. When it comes to bass performance, it has a solid feel to it, not to mention, the low ends are also agile. The overall accuracy is impressive for a micro sound system at this price point and we are also impressed by the precise stereo imaging. With an active sub been added into the mix, the music performance does become punchier and the sound quality has more depth to it. The sub-bass delivery is taut as well.
We are pleasantly surprised by the sound quality especially its clarity and the overall accuracy. It is recommended to integrate a powered subwoofer to supplement the bass performance. With the support from an active sub, the Cambridge Audio One immediately becomes a brilliant all-rounder and is suitable for almost all music genres as well as watching movies and gaming. It is no doubt at the very top when it comes to all-in-one music systems at this price range. Below will be a list of the best speakers to match with the Cambridge Audio One and we have taken their prices into account. These speakers will be as closely priced to the One music system as possible.
Cambridge Audio One Specifications
- Power Outputs: 30 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms
- DAC: Wolfson WM8728
- Wireless: Bluetooth
- Inputs: 1 RCA input, 1 3.5mm Analog audio input input, 1 Optical input, 1 Coaxial input, USB
- Outputs: 1 Subwoofer output, Headphone output
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 230mm x 112mm x 295mm | 9″ x 4.4″ x 11.6″
- Weight: 4.6kg (10.1lbs)
Best Speakers to pair with Cambridge Audio One
The Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is one of the best speakers to pair with the Cambridge Audio One. These are very well-regarded bookshelf speakers and have a modest price tag. The Diamond 12.1 are musical sounding and have solid bass reproduction which helps to add more weight to the music delivery. It is smooth sounding and has warmish sonic characteristics, providing its listeners with soothing sound quality. The laid-back music presentation also comes with plenty of details. The Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is certainly impressive and will be a good match with the Cambridge Audio One music system.
More Details at Amazon – Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Speaker
The Cambridge Audio Minx XL is probably the best matching speaker to go with your Cambridge Audio One since both are made by the same company, they should have similar sound signatures, and will most likely pair really well together. The Minx XL is the flagship bookshelf speaker of Cambridge Audio and the compact size makes it really ideal to be part of a desktop sound system. The Cambridge Audio Minx XL is also very affordably priced and should fit most listeners’ budgets. These are pretty revealing speakers which provided us with a very detailed music presentation with a good level of sound clarity.
More Details at Amazon – Cambridge Audio Minx XL
The Mission LX-2 is another pair of budget speakers that is not only affordable but will also match well with the Cambridge Audio One. The Mission LX-2 will also be an excellent choice for listeners who want a punchier music presentation with faster pacing. They have an enthusiastic attitude and will do their best to bring out the emotional energy from any music been played through the Cambridge Audio One. Furthermore, the LX-2 doesn’t compromise the music details and will produce them out in spades. The bass reproduction has ample weight and will complement the One music system very well.
More Details at Amazon – Mission LX-2 Walnut Pearl (Pair)
For listeners who like bright sounding systems and want to play loud, you can check out the Klipsch R-51M stand-mounters. They are highly efficient and have above-average speaker sensitivity which makes them easy to drive. This means the Cambridge Audio One can drive them to high volume levels. These bookshelf speakers are capable of reproducing crystal clear sound quality and will add a bit more excitement to the overall sound reproduction. The midrange is clear and expressive, the highs are crisp and extended. Cambridge Audio One sonic characteristics may help to smooth the edges a little.
More Details at Amazon – Klipsch R-51M Speaker
The Monitor Audio Bronze BX2 is one of the best speakers to partner with the Cambridge Audio One. This is a highly rated pair of award-winning bookshelf speakers which possess exceptional sonic performance and sound quality. The Cambridge Audio One has just the right amount of power output to drive them. The Bronze BX2 are fast-paced speakers, delivering an exciting and alacrity music performance. Their agility helps them to remain composed and coherent. The level of details present is incredible as well and you are certainly getting plenty of performance from these modestly priced Monitor Audio Bronze BX2 speakers.
If your music listening experience is very important to you, we will suggest going for sealed cabinet subwoofers such as the SVS SB-1000 Pro. It is very powerful with up to 820+ Watts of peak power and has a frequency response of 20Hz-270Hz (+/-3dB). What’s more important is that the SB-1000 Pro is capable of delivering articulate and accurate bass frequencies. If the bass output is more important to you, then going with SVS PB-1000 Pro will be a better option. As it is a ported subwoofer which means it has higher efficiency when it comes to bass output and max SPL, not to mention, the PB-1000 Pro can dig slightly deeper into the bass extension than SVS SB-1000 Pro.
More Details at Amazon – SVS SB-1000 Pro Sealed Subwoofer
More Details at Amazon – SVS PB-1000 Pro Ported Subwoofer
To Sum It Up
These are some of the best bookshelf speakers to match with the Cambridge Audio One but they do lack bass weight and authority. This is why we recommend adding in an active subwoofer to supplement the bass performance. You might want to audition these speakers together with the subwoofer you will be using and see if you like their overall music performance. It is okay to start the speaker auditions without a subwoofer first so that you can add it in later and see if there are any differences in sound quality.
