Cambridge Audio reveals iPod-lovin' Sonata / Fusion audio systems

Not content with sneaking a dedicated Blu-ray player into CEDIA, Cambridge Audio has just taken the plastic off of two new HiFi systems in Milan. The Sonata, aimed squarely at audio junkies, consists of a 2.1-channel DAB receiver (£299; $547), which offers 40-watts of amplification per channel and your choice of an upscaling 1080p DVD player or a Wolfson-DAC-loaded CD unit for another £179 ($327). The all-in-one Fusion (£300; $549) includes 30-watts per channel, an integrated CD player, DAB / FM tuner, USB port, an SD slot and a customized iPod dock (which is also bundled with the aforementioned Sonata). Both units are slated to hit the UK in silver and black, though the November-bound Fusion will get a jump on the Sonata, which hits in February 2009.

[lu1de @ Sep 20th 2008 8:42AM]

lookin' photoshopped

[From My Cube @ Sep 20th 2008 9:37AM]

looks like i should put this in the dash of my car

[mymaclife @ Sep 20th 2008 4:13PM]

Everything is Photoshopped - get over it!

[sefs @ Sep 20th 2008 8:57AM]

I like the form factor.

[Christy McGrory @ Sep 20th 2008 8:58AM]

Wooooooow. That's some good lookin technology. For 10 years ago.

[giuliop @ Sep 20th 2008 9:27AM]

Yeah, SD slots, USB ports and iPod docks were so hip 10 years ago, but now they're so outdated. One would hope for direct-to-brain interfaces nowadays, but you would still need a brain, so unfortunately, they wouldn't suit you anyway.

[Christy McGrory @ Sep 20th 2008 5:03PM]

No you idiot. I was talking about the looks not the technology. Jesus Christ.

[jesusss @ Sep 21st 2008 4:23PM]

what about me?

[gb115b @ Sep 20th 2008 9:38AM]

poo i just bought a Teac MD37 - the wolfson dac CD player sounds intruiguing...i guess this is aimed straight at Teac and onkyo's mini devices (all o which also have iPod docks available too)

[Cybergypsy @ Sep 20th 2008 10:01AM]

Ugly.....plain Ugly

[Wormbolt @ Sep 20th 2008 10:23AM]

We know, but what about the audio system attached to it?

[mrrookie @ Sep 20th 2008 1:45PM]

Bitches don't know about good audio equipment

[Cybergypsy @ Sep 20th 2008 10:02AM]

I heard you can use 8 tracks in it :)

[Rob @ Sep 20th 2008 10:17AM]

Is this unit for home or car stereo? If it's for home, it looks nice. If it's designed for the car, then it looks a bit too retro for my taste. Touch screen is more my preference for a car stereo these days. In any event, the features look very nice for a home or car stereo.

[YpoCaramel @ Sep 21st 2008 10:53PM]

Home unit. A nice integrated DAC, CD and amp is really useful for small places, like a small NYC apartment. Pair them with some efficient speakers and it's a good audio system.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Sep 20th 2008 10:46AM]

Nuke the Spyware Spammer, hit the exclamation mark!

[Drew @ Sep 20th 2008 2:19PM]

What software is that iPod Touch running? 1.0?

[THJ @ Sep 20th 2008 2:43PM]

Damn, I wish the Fusion had an option for HDMI and Upscaling DVD from the Sonata. That would be a fantastic all-in-one solution. Normally I steer clear of combos (I currently have a NAD preamp, CA 2-ch amp, and PSB bookshelfs), but the CA amp I use I've had for nearly a decade and never had a single problem.

[happy_penguin @ Sep 20th 2008 2:45PM]

Don't use that language in front of a child!

[zfurie @ Sep 21st 2008 4:54AM]

@happy_penguin

It was the baby who was talking!

[Ward @ Sep 20th 2008 3:25PM]

Looks like a really nice way to build a hi-fi for a bedroom/office/small apartment. Just add some good speakers for $300 or so and you're done. Cambridge makes really nice sounding gear.

[nsfw @ Sep 20th 2008 11:03PM]

Adding $300 speakers to a $550 amp would probably be a bad idea. Maybe $550 speakers on a $300 amp. Speakers are the component that produces the waves you hear after all.

[Evangelion @ Sep 20th 2008 10:06PM]

That dock reminds me of the old zune dock.

[dan2600 @ Sep 21st 2008 3:01PM]

now only if the ipods DAC was good enough to play through a home system

sorry ill stick with foobar or burning it to CDs for my audio playback.