Cambridge Audio Edge A vs Primare I35 Prisma Detailed Comparison

Cambridge Audio Edge A vs Primare I35 Prisma

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Cambridge Audio Edge A

Integrated Amplifier | 100 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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Primare I35 Prisma

Integrated Amplifier | 150 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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Cambridge Audio Edge...

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Primare I35 Prisma

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Cambridge Audio Edge...

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Primare I35 Prisma

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Cambridge Audio Edge A vs Primare I35 Prisma Integrated Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of amplifiers. Cambridge Audio Edge A is a Integrated Amplifier with built-in DAC speaker whereas the I35 Prisma is a Streaming Integrated Amplifier speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Cambridge Audio Edge A and Primare I35 Prisma first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Cambridge Audio Edge A	Primare I35 Prisma
Brand	Cambridge Audio United Kingdom · founded 1968	Primare Sweden · founded 1986
Power	100 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 200 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms	150 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 300 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms
Amplifier class	Class XA	Class D
Built-in DAC	Yes	Yes
Phono input	No	No
Headphone output	3.5mm	No
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
App control	—	Yes
Weight	24.41kg / 53.7lbs	11.00kg / 24.2lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	5-15/16" x 18-1/8" x 15-15/16" 151.0mm x 461.0mm x 405.0mm	4-3/16" x 17" x 17-15/16" 107.0mm x 432.0mm x 456.0mm

What size room are the Cambridge Audio Edge A and Primare I35 Prisma Amplifiers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these amplifiers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their max power parameters:

Listening Environment	Cambridge Audio Edge A	Primare I35 Prisma
Near-field	Poor	Are you nuts?
Small Room	Poor	Bad
Mid-size Room	Good	Poor
Large Room	Good	Good
Very Large Room	Average	Good

The rest of this page covers where each one wins, how they compare in size, their inputs and outputs, the full specifications and a verdict.

Reasons to choose Cambridge Audio Edge A over Primare I35 Prisma

Signal to Noise Ratio	103 dB vs 100 dB	Higher ratings results in cleaner sound
Headphone Output	3.5mm vs No	Connect your headphone to the amplifier
Base Surface Area	1867.1cm²/ 289.4inch² vs 1969.9cm²/ 305.3inch²	takes less space in your room

Reasons to choose Primare I35 Prisma over Cambridge Audio Edge A

MSRP Price(*)	5,795USD vs 6,499USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
App-Based Control	Yes vs None	Control the amplifier via an app
Watts into 8-ohms	150 watts vs 100 watts	Delivers higher power into 8-ohms speakers
Watts into 4-ohms	300 watts vs 200 watts	Delivers higher power into 4-ohms speakers
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)	0.01% vs 0.02%	Less Harmonic Distortion
Total Analog Inputs	5 vs 3	More options for connecting Analog sources
Optical Digital Inputs	4 vs 2	More options for connecting Digital sources
Coaxial Digital Inputs	2 vs 1	More options for connecting Digital sources
Apple AirPlay	Yes vs No	Compatible with Apple Devices with AirPlay
Apple AirPlay 2	Yes vs No	Compatible with Apple Devices with AirPlay 2
Built-in Chromecast	Yes vs No	Compatible with Chromecast Streaming
Roon	Ready vs No	Roon Compatibility
Built-in Chromecast	Yes vs No	Compatible with Chromecast Streaming
Max Sample Rate	768kHz vs 384kHz	Play higher resolution media
Height	107mm vs 151mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Size, drawn to scale

Both amplifiers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.

One scale for both, aligned at the back panels the way they would sit against a wall, so the deeper one visibly stands further out.

Near-identical footprints. Primare I35 Prisma is 51mm deeper - the measurement that decides whether a rack door closes. Cambridge Audio Edge A is 44mm taller.

Inputs and Outputs

The input and output selections that are offered is an important factor when comparing two amplifiers. Here you can find how the I/O selections of the Cambridge Audio Edge A and Primare I35 Prisma differs from each other.

Cambridge Audio Edge A Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 3
2 Optical Digital Input
1 Coaxial Digital Input
USB Input:
- USB-B(Connect to your PC for playback of stored files)
HDMI ARC
XLR Input Port

Primare I35 Prisma Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 5
4 Optical Digital Input
2 Coaxial Digital Input
USB Input:
- USB-A (connect to a USB Mass Storage Class)
- USB-B (connect to your computer for playback)
Ethernet Port
XLR Input Port

Cambridge Audio Edge A Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

Outputs

Stereo RCA, XLR Preamp Outputs
3.5mm Headphone Output
Balanced XLR Output

Outputs

Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs

Balanced connections

Both have balanced XLR connections. A balanced cable carries the signal twice, on two conductors of opposite polarity. Interference picked up along the way lands on both equally and cancels when the two are recombined at the far end, so the longer the cable run and the noisier the surroundings, the more it is worth. Whether it also yields more power depends on how the amplifier is built inside - some are balanced end to end, others convert to single-ended internally and deliver the same either way.

Primare I35 Prisma Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

What's in the Box of Cambridge Audio Edge A?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Edge A:

Integrated amplifier
5-feet AC power cord
Remote control
3 AAA batteries
Bluetooth antenna
Mono-minijack cable
User Manual

What's in the Box of Primare I35 Prisma?

Here are the items that come with the I35 Prisma:

Integrated amplifier
6-feet AC power cord
Remote control (C25)
2 AAA batteries
2 Bluetooth/WiFi antennas
Two 59-inch Mono-minijack cables
AC polarity pen
Thank You Letter
Safety And Warning Notification

Cambridge Audio Edge A vs Primare I35 Prisma full specifications

Every spec we hold for both, side by side

Specification	Cambridge Audio Edge A	Primare I35 Prisma
Overview
Brand	Cambridge Audio	Primare
Type	Integrated Amplifier with built-in DAC	Streaming Integrated Amplifier
Category	–	Streaming Amplifier
Channels	2	2
Amplifier class	Class XA	Class D
Output devices	Solid State	Solid State
Released	September 2018	2018
List price	$6,499	$5,795
Series	Edge	I
Power and performance
Power into 8 ohms	100 W RMS	150 W RMS
Power into 4 ohms	200 W RMS	300 W RMS
Power, as rated	100 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 200 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms	150 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 300 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms
Minimum impedance	4 ohms	–
Signal-to-noise ratio	103 dB	100 dB
THD	0.02%	0.01%
Frequency bandwidth	3 Hz-80 kHz	20 Hz-20 kHz
Digital and DAC
Built-in DAC	Yes	Yes
Max bit depth	32-bit	32-bit
Max sample rate	384 kHz	768 kHz
DSD	DSD256	DSD 256/11.2MHz
Network and streaming
Wi-Fi	–	802.11ac
Wi-Fi bands	–	2.4/5GHZ
Ethernet	–	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth version	4.1	–
Bluetooth codecs	AptX HD	–
AirPlay 2	No	Yes
Chromecast	No	Yes
Roon	No	Ready
BluOS	No	No
HEOS	No	No
DTS Play-Fi	No	No
Multiroom	–	Yes (via Google Home app and Chromecast built-in devices)
Inputs
Analogue inputs	3	5
XLR inputs	Yes	Yes
Phono input	No	No
Optical digital	2	4
Coaxial digital	1	2
USB input	Yes	Yes
USB type	USB-B(Connect to your PC for playback of stored files)	USB-A (connect to a USB Mass Storage Class),USB-B (connect to your computer for playback)
HDMI input	Yes	–
HDMI ARC / eARC	ARC	–
Outputs
Preamp outputs	Stereo RCA, XLR	Stereo RCA
Pre-out / main-in loop	No	No
XLR outputs	Yes	–
Headphone output	3.5mm	No
Features and control
CD player	No	No
Handheld remote	Yes	Yes
Remote model	–	C25
App control	–	Yes
App	–	Prisma
Auto power	–	Yes
RS232 port	–	Yes
Physical
Dimensions (H x W x D)	151.0mm x 461.0mm x 405.0mm	107.0mm x 432.0mm x 456.0mm
Dimensions, inches	5-15/16inch x 18-1/8inch x 15-15/16inch	4-3/16inch x 17inch x 17-15/16inch
Weight	24.41 kg (53.70 lbs)	11.00 kg (24.20 lbs)
Finishes	–	Black,Titanium
Removable power cord	IEC 3-prong	IEC 3-prong
Parts warranty	2 Yrs/5 Yrs registered	3 Years
Labour warranty	2 Yrs/5 Yrs registered	3 Years

A dash means the manufacturer does not publish that figure, or it does not apply. 60 specifications compared.

Verdict

One is a streaming all-in-one and the other is an amplifier. Judge them on how many boxes you want and what you already own, not on the spec sheet alone.

Area	Better	Why
Power	B	Primare I35 Prisma has more power - 150W against 100W into 8 ohms. That is about 1.8dB, which is a small step in loudness but real headroom on peaks.
Room size	depends	We rate Cambridge Audio Edge A the better fit for desk or near-field listening, a small room and a mid-size room, and Primare I35 Prisma for a very large room. Match the amplifier to the room you actually have, not the one you want.
Grip on hard loads	evenly matched	Both behave much the same into 4 ohms - output nearly doubles (200W and 300W).
Noise floor	A	Cambridge Audio Edge A is the quieter design on paper - 103dB against 100dB. Audible mainly with sensitive speakers in a quiet room.
Built-in DAC	B	Both decode on board. Primare I35 Prisma goes higher - 768kHz against 384kHz. Very few recordings exist above 192kHz, so treat this as headroom, not as sound quality.
Streaming	B	Only Primare I35 Prisma has AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Roon.
Analogue inputs	B	Primare I35 Prisma takes more analogue sources - 5 against 3.
Room to grow	evenly matched	The same expansion options on both.
Headphones	depends	Only Cambridge Audio Edge A has a headphone output. Worth something if you listen late, nothing if you never do.
Amplifier class	depends	Cambridge Audio Edge A is Class XA and Primare I35 Prisma is Class D. Class D runs cool and draws almost nothing at idle. Modern examples of both measure well - judge by the rest of the page.
Price	B	Primare I35 Prisma costs less - $5,795 against $6,499 at list.
Watts per dollar	B	Primare I35 Prisma is the cheaper watt - about $39 per watt against $65. A blunt measure, and it says nothing about how either sounds, but it is the honest one for raw output.

A Cambridge Audio Edge A B Primare I35 Prisma
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both amplifiers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

Primare I35 Prisma is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Cambridge Audio Edge A if one of the "depends" rows above describes your system.

What a spec sheet cannot show: how either sounds with your speakers, how the controls feel day to day, and what the app is like to live with - which is where most all-in-one amplifiers are actually won or lost. Power figures are the manufacturers' own and are not measured to a common standard, so treat small differences as noise. If you can hear both, that will tell you more than any row above.