I would also like to add that the transport on this CD player needs improvement. Currently, Arcam uses a SONY (that's right "Sony") transport which is extremely succeptable to external bumps and vibrations. Other than that, I believe that it is an excellent CD player for the money.

I bought an Alpha 7 a month ago. After a couple of weeks, I realised that the error correction circuitry was not working properly. I brought it back and got it replaced. The next thing I know, the 'skip back' button acts as a 'fast forward'! I decided to get my money back. A Sales Manager of Arcam Canada called me to ask me to give Arcam another chance, that I had bene terribly unlucky, etc. Now, the Alpha 7 does have the best sound I have heard for this price. It beats the Marantz 63se, NAD 514, Rotel RCD950 very easily, in detail and colour.

I have had an Arcam Alpha Plus player for four and a half years and I swear by it. It`s an honest, simple, great machine. The remote is one of the best parts... it works from behind newspapers, off walls, and down the hall!

I have just read Bob's review of the Arcam Alpha 7 and I will definitly agree that the unit is a GREAT bargain!!! It's a terrific sounding player and just shows how far digital has come in just a few months time even.
However, I will tend to disagree with his findings concerning the Alpha 7 vs the Rega Planet player. Ironically, I even probably listened to the same player he did in my evaluations. I sat and auditioned the Alpha 7 against the Rega at Audio Advice in Raleigh, NC for over 3 hours! The differences were apparant and Bob touched on many. The Alpha is a more open player on first listen and seems to let go of the notes with ease. Upon further listening however, it became apparent that the Alpha was a bit more harsh then the Rega and was not quite as non fatiquing as the Planet. At first, I thought this was due to the fact that the Planet might be obscuring some information but after further listening, I realized that the Rega had a more laid back performance WITh/out loss of detail and the presentaiton appeared to be more rich in nature. The Arcam was just not as smooth.

Both are excellent players but the ergonomics of the Planet wins hands down as well. It just SEEMS like a damn well built unit. The Alpha had one thing going for it as well. It was ugradable to the Alpha 8 and 9! Now, when listening to the Alpha 8 in comparison to the Planet and the 7, there was no comparison! The Alpha 8 won hands down! But at $1000 that is a heavy price increase. The upgrade can be had for the price difference between the two units but by the time this happens, I believe DVD and the 24bit format will be standard (Alpha 9 is 24bit but also BIG MONEY). I will also disagree with the assessment tht the Alpha 7 is not much worse than the Alpha 8; I heard a MAJOR difference between these two units! The 8 is a GREAT player and probably the best I have heard for under a 1000.

Whatever the case, the Alpha 7 is a great deal and over $100 less than the Planet. BOth are great players but all in all, the Planet seemed the better of the two if you are willing to spend the extra $$$.

kh

Not as detailed as some, not pretty, has developed a bit of transport noise over time (doesn't appear to have affected the sound though).

I've enjoyed my 2 and a half years with the Arcam 7 CD player - it's been a capable performer, and whilst originally purchased as front-end to an Arcam 7R and Tannoy M20 speakers, I've moved on a lot from there.

Until very recently, each upgrade has revealed the A7 to be a far more capable machine than I'd given it credit for. In the context of its price range, it was a bargain and a star performer. However, my current setup:

Crimson pre- and 640D 200w hicurrent monoblocks
Neat Petite/Gravitas subs
Linn LP12/Cirkus/Lingo/Aro/Asaka plus external phono stage
Mana support system (Phase 5 under electronics, Phase 6 under LP12)

...is an extremely revealing setup, and in this context the A7 struggles. It still shines, only with enthusiasm rather than ability. The LP12 is so much more musical, detailed and with better pace, rhythm and timing, that the CD player is shown up to be what it is - a cheap and cheerful, entry-to-mid-range consumer audio player.

The addition of the Mana support system supercharges the capability of this player to the extent that it sounds better at Phase 6 than almost any player I have heard on other stands - however, it still fails to reach the musicality of the LP12 and that is the next step for me.

The A7 has recently developed a small amount of transport noise with some discs, although it doesn't seem to have affected its sound quality in any way. However, I suspect that perhaps the transport is therefore on the way out.

Arcam hit upon a good formula with this player, and I applaud them for it; however, technology has moved on and so must I, so I will soon be auditioning the latest generation of CD players from people like Resolution Audio, Naim, Sim Audio, etc., but maintain to this day that I am going to have to spend in the thousands rather than hundreds to improve on this player enough to justify the change.

Similar Products Used:

Naim CD3.5, CD5, cheaper DVD players, etc.

Great Sound for the $$

Can't read CDs, can't fast forward, can't skip tracks

I got this player for the sound, and the option to upgrade, I listened to the 8se and the 9, which were nicer. The problem I have is this thing can't read about half the cd's I put in it. it might play most of the tracks, but there's usually one or two that it won't play. this happens w/cd's new out of the box. The funny thing is, when I play these cd's on other players, boom boxes, computers or car stereos, I get to hear all the tracks. It's only the crappy arcam machine that can't get it right. I took it back to the dealer, they sent it to arcam, who replaced some parts (including the dac module, i believe) and the problem persisted. Now it's out of warranty. There's no way I would upgrade to the 9 or the 8se, given I'd still be stuck with this horrible transport. I don't know if this is a design problem, or if I just got a defective unit. So I'll give it 1 stars. (4 for the sound, 0 for the performance as a transport, 0 for arcam's failure to solve the problem or replace the player)

Hail Britannia!

Similar Products Used:

Rega planet, cal

Scouting for a new CD player to replace my existing NAD 510 took me thru' auditing Marantz CD63MKII, RCD-971, RCD-991, ARCAM 8SE & 9. I've short-listedARCAM 8SE & RCD-991 (I did not explore RCD-991 further due to "BAD" salesman). I really like the ARCAM 8SE (considering ARCAM 9 price is astronomical), especially when the other CD players sound "bad" after listened to it. The mid-band details,dynamism and presentation of the vocal is hard to resist. When listening to Rachmaninov 2nd symphony (Decca record), you can almost hear each individual instrutment and the musical scale makes it a totally new experience. But alas, the price of ARCAM 8SE is not exactly the budget I have in mind for a CD player.

Then came ARCAM 7, I was a bit skeptical if I should even bother to audit this CD player. The salesman manage to convinced me its good bargain especially when the upgrade cost from 7 to 9 is the same 8SE to 9 (is that true? I will know when the time come..). After all, 7 is marginally more than half the price of 8SE. The audition result was pleasent enough, but I was still lukewarm about it. I finally bought it on consideration that I can upgrade it in the future if I didn't like it. The salesman said that might even workout more economical than buying ARCAM 9 straight.

Brought it home and hooked it up to my system; Cyrus 3I & Cyrus Power Bi-amping Rogers GS1 speakers. Surprise!!! Even without running in, I can hear immediate improvement! The sound is more open, better sound staging, clarity improvement is most significant and best of all bass is tighter with lower extension. However, harsness in some recording hidden by the NAD now can be heard. This is the next most satisfying buy after my cyrus amps.

I give 4 stars only because my heart still belongs to 8SE.

rich sound

poor, very poor, shame build quality. Not exactly for more complex music.

First I would like to remind some reviewers that this page is not for amp Arcam 7.
Second- I do apologize, because I don't have this player... but would like to send my opinion. I have seen and heard it.

Anyway, the sound of this player is good, no doubt. Altough it loses control, from time to time, on classic music (try it on higher level with Mahler, Tzchaikovsky...).

But let me ask a question to the Arcam's company:
Dear owners of Arcam, how much is your profit per every single product which is produced by your company?! 50 per cent, 100 or... ?! Cut off the price or improve your "british made" build quality! Don't tell us that all the money are invested into the sound!
Your products aren't made for the show rooms or for What Hi-Fi? magazin's tests!!!

Thanks!

I just upgraded my system from a cheap Kenwood receiver and Technics CD player to the Arcam Alpha 7R amp and Alpha 7 Cd player. This amp is one of the most detailed, dynamic, and tonally accurate amps I've ever heard, especially at $549. I'm in heaven. Even CDs from 1968 sound incredible. I using them with Paradigm Mini Monitors with Straightwire Quartet speaker cable and Nordost Magic 1 interconnects. I couldn't be happier. Five unqualified stars.

I just bought this CD player along with an Alpha 7 amp and Paradigm Mini Monitor speakers. I listened to the Marantz PM17 amp and CD17 CD player, and the Rotel RA985 amp and RD971 CD player, and I thought the Arcam blew the others away. They sound more dynamic and detailed and less compressed with more natural tonal balance than the others and they cost $1050 versus $1200 for the Rotel and $220 for the Marantz. I'm quite happy. The only thing is the Arcam amp is voiced very warm, so I have to turn the bass down and the treble up. All my CDs have never sounded so good.Five stars.