Buying 2nd hand?

[Swordtail]

Hi guys

Hi I want to go back to Arcam. I love the arcam sound, nothing i have heard sounds like it. However I can't afford to buy new. Is it better to save up and buy new affordable brands or 2nd hand arcam stuff from gumtree or ebay ok? I am asking especially because I am interested in Arcam avr range 400-500-600 range but I have read they had a lot of update problems and I am not tech savy.

I may also want to buy alpha 10 amp and power amp. I had alpha 8 in the past and I still miss the sound.

Last question a lot of hifi products on ebay comes with the offer of buying guarantees. Is it worth doing it?

Any advice will be great. Thanks

 

[nopiano]

The guarantees I've seen marketed on eBay don't impress me at all. They look to be very expensive and based only on the price of the item, when a loudspeaker is much less likely to fail than a tape deck, for example. I'm sure you could insure your domestic products for a lot less independently, though I'd simply put the premium in an ISA and hope I'd never need to withdraw it.

 

[insider9]

I'd say second hand is very reasonable. Had Arcam A85 which was a decent pairing for Roksan Kandy K2 TR5 speakers you were asking for in the other thread. If Arcam sound is what you like A85 can be had for circa £250 second hand and can be complimented by P85 for another £200 or so.

 

[Swordtail]

Thanks for the replies. I think I would prefer to get a 2nd hand arcam avr from the 300-500-600 range. This way I can have the arcam sound and start a surround system. First I have to find our how prowerful avr in watts I need to run my proaks.

 

[Gazzip]

Thanks for the replies. I think I would prefer to get a 2nd hand arcam avr from the 300-500-600 range. This way I can have the arcam sound and start a surround system. First I have to find our how prowerful avr in watts I need to run my proaks.

The recommend amplifier wattage for Proac Studio 140 MkII is 15W to 250W according to Proac. So presumably you need each of the front L and R speaker output of your AV amp to provide half that range per channel.

 

[jonathanRD]

Thanks for the replies. I think I would prefer to get a 2nd hand arcam avr from the 300-500-600 range. This way I can have the arcam sound and start a surround system. First I have to find our how prowerful avr in watts I need to run my proaks.

The recommend amplifier wattage for Proac Studio 140 MkII is 15W to 250W according to Proac. So presumably you need each of the front L and R speaker output of your AV amp to provide half that range per channel.

I'm know very little about the Proacs or the Caspian but something doesn't seem right.

The Caspian plus power amp, driving the 91db sensitivity Proacs, yet you are not getting anywhere near what you want. Unless you definately know that an Arcam AVR is going to be the answer, I would suggest you try to get a home demo of the Arcam with your speakers. Or get a demo of a more powerful stereo amp just to see if it can drive your speakers to the level you are looking for. Or try another pair of speakers with you current amp.

You don't want to end up with an AVR that still doesn;t give you your nirvana.

 

[kikiso]

I've recently purchased a 3 channel Arcam FMJ P25 so that I could drive my front speakers. I was previously driving just the left and right via a Rega Elicit-R and not bothering with the centre speaker, so when the Arcam went on sale I purchased it at very reasonable money. I replaced the Rega, and although the Rega is a very good amp, the Arcam despite it's age is better for both movie and music IMO. I would love to buy new Arcam, but given the price difference and the fact that the Arcam seems indestructable, I'm really happy with my purchase.

My rear speakers are still being driven directly from my Pioneer AVR and I don't plan to add another Arcam on the basis that I get acceptable sound and don't have the room for another power amp anyway.