SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS
    • By Type
      Passive Bookshelf Speakers Passive Floor-standing Speakers Passive Center Channel Speakers Passive In-wall Speakers All Passive Speakers Powered Subwoofers Powered Stereo Speakers
      By Feature
      HDMI Input Room Correction Subwoofer Output Front Firing Port Handheld Remote Roon Ready
      By Brand
      Acoustic Energy Aperion ATC Audio-Technica Audioengine Bluesound Bowers Wilkins Buchardt Cambridge Audio Canton DALI Definitive Technology Dynaudio ELAC Emotiva Fluance Focal Fyne Audio Genelec GoldenEar Harbeth Jamo JBL Kanto KEF KLH Klipsch Leak Mackie Magnepan MartinLogan McIntosh Mission MoFi Monitor Audio Nuvo Onkyo OSD Paradigm Perlisten Polk Audio PS Audio PSB Q Acoustics REL Revel Russound Sennheiser Sonos Sonus faber Sony Spendor SVS Tannoy Technics Triangle Velodyne Victrola Wharfedale Wilson Audio Yamaha
  • AMPLIFIERS
    • By Type
      All Amplifiers Integrated Amplifiers Stereo Receivers Streaming Amplifiers Power Amplifiers Compact Amplifiers
      By Power
      Up to 60 watts 61 to 90 watts 91 to 120 watts 121 to 180 watts Over 180 watts
      By Feature
      HDMI Input Room Correction Subwoofer Output Handheld Remote Roon Ready
      Home Theater
      All Home Theater Receivers Anthem ARCAM Denon Integra JBL Marantz McIntosh NAD Onkyo Sony Yamaha
      Headphone Amps
      All Headphone Amplifiers Cambridge Audio iFi Audio McIntosh Naim Pro-Ject Rotel Schiit Audio Sennheiser Yamaha
      Multi-Zone
      All Multi-Zone Amplifiers JBL McIntosh OSD Rotel Russound Sonos
      By Brand
      Accuphase Advance Paris Anthem Arcam Audio Research AudioControl Audioengine Audiolab Bluesound Bose Buchardt Cambridge Audio Cayin Denon Devialet ELAC Emotiva Eversolo FiiO Fosi Audio Hegel HiFi Rose Integra JBL Layer Audio Design LEAK Luxman Marantz Mark Levinson McIntosh Michi MISSION MOON Musical Fidelity NAD Naim Onkyo OSD Parasound Pass Labs Peachtree PrimaLuna Primare PS Audio Rega Rogue Audio Roksan Rotel Schiit Audio Sonos Sony SVS T+A TEAC Technics Vincent WiiM Yamaha
  • SMART FIND
  • TOOLS
  • BLOG
  1. Home
  2. Amplifiers
  3. NAD Masters Series M33 V2 vs Cambridge Audio Edge A
NAD Masters Series M33 V2 vs Cambridge Audio Edge A
x
Amp to replace
Change

NAD Masters Series M33 V2

Integrated Amplifier | 200 watts RMS into 8-ohms

NAD Masters Series M33 V2
Check price atAmazon›
Change
    
Cambridge Audio Edge A

Integrated Amplifier | 100 watts RMS into 8-ohms

Cambridge Audio Edge A
Check price atAmazon›
NAD Masters Series M33 V2 NAD Masters Series M...
Check price atAmazon›
Cambridge Audio Edge A Cambridge Audio Edge...
Check price atAmazon›
NAD Masters Series M...
See at AMAZON
Cambridge Audio Edge...
See at AMAZON

NAD Masters Series M33 V2 vs Cambridge Audio Edge A Integrated Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of amplifiers. NAD Masters Series M33 V2 is a Streaming Integrated Amplifier speaker whereas the Edge A is a Integrated Amplifier with built-in DAC speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of NAD Masters Series M33 V2 and Cambridge Audio Edge A first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsNAD Masters Series M33 V2Cambridge Audio Edge A
BrandNAD
Canada · founded 1972
Cambridge Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1968
Power200 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 380 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms100 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 200 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms
Amplifier classClass DClass XA
Built-in DACYesYes
Phono inputYesNo
Headphone output1/43.5mm
BluetoothYesYes
Weight9.71kg / 21.4lbs24.41kg / 53.7lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)5-1/4" x 17-1/8" x 17-5/8"
133.4 x 435.0 x 447.7 mm
5-15/16" x 18-1/8" x 15-15/16"
151.0mm x 461.0mm x 405.0mm

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 NAD Masters Series M33 V2 over Cambridge Audio Edge A
Watts into 8-ohms 200 watts vs 100 watts Delivers higher power into 8-ohms speakers
Watts into 4-ohms 380 watts vs 200 watts Delivers higher power into 4-ohms speakers
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) 0.003% vs 0.02% Less Harmonic Distortion
Signal to Noise Ratio 120 dB vs 103 dB Higher ratings results in cleaner sound
PhonoInput Yes vs No Connect a turntable directly to your amp
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
Roon Ready vs No Roon Compatibility
BluOS Yes vs No Compatible with BluOS Wireless Ecosystem
Height 133mm vs 151mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Reasons to choose Cambridge Audio Edge A over NAD Masters Series M33 V2
MSRP Price(*) 6,499USD vs 7,399USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
Handheld Remote Yes vs No Control the amplifier by the included RC
Bluetooth Version v4.1 vs v4.0 Higher transfer rate and range
Base Surface Area 1867.1cm2/ 289.4inch2 vs 1947.5cm2/ 301.9inch2 takes less space in your room

Size, drawn to scale

FRONTNAD Masters Series M33 V2 front: 435 x 133 mm (17.1 x 5.3 in)Cambridge Audio Edge A front: 461 x 151 mm (18.1 x 5.9 in)NAD Masters Series M33 V2435 × 133 mmCambridge Audio Edge A461 × 151 mmTOP / FOOTPRINTNAD Masters Series M33 V2 footprint: 435 x 448 mm (17.1 x 17.6 in)Cambridge Audio Edge A footprint: 461 x 405 mm (18.1 x 15.9 in)NAD Masters Series M33 V2435 × 448 mmCambridge Audio Edge A461 × 405 mm
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. NAD Masters Series M33 V2 is 43mm deeper - the measurement that decides whether a rack door closes. Cambridge Audio Edge A is 18mm 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 NAD Masters Series M33 V2 and Cambridge Audio Edge A differs from each other.

NAD Masters Series M33 V2 Inputs
  • Phono Input
  • 2 Optical Digital Input
  • 2 Coaxial Digital Input
  • USB Input:
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
Outputs
  • Preamp Outputs
  • 1/4 Headphone Output
Outputs
  • Stereo RCA, XLR Preamp Outputs
  • 3.5mm Headphone Output
  • Balanced XLR Output

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.

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

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

Here are the items that come with the Edge A:
  • Integrated amplifier
  • 5-feet AC power cord
  • Remote control
  • 3 AAA batteries
  • Bluetooth antenna
  • Mono-minijack cable
  • User Manual

NAD Masters Series M33 V2 vs Cambridge Audio Edge A full specifications

Every spec we hold for both, side by side
SpecificationNAD Masters Series M33 V2Cambridge Audio Edge A
Overview
BrandNADCambridge Audio
TypeStreaming Integrated AmplifierIntegrated Amplifier with built-in DAC
Channels22
Amplifier classClass DClass XA
Output devicesSolid StateSolid State
Released2023September 2018
List price$7,399$6,499
SeriesMastersEdge
Power and performance
Power into 8 ohms200 W RMS100 W RMS
Power into 4 ohms380 W RMS200 W RMS
Power, as rated200 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 380 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms100 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 200 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms
Minimum impedance4 ohms4 ohms
Signal-to-noise ratio120 dB103 dB
THD0.003%0.02%
Frequency bandwidth20 Hz-20 kHz3 Hz-80 kHz
Digital and DAC
Built-in DACYesYes
Max bit depth32-bit32-bit
Max sample rate384 kHz384 kHz
DSD–DSD256
Network and streaming
Wi-Fi802.11ac–
BluetoothYesYes
Bluetooth version4.04.1
Bluetooth codecs–AptX HD
AirPlay 2YesNo
ChromecastNoNo
RoonReadyNo
BluOSYesNo
HEOSNoNo
DTS Play-FiNoNo
Inputs
Analogue inputs–3
RCA inputs1–
XLR inputs1Yes
Phono inputYesNo
Optical digital22
Coaxial digital21
USB inputYesYes
USB type–USB-B(Connect to your PC for playback of stored files)
HDMI input1Yes
HDMI ARC / eARC–ARC
Outputs
Preamp outputsYesStereo RCA, XLR
Pre-out / main-in loopNoNo
Subwoofer outputDual–
XLR outputs–Yes
Headphone output1/43.5mm
Features and control
Room correctionDirac Live–
CD playerNoNo
Handheld remote–Yes
Physical
Dimensions (H x W x D)133.4 x 435.0 x 447.7 mm151.0mm x 461.0mm x 405.0mm
Dimensions, inches5-1/4 x 17-1/8 x 17-5/8 inch5-15/16inch x 18-1/8inch x 15-15/16inch
Weight9.71 kg (21.40 lbs)24.41 kg (53.70 lbs)
Removable power cordIEC 3-prongIEC 3-prong
Parts warranty3 Years2 Yrs/5 Yrs registered
Labour warranty3 Years2 Yrs/5 Yrs registered

A dash means the manufacturer does not publish that figure, or it does not apply. 53 specifications compared.

Verdict

These are not the same size of amplifier: NAD Masters Series M33 V2 has roughly 2x the power of Cambridge Audio Edge A. That is about 3dB, so it is a question of room size and how hard your speakers are to drive, not of one being the better amplifier.

AreaBetterWhy
PowerANAD Masters Series M33 V2 has more power - 200W against 100W into 8 ohms. That is about 3dB, so it plays usefully louder before it runs out and has more in hand on peaks.
Grip on hard loadsevenly matchedBoth behave much the same into 4 ohms - output nearly doubles (380W and 200W).
Noise floorANAD Masters Series M33 V2 is the quieter design on paper - 120dB against 103dB. Audible mainly with sensitive speakers in a quiet room.
Built-in DACBBoth decode on board, but only Cambridge Audio Edge A handles DSD.
StreamingAOnly NAD Masters Series M33 V2 has AirPlay 2, Roon and BluOS.
Phono stagedependsNAD Masters Series M33 V2 has a built-in phono stage and Cambridge Audio Edge A does not. Decisive if you own a turntable, completely irrelevant if you do not - and an outboard phono stage is easy to add later either way.
Room to growevenly matchedThe same expansion options on both.
Amplifier classdependsNAD Masters Series M33 V2 is Class D and Cambridge Audio Edge A is Class XA. Class D runs cool and draws almost nothing at idle. Modern examples of both measure well - judge by the rest of the page.
PriceBCambridge Audio Edge A costs less - $6,499 against $7,399 at list.
Watts per dollarANAD Masters Series M33 V2 is the cheaper watt - about $37 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 NAD Masters Series M33 V2  B Cambridge Audio Edge A
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?

NAD Masters Series M33 V2 leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, so it is the easier pick if the budget stretches. Cambridge Audio Edge A is the one to take if it does not. Start with the room. In a large or open-plan room, or with speakers that are hard to drive - low sensitivity, or an impedance that dips - NAD Masters Series M33 V2 has the headroom, and headroom is what stops an amplifier hardening up on peaks. At desk distance or in a small room, 100 watts is already more than most people ever use, and the extra 100 watts would be headroom you pay for and never hear. If you play records, NAD Masters Series M33 V2 saves you buying a phono stage; if you do not, ignore that row entirely.

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.

LATEST BLOG POSTS
Marantz Cinema Series 2 Costs 200 Dollars More With the Same Power and Weight. Here Is What Changed.
SVS Won Best Budget Home Theater at CEDIA. Here Is the Bill, and Three Cheaper Ways to Build It
Dirac Live Is on 35 of the Amplifiers We List, and Nine of Them Charge Extra
Monitor Audio's In-Wall Subwoofers Show What Hiding Bass Really Costs
TAD's New Class D Amplifier Weighs 29 kg. Only One of the 72 We List Is Heavier.
The Marantz MCR 60n Has a CD Player, a Phono Stage and HDMI eARC. Nothing Else We List Has All Three.
Kanto Replaced the TUK With Two Speakers. Neither Has the Phono Stage.
A Triode Switch Used to Start at 3,495 Dollars. The Cayin Jazz 70 Is 1,399.

Most Popular Amplifiers
Yamaha A-S301
Yamaha A-S301
60 watts into 8-ohms
Audiolab 7000A
Audiolab 7000A
70 watts into 8-ohms
Yamaha A-S801
Yamaha A-S801
100 watts into 8-ohms
Yamaha A-S501
Yamaha A-S501
85 watts into 8-ohms
Sonos Amp
Sonos Amp
125 watts into 8-ohms
Denon PMA-900HNE
Denon PMA-900HNE
50 watts into 8-ohms
Denon PMA-600NE
Denon PMA-600NE
45 watts into 8-ohms
WiiM Amp Pro
WiiM Amp Pro
60 watts into 8-ohms
Denon PMA-1700NE
Denon PMA-1700NE
70 watts into 8-ohms
Marantz PM6007
Marantz PM6007
45 watts into 8-ohms
This site contains affiliate links. We may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through one of them. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Copyright © 2026 by SpeakerDecision
About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

Report a Correction