- Balanced, clear and untiring presentation.
- Upgradable and thus will outperform the sum of its parts, what more could you want?

- It's not the most solid built amp in the world, but its nice to know that all the money was spent on the parts inside rather than bling.

I have had the Arcam Alpha 9 & 9P in bi-amp configuration for about a decade now, and I still enjoy the clean and honest sound quality from these boxes and still works well considering its age. Only from 2 years ago, I do now get the intermittent left/right imbalance at low volumes but I dont listen at those levels anyway unless i needed to turn the music down for other purposes.

They are currently driving some Linn floor standers (nice high end AV monitors) with a 20 year old Meridian 200 Transport and DAC combo as the source.

The Alpha 9 amp on its own works well, I think this amp's performance is perceived consistently across many listeners, well weighted bass, open midrange and a confident treble (not clinical or fizzy). The Alpha 9 starts to lose "grip" on more pacy and complicated music at higher volumes but add the 9P on in bi-amp mode and the weaknesses of the amp are virtually eliminated and its strengths are enhanced a stage further.

Stereo imaging is good, solid, doesnt drift. Nice depth to the placement of instruments, and detail is great but obviously not in your face.

I dont think this kind of amp pulls any tricks, it doesnt add what isnt there in the music or colours the sound to instantly grab you by the throat impression at the demo room. When in 9/9P bi-amp mode, I think it is only beaten by much more expensive gear. I think adding extra 9P amps to drive each channel would further control music especially at high volumes.

Similar Products Used:

- Arcam Alpha 10 integrated amp
- Audiolab 8000A

Musical

Plastic facia! Letterings have rubbed off. Plastic knobs! Would look a lot better if the front had more aluminum.

A very good product a the price it is being sold for now. Best contender against the newer Rotels and NAD's. Paiored this with an Alpha 8 CDP and Celestion SL 600.

Rich and laid back. Took the edges off usually glaring recordings from GRP. Great vocals and a relatively large sounstage. Bass is authoritative, weighty and controlled. Made me think I was listening to a much larger amp of 150 wpc. Sweet and detailed. Highs were never tizzy or metallic. (Perhaps due to the combo as well) The volume works with the CD player's remote. Mids breathe with ease and finds the right place for itself.

Imaging was not quite as pinpoint but the overall image was relatively accurate.

Very relaxed but not boring...

Customer Service

OK

Similar Products Used:

Integrateds:
NAD 3020, Rotel, Adcom GCA

I HAVE A SHOP AND HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF GEAR!! The benefits of ownership...

Arcam, Audio Note, Audio Research, Audible Illusions, etc. etc.

cheap looking
my old NAD was much better

I bought the Arcam alpha 9 some time ago to replace my old NAD 317, which I loved, but which had finally failed after many years of faithful service.
I chose the Arcam based on its overall good reviews,
and because the other ones I was looking for were not easily available here in
Singapore. Unfortunately, here in Singapore, it is also not usually possible
to audition the equipment, certainly not at home. Anyway, I bought the Arcam,
perhaps against my own better judgement, and certainly in spite of its ugly
appearance. It is one poor design job, really cheap looking. Unfortunately, it
is not at all cheaply priced.
It was a huge disappointment. Compared to the old NAD, which had a very clean,
analytical sound, the Arcam sounds muddled. The bass falls off
suddenly where the NAD had a wonderful deep clean sound. The treble is tiring
and the midrange is indistinct. The sound did improve somewhat over time; I like
to think it is the components getting run in, although it could be me getting
used to it, I suppose. Also, the tone circuitry is incredibly noisy!
So now I have this ugly poor-sounding piece of plastic, and considering buying
yet another amp. I would definitely not recommend this amp to anybody.

(in combination with Arcam Alpha 9P)
Clean deep musical bass
Very musical
Sweet high frequencies
Portrays vocals superbly
Holographic stereo imaging
Wonderful ability to convey complex rhythms
Remains an intense listening experience at low volumes (very rare ability in ANY amplifier)
Sound quality nearly matching the very best amplifiers that money can buy.

No inbuilt phono (RIAA) preamp (or a very ordinary phono preamp on an add-in board)

My ratings relate to the Arcam Alpha 9 Integrated Amp in combination with the Arcam Alpha 9P Power Amplifier.

I bought my Arcam Alpha 9 in 2001 for AU$1400, which was $500 below the new price, having just been superceded by the Alpha 10. It was fairly involving, detailed and very musical, particularly when playing from my Linn Sondek LP12 turntable / Benz Micro MC-1cartridge / Rotel RQ-870 phono preamp, and biwired from the A and B speaker outputs into my B&W Matrix 2E speakers. Certainly a dramatic cut above every other amplifier I had owned until then. I recently bought a pair of Totem Arro speakers to replace my aging B&Ws, and took the opportunity to get a traded Arcam Alpha 9P power amp which is designed to match the Arcam Alpha 9. I tried the Alpha 9 / 9P combination biamping my B&Ws (which were about to be packed and shipped to their new owner), hoping to hear a marginal improvement in the system.

I was stunned by the audible improvements - wider soundstage, much more effortless quality to the music, vastly improved sense of tension in soft passages in the music, better bass control, the list went on and on. These improvements carried over and were even more pronounced when using the Arros. The Alpha 9 on its own would rate a 4 or so in my book (most amplifiers would rate a 1 or 2 to my ears). Adding the 9P brings it very close to a 5, up there with some of the best megabuck amps I have heard.

By the way, the Arcam Alpha 9 has an excellent facility for integrating AV into it - there is an AV input which is designed to accept output from the front speaker RCA outs on your AV receiver. This means that my audio speakers are also the front speakers of my AV system, without any swapping of cables. Works beautifully!

I recently upgraded my CD player to a 2nd hand Arcam Alpha 9 CD. I am now finding that same efforless musicality that I hear with my vinyl, coming through the CD as well, although the combination of Alpha 9 CD and Alpha 9/9P Amplifiers seems a tiny bit bright.

My advice to any Alpha 9 owner is to find an Alpha 9P and turn your very fine amplifier into a staggeringly good amplifier.

If you are considering an Alpha 9 purchase, I'd strongly recommend it, but if you can get the 9 and 9P, I can promise you that you will have to pay many thousands of dollars to get a better sounding amplifier.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer A-400
Pioneer A-400X
Rotel RA-820B
Sansui AU-417 (heavily modified)

Sound quality versus price

Build quality and durability. Don't buy this thing 2nd-hand!

This amp sold itself on the sound quality. Very lively, well-rounded, airy reproduction on various speakers. I first used it to drive my Hepta's (2-way floorstanding, dutch speaker brand), and later to drive my Vifa basis-95's. Here, the alpha-9 couldn't keep the low-end under control, so I added a delta-9 (basically the power-stage of an alpha-9) to bi-amp the bass section. Great combination, has been with me for several years. However, after a couple of years, the build-quality started acting up. There's a very distinct left-right unbalance at low volume, that couldn't be solved by the dealer. At the same time, the source selector contacts started to burn in, so I eventually replaced the set with a T+A1530R.

Simple, Good Value, Bi-wireable, has many outputs and does not look too bad.

None Really apart from the fact that it would be nice to afford Linn stuff

A fantastic budget good value for money amp and is still a force to be reckonned with here in the UK but their newer stuff somehow lets the side down with such brightness in sound reproduction. Paid £200 not 200 USD

Similar Products Used:

Sony and other cheap non - seperate stuff.

The Arcam Alpha 9 is a very smooth sounding amplifier, Sweet in the treble with a slightly rounded bass . I have found that it works better (especially at higher volumes) if a cooling fan is position over
the cooling vents which helps it to sound more taut and punchy. I found it sounds best with the new
marantz CD67SE.

Nice rich bass, which resonates quite satisfactorily.

Price, knobs seem fragile.

I listened to the Nad C340 first with my target CD (the Arcam Alpha 7SE) and found it to be a very capable amp, especially given the £270 price tag. However, I felt tempted to try an Arcam amp so opted for the Alpha 9. As soon as I started to listen I knew it suited my ear much more than the Nad.

There may be less clarity from the Alpha 9, but it produces more bass coupled with a generally richer and warmer sound, this with the factory default direct switch in.

Unlike the Nad, the Alpha 9 also has plugs on the rear for two sets of speakers, with a plugs for each left and right, which for me should be a standard inclusion.

The control mechanism is half motorised and half not. The motorised switches are somewhat loud, but will more often than not be drowned out by the use of the amp.

The facia is kind of attractive (certainly not butt ugly like some reviews have said) but this is all down to personal taste. The control knobs do seem a little wobbly at times, but care and attention avoids trouble. The price may be a little steep for this amp, I reckon £500 should be perhaps £400 at the most.

This amp resides in the following system:
Arcam Alpha 9 Amp
Arcam Alpha 9P Power Amp
Arcam Alpha 7SE CD
Eltax Symphony 8.1 Floorstanding Speakers
Cambride Audio Silver Spirit Interconnects
QED Silver Anniversary Bi-Wire Speak Cable

As a side point, when used as a pre-amp (!) couples with the 9P Power Amp, the sound jumps a whole level of clarity. Therefore, if you find the 9 amp a little lifeless, try auditioning the 9P.

Similar Products Used:

Nad C340

Very musical, detailed, bright sound, powerfull, dynamik.

Buildquality

I still regret selling my Hafler-combination. The Hafler was so powerfull. I replaced it for a AMC CVT 3030. This was spoiled money, the sound was beautiful and warm. But there was no detail at all. I listened to a left and right speaker. But it broke two times in a year, and after having problems with the dealer I was done with it. It needs to be replaced...ASAP. I went to several dealers, I was interested in Harman/ Kardon and so I listened to them in the stores.
Once I was there, I heard the Arcam A9 and was sold from the first moment. Compared to the H/K it was so much more impressive, detailed and clear. I knew that if I bought the H/K I will be never satisfied, knowing there was Arcam.
The price was much higher, but paying is just a moment to forget as soon as you walk out that door.
Boy, how excited I was when heard it at home.
I used a Denon DCD-1520 cd-player and JM-Lab DB 17 K2 speakers. The Denon is replaced by an Arcam Alpha 8 player.
Next step is to upgrade to the 8 SE.
My still beloved JM-Lab DB17K2 speakers will be replaced by JM-Lab Electra 905's. I'm still completely satisfied with my current speakers, but I want some "bigger" sound.
Same qualities, just only bigger.
I love the Arcam Alpha9 amp because it enjoy's the music.

Similar Products Used:

Hafler, AMC 3030 CVT

Midrange clarity, good bass, smooth high frequency response, musical presentation.

Not as detailed as better gear.

I've had this integrated for over a year now and must say that it is excellent. After it is full broken in, which does take a while, it just exudes music. It has a clear, slightly warm midrange and solid bass, and bless it's little torodial heart, a smooth, clear, not-too-harsh top end. The sound is simply lovely. In the context of my system (Rega Planet, Montior Audio 700 PMC) it is almost a perfect match. It plays anything and everything wonderfully. I highly recommend this integrated to anyone seeking sound better than mass market equipment offers.

That said, I am looking to upgrade, mostly because I now have the cash to do so, and am trying to find a new amp with more detail. Don't get me wrong, the Alpha 9 presents gobs of detail, and quite clearly, but there is better available. But at a price. About $2500+. Since I listen mostly to classical music, I constantly crave more detail, but without etch or harshness, and I will say that is hard to find. The Alpha 9 definitely presents it's detail without harshness. (This baby's moving to my bedroom system!)

It's actually quite telling about the Alpha 9 that I haven't found any gear - including 5-digit Krell and Classe rigs that SOUND better and more MUSICAL. Oh, sure, you get that WOW factor, but that very quickly subsides into a "what about the music?" feeling. There are some promising products (Naim, SimAudio Moon), but it is much harder to substantially better the Alpha 9 than I thought it would be.

Oh, and believe me, unless you listen at stupidly high volume levels, the 70 Wpc this amp provides is ample, even in relatively large rooms.

Overall, this is great integrated that I will keep until it breaks. 5 stars for value, 4.5 stars overall only because there are slightly better pieces out there.

A tip: combine this with a Rega Planet using Kimber Silver Streak interconnects - simply wonderful! (And no, I am not a salesperson for Rega Research or Kimber Kable.)

Similar Products Used:

SimAudio Moon I-5, Naim NAIT3, McIntosh 6850