Cambridge Audio has just launched its latest wireless streaming speaker, the Evo One – and it’s really beautiful.
Designed by Red Dot Award-winning designer Ged Martin, Evo One is a complete solution for modern listening needs, compatible with the most popular streaming platforms such as Tidal and Spotify, as well as niche platforms such as Qobuz, Deezer and Roon.
Shaped like an extra-large cereal box turned on its side, Evo One’s four mesh walls conceal 14 individual drivers that together deliver 700 watts of amplification and 360 degrees of room-filling sound. This sonic arsenal consists of four 1-inch silk dome tweeters, four 2.25-inch aluminum cones for the midrange, and six 2.75-inch long-throw woofers – all tuned to deliver the famous Cambridge Audio sound that the company has cultivated since its founding in 1968.
Cambridge Audio has used genuine walnut veneer for the Evo One, which gives the speaker a classy, high-quality feel. Due to the natural wood grain, each speaker is unique and no two units are the same. The British brand describes the Evo One as a “visual treat”. It’s clear that it has put a lot of effort into designing its latest product and intends for the new speaker to complement and blend naturally into people’s home environments.
On the front of the speaker is a bright 6.8-inch color screen that blends an old, timeless aesthetic with a more modern one. This customizable display allows users to choose between several options, including a clock, album art that updates with each song, or a pair of virtual VU meters that hark back to the early days of home audio. Surrounding this screen is the aforementioned mesh, or as Cambridge Audio puts it, “acoustically transparent fabric that allows the music to fill the room unhindered.” The almost black, dark gray material complements the earthy brown of the walnut on the top of the Evo One, a simple color combination that doesn’t distract from the main event – the music.
Speaking of music, Evo One features advanced digital signal processing that Cambridge Audio says delivers “stunning clarity and deep, controlled bass that overcomes the limitations of the one-box form factor.” However, if the brand’s tuning doesn’t appeal to you, users can customize the sound profile with the built-in 7-band EQ, which can be controlled via the included remote or the accompanying StreamMagic app, which is available for both iOS (here) and Android (here). Evo One is also capable of streaming uncompressed high-resolution audio, which users can also access via the StreamMagic app, and also has other standard connectivity options including Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and Google Cast.
It wouldn’t be a Cambridge Audio product if it wasn’t tailored to audiophiles, and the brand has made sure that the Evo One has several wired options for those who get fed up with the thought of a wireless connection (heaven forbid). These include HDMI eARC (for TV and home cinema setups), optical digital input and AUX input, as well as an Ethernet port for a wired internet connection and USB. If you’re also a vinyl lover, you’re in luck, as the Evo One has a built-in moving magnet phono preamp for hooking up turntables – even those without built-in preamps, like the Technics 1200 series.
Cambridge Audio Evo One is available now from the brand’s website and selected retailers, priced at 1299 GBP / 1499 EUR / 1499 USD.
