The Absolute Sound's 2023 Golden Ear Award Winner
"There’s a cliched idea in the hi-fi world that one product can’t do everything well. To get supreme quality, we need multiple shiny boxes with snake-nests of cables dangling between them. I’ll admit, I’m a many-boxes fan. But the Evo 150 has certainly changed my mind, and I’d argue that it proves progress is happening (and progress is good) and that one device is easily capable of handling multiple tasks, from analog to digital. Its Class D amplifier doesn’t sound like ye-olde-Class-D, and its versatility isn’t a hindrance but a boon to any decently connected music lover. It has a great DAC, a myriad of inputs, plenty of streaming options, and on final listening, it sounds great. It’s the sort of box that could anchor a new system or replace an aging one. And frankly, in all the time I used the Evo as my primary driver, I never felt the need to swap it out. That says a lot. If you’re in the market for an all-in-one streaming integrated, the Evo 150 is the place to start."
- Muse Kastanovich, The Absolute Sound, June 15, 2023
"Compact, stylish and impeccably engineered – Cambridge Audio's absurdly capable little streaming amplifier performs like a far bigger system that successfully bursts out of its diminutive frame. It'll do everything you want when it comes to network audio, is flexible when it comes to system integration, and best of all is a delight to use thanks to that StreamMagic platform. A firm 'must listen', this one."
- James Parker, Hi-Fi News, December 16, 2021
"The Evo 150 is an exciting all-in-one player from Cambridge Audio that is designed to be the heart of a hi-fi music system, promising high performance with an all-in-one setup simplicity and a touch of design artistry."
"The combination of style, versatility, and performance brings so much excitement to this $3000 CAMBRIDGE AUDIO EVO 150 ALL-IN-ONE PLAYER."
"I do think that Cambridge Audio has a winner in the Evo 150 all-in-one player. Its artistic design, versatile features, and strong all-around sonic performance bring undeniable value beyond its $3000 price tag. Minor quibble aside, the Evo 150 also scores high in my book in terms of user experience. A versatile and multi-function product like this can sometimes overwhelm the users, but complemented by the StreamMagic app, the Evo 150 feels simple and so much fun to use. I had a blast reviewing it. The Evo 150 is a hi-fi audio product that epitomizes an excellent balance between substance and style."
- Yongki Go, PH.D, Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, December 15, 2021
"The Cambridge Audio EVO 150 Integrated Amp is a vibrant musical performer that is easy to use, can play music any way you want, with just about any speaker you want."
"Highs were extraordinarily sweet in a way that I’ve only heard in a few other sub $5000 components, and never in an all-in-one device. Mids were detailed and nuanced, even though they were a little restrained at times, and the bass was deep and articulate in a way that brought out every low note. This is something you don’t often hear at this price point either."
"...I feel if you want a beautifully designed streaming app that gives you a substantial degree of transparent high-end audio sound (for what I consider a bargain price considering what you get), then you need to get your hands on the EVO 150! Amazing!"
- Paul Cash, HI-FI Trends, December 2, 2021
Audiophilia Products of the Year 2021
"For better or worse, dependence on an app is a defining trait of the all-in-one streaming amp category. In this case it’s for the better. The app was easy to set up, intuitive to use and glitch free."
"In terms of functionality, streaming operated flawlessly during the entire review period. In fact, the only time the EVO lost its Wi-Fi connection was after my toddler switched off my power conditioner. Even then a quick power cycle was all it needed to get back online."
"The EVO 150 ($3000) is, no doubt, an audiophile gem in terms of performance, but philosophically it won’t suit every audiophile. This is a music lover’s solution. It’s a set it and forget it product that may not be exciting to some hardware focused hobbyists. With that understood, those considering the piece are sure to be impressed. It offers a direct path towards musical enlightenment, avoiding unnecessary distractions along the way. My expectations were thoroughly exceeded. Very highly recommended."
- Maxwell Geiger, Audiophilia, November 5, 2021
"Cambridge Audio’s feature-packed wireless network streamer/integrated amplifier offers substantial power and generally excellent performance at a reasonable price."
"Cambridge Audio's Evo 150 streaming integrated amplifier is a huge success by any measure. It's compact yet has a very powerful amplifier, is jam packed with features, and offers killer customizable looks. It also sounded fantastic with every speaker I paired it with."
"You could ask for more for $3,000, but as they say, 'Good luck with that.'"
- Howard Kneller, Sound & Vision, October 27, 2021
2022 Recommended Components - Stereophile
"Out of the gate, the EVO 150 sounded good even on MP3 radio broadcasts. The sound was fresh-faced and convivial, with a dynamic spring in its step."
"...the EVO did something I didn't expect going into this review: It made me care about streamed music. It made me want to stream, to check out streaming libraries, to compare hi-rez files, to find new music to play on my big hi-fi."
"The EVO 150 possesses a spirit of no-compromise, by which I don't mean it performs like a cost-no-object product. I mean that everything about it—its ergonomics, features, streaming app, remote, and, most essentially, sound quality—operates at a high standard. The EVO 150 is what I would hope a product of its type that costs $3000 would be."
"Make no mistake, the Cambridge EVO 150 is a serious piece of equipment. It looks snazzy and makes sophisticated sound. It delivers on streaming's theoretical promise as a super-convenient way to discover new music and enjoy better-sounding, streamed hi-rez reissues of our favorite music."
- Robert Schryer, Stereophile, September 21, 2021
"Underneath that attractive exterior, Cambridge has crammed an awful lot of functionality."
- Jacob Green, Audioholics, September 9, 2021
EISA Award - Best Streaming Amplifier 2021-2022
"Compact, clever and capable of driving even demanding speakers to deliver a room-filling sound – whether from your phone, your computer or streaming services – the EVO 150 is all the system many users will ever want or need. It has style on its side, and amazing flexibility including balanced inputs and a phono stage, but the most outstanding feature here is how simple it makes set-up and operation for breathtaking performance. The Cambridge Audio engineers have considered everything, from the way the EVO 150 leads you through installation to the superb StreamMagic app control, making this a system all the family can enjoy, with class-leading sound."
- Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), 2021
Design Milk's Review of the Cambridge Audio Evo 75 and Evo 150
"...if you’re looking for the easiest and most elegant entryway into the realm of audiophile level performance without having to worry about deciphering the deep ocean of terminology, specs and options out there – or worrying about the room to house a system – this all-in-one streaming audio system really does make a convincing argument that subtractive simplicity can be sublime."
- Gregory Han, Design Milk, July 15, 2021
"Partnered with a pair of speakers, the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 is a capable and talented all-in-one system – one of the most exhaustively featured, best looking and highly intuitive examples of its kind. That’s complemented by a performance that, while not class-leading in every area, still makes a compelling case for choosing a simple system such as this over a set-up of separates."
- What Hi-Fi?, June 28, 2021
"The Best Gear for Aspiring Audiophiles" - WIRED Magazine
"Streaming amps have gotten really great over the last few years. It used to be that anything with an internet connection sounded terrible, but that's not the case with the latest models. My high-end favorites right now are the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 ($3,000) and the Naim Uniti Atom ($3,290), which both feature gorgeous color displays and some of the best fidelity (and most glorious knobs) I've ever experienced. Both work with every major streaming service imaginable, and you can connect to them over Bluetooth too."
- Parker Hill, WIRED Magazine, June 5, 2021
"Without wanting to overstretch the imagination, I could get along just fine with this device in my living room for the rest of my life – and I am indeed what you would call a high-end enthusiast."
"The soundstage of the Cambridge Audio Evo is spacious and focused, realized with a multi-faceted palette of colors and depth. It is also decidedly lively, fast, and so magnificent that it will make your jaw drop. The bass provides a driving rhythm and possesses an emphatically convincing potency thanks to a power that is as available as it is tangible."
"You can't really go on vacation at the moment anyway, and THIS would be an alternative to reward yourself. You can tell that Cambridge knows its competitors' products and knows where the company wants to position itself. A milestone for Cambridge Audio, but also more than appealing to all potential customers. Remarkable. Truly remarkable. It will stay here for now."
- Tom Frantzen, Stereo Magazine, April 28, 2021
