Long Shot - Cambridge Audio Azur 540A Default Input
Discussion
Google's not helping at all, so this is a long shot but.....
I have a load of ceiling speakers, they're all fed from Azur 340 amplifiers sat in a cupboard together, with a smart plug controlling power. So I ask Google to turn the amplifier on, ask Google to play whatever music and the power comes on, the Google Nest Mini default's it's output to a Chromecast Audio which is plugged into the amplifier. All great so far.
I've collected these amplifiers whenever I've found one second hand for cheaps, they're really decent and the fact that they have outputs for two rooms has been great as I've been able to run adjacent rooms off one amp until the next cheap one appears locally.
Now the problem; I found an Azur 540A amplifier cheap, so picked it up and it all works great etc, except that when it's turned on it defaults into Standby mode, with no input selected. All the 340s default to either the Aux or the CD input. This means when Google turns the amp on, it doesn't turn it on, so when Google plays the Music, it doesn't play the Music. I have to go to the cupboard and remember which input button to press and press it. Far from ideal!
I have an interim solution as I can swap in a 340 that is in my Workshop and can be manually turned off, but eventually that one will be out of the way too, so I could do with knowing if there's a way to change the default behaviour?
Or does anyone in the North East have a 340 they want to swap for a 540?
Thanks
I have a load of ceiling speakers, they're all fed from Azur 340 amplifiers sat in a cupboard together, with a smart plug controlling power. So I ask Google to turn the amplifier on, ask Google to play whatever music and the power comes on, the Google Nest Mini default's it's output to a Chromecast Audio which is plugged into the amplifier. All great so far.
I've collected these amplifiers whenever I've found one second hand for cheaps, they're really decent and the fact that they have outputs for two rooms has been great as I've been able to run adjacent rooms off one amp until the next cheap one appears locally.
Now the problem; I found an Azur 540A amplifier cheap, so picked it up and it all works great etc, except that when it's turned on it defaults into Standby mode, with no input selected. All the 340s default to either the Aux or the CD input. This means when Google turns the amp on, it doesn't turn it on, so when Google plays the Music, it doesn't play the Music. I have to go to the cupboard and remember which input button to press and press it. Far from ideal!
I have an interim solution as I can swap in a 340 that is in my Workshop and can be manually turned off, but eventually that one will be out of the way too, so I could do with knowing if there's a way to change the default behaviour?
Or does anyone in the North East have a 340 they want to swap for a 540?
Thanks
I have the exact same setup with 2 CCA and 2 even older Cambridge amps (an A1 and an A5) powered by smart plugs and driving ceiling speakers in my bedroom and bathroom.
There is one possible workaround i use elsewhere (I presume the 540 has an IR remote that can power on the amp from standby) which is a Broadlink RMMini.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DPHG521/ref=sspa_dk...
In my setup it does mean a slightly different voice command. you can create scenes in the broadlink app that can send multiple IR commands, so I created a scene called Denon amp and tell google to "activate denon amp" which powers on the amp. waits for oit to startup and then selects the CCA input but it works excellently and achieved the aim of playing music by voice command.
The amps downstairs are also used via IR and TV etc so the smart plug route wouldn't work, i think your idea of swapping amps around would be a better option but I can highly recommend the Broadlink as a cheap way of controlling any devices with an IR remote.
There is one possible workaround i use elsewhere (I presume the 540 has an IR remote that can power on the amp from standby) which is a Broadlink RMMini.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DPHG521/ref=sspa_dk...
In my setup it does mean a slightly different voice command. you can create scenes in the broadlink app that can send multiple IR commands, so I created a scene called Denon amp and tell google to "activate denon amp" which powers on the amp. waits for oit to startup and then selects the CCA input but it works excellently and achieved the aim of playing music by voice command.
The amps downstairs are also used via IR and TV etc so the smart plug route wouldn't work, i think your idea of swapping amps around would be a better option but I can highly recommend the Broadlink as a cheap way of controlling any devices with an IR remote.
Edited by JimbobVFR on Saturday 8th January 18:54
Thanks, I didn't know they existed, I could maybe make use of one for my 7.1 surround setup which has the amp in a cupboard and relies on the fact that the Google Chromecast TV thing remote works through walls, it uses HDMI ARC to trigger the amplifier on and the remote can turn the projector on with IR. I can't adjust any of the amp settings without going into another room and climbing into the cupboard!
But for this I think changing amps is going to be lot easier than that, especially as I usually pay £50 an amp and that thing is nearly half that!
I was hoping there was some hidden method, like holding down the input button to set the default, or something like that.
But for this I think changing amps is going to be lot easier than that, especially as I usually pay £50 an amp and that thing is nearly half that!
I was hoping there was some hidden method, like holding down the input button to set the default, or something like that.
paulrockliffe said:
Ha ha, thanks for checking. So they had it one way, people liked it, they changed it for the 540, people complained and they fixed it for the 640. Perfect!
If I remember correctly, which isn't guaranteed, the 340a was the 'junior' model to the 540/640a. You could certainly buy a 340a new when I picked up my 640a as I deliberated on which one to get until an ex-demo 640a came up and I jumped on it. You're lucky I saw your reply, but unfortunately a few weeks ago I got round to swapping the 540 that was causing me problems for the 340 that was sat out in the Workshop. It's not a problem in the workshop because it's next to my desk and it's accessible. It's still annoying though to be honest.
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