Primare I35 Prisma vs Cambridge Audio Edge A Detailed Comparison

Primare I35 Prisma vs Cambridge Audio Edge A

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Primare I35 Prisma

Integrated Amplifier | 150 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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Cambridge Audio Edge A

Integrated Amplifier | 100 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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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...

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Primare I35 Prisma vs Cambridge Audio Edge A Integrated Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of amplifiers. Primare I35 Prisma 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 Primare I35 Prisma and Cambridge Audio Edge A first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

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

What size room are the Primare I35 Prisma and Cambridge Audio Edge A 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	Primare I35 Prisma	Cambridge Audio Edge A
Near-field	Are you nuts?	Poor
Small Room	Bad	Poor
Mid-size Room	Poor	Good
Large Room	Good	Good
Very Large Room	Good	Average

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 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

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

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 Primare I35 Prisma and Cambridge Audio Edge A differs from each other.

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 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 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

Outputs

Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs

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 (Click the image for the larger version)

What's in the Box of Primare I35 Prisma?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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

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

Primare I35 Prisma vs Cambridge Audio Edge A full specifications

Every spec we hold for both, side by side

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

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	A	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 Primare I35 Prisma the better fit for a very large room, and Cambridge Audio Edge A for desk or near-field listening, a small room and a mid-size 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 (300W and 200W).
Noise floor	B	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	A	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	A	Only Primare I35 Prisma has AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Roon.
Analogue inputs	A	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	Primare I35 Prisma 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.
Price	A	Primare I35 Prisma costs less - $5,795 against $6,499 at list.
Watts per dollar	A	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 Primare I35 Prisma 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?

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.