Напольная акустика — Cambrige Audio SX80

The SX80 is the floorstanding model in the current SX range from Cambridge Audio of London, a passive family that also includes the SX60 standmount, the SX70 centre channel and the SX120 subwoofer. It is sold in a black matte finish under product code C11209, with a list price of USD 799 per pair.

Key specs that matter

Every SX80 cabinet carries three drivers. Two 165 mm (6.5 inch) woofers use treated paper cones, while one 25 mm (1 inch) silk dome tweeter covers the upper frequencies. Cambridge Audio rates the response at 40 Hz to 20 kHz, with a sensitivity of 87 dB and a nominal impedance of 8 ohm. Low frequencies are reinforced by a bass reflex port. Each speaker measures 240 mm wide, 980 mm tall and 338 mm deep and weighs 16.9 kg, which puts a pair at just under 34 kg in total.

Engineering and use context

The walls are made of rigid MDF, and Cambridge Audio used computer-aided modelling to set the cabinet proportions so that its panel dimensions keep unwanted resonance and vibration low. A foam damper sits behind the tweeter to cut reflections from inside the box. Cambridge Audio describes the crossover networks as optimised for phase accuracy, with each driver fed only the part of the spectrum it is meant to cover. On the rear panel, one set of binding posts takes thick bare speaker cable or banana plugs, so the speaker is connected with one cable run per side rather than bi-wired. Floor spikes come in the box to isolate the cabinet from external vibration, and the grilles can be taken off. Within the SX range, the SX80 is the main left and right speaker of a multichannel system, with the SX70 as the centre channel, SX60 models as surrounds and the SX120 handling low frequencies.

Pairing

Cambridge Audio lists a recommended amplifier power of 10 W to 100 W, a band that takes in most stereo integrateds and AV receivers that have speaker terminals. The nominal load together with the moderate sensitivity means the speaker does not ask for an amplifier built around unusually high current delivery. Speaker cable terminated with banana plugs or heavy bare wire can go straight into the posts without adapters.

Alternatives

The Cambridge Audio Edge S is a limited floorstander made in a run of 68 pairs, with a 10 cm mid/bass driver and two 16.5 cm woofers in a 1,144 mm tall cabinet.