Cambridge Audio 551R User Manual

The process of setting up the 551R is first to make all the connections to your

speakers and source equipment and then set the unit up via its On-Screen

Display (OSD) as there are various settings and adjustments that need to be

made before the 551R can be used.
However before you actually decide which connections to make or perform

any adjustments it is strongly advised that you read through the ‘551R

setup’ section of this manual first, starting on page 14.
A lot of explanation is included that will help you to choose the right

connection types for both your sources and TV.

Thank you for purchasing this 551R AV Receiver. We are confident that you

will enjoy many years of listening pleasure from it. Like all Cambridge Audio

products the 551R adheres to our three core principles – stunning

performance, ease of use and incredible value.
As such, the seven 60W audiophile grade fully discrete amplifiers are kept as

separate as possible from the processing and input stages and feature a

large power supply with a low flux toroidal transformer. This careful design of

the amplifier stages ensure that the 551R can reproduce the dynamics and

scale required for modern movie soundtracks whilst also being able to

reproduce a genuinely musical performance with either stereo or

multichannel music sources.
A full range of HDMI, digital and analogue inputs are fitted. These allow the

connection of suitably equipped Blu-ray players, DVD players, satellite/set-

top boxes and games consoles for decoding into stereo, stereo + sub or

various digital surround formats.
The latest formats are supported including Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital Plus,

DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio in 5.1 or 7.1

variants. In particular support for the true lossless Dolby True HD and DTS-

HD Master Audio formats provides unprecedented audio fidelity from Blu-ray

discs.
Various HDMI 1.4 features are supported including 3D TV and deep-colour

pass-through from suitable sources and Audio Return from TVs with this

feature.
The 551R is also capable of decoding encoded analogue or digital stereo

sources in Dolby Pro Logic® II or IIx and DTS Neo:6, for a convincing and

effective surround experience from a matrix encoded stereo source.

Sophisticated post-processing of 5.1 digital material is also possible with

PLIIx or DTS Neo:6 to turn these formats into 7.1.
Conventional analogue stereo inputs allow the connection of audiophile CD

players and the like, and an Analogue Stereo Direct mode with no processing

ensures the very best possible stereo reproduction for these.
The 551R also carries a 5.1 / 7.1 channel analogue input. This feature allows

for the connection of a DVD-Audio or SACD player equipped with a 5.1 output

and is compatible with any future external 7.1 audio formats.
As well as the full complement of audio inputs, the 551R performs

Composite, S-Video, Component Video and HDMI switching with transcoding

and scaling (up-converting) of all analogue video to HDMI.
An RS232 port and IR Emitter In also make it easy to integrate the 551R into

a Custom Install situation.
All this proprietary engineering is housed within our low resonance,

acoustically damped chassis. An Azur Navigator remote control is also

provided, giving full remote control of your AV receiver in an attractive and

easy to use handset.
Remember your 551R can only be as good as the system it is connected to.

Please do not compromise on your source equipment, speaker package or

video and audio cabling. Naturally we particularly recommend our Blu-ray

players, digital and analogue iPod docks, Network and CD players from the

Cambridge Audio Azur range, which have been designed to the same

exacting standards as our receivers. Your dealer can also supply excellent

quality Cambridge Audio interconnects to ensure your system realises its full

potential.
Thanks for taking the time to read this manual, we do recommend you keep

it for future reference.

Matthew Bramble

Cambridge Audio Technical Director

and the 551R design team

551R

azur

Introduction

Before connecting

ENGLISH