Arcam DV88

Advantages: Good sound, features and flexibility
Disadvantages: Feel of front panel and controls

...The Arcam 9 is a solid, well-rounded amp that will do mor then enough for most people. It's British made and designed. It sounds good and matches a wide range of components. Listening, it's rich and a little warm but invutes you in to listen more. It has a good set of features that includes two switchable speaker outputs, a processor loop, full featured remote control (inc source and volume) and record selector so you can record one source while listening to another. It's powrful enough for most too with a 70 watt per channel output, backed up with a beefy power supply that gives over 20 amps current. You can also esily bi-amp with the Arcam 9P. I've not heard it but it's supposed to give you a clearer sound. A phono stage is an optional extra. On the downside it feels plasticy compared even to some fairly cheap Japanese amps.... Read review

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Advantages: Warm and smooth sounding
Disadvantages: Lacking in pace and drive

...I owned and used an Arcam Alpha 8 for a couple of years, and had mixed opinions. This amp is very warm sounding,and as my CD player at the time was somewhat forward and harsh, so the Arcam was a welcome partner to it, but it really lacked slam and pace to it. Alternatively there was quite a good soundstage, and although it was a little two dimensional, it was very broad, often extending beyond the boundaries of the speakers. Detail was a little hazy, but this meant the amp could be listened to all day, without any of the fatigue commonly associated with modern solid state amplification. One very useful feature was the fixed gain switch on the back. This allowed the volume to be controlled by an external source, for instance an AV decoder. This means that when using the amp as part of an AV setup, you don't have to worry about setting... Read review

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Advantages: Smooth sounding all rounder with no problems in a powerful performance
Disadvantages: no remote control

...The Arcam Alpha One Amplifier for is price (around £200) seems to work very well with anything that you might want to put with it. Although it power rating is only 35W it seems to handle dynamic swings in music movement as well as any amp in its class I have heard. In its ambience it seems to be a half way house between something like a warm sounding Rotel and a sharp sounding Yamaha. It versatile enough, in that it has five line inputs, a tape loop and a headphone socket. In general it’s a bit of an all rounder and I feel it performs very well in all departments. Baring the fact that it does not come with a remote control, its really a very safe bet and I have been very pleased with the Alpha One's performance. I do not think there is much better for the price.... Read review

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