Arcam A5+ review

It was tricky to know what to expect from Arcam’s new spin on its Radia range. We’ve heartily recommended many members of the outstanding Radia series of stereo products since it launched in 2023, but when we discovered that the lineup would be refreshed with subtle tweaks and no new numbers – just the addition of a plus sign to mark out the new models – we had concerns that the differences wouldn’t extend far beyond the cosmetic.

Our review of the step-up Arcam A15+ amp quelled some of those doubts, as while the company didn’t go for a wholesale reinvention of an Award-winning recipe, the new model earned plaudits for taking a great integrated amplifier and elevating it to greater heights.

Once again, with this revised, entry-level A5+ integrated, this is a case of evolution rather than full-scale reinvention. The original A5 is already a class leader in its price range, but if it can eke out the same gains as its bigger brother, we’re interested to see just how much more performance Arcam can squeeze out of an already excellent performer.

Build & design

The Arcam A5+ remains a smart looking and well made piece of kit, showcasing a striking black finish accented by subtle yellow highlights around the dials, vents and side panels. It works for bumblebees, it works for Wiz Khalifa, and it works for Arcam.

During testing, we find the A5+ to be a nice amplifier to use and simple to navigate. The aluminium case is sturdy, while the overall quality of construction makes it feel durable and solid.

We’d like the two main control knobs – one for selecting the input and the other for tweaking volume – to offer a little more resistance and feel a touch more solid, but that says more about how high we set the standards for Arcam than anything else. The provided plastic remote isn’t the last word in luxury, either, but it gets the job done just fine.

We criticised the outgoing A5’s frosted front display for lacking a little crispness, and despite Arcam claiming to have rectified this issue on the latest model with a smoother faceplate, we’d still like a touch more sharpness when viewing the input sources and volume levels.

Features

This is essentially the same amplifier as before, but with some subtle internal changes. It’s still a 50-watt per channel Class A/B amplifier, which is a typical output for this class of product. If you want a bit more muscle, the A15+ is the step-up model at 80 watts per channel.

The main work on this new generation has been done in the power supply. The mains transformer has been improved, as have other key components, with the result that unwanted interference has been reduced, as well as the supply’s impedance.

The integrated amplifier will now automatically power down the DAC board when the analogue inputs are selected to deliver further sonic gains. To go with the improvements to the power supply and other circuit tweaks, Arcam has also enhanced the op-amps in the DAC output stages.

On the back panel, you’ll discover that there is a healthy variety of connections. On the analogue side you’ll find three line-level inputs, plus a moving magnet phono stage for connecting a turntable directly. If you want an HDMI input, however, you’ll have to spend a good deal more (around £1199 / $1099 / AU$2295) and get the step-up A15+.

On the digital side, the A5+ still boasts a twin set of coaxial inputs and a single optical, again capable of handling datastreams of up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM files thanks to its ESS ES9018 DAC chip. There’s still no USB-C option (a shame), but you do get a 3.5mm headphone port at the front if you fancy a bit of private listening.

One of the major changes between the two generations of the A5 is an upgraded Bluetooth module. Bluetooth 5.2 is replaced by the more efficient Bluetooth 5.4 protocol, with an updated Bluetooth chip bringing the higher-quality aptX Lossless codec alongside the latest LE Audio and Auracast audio sharing tech.

The A5+’s Bluetooth capabilities are two way, meaning you can beam music to the amplifier from a compatible source (your phone, say) or send it from the Arcam to a wireless speaker or a pair of Bluetooth headphones. It’s a simple and intuitive process – we pair our test sample with the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones, and enjoy a stable, secure connection. It’s a performance that, without giving the game away, is consistent with the amp’s considerable talents.

Compatibility

An amplifier at this level has a wide remit, and it should be able to get the most out of decent budget sources and speakers while having enough stretch to give a good account of itself with more premium components.

We integrate the A5+ into our test room’s reference system comprising the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition music streamer (£2299 / $3799) alongside a pair of Epos ES-7N standmounts (£1890 / $2850), and find that the Arcam has enough about it to accommodate what is a revealing system.

We naturally want to discover how the A5+ handles more price-compatible products, so we let it loose with the five-star Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 speakers (£649 / $1099 / AU$1580) and switch up our source by swapping in the Cyrus CDi CD player (£999), and find the A5+ to be comfortable and composed at this level.

Sound

The original A5 remains a great amplifier. Listening to it again feels like putting on our comfiest slippers, and we’re reminded of just how detailed, expressive and exciting it is. The bar has been set high as we switch to the new A5+, but after a time we come to a definite conclusion – the new boy is a clear, if subtle, improvement on its outstanding predecessor.

The overall sonic picture is cleaner without sounding sanitised, allowing those keenly sketched out instrumental textures to shine more brightly. We play Lana Del Rey’s Born To Die from our Naim streamer, marvelling at how the A5+ evokes the track’s overall grandeur while picking out quieter instrumental textures with a deft, careful hand.

The new amp seems to have a better understanding of how instruments should sound, bringing out more of the essence of what, say, a drum, guitar or human voice should be. Our attention has been grabbed, and we’re keen to see what other treats we can feed this brilliant belter.

What we discover is talent across the board. Ghost’s Satanized isn’t the easiest recording for an amp to handle thanks to its intertwining rhythmic sections and complex drum patterns, but the Arcam takes it all in its stride. The drums are expressive rather than mechanical as the A5+ teases out each dynamic shift with accuracy and intent, while its innate rhythmic capabilities keep the whole thing racing along at a fair old clip.

Our testing time only gets more enjoyable when we switch to Nine Inch Nails’ As Alive As You Need Me To Be. Here, the amp lets loose, revealing itself to be a punchier, snappier successor to the A5 and, though it may be dealing with a hard-edged recording, it does a marvellous job of revealing its core nature without over-emphasising it. It may strain at the leash, but never does said leash actually snap.

The amp is clearly having a lot of fun, but it’s not the sort of performer to get so carried away that it forgets to take care of the fundamentals. The Arcam showcases impressive stereo imaging, serving up a reasonably wide but nicely focused soundstage that gives a tangible feeling of depth and dimensionality. It’s not messy, either, even on complex compositions, letting textures breathe on their own and granting sufficient space for instruments to shine.

Those qualities and that character remain consistent no matter how we listen. There are numerous ways to enjoy the Arcam, yet we struggle to catch it out or find a blind spot in its arsenal of abilities.

The built-in phono stage tackles Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours and tracks such as Lukas Graham’s Happy Home adeptly, once again evidencing its same core talents for detail, dynamics and a toe-tapping feeling of rhythmic drive when connected to a Rega Planar 6/Nd7 turntable.

We want to see how capable the Arcam’s on-board DAC module is, so we connect the Cyrus CDi CD player to the optical input. As we suspected, it doesn’t let the side down, and we sense little drop-off in performance as Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack to The Dark Knight bubbles away with an intense, brooding energy. The sonic balance remains the same as before, with pleasing helpings of detail and dynamics underpinned by a metronomic feeling of rhythmic propulsion.

Bluetooth headphones aside, you can also get up close and personal with your new Arcam integrated via its front-mounted 3.5mm headphone port. We select the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X to be our guinea pigs – and wouldn’t you know it, the A5+ has no problems here, either.

Portishead’s Sour Times comes across as enticing and mysterious, while Nas’ Memory Lane has us feeling appropriately chilled out as the Arcam and Beyerdynamic open-backs work happily in tandem. Again, the character we hear through the speakers is retained through the headphone output, leading to a performance that we find entertaining and engaging.

Verdict

The Arcam A5+ is a delight. It may be the most affordable amplifier in Arcam’s refreshed Radia range, yet nothing about the A5+ sounds compromised or lacking in any of the key areas required to bring your music to life.

Those tweaks may have been subtle, but they’ve added up to something excellent. Versatile, easy to use and a delight to listen to, it’s one of the best amplifiers you’re likely to find at this price.

Review published: 9th October 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 5
• Build 4

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Read our review of the Arcam A15+

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