Arcam Alpha 5 +

Advantages: Brilliant sound quality, nice styling
Disadvantages: no optical out, just coax and phono

...I changed to the Arcam after having a Sony CDP 797e for a while. Sony are very good at CD players in my experience and I find them to be very easy to use and full of features. This Sony was the best sounding CD player I had heard. Then I got the Arcam. It blew the Sony away. I have usually been sceptical about how much difference the CD can make to sound quality (it's digital after all, shouldn't they all be perfect?). It must be the laser or the Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC) but it really did make a big, noticable difference, I couldn't beleive it. I was sitting there listening to stuff I'd had for ages and virtually knew off by heart (I remember the Manics Everything Must Go for one). I heard all these noises I hadn't noticed and there was so much more detail, the sound was simply pesented much better. It does look a bit... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Quality 'Arcam' sound - full, powerful. Remote control, phono stage, twin speaker outputs, gold-plated connections.
Disadvantages: Soon to be discontinued model, remote only controls volume, perhaps lacking detail compared to 'high end' amps

...the gain to a fixed level for the AV/DVD input (if you use it in a 5.1 configuration with an external processor; which I don't, so not terribly important to me) and a line/phono switchable input that uses a moving magnet phono stage. I've never used another phono stage, so I can't compare but my vinyl sounds alive through this amp! The Alpha range is slowly being phased out by Arcam (the 8s just having stopped production at time of writing (Dec 2000), being replaced by the DiVA range. However, if you can get an Alpha 8R at a good price, then it is defintely worth it - that famed warm Arcam sound with a feeling of prominent power is well worth the price, I feel.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: great warm deep sound
Disadvantages: discontinued

...a fantastic british amp. sofens harsh recordings, whilst having plenty of detail. deep tuneful bass, informative midrange and a ok topend. From cold, they can sound a bit harsh, but with the amp plugged in, and it left on for 24hrs sorts this out. the amp has a fantastic switch at the back, meaning it can be connected to a external av amplifier, and lets that have the master volume and which controls the volume of all 5 speakers etc. with 70watts rms per channel into 8ohms, this amp has lots of power and your be hard pressed to find speakers that it will struggle with.Despite its age, if you can find one on ebay for about 180+ id defiantly go for it as i think it can still give new similar priced amps a good run for thier money... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Brilliant sound quality, nice styling
Disadvantages: no optical out, just coax and phono

...I changed to the Arcam after having a Sony CDP 797e for a while. Sony are very good at CD players in my experience and I find them to be very easy to use and full of features. This Sony was the best sounding CD player I had heard. Then I got the Arcam. It blew the Sony away. I have usually been sceptical about how much difference the CD can make to sound quality (it's digital after all, shouldn't they all be perfect?). It must be the laser or the Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC) but it really did make a big, noticable difference, I couldn't beleive it. I was sitting there listening to stuff I'd had for ages and virtually knew off by heart (I remember the Manics Everything Must Go for one). I heard all these noises I hadn't noticed and there was so much more detail, the sound was simply pesented much better. It does look a bit... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful