Stick with Arcam or move to Naim?
Hi People,
I'll try and make this as simple as i can. I'm thinking of upgrading my current amplifier and dvd setup, all of which are Arcam products.
A70 amp, P85/3 power amp, and DV79 dvd/cd player. since moving to a bigger house, the acoustics are much different when playing cd's.
the setup sounds alright with SKY, and brilliant with movies, but for some reason, when playing cd's there's something missing.
i've got Mission M35i speakers, which are fussy about positioning, and never seem to be happy when playing cd's, the music is either too bassy, or theres too much treble, but this is not the case when playing dvd's. its really strange.
so i'm wondering, should i try upgrading the A70 to a more powerful amp, maybe the A22 or A90, (yes, i'm looking at 2nd hand stuff here)
or should i sell the whole lot, and buy a naim nait5i and cd5i combo (again, 2nd hand) and maybe get a budget blu-ray to watch movies.
i'm really missing enjoying my music, so i think thats what's more inmportant to me right now.
any advice would be welcome.
cheers.
hi, thanks for the reply. yes, i have thought about changing the speakers, infact, i wouldn't say no to changing the whole system.
the speakers, for budget models really do sound good with movies,and at my previous house they sounded really good with music too.
they are now in a bigger room, 6m x 4m, and its carpeted rather than hardwood floors. but for some reason, just aren't performing with cd's.
i've heard kef, and like them, a friend has just bought some reference 104/2 which i need to try out.
i'm just a bit bemused how everything else can sound good, but cd's just don't come together.
My experience has been similar at times, with some set-ups sounding really good with films and TV but not cutting it with the music. I think pure music is still the biggest challenge to get right and that the other stuff falls into place much more easily.
If room acoustics and difficulty with speaker positioning is your issue then a change of speaker is the only thing that will help you out. You need to demo new speakers at home. I would concentrate on that first, then think about changing your other components (much) later. I'm speaking from experience.
Cheers
Dan
maybe so.
the other option is to trade my dv79 in for a cd92 or something.. a dedicated cd rather than a dvd/cd player.
i did plug my old alpha cd player in a few weeks ago, before i gave it to a friend, and it did sound good.
Fair enough. you may well be able to improve on your electonics. Having owned both, I prefer Naim to Arcam, but changing your electronics won't resolve seaker & room interaction issues. From your OP, I would worry about that first, but obviously up to you!
Agree with Dan that you should really start by looking at your speakers. This will make the biggest difference.
Hi People,
I'll try and make this as simple as i can. I'm thinking of upgrading my current amplifier and dvd setup, all of which are Arcam products.
A70 amp, P85/3 power amp, and DV79 dvd/cd player. since moving to a bigger house, the acoustics are much different when playing cd's.
the setup sounds alright with SKY, and brilliant with movies, but for some reason, when playing cd's there's something missing.
i've got Mission M35i speakers, which are fussy about positioning, and never seem to be happy when playing cd's, the music is either too bassy, or theres too much treble, but this is not the case when playing dvd's. its really strange.
so i'm wondering, should i try upgrading the A70 to a more powerful amp, maybe the A22 or A90, (yes, i'm looking at 2nd hand stuff here)
or should i sell the whole lot, and buy a naim nait5i and cd5i combo (again, 2nd hand) and maybe get a budget blu-ray to watch movies.
i'm really missing enjoying my music, so i think thats what's more inmportant to me right now.
any advice would be welcome.
cheers.
Agree with the others: Speakers and source. The best I've heard with Arcam are PMC, MA, Focal, Dali and source would be Arcam CD17 or 37, Exposure 2010S, Rega Apollo.
thanks for all the responses, the speakers are probably the area i need to work on first, i've had them for 6 years or more now, and have always really liked the sound they produced. i think i'm going to have a few solid days trying to get the best from them, i'll try them in different positions, bungs in and out, and see what i can do.
as a little sidenote, i was considering a speaker cable change too... qed silver anniversary seems a good purchase, i think i'll try this too.
Add;-
having had a play around with positioning this afternoon, i seem to have found a sweet spot, i've put Mastadon Crack the Skye cd on, moved the speakers slightly wider apart, toed out only very slightly, and bingo! sounds amazing.
i do love these mission speakers, once they are in the right place, they do the business.
I'd recommend trying to hear the Arcam CD37 and A38 with Focal 806V speakers if you can face the idea of a wholesale upgrade. Very involving and musical set-up and, IMO, better than the Naim kit (though admittedly more expensive).
Otherwise, have you considered just upgrading your speakers? I'm sure you could get more out of your existing electronics with a pair of Focal, KEF or PMC speakers, all of which work superbly with Arcam.
Rega RP3/Elys 2, Roksan K2 CDS, Squeezebox Touch, Denon PMA720AE, Q Acoustics 2020i, Sennhesier HD595, Beyer-Dynamic DT770PRO, Chord Crimson/Chord Rumour 2