Arcam solo mini (Better than dm37 & as good as separates) ?

[admin_exported]

I have the denon dm37 but am curious to how much better the arcam solo mini would be, would there be a good significant obvious difference in sound quality, and would it sound as good as separates for the same price ?

 

[Messiah]

I would expect the Solo Mini to sound much better. It has recently been reviewed again by WHF and other mags and even with its recent price increase it is still winning tests.

However, I have no real experience of it except for the occasional listen in the local dealers.

Maybe Chebby can advise as he has used one for a while.

 

[chebby]

garyjos:I have the denon dm37 but am curious to how much better the arcam solo mini would be, would there be a good significant obvious difference in sound quality?

You ask two questions.

The title asks.... "Arcam solo mini (As good as separates for same price) ?" How many seperates? CD + Amp + DAB/FM tuner or just CD + Amp? Are you splitting the budget two ways or three ways?

The Arcam Solo-Mini - by it's very nature - is not intended to compete with seperates. (Arcam make a whole bunch of those anyway.)

The amp section is excellent and despite being rated at 25w per channel will see off any number of mini-systems and quite a few budget stand-alone amps for quality if not brute wattage. (Remember those sensitive speakers.)

The CD player section is ok but I am very intolerant to CD players in general and Arcam ones in particular. I have heard the CD73, Solo-Mini, CD17 and CD37 and they were all a bit uninspiring. However it was 26 years before I heard a CD player that I liked(!) so you are much more likely to enjoy it than me and it will probably be better than the Denon microsystem one.

You also ask whether the Arcam Solo-Mini is better than the Denon DM37. Almost without a doubt yes. (Given sufficiently sensitive speakers and good enough quality speakers to reveal the differences and a properly installed FM or DAB roof aerial otherwise you are wasting your time with ANY tuner.)

If you are not wedded to traditional CD replay (or having a built-in tuner) then spend the same money on a £500 amp and a £200 DAC and plug in your computer and your Freeview/DVD recorder/Sky/Virgin Cable box and use iTunes and Freeview radio instead.

If I were you though, I would live with the DRM37 for a lot longer and save very hard and get a new naimuniti all-in-one and skip the Arcam

 

[Anonymous]

chebby, thanks for all your comments and I will now change my original post to include both the questions I am asking

 

[manicm]

The Solo Mini's USB is also ace, but highlights the one weakness of compressed music - the lack of bass. If Arcam allowed FLACs through USB, hand on heart, it would blow its CDP out of the water.