Arcam solo mini performance

macipod

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Hi ive just returned my fatman 252 amp then the cd tray brock on my arcam cd player well over £100 to get fixed, what are peoples thoughts on the solo mini would the sound quality be alot poorer the the fatman i like to listen to jazz and blues hope this makes sense as i am using my phone for this post thanks
 

John Duncan

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I have heard the Mini and liked it a darn sight more than any dedicated Arcam amplifier I've heard recently - I think it looks like a bit of a bargain. Stick top notch speakers on it.............
 
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Anonymous

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i have not heard it myself but i know another well respected hifi mag (yes andrew there are others ;-) gave it a sterling review and said that if they had £3000 to spend to create the best complete (source, amp, tuner) hi-fi system they would buy the arcam solo mini and pair it with £2400 worth of speakers - it really is THAT good!
 

iburnell

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I too am interested in the Solo Mini and have been reading the good reviews. I currently have Denon DM31 with Quad 11L speakers in a small room and have for a while been wanting to upgrade the source. I very much like the 11L's sound (originally retailed at £380) and hope they will be good match for the Mini

Just waiting to get a free r-dock thrown in - Billy Vee are doing this but only if you buy the system with speakers :)
 

drummerman

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[quote user="ifitsoundsgoodlistentoit"]i have not heard it myself but i know another well respected hifi mag (yes andrew there are others ;-) gave it a sterling review and said that if they had £3000 to spend to create the best complete (source, amp, tuner) hi-fi system they would buy the arcam solo mini and pair it with £2400 worth of speakers - it really is THAT good![/quote]

What a lot of rubbish. Yes I've heard it and did so with interest as I'm still looking for an all-in-one for another place and have'nt had a chance to listen to primares product yet. It's a lovely neat solution for someone that does'nt want clutter but it is no 'giant killer'. I really dont know why the hype. Fair play, you get a DAB tuner, player and amp for 600 quid and thats exactly how it sounds. Arcam are not going to do themselves out of business by making a product thats better than their best separates. That and 25w are not going very far if ever so often you want to replicate a live band in your living room unless you match speakers carefully. To be fair, it sounds on par with the solo though in my opinion thats not exactly a glowing recommendation for the latter and imo simply means its a fair priced product for what it is.
 
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Anonymous

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[quote user="drummerman"]

What a lot of rubbish. [/quote]

no, its not a load of rubbish. Hi-Fi choice(sorry for swearing andrew) , the magazine i have paraphrased in my reply are one of the most respected hi-fi magazines around and all their staff are equally well respected. Who are you to rubbish what they say? why is you your opinion more valid than theirs? why does your opinion hold more weight than people who review hi-fi for a living?

fair enough if you dont agree with what they have said about a product. however, to simply discount someones well respected opinion in favour of your own simply screams arrogance!
 

Andy Clough

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Keep it up folks. Nothing like a lively debate!
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Andrew Everard

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Just amazed that Choice said that about the Solo Mini. If it had been one of the really bonkers mags I would have understood it, but...

I mean the Solo Mini's OK if you like that kind of thing - insert masive IMHO disclaimer at this point - but there are limits.
 

Clare Newsome

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Well, quite. I mean we think the Solo Mini is a superb, five-star system for the money. But £2,400 speakers?! (Mind you, it's been shown with pricier - as we reported here, with pics...)
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drummerman

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[quote user="ifitsoundsgoodlistentoit"][quote user="drummerman"]
What a lot of rubbish. [/quote] no, its not a load of rubbish. Hi-Fi choice(sorry for swearing andrew) , the magazine i have paraphrased in my reply are one of the most respected hi-fi magazines around and all their staff are equally well respected. Who are you to rubbish what they say? why is you your opinion more valid than theirs? why does your opinion hold more weight than people who review hi-fi for a living?
fair enough if you dont agree with what they have said about a product. however, to simply discount someones well respected opinion in favour of your own simply screams arrogance[/quote]

actually ... scepticism. Dont believe everything you read and perhaps get yourself to a dealer and have a listen to it. We had this sort of hype many times before ... remember the pioneer A400, early Marantz KI Sigs and not so long ago ... the solo full size. Time can be very unkind, flavour today, old news tomorrow. I did'nt say its a bad product if you like/need that sort of thing but if they can't find a better way of spending 3k on hifi they are in the wrong job and if you blindly believe what they say without having a go at auditioning the thing in question you should change your hobby mate.
 

drummerman

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Perhaps I should have left out the 'what a lot of rubbish' and use imo instead. Thats what got you worked up in the first place I'd guess. My apologies. As always, just an opinion.
 

fr0g

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MMM must admit I think Drummerman is mad to apologise. I like Arcam amplification... I like Arcam.
The mini is nice, but it's simply a budget Arcam amp and CD player in a small box... Nice.... But no giant killer. I'd rather have an A70 and a CD73, if I had to choose.
It just goes to show that magazine reviews are no more indicative than personal recommendations...
 

Clare Newsome

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[quote user="fr0g"]
It just goes to show that magazine reviews are no more indicative than personal recommendations...[/quote]

I'd instead say it goes to show that you - and we - disagree with a bizarre statement by another magazine that a @£600 system should be paired with £2400 speakers.
 

Alec

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[quote user="Clare Newsome"][quote user="fr0g"]
It just goes to show that magazine reviews are no more indicative than personal recommendations...[/quote]

I'd instead say it goes to show that you - and we - disagree with a bizarre statement by another magazine that a @£600 system should be paired with £2400 speakers.
[/quote]

Sorry clare, but you're indulging in pointless and gratuitous sniping now. I'm sure there have been many reviews in whf?s&v that many have disagreed with, and they may even have just gone with a "personal reccommendation" and been quite happy. Most of us here buy the mag, we're here at the forums, so relax.
 

John Duncan

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[quote user="Clare Newsome"]I'd instead say it goes to show that you - and we - disagree with a bizarre statement by another magazine that a @£600 system should be paired with £2400 speakers.ÿ[/quote]

Agreed, nonsense. £1k tops
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fr0g

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[quote user="Clare Newsome"][quote user="fr0g"]
It just goes to show that magazine reviews are no more indicative than personal recommendations...[/quote]

I'd instead say it goes to show that you - and we - disagree with a bizarre statement by another magazine that a @£600 system should be paired with £2400 speakers.
[/quote]

no no. Much as I enjoy WHF AND Hi-Fi Choice AND other mags. I dont always agree with the findings. For me it's no more than an interesting read. Yes it's nice to see your own product reviewsed well, but in the end it's more what you feel yourself.
And in the long run, I tend to think personal recommendations have been more on the money, than magazine reviews. (Many of which have admittedly been influenced by such).
 
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Anonymous

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just for the record guys - i never said that i either agreed or disagreed with what HFC have said about this product. i merely provided what their opinion of the product was in an effort to help the OP!

drummerman - you seem to think that i believe everything i see/hear/read yet i can assure you i always maintain a healthy amount of scepticism. not sure what you mean about the A400 and Marantz KI sig products though... there isnt anything wrong with the A400 (i know i have one as does my dad). Popularity of a product is not (always) a bad thing and going against the grain because you are too cynical is not healthy either...
 
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Anonymous

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just so i dont misrepresent what HFC have said about the solo mini here is a quote from their reveiw:
"Now that may seem an odd pairing - a £2,100 speakerwith a £650 mini-system? On the contrary, we found ourselves drawn inescapably to the conclussion that, with a budget of two to three thousand pounds, a Mini, plus the best loudspeakers one can find, is still an eminently sensible choice. After all, the Mini isnt just competent: it is, in its context, stunning."
 

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