Arcam Radia A15 Integrated Amplifier

Arcam Radia A15 integrated amplifier is a more powerful version of the Radia A5 and effectively replaces the prior SA20, but is more than a cosmetic upgrade - its been reworked and redesigned, making it a game changer at a real world price. The cabinet is made of anodized aluminium with solid aluminium knobs.

This amplifier boasts 80 watts per channel (compared to 50 watts on the A5), making it a good choice to drive larger floorstanding speakers as well as stand mount designs, and either way has more power in reserve for dynamic passages of music. Arcam has a long pedigree in amplifier design and this latest model offers a smooth and powerful sound.

Please note: some pictures show this amp with the matching CD5 and ST5 - these are available separately but not included.

Bluetooth 5.2 AptX

The latest Bluetooth aptX adaptive codec is built in. This can provide 24-bit HD audio streamed from your smartphone, tablet or other bluetooth enabled device. It can also connect to Bluetooth headphones, a useful convenience for listening late at night.

Phono Stage and DAC

Arcam is well known for its support for vinyl and a good quality built-in MM phono stage is provided. In addition to three standard RCA line-level inputs, there are three digital inputs that utilise the onboard DAC featuring a high-end ESS ES9018 chipset, allowing you to connect a variety of music sources.

Class AB Amplification

The type of amplification used by the Arcam Radia A15 integrated amplifier is Class AB. Class A is often used to give the best possible audio quality. However, it requires a large power supply and is very inefficient. Alternatively, Class B is used to provide higher output powers. However, Class B can suffer from crossover distortion. This is due to the switching between the output transistors.

Class AB is the best of both worlds being a combination of both Class A and Class B, where the output stage works in Class A at lower volumes. As the audio level rises the output gradually switches to class B to provide more power.

About phono stages

There are two types of magnetic phono cartridges in use today - moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC). The Arcam Radia A15 includes a built-in MM phono stage.

MM cartridges have a tiny magnet mounted on the end of the cantilever, that holds the stylus. These have an output of around 5mV with an impedance of 47k. The input of the phono stage in the Radia A15 is matched to this. MC cartridges instead have coils mounted on the cantilever instead of a magnet. However, the output is often lower than 1mV and needs extra amplification - they are also generally more expensive.

There is a wide range of excellent MM cartridges on the market so it made sense for Arcam to focus the design on getting the best possible sound from an MM cartridge. A useful feature for enjoying your turntable if you don't have a separate phono stage.

Excellent connectivity

The Arcam Radia A15 integrated amplifier features a wide range of inputs. There are three analogue RCA inputs as well as an MM phono stage. Digital inputs include two coaxial and one optical input. These can be used to connect a CD player or Blu-ray player directly to the DAC. Additionally, there is a USB input and a wired Ethernet connector. There is also a trigger input as well as a preamp output. Speaker connections are provided by gold-plated binding posts.