Cambridge Audio L/R S: Desktop Setup & Buying Guide

Start with what you actually use.

If you are moving on from a single Bluetooth speaker, the L/R S is a straightforward way into a proper stereo system. Start with the phone or computer you already use, or build a compact setup around your CDs and records. You do not need to buy every source at once.

The amplification is already inside the speakers, so there is no separate amplifier to buy. Give the pair some space on a desk, sideboard or suitable stands, and choose a position where both speakers have a clear path to your listening seat.

Your phone. Your CDs. Your records.

Bluetooth connects your phone, and USB-C audio connects a compatible computer. A CD player can connect through its RCA line outputs or optical output. For records, use a turntable with a built-in phono preamp set to line output, or put a suitable separate phono preamp between the turntable and the S’s RCA inputs. There is also a subwoofer output if you want to add more bass later.

The L/R M puts Wi-Fi streaming, HDMI eARC and an MM phono stage inside the speakers. That can simplify a setup, but you do not need to move up to the M just to play CDs or records. The S can do those jobs with the appropriate connections.

Give a small system a fair chance.

Keep the left and right speakers at roughly equal distances from you. Aim them toward your listening position, and avoid putting one in a corner while the other sits in open space. We can help you decide whether stands or a change in desk position would be useful.

If you own a turntable, tell us the model and cartridge. The S needs a suitable phono stage upstream; that may already be built into your turntable.

When would we move up?

When your room, listening distance or preferred volume asks more of the speakers—or when you specifically want the M’s built-in streaming, HDMI eARC or MM phono input. The X is worth investigating when output and bass demands grow further. If the S covers the way you listen, there is no need to spend more simply because another model sits above it.

Read the complete S / M / X buying guide →