I want to keep it short and to the point. This is the best CD player I have ever had. Before this, it was the Cary 308T and the 308 and the Arcam CD92 that were all favorites until now. What stands out is detail. I feel that I am hearing everything that is on every disk and it sounds very natural too. Also, the pace is fine. What stood out first was that it sounded a bit warmer than the Jolida JD100 was or even the Cary players. (They sound dark but in a nice way.) The warmth makes it a match for solid state integrateds that may or may not warm up your source.
The remote offers the best features: Random, Repeat 1, Repeat All, and since this is the 23T version, it also tells you if the disk has it on there who or what is playing. Also, you can turn off the display if you want. Pretty cool.

Right now I am using the FMJ23T with the Acoustic Energy AEGO 2 system (the original system) and the FMJ just makes those metal coned satellites and active subwoofer sound like a $1000 system already. This again tells me how important the source is! An amp with matching speakers or speakers with a matching amp is the next step but the music is so good right now that this may be a good long while before it happens.

Refined and natural presentation. Very good levels of detail. Vast soundstage. Good bass extension, which also has spot on focus, tighness and grip. Clear, warm midrange (approaching an analogue type sound) Clear, smooth trebble whith no grain or roughness (very unusual for CD). Good levels of timing and rhythm. Top noth build quality. Proven Sony transport mechanism.

Some may prefer a slightly faster presentaion. If you do, have a look at the Naim CD5.

For the past four years I have owned the Arcam DiVA CD72 CD player. I have been impressed with this unit for some time. However, as I upgraded my amplification and speakers, the CD72 started to reveal it's weaknesses. The trebble had far to much grain, and there was a hardness to the upper midrange. So, when I had the opportunity to pick up my friends CD23 for a great price, I could not believe my luck. As soon as I plugged it in, it just sounded right. The overall tonal balance was very similar to the CD72. However, the bass was slightly more extended, and slightly tighter and had more focus and grip. The midrange was cleaner and slightly warmer (approachng analogue type warmth). However, what struck me was the complete lack of grain in the treble. It is so smooth and sweet. It also has much more 'air' then my old CD72. The soundstage is also large. It is both deep and wide. So large, that my speakers just fill the room with a magical and musical sound. Its as if the artist is actually there. The way in which the player can place individual instruments accurately within the vast soundstage is incredible. Detail is also very high, but it places musicality first. Exactly what a high audio product should do. My only gripe, is that some may prefer a slightly faster presentation with more snap. This does not mean that this player can not do timing. Infact its rhythm and timing are spot on. I often tap my heels with this player. Build quality is spot on. I could go on for longer. However, you are best to just go and have a listen, as this player lets the music do the talking. My System: Arcam FMJ CD23 TEXT DNM Reson Interconnects Creek 4330R Mk2 (for tweeters) Creek A43 Mk2 (for mid/bass drivers) Gale XL315 B&W CDM 1NT Atacama SE24 Stands (half filled w/sand) Happy listening!

Similar Products Used:

Arcam CD72, Arcam Alpha 7SE, Arcam Alpha 8SE. Rega Planet 2000. Naim CD5. Creek CD43 Mk2, Creek CD53. NAD, Denon, Sony etc...

Clarity, accuracy, attack, smoothness, sound staging, finese.

Dynamic is very very slighly muted compared to the best at this price but enough to scare me on occassions.

I must admit that I have not realised any of the strenght of this CD player until I 'upgraded' my amp. Initially, I had dismiised the positive reviews found in vitually evry Hifi magazines that I read including reviews on this website as an over exageration of the product capabilities. Boy, was I wrong. It was the amplifier that did not bring the positive qualites not the CD itself. When I change my Amp from a Primare A30.1 (Int) to a Jungson (pre/power), the whole sound changed, literally. Soundstage opened up. Intrument timbre had dimensionality and everything sounded real. Bass was there, not overwhelming but just right. Soundstage is wide and deep and everything sounded more real. Smooth, incisive, detail and incredibly flexible. Plays all genre of music with ease. Ensure it is team up with an amplifier that is capable of bringing out the best in this player. Through my Primare A30.1, the Arcam sounded bright and thin. Cymbles were poorly resolved and did not sound as real. Timbre from musical instrument were not as rounded and often sounded flat on recording that had extensive drum sequencesa; Musical instruments also sounded flat through my previous Primare. Not now though. Everything that reveiwers have written positively about this player is clearly 110% correct throughmy Jungson Pre/power. Wish this site would allow me to write a review of the Jungson amp. My current system consist of: - Jungson JA99c and JA2 pre power amps Dynaudio Countour 1.3SE Sonic Art speaker cables Audience AU24 interconnect (CD and Pre) Jungson Refence interconnect (Pre and Power) Sound Organisation Hifi Stand Unicorn isolating corns

Similar Products Used:

Arcam CD 92T, Rega Planet 2000.

Build, Detail Resolution, Refined, understated good looks and a sound stage to die for.

See lots of comments about the "poor" remote, never heard a remote of any sort that made a difference to sound quality, this follows the Arcam ethos of spending cash where the difference can be heard, apart from this percieved weakness there are no weaknesses.

Digital Nirvana, that's what I have bought into. This player is stunning in it's composure and clarity, details that were never even hinted at on previous machines come to the fore and make your music come alive. In combination with my current set up this machine produces an expansive liquid sound field in Dolby Pro Logic II, I am more than happy with it, Mike Oldfield's remastered HDCD back catalogue is a startling case in point. Amarok which was Mike's parting shot at Virgin is full of controlled, aggressive sonic energy and detail when played through the CD 23T, in contrast to the Arcam Diva CD 72T which I thought was an excellent CD spinner when I first purchased it but which in comparison sounds flat and slow. I must be honest at this point and admit that I did not listen to any other player before buying the CD 23T as I had been stalking this particular beast for over 9 months in Stereo Stereo until the price was finally right.

Similar Products Used:

Sony CDP 50, Arcam Diva Cd 72T

insight into music,

poor remote

fantastic player all you will ever require at this price level or above

Similar Products Used:

naim, sony, etc....

DETAIL smoothness soundstage build quality use

retail price bass weight

Here are my brief impressions of the player. This is my second front end update. The first was from a 1st generation Sony CD changer to a Cambridge Audio D300. The Cambridge was far smoother and easier to listen to at high volumes or for extended periods. It did however seem to give up some detail in the mid to high end. Enter the FMJ. Stunning increase in low (signal) level detail while maintaining a smooth non fatiging sound. I would not have really believed what I was missing on the little silver disks until I heard it myself. I am agahst at how detailed this player is while still being smooth. It reminds me of when I switched from a cheap stylus to a mid-fi moving coil back in the 80s. Suddenly there is more on the disk. There is no shrill digital sound like I had with the old Sony. (this was a problem at high listening levels or long listening sessions) In fairness the Cambridge was smooth also but at the expense of detail IMO. Also improved are the features of the player but this was never a priority for me. I am not sure why but this player sounds better on more of my disks than the Cambridge. I was a little surprised by this since I thought the improved resolution would cause my poorer produced CDs to sound much worse. Very pleasently surprised in this respect Now the not so good news. All the reviews are right. This player is a little light in the bass. It hits all the frequencys but just seems to carry a little less weight than I would consider ideal. Not a huge problem and I was able to conquer by re-adjusting my sub phase and placement as well as doing some cable swapping. Anyhow that is a brief review of my impressions of the FMJ 23. I'm no expert but those are my humble mid fi enhthusiast impressions. At 2500 retail I can not give this player a 5 for value but at the used price paid I am more than happy. No problem with performance 5++ Steve

Similar Products Used:

Sony Cambridge audio

Articulate, spacious and detailed Creamy smooth treble approaches analog Mid-range will shatter you with its beauty Deep, tuneful bass

Cheap 'n' ugly remote, hide it somewhere Bass is a trifle lightweight on some (not all) recordings; it's never loose or rolled off, it's just not quite slammin' sometimes (other times it's perfect, go figure)

Not much to add to all these other positive reviews. This is an awesome player for the price. In the first week it turned dozens of nearly unlistenable CD's into musical magic. 99% of the digital nasties are just gone. Only the music is left, and far more of that is now audible. Voices, whether human or instrumental, are presented with a stunning presence, feeling and realism. Each has its own space and air, which never falters no matter how much is going on. The soundstage is broad, deep and marvelously layered from F-to-B. Low level details are wonderful to hear (a chorus's intake of breath before their entrance, brushes on cymbals, finger slides on strings, audience members sniffling, everthing you'd hear if you were really there). I could go on and on, but I'd rather go listen to more music! Grab one now while they last. Unless you can drop $12K on a dCS Elgar, this may be the last ring-DAC you're likely to get. You don't want to miss it. System: c-j PV11 tube pre on Vibrapods SAE A205 S/S power, 200 wpc B&W N803 speakers Nordost Blue Heaven I/C's & biwire cables Salamander Synergy Triple 20 rack on Sorbothane hemispheres

Similar Products Used:

Mid-market players

everything from sound to build quality hdcd

2 year warranty (compared to 5 from MF) remote! for a reference series, the remote i a joke!

Was deciding between the FMJCD23T version and the MF A3.2 player. Was a tough decision but opted for the Arcam because of its warmth and smoothness of its music making to the MF's more clinical, clean and unforgiving sound. To some the MF's honesty may be a good thing but to me the FMJ sounds a million dollars to me (HDCD i a bonus!) and just marginally better than the MF according to me ears. :) This is a cracking player for its price. Do note that thi will be the last of the Ring Dacs and HDCD will no longer be available in future Arcam players. The new Diva 93 and the new FMJ CD33T will be out with new Wolfson Dacs but i think this CD23T is going to be a classic in its own right.

Similar Products Used:

MF X-Ray, A3.2, Arcam Alpha 9, Marantz CD6000KI Sig

- Outstanding DACs (resolution w/ musicality) - Build quality - Two sets of analog outs (to drive dedicated speaker and headphone systems, in my case) - HDCD support

(All nits - none oare dealbreakers!) - Clumsy remote with poor layout - Analog out RCAs too close together, could be higher quality connectors

I have the CD-23T version. It is simply outstanding. Its ability to uncover the detail in my CDs, without sounding clinical or harsh, is amazing. It mates very well with the rest of my system -- my B&W 804s are very detail-oriented, as is my Aragon amp. But there is plenty of warmth and musicality. The HDCD support is great; I have discovered that several CDs already in my collection have HDCD encoding (check out www.hdcd.com for listings of encoded discs). A good Reference Recording in HDCD like the Copland 100 recording of Fanfare, Appalachian Spring, etc. are phenomenal. Build quality is first-rate. Drawer action, overall weight and lack of resonance are the key strenghts of its build. Upgrading to a better power cord seems to make a difference, but not a dramatic one. I got a used Harmonic Tech Pro-AC 11 for it. Having two sets of analog outs is great, since I have a dedicated headphone amp -- that way I don't have to do any cable switching or introduce any other components in the signal path to switch from speakers to headphones. Would be nice if the analog outs were of better quality (they're good, just not Cardas or the like), and spaced a bit further apart. Large locking RCAs like on my Harmonic Tech Pro-Silway's are pretty cramped with the placement as is. All in all, a great CD player. SOunded better overall than either of the Rega systems, to my ear. Just more detail without sounding harsh. A definite upgrade from my Sony SACD changer. The Sony was heavily modified by Matthew Anker at SACD Mods, including new clock, better caps, upgraded analog outs, etc. By the way -- A/B'ing the same CD (James Taylor Hourglass), in Red book on the Arcam and two-channel SACD on the Sony, it's pretty much a toss up. The Arcam seems to get every little bit out of the Red book format. There is a bit more resolution on the SACD version, and maybe a lower noise level, but I think you'd need a much more expensive, dedicated SACD player (like the $3000 Sony 777ES) to really tell the difference. That's a big win for my system, because I have about 15 SACDs, but about 700 Red book discs. My setup: Rogue 99 tube Preamp Aragon 8008BB solid state amp B&W Nautilus 804 speakers Arcam FMJ CD-23T Sony CE-775 SACD changer (modified by SACDMods.com) Music Hall MMF-7 turntable w/Pro-ject 9 arm, Goldring Eroica MC cartridge Musical Surroundings Phonomena phono stage Headroom Max headphone amp Sennheiser HD600 headphones MIT MH-770 CVTerminator Bi-Wire speaker cables Harmonic Tech Pro-Silway and Tara RSC Interconnects Harmonic Tech Pro-AC 11 pwer cords PS Audio Ultimate Outlets and Juice Bar power strips

Similar Products Used:

Rega Planet 2000 and Rega Jupiter Sony CE-775 SACD changer (modified by SACDMods.com)

Clarity and detail

Remote control is too fiddly

Smooth & detailed - it's all been said before. I agree with most of the other reviews; a fine player. I'm using it with the FMJ A32 amp and they work just great together. Sounds coming through Audioquest Slate cables to PMC FB-1 speakers. A good improvement on my last system - a NAD C370 amp and 540 CD on the same speakers and cables.

Similar Products Used:

NAD C540, Arcam CD92, Roksan Caspian