5 Amp-and-Speaker Pairings to Help You Build a Better Hi-Fi System

The Affordable Upgrade

This analog-only stereo system is a nice step up. It pairs components from two of our favorite British hi-fi makers, Q Acoustics and Cambridge Audio, resulting in a dynamic and wide sound. It’s the perfect combo for partnering with a turntable (without a built-in phono preamp).

The Q Acoustics 3020i is one of our favorite entry-level pairs of bookshelf speakers. The U.K.-based audio company released the 3020i in 2018, and they are essentially an all-around better version of the previous 3020.

They’re slightly taller and have a 25-percent deeper chamber, which gives the 3020i significantly more powerful bass despite being smaller speakers. Now a few years old, you can often snag a pair of 3020i bookshelf speakers for less than $300.

Cambridge Audio

The Amplifier

Cambridge Audio AXA35

The AXA35 is one of the best affordable amplifiers you can buy. It’s a two-channel integrated amplifier with an integrated phono preamplifier, which gives you the flexibility to add a turntable to your setup down the road.

It can also power 35 watts per channel, which is plenty enough to power a good entry-level pair of bookshelf speakers like the Q Acoustics 3020i. The downside is that the AXA35 doesn’t support Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, so you’ll need another component if you want a streaming system.