Arcam Alpha 1 & Alpha 5+ Help Needed Urgently!

[Gareth82]

Hi everyone, I'm in need of some advice so any comments/opinions would be a great help.

I've been doing abit of hunting around in the second hand market to build a second system and have come across a Arcam Alpha One CDP & Alpha Five Plus Amplifier in mint condition with remote controls for £65.00 deliverd for the pair. The seller has also got a pair of Kef Coda 9 floorstanding speakers going for £30.00

Are the CD Player and Amplifier any good and would i be best to get the Kef speakers as well or a papir of Acoustic Energy ae109's that i also had my eye on. Also would the Arcam system be a good upgrade to my current budget sony set up and do you think it would struggle to run my Wharfedale's which are 6ohms and rated at 125watts. My current Sony amp is rated at 100 watt per channel into 8ohms but seems to struggle abit with the wharfedales and was woundering if the Arcam Alpha 5+ may do a better job even though the power rating per cahnnel is lower than the Sony amp.

Any help would be great as i have got to let the seller know by tomorrow morning latest that i want the Arcam CDP & Amp as he has got other people intrested.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I'd think that if the Sony struggles with that, the Arcam will too. You need to remember that those are old amps.

The AE109's are good speakers, far better than the KEF Codas I reckon. I'd take those in a heartbeat . Keep your current electronics though. I'd wait till you can get a Marantz PM6003 or Arcam Alpha 8/9 before upgrading the amp at least.

 

[Gareth82]

Thanks for the quick reply. I thought that the Aracm may struggle to run the Wharfedale's but thought i'd ask for opinions as i wasn't sure that the arcam, although old, was a better amp than my sony one. I was thinking of upgrading to one of the marantz amps in the future when funds allow, maybe even the yamaha s300 or s500 as i know they have got a switch on the back to change the independance.

My main reason for looking at the Arcam CDP & Amp was to put a second system in my bedroom and move the ipod dock to the kitchen and thought maybe they might make a good cheap second system.

 

[the record spot]

Just bear in mind that the 40w Arcam is hardly the poor relation given the aforesaid Marantz delivers about 45w. In other words, it's not going to do a massively different job. If you need to drive your speakers at volume then you're better off with a powerful amp with a good current delivery. Aim for around 85-100w and you'll see a difference. No idea what levels you were driving the Sony at, or its construction, but Harman Kardon's HK990 will give you 150wpc but it's also around £795 - £1k depending where you buy.

 

[Gareth82]

Thanks for the reply "the record spot". I had to get the whrfedale's for now as the owner of the missions let me down and i had no speakers at the time so bought these for now to get me by. I'm not driving them at very loud levels, the bass response seems to be bad. Each speaker has got two 8" bass cones and one 8" mid but bass doesn't seem very good to me. Even if i turn the bass up to max on my amp and turn the amp up the cones barely move. I'm not sure if it's a case that the speakers just ain't that good or my amp isn't getting the best out of them. They were £450 new a few years back and every review has said that they have got a good bass response. Ive had them for two weeks now and had them on every day sothey should be run in now. I'm getting the Arcam amp today so i will try that with them and see how it is. Can you add a power amp to it like the alpha 7 or 8. Also the guy is giving me the alpha 1 CDP as it has a problem reading discs. As i'm getting it for nothing do you know anywhere that i can get it repaired or should i just re-sell it as spares. Thanks

 

[the record spot]

You might well get it fixed but cost-wise it could be expensive so bear that in mind. Equally it could be a cheap fix, it's impossible to say. On the other hand your Sony blu-ray player is more than adequate. I have the same one and it does a fine job. It's not a million miles off my Marantz player and would see you through for now while the Arcam is sidelined or till you source another player.

 

[Gareth82]

Thanks for the reply. I think maybe selling the Arcam for spares or repairs might be the best option. CDP's are very cheap in the second hand market. I'm glad i'm not the only one who thinks the Sony bdp s370 is quiet a good CDP, i've tried it with a few discs and was quiet impressed by it, i've seen one second hand for £35 so it may be best to sell the arcam and get the Sony. Are there any other CDP's you would recconmend in the second hand department. Thanks

 

[the record spot]

Well, making allowances for age, Rotel's RCD-965BX is up there. See also the easily found Marantz CD52 Mk II, Philips CD850 and of course many more recent models. Sorry, I'd assumed your Sony was available as an option already not that you'd need to look at getting another.

 

[Gareth82]

Thanks for the reply. The Sony BDP S370 is in another room as part of my av system. the Arcam will be used in another room so will either have to get the Arcam fixed or replaced. I've just orderd a I-Pod to RCA cable which should be with me next week. I may have ago at trying to fix the Arcam myself before I decide to replace it. If it's something i can't do then i will either looking at getting a half decent second hand one or another Sony BDP S370. I have got a PS3 that i can't get access to but not sure what sort of quality it would be with playing cd's.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Gareth

Don't know if you still have the Arcam 1 unit? My old remote has just packed up and I need a replacement. If you've still got yours, how much would you want for it?

Thanks

Eldritch