Cambridge SX-60 vs Cambridge SX-50 Comparison

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Cambridge SX-60

Passive Bookshelf | 41-22k Hz

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Cambridge SX-50

Passive Bookshelf | 50-22k Hz

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Cambridge SX-60

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Cambridge SX-50

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Cambridge SX-60

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Cambridge SX-50

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Cambridge SX-60 vs Cambridge SX-50 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing SX-60 and SX-50, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Cambridge Audio.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Cambridge SX-60 and Cambridge SX-50 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Cambridge SX-60	Cambridge SX-50
Brand	Cambridge Audio United Kingdom · founded 1968	Cambridge Audio United Kingdom · founded 1968
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1" Soft-Dome	1" Dome
Woofer	6.5" Treated paper	5.25" Treated paper
Frequency response	41-22k Hz	50-22k Hz
Sensitivity	89 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	20-100 watts	10-100 watts
Weight	5.00kg / 11lbs	3.00kg / 6.6lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	13-7/16" x 7-15/16" x 10-7/8" 342.0 x 202.0 x 277.0mm	8.8" x 6.3" x 9.4" 225.0 x 161.0 x 240.0mm

SX-60 and SX-50 are members of Cambridge Audio's SX series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Cambridge Audio SX Series History

	Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
	Cambridge SX-50	Bookshelf	50-22k Hz	90 dB	8Ω	1 x 5.25"
	Cambridge SX-60	Bookshelf	41-22k Hz	89 dB	8Ω	1 x 6.5"

What size room are the Cambridge SX-60 and Cambridge SX-50 speakers good for?

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

Listening Environment*	Cambridge SX-60	Cambridge SX-50
Near-field	Average	Average
Small Room	Good	Good
Mid-size Room	Average	Average
Large Room	Poor	Poor
Very Large Room	Bad	Bad

(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m², Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m², Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m², Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m². Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.

Drivers

Both SX-60 and SX-50 are 2-way speakers.

Cambridge SX-60

Cambridge SX-50

TweeterWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver	Cambridge SX-60	Cambridge SX-50
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 6.5-inch	1 x 5.25-inch

SX-60 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Treated paper Woofer. On the other hand, the SX-50 features a 1" Silk Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Treated paper Woofer.

Frequency Response

SX-60 has a frequency range of 41-22k Hz whereas SX-50 has a frequency range of 50-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the SX-60 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SX-50's min frequency of 50Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

SX-60

SX-50

Min

Average

Median

Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

SX-60 and SX-50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SX-60 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the SX-50's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Cambridge SX-50 a more sensitive speaker compared to Cambridge SX-60, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

SX-60

SX-50

Min

Average

Median

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.

Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though SX-60 is rated 20-100 watts and SX-50 10-100 watts.

Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays on a real amplifier.

Which plays louder on your amplifier?

Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are considering, and watch both numbers move.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

Cambridge SX-60

Cambridge SX-50

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

SX-60 features 5-way post type posts and SX-50 has a 5-way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Cambridge SX-60's Post terminals

Cambridge SX-50's 5-way post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

SX-60 has a front firing port whereas SX-50 has a rear firing ports. Cambridge SX-60's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Cambridge SX-50 with its rear-firing port.

Cambridge SX-50 Port

Physical Specs

The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Cambridge SX-60's and Cambridge SX-50's external dimensions. Cambridge SX-60 has external dimensions of 342.0 x 202.0 x 277.0mm (13-7/16 x 7-15/16 x 10-7/8inch) whereas Cambridge SX-50 has external dimensions of 225.0 x 161.0 x 240.0mm (8.8 x 6.3 x 9.4inch).

Cambridge SX-60 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 41mm wider, 117mm taller and 37mm deeper than Cambridge SX-50.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Cambridge SX-60 and Cambridge SX-50 in scale.

Comparison image of Cambridge SX-60 and Cambridge SX-50 Size and External Dimensions

Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited. The base surface area of the Cambridge SX-60 is approximately 559.5cm² / 86.7inch² and base area of the Cambridge SX-50 is approximately 386.4cm² / 59.9inch². The SX-60 requires 45% more surface area than the SX-50 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:

Size Comparison image of Cambridge SX-60 and Cambridge SX-50 on a Media Console

Weight Comparison

The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Cambridge SX-60 weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs and the Cambridge SX-50 weighs 3.00kg / 6.6lbs. This makes the SX-60 67% heavier than the SX-50.

Here is a comparison of how SX-60 and SX-50's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers

Cambridge SX-60

Cambridge SX-50

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of Cambridge SX-60?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of SX-60:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
2 Grilles
8 Self-adhesive feet
2 Foam port inserts
Installation Guide

What's in the Box of Cambridge SX-50?

Here are the items that come with the SX-50:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
2 Grilles
8 Self-adhesive feet
2 Foam port inserts
Installation Guide

Reasons to choose Cambridge Audio SX-60 over Cambridge Audio SX-50

Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 5.25 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	41 Hz vs 50 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Port Position	Front vs Rear	Gives more flexibility placing close to walls

Reasons to choose Cambridge Audio SX-50 over Cambridge Audio SX-60

Sensitivity	90 dB vs 89 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Height	225mm vs 342mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	386cm² vs 559cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	199USD vs 299USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Cambridge SX-60 vs Cambridge SX-50 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Cambridge Audio SX-60	Cambridge Audio SX-50
Brand	Cambridge Audio	Cambridge Audio
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Bookshelf speakers
Power Range	20-100 watts	10-100 watts
Sensitivity	89 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Frequency Response	41-22k Hz	50-22k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	6.5"	5.25"
Woofer Composition	Treated paper	Treated paper
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Soft-Dome	Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Firing Direction	front	rear
Physical Specs
Height	342.0mm (13.5")	225.0mm (8.9")
Width	202.0mm (8")	161.0mm (6.3")
Depth	277.0mm (10.9")	240.0mm (9.4")
Weight	5.00kg (11lbs)	3.00kg (6.6lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	MDF/Vinyl	MDF/Woodgrain vinyl
Available Colors	Black	Black
Mounting Bracket	No	No
Recommended Stand Height	24-26"	28-31"
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	No
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years

Verdict

Siblings in Cambridge Audio's SX series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	A	Cambridge SX-60 digs deeper - 41Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	evenly matched	Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power.
Headroom	evenly matched	Similar power handling (100W vs 100W).
Size	depends	Cambridge SX-50 is easier to place; Cambridge SX-60 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Price	B	Cambridge SX-50 is cheaper - $199 against $299, about 33% less.

A Cambridge SX-60 B Cambridge SX-50
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 speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

Cambridge SX-60 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 50% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Cambridge SX-50 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Cambridge SX-60 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Cambridge SX-50 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Cambridge SX-60 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Cambridge SX-50 is the easier speaker to get right.

And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.