Ask us to name our favourite stereo integrated amplifiers of recent years and you won’t find us mentioning any Arcams. Over much of the last decade, we’ve failed to be convinced by the company’s designs despite them being invariably well-made and generously specified. We have generally found their sound overly safe, which is fine if you want an undemanding and comfortable listen, but not ideal if, like us, you want to be taken on an emotional joyride (with the appropriate music, of course).
So it was with more than a bit of trepidation that we approached the company’s new Radia series of products. This consists of three stereo amplifiers: the A15 on test here, the entry-level A5 (£749 / $699) and range-topping Class G A25 (£1499 / $1499), the CD5 player (£699 / $699) and ST5 music streamer (£799 / $799).
