Arcam Alpha Vs DIVA My Experience

[admin_exported]

So for a while I have seen alot of arguments for and against the DIVA amplifiers from arcam. So I decided to take my Alpha 9 and my A70 head to head. The common thought is that the A70 is boring. I must say it does have a neutrality that whilst making a great all round amplifier for many musical styles, does make the partnering kit choose ever more important. It's got a very present but not over powering treble and contrary to some reviews a strong mid and bass drive. It carries a tune with a separated clarity that will compliment even a muddled recording yet dosn't rob it of it's soul. However this amp is at times lacking in the art of dragging up all those background sounds. Those extra quiet layered sounds can sometime get lost in the mix a bit. But on the whole a very clear and pleasant amp that shines with vocals and electric guitars as well as a tuba or drum kit. Also a stunning phono preamp. The alpha9 is a completely different animal. It's got a skill for digging up detail and those dynamic sounds at the back of a mix. It's got a less prominent bass and more low-mid to give music a laid back and composed feel. But the amp can still rumble your floorboards when necessary. Unlike the A70 it's treble is very relaxed and much more settled into the mix. Which robs it of some of the definition the DIVA has. It also struggles with Attack on the kick on the likes of Prince-cream or the gorrilaz demon days. It has a muddled feeling at times in comparison even on the more composed speakers. That said it has something much more valuable. It has an ability to make you tap your feet. An ability I can't quantify or even describe. It has a wide sound stage that's balanced and makes placing instruments in a mix easy as if you were there. phono stage not a patch on the DIVAs but better than most. So which is the better amplifier. Well if you have the luxury of having no speakers and are buying the amp first it has to be the DIVA. It's extra inputs and phono stage make it the perfect base for a modern HiFi. Its also simply more detailed and You can choose an exciting speaker for a good balanced system. I paired mine with a pair of heybrook speakers but it ran with my ruark sabres just as well. But if it's an upgrade your after, and unless you have speakers that are a bit brash the choice has to be the Alpha9. It's more likely to flatter Most speakers as a whole. I now use a bi-amp setup with the A70 and a p9 which is very nice. And as always trust your ears.

 

[plastic penguin]

I did a similar comparison between my A65+ and Alpha 7R. I found that.... well have a read for yourself.

http://community.whathifi.com/forums/t/109428.aspx