T3 Exclusive: Cambridge Audio reveals the Sonata and Fusion hifis

Posted by Luke Peters on Fri 19 Sep 2008

New docks wow T3 at the Milan Top Audio show

Cambridge Audio has today stamped its size 14 audiophilic feet in the compact hifi market with two cracking systems. Showing off a new direction for its kit and brand at the Milan Top Audio show, the Fusion and Sonata are fully integrated hifis, each with their own bespoke iPod dock.

Prefer docking your 'pod in your pants? Check out our gallery of crazy iPod docks.

The Sonata, aimed at audio buffs, comes as a two-part separates system. The 2.1 DAB receiver (DR30 - £299), which also brags an FM radio configuration (AR30 - £229), boasts 40 watts per channel and is generously lavished with brushed aluminium that looks smooth in our pics and better in the flesh. Complementing the AV receiver is your choice of an upscaling 1080p HDMI DVD player (DV30 - £179) or Wolfson-DAC-loaded CD unit (CD30 - £179).

Both are equipped to take the full force of Cambridge Audio's brand new and specially built iPod dock that uses a bespoke technology - similar to that in noise cancelling headphones - to eliminate unwanted signal noise and improve MP3 sound clarity.

Matthew Bramble, technical director at Cambridge Audio told T3: "The move to enter this market is to show people that integrated iPod docks aren't always the best choice for iPod sound quality. We see the Sonata and Fusion as stepping stones for people to get into decent hifi and really improve the sound of their digital music collection.

Non Apple-ites will breath a sigh of relief to find a front-mounted line-in for attaching other players.

At the all-in-one end of the market, the Cambridge Audio Fusion sets pulses racing with a heavy hitting hifi combo for under £300. Churning out 30w per channel, the amp has an integrated CD player, DAB/FM tuner, USB port and SD card sockets and MP3/WMA playback compatibility from CD. Like its older brother, Fusion also sports that bespoke iPod dock that charges the player while tethered.

Both are available in silver and black, with the Fusion launching in November and the Sonata arriving on UK shores in February 2009.

Link: Cambridge Audio