HiFi Set AVM CS 30.3 + Audition CB 2.3, Silver

The HiFi Set AVM CS 30.3 + Audition CB 2.3 is a complete stereo system consisting of the AVM CS 30.3 streaming integrated amplifier with CD drive in Silver and a pair of AVM Audition CB 2.3 bookshelf speakers with a silver aluminium front baffle.

In Silver the combination looks classic and clean: streamer, CD drive, phono input and amplifier sit in one slim housing, and the matching speakers are included right away. All you need is a pair of speaker cables and your music – whether streamed, from CD or off a turntable.

Why as a set?

Because hunting down matching components is the real work. Here, power, impedance and voicing already fit together from the factory: 2 × 125 watts at 4 Ω meet a speaker with a 4 Ω nominal impedance and 140 watts of power handling – no datasheet Tetris, no fine-tuning needed. One slim all-in-one plus two compact speakers add up to a complete system for streaming, CD and vinyl, without a stack of components.

What's in the set?

The AVM CS 30.3 streaming integrated amplifier with CD in Silver is a hand-built all-in-one with 2 × 125 watts, a selected ESS DAC (9038 Q2M) and the AVM X-STREAM Engine – complete with AirPlay 2, Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, HighResAudio, internet radio, Bluetooth 5.0 and HDMI ARC for your TV. The difference from its sibling, the AS 30.3, is the slot-in CD drive behind the front panel; both bring the full MM/MC phono input.

Added to that is a pair of AVM Audition CB 2.3 with a silver aluminium front baffle: compact 2-way bass-reflex speakers with a 160 mm sandwich woofer and fabric dome tweeter, 1850 Hz crossover frequency, 37 Hz to 50 kHz frequency range. The cabinet made from ultra-high-density fibre material is available in gloss Black or gloss White, and a height-adjustable third foot tilts the speaker towards the listening position.

Who is this set right for – and who isn't it for?

Ideal if you want everything from one source: streaming, your CD collection and a turntable on a single, compact system. Honestly: if you never insert a CD, you're better off with the set built around the AVM AS 30.3 – the same amplifier without the drive, phono included. If you're filling a very large room, consider floorstanding speakers instead of the compact CB 2.3. And if you already own one of the two components, buying them separately makes more sense.

Our verdict

This set leaves nothing out: streaming, CD and vinyl on one matched amplifier-speaker pairing, hand-built in Germany, set up in half an hour. Silver is the version you'll still be happy to look at in ten years. We're happy to work out together at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil which setup works best for your room.

Technical data

• Amplifier: AVM CS 30.3, streaming integrated amplifier with slot-in CD drive and MM/MC phono
• Output power: 2 × 125 W (1 % THD, 4 Ω)
• Distortion and signal-to-noise ratio: < 0.005 % / > 95 dB
• CD drive: slot-in, CD audio and CDR to Red Book standard
• D/A converter: selected ESS 9038 Q2M, upsampling to 192 kHz / 24 bit
• Streaming: AVM X-STREAM Engine, max. DSD256 and PCM 384 kHz / 32 bit
• Services: AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, HighResAudio, Roon Ready, UPnP, internet radio
• Phono input: 1× MM/MC switchable (MM 40 dB, MC 60 dB)
• Further inputs: 2× line level (RCA), HDMI ARC, S/PDIF coaxial and optical, USB-A, Bluetooth 5.0 LE
• Outputs: pre-out, line-out, 2× digital S/PDIF, headphone jack on the front (80 Ω)
• Network and multiroom: LAN 100 Mbit/s, Wi-Fi 2.4 / 5 GHz, AVM RoomConneXion
• Amplifier dimensions (W × H × D): 430 × 115 × 360 mm, 6.9 kg
• Speakers: AVM Audition CB 2.3, pair, 2-way bass-reflex bookshelf speakers
• Drivers: 160 mm sandwich woofer, fabric dome tweeter, 1850 Hz crossover frequency
• Frequency range: 37 Hz – 50 kHz
• Sensitivity: 88 dB (2.83 V / 1 m)
• Impedance: 4 Ω nominal, minimum 3.6 Ω at 240 Hz
• Power handling and max. SPL: 140 W, max. 102 dB
• Speaker connection: bi-wiring capable
• Speaker dimensions (W × H × D): cabinet 170 × 285 × 220 mm, front baffle 220 × 330 mm, 4.5 kg each
• Finish: amplifier brushed silver aluminium, speakers gloss Black or White with silver aluminium front baffle
• Manufacturing: hand-built at the AVM factory in Malsch (Germany)
• Warranty: 2 years, +2 years with online registration
• What's included: AVM CS 30.3, RC 3 full-aluminium remote control, a pair of AVM Audition CB 2.3 with magnetic front covers

Frequently asked questions

What's included in the HiFi Set AVM CS 30.3 + Audition CB 2.3?

The AVM CS 30.3 streaming integrated amplifier with CD in Silver, including the RC 3 remote control, plus a pair of AVM Audition CB 2.3 bookshelf speakers. That's a complete stereo system for streaming, CD and vinyl – all that's missing is speaker cable and your music.

What's the difference from the set with the AVM AS 30.3?

Just the CD drive. The CS 30.3 has a slot-in drive for CD audio and CDR, the AS 30.3 doesn't. The amplifier section, ESS DAC, streaming engine and MM/MC phono input are identical on both – so the AS set also takes a turntable directly.

What colours are the speakers in this set available in?

The Audition CB 2.3 cabinet comes in gloss Black or gloss White, and the front baffle in this set is silver aluminium. AVM also supplies the baffle chrome-plated for a surcharge. The versions don't differ sonically.

Can I connect a turntable to this set?

Yes. The CS 30.3 has a full phono input, switchable between MM and MC. You don't need an external phono stage. It pairs especially well with AVM's own Rotation turntables, but works with any good turntable.

Why buy the AVM CS 30.3 set from HD Zürisee?

Because we have an experienced specialist team in Wädenswil who know from practical experience which combination works in which room. As an authorised AVM dealer, we set up streaming, network and phono, sort out the warranty, and have our own in-house technician, Mauri.

Goes well with

The connection between amplifier and speakers is provided by a speaker cable, the right stand is found under Speaker Stands and Hi-Fi Furniture, a turntable for the phono input under Turntables, and a mains filter supplies clean power.