Arcam launches A50 Signature amplifier for 50th anniversary

Arcam introduced the A50 Signature at High End 2026 to mark its 50th anniversary. The Arcam A50 Signature integrated amplifier is rated at 150W per channel into 8 ohms and 220W into 4 ohms. It and the accompanying CD25 CD player are scheduled to reach authorised retailers in Q3 2026.

The amplifier combines Class G amplification with a full dual-mono architecture. Each channel has separate transformer windings, voltage regulation, energy-storage capacitors, a rail-switching stage and an output-section heatsink. The Class G topology uses lower-voltage power rails during quieter passages and activates additional rails as power demand rises. Specified total harmonic distortion is 0.002% at 80% of rated power.

The A50 Signature uses an ESS ES9039Q2M DAC in a differential configuration, partnered with an ESS reference voltage regulator. Its volume-control, preamplifier and digital sections are newly developed. Analogue connections comprise three pairs of RCA line inputs and a balanced XLR input, while a built-in Class A phono stage supports moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. The headphone output is designed for impedances from 16 ohms to 2 kilohms.

The USB-C input supports PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz, while the optical and coaxial inputs accept sampling rates up to 192kHz. HDMI eARC/ARC provides another wired connection. Two-way Bluetooth 5.4 supports wireless reception and transmission, with aptX, aptX HD and aptX Lossless codecs alongside Snapdragon Sound, LE Audio and Auracast. System-control connections include RS232 and trigger inputs and outputs, with a separate USB port for service.

The CD25 uses two ESS ES9039Q2M DAC chips, with one processing each channel in balanced mode, and a linear power supply built around a toroidal transformer. Its disc mechanism is mounted on an internally damped structure. The player supports CD Audio, CD-R and CD-RW discs, plus WAV, FLAC, MP3 and AAC files on data discs, with WAV and FLAC playback up to 24-bit/96kHz. Unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR analogue outputs allow connection to amplifiers, while optical and coaxial digital outputs support use with an external DAC.