Why is Arcam so controversial?

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JoelSim

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matthewpiano:Actually, I think the Honda/Arcam analogy works pretty well. Honda = well engineered, mostly understated and very reliable cars. Arcam = well engineered, mostly understated and very reliable cars. Trouble is I'd always go for a VW Group car...

But in the right system, it can be very good indeed ie Williams-Honda, or the fast superhatch!
 
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Anonymous

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plastic penguin:
manicm:I don't get it either, if anything NAD is more controversial.

Not on this forum it isn't. . .

In the spirit of pantomime season:

"Oh yes it is"

emotion-5.gif
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew Everard:Y'see, before this thread kicked off, I would've said Arcam was one of the least controversial brands on the market...

Irrespect of the thread title, in this view almost every brand isn't controversial most of the time. Arcam just has a name for being boring.
 
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Anonymous

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Cypher:Eddie Pound:

Arcam?

It's just boring.

zzzzzzzz

My opinion also. Arcam doesn't let you enjoy your music, it sounds so lame.

It's as if Arcam are the Teleban of Hi-Fi. Typically the sound is incredibly flat and lacking in presence or bass substance.

That a company would engineer products to deliberately remove the fun from music is almost fascinating. Who are these people and what kind of music do they think we should all be listening to? That people would spend hundreds of pounds purchasing equipment simply because there are no 'nasties' or rough edges to the sound is also fascinating.

I have Alpha range equipment hooked up to some 685's, but I've heard the Diva range with all sorts of speakers and it's all been dull.

It IS possible to make the sound more exciting, more musically sympathetic, but only after perfecting speaker placement and with the right interconnects (Nordost Blue Heavens have made the biggest difference for me). Why anyone would go to all this bother though given all the other choices... although in my experince NAD aren't that much better.
 

drummerman

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Mmmh ... There was one occasion recently where I personally would have chosen Arcam's FMJ38 over the Roksan K2 and a couple of other brands. They're not all bad and sometimes its good to have something with little character, to much of which can become irritating in the long run. I think it's a relatively subtle sounding amplifier with more transparency than many of the usual suspects. To hear that it is possible to have good drive too in addition to even more transparency you only have to listen to the Flying Mole's integrated at £1000. Unfortunately, no r/c and only a few inputs. Which brings me back to the A38. Perhaps a little bit to expensive by a couple of hundred pounds but not a bad amplifier if partnered sympathetically. No different to any other hifi. Just my opinion.

regards
 

JoelSim

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Captain Destructo:Cypher:Eddie Pound:
Arcam?

It's just boring.

zzzzzzzz

My opinion also. Arcam doesn't let you enjoy your music, it sounds so lame.ÿ

ÿ

ÿ

It'sÿasÿifÿArcam are the Teleban of Hi-Fi.ÿÿTypically theÿsound is incrediblyÿflat andÿlacking in presence or bass substance.ÿ

That a companyÿwould engineerÿproductsÿto deliberately remove the fun from music is almost fascinating.ÿWho are these people and what kind of music do they think we should all beÿlistening to? That people would spend hundreds of pounds purchasing equipment simply because there are no 'nasties' or rough edgesÿto the sound is also fascinating.

I have Alpha range equipment hooked up to some 685's, but I'veÿheard the Diva range with all sorts ofÿspeakers and it's allÿbeenÿdull.ÿ

ÿIt IS possible to make the sound more exciting, more musically sympathetic,ÿbut only after perfecting speaker placement and with the right interconnects (Nordost Blue Heavens have made the biggest difference for me).ÿ Why anyone would go to all this bother though given all the other choices... althoughÿin my experinceÿNAD aren't that much better.

ÿ

ÿ

ÿ

You don't have a clue

ÿ
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Maybe you're taste in music is very different and maybe you listen for different reasons.

...but I think I've heard enough of Arcam amplification at least to have a clue (the WHF A38 review was spot on and could apply to any of the amps) They are not good for rock, end of story.
 

timwileman

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Captain Destructo:Cypher:Eddie Pound:

Arcam?

It's just boring.

zzzzzzzz

My opinion also. Arcam doesn't let you enjoy your music, it sounds so lame.

It's as if Arcam are the Teleban of Hi-Fi. Typically the sound is incredibly flat and lacking in presence or bass substance.

That a company would engineer products to deliberately remove the fun from music is almost fascinating. Who are these people and what kind of music do they think we should all be listening to? That people would spend hundreds of pounds purchasing equipment simply because there are no 'nasties' or rough edges to the sound is also fascinating.

I have Alpha range equipment hooked up to some 685's, but I've heard the Diva range with all sorts of speakers and it's all been dull.

It IS possible to make the sound more exciting, more musically sympathetic, but only after perfecting speaker placement and with the right interconnects (Nordost Blue Heavens have made the biggest difference for me). Why anyone would go to all this bother though given all the other choices... although in my experince NAD aren't that much better.

i am sure everyone who works at Arcam are delighted that you are saying they are like the teleban (sp?)
 
T

the record spot

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Personally, I think it's the way they come out with a different design for each new product line.

Coat. Get. Me. Offski.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
timwileman:Captain Destructo:Cypher:Eddie Pound:
Arcam?

It's just boring.

zzzzzzzz

My opinion also. Arcam doesn't let you enjoy your music, it sounds so lame. ÿÿ

ÿ

It'sÿasÿifÿArcam are the Teleban of Hi-Fi.ÿÿTypically theÿsound is incrediblyÿflat andÿlacking in presence or bass substance.ÿ

i am sure everyone who works at Arcam are delighted that you are saying they are like the teleban (sp?)

I hope people in the Taliban will not start a jihad for being referred to as the Teleban.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
"Sharia law was interpreted to ban a wide variety of activities hitherto lawful in Afghanistan: employment, education and sports for women, movies, television, videos, music, dancing, hanging pictures in homes, clapping during sports events, kite flying, and beard trimming."

Teleban seems quite logical in a certain way then.ÿ
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew Everard:Y'see, before this thread kicked off, I would've said Arcam was one of the least controversial brands on the market...

I'd have gone with this. I like some Arcam components very much. The Alpha 9 CD player and its FMJ half brother that used the DCS Dac were truly lovely sounding players whilst the DV88 and DV79 were state of the art at their release. By the same token, they've released some products that were deeply average- but then so have most other companies.
 

chebby

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Drummerdave:Hmmm - loyalty to consumer durables has never resulted in the deaths of hundreds of millions of people throughout history, killed in the name of god.

The gods have usually been the historical excuse. But really mankind has always fought over 'stuff'.

There weren't many wars in history that were not economic at root. The priests have always been employed by the state as cheerleaders, recruiters & propogandists. To put the necessary 'spin' on things. ("I fought for God & country" sounds way better than "I fought for the Dollar".)
 

crusaderlord

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Captain Destructo:
Maybe you're taste in music is very different and maybe you listen for different reasons.

...but I think I've heard enough of Arcam amplification at least to have a clue (the WHF A38 review was spot on and could apply to any of the amps) They are not good for rock, end of story.

to say the comments of the A38 could apply to any of their amps is absolute nonsense. in fact the A38 was awarded the gold award for best amplifier in its price in another publication. i have compared Arcam directly to most amps in the same price range and i found the A32 was the best (better than Roksan, Cambridge, Naim and NAD)

that said i dont listen to much rock so maybe we look for completely different requirements which then puts a big questionmark over your previous generalised comments about them sucking the life out of all music.
 

matthewpiano

Well-known member
Arcam get more right than most hi-fi companies. As I've said before, too many people judge them purely on entry level products like the A65+ and A70 which were both fairly weak products on their own. However, stepping up to bi-amping and/or using products from further up the range really shows what Arcam are capable of. The latest entry level amplifier, the A18, is a definite improvement on the A70 its replaced as well.

There are Arcam owners on this forum who love their music and are very satisfied with their choice of hi-fi. Anyone who implies that Arcam engineers work to kill the music and make it boring needs to find a bit of balance. Whether or not you personally enjoy the Arcam sound, it is impossible to deny the large, loyal following the brand has and the quality of engineering that goes into its products.

Every brand and its products divides opinion. I hated the B&W 685s and the Marantz 6002 series components but, again, there are people on here for whom they give a huge amount of pleasure. I love NAD gear and think, on balance, that the C325BEE is the best amp available before you get up to Denon PMA1500AE, Naim Nait 5i, and Rega Mira territory. There are plenty of other people who can't stand the NAD approach.

We are all different. We have different ears, like different ranges of music, use our equipment in different rooms, and bring different requirements to the table. Lets be grateful that there are brands out there like Arcam, NAD, Denon, Naim, Marantz, and Rega that cater for all our different requirements to such incredibly high standards and for such excellent value for money.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
matthewpiano:Arcam get more right than most hi-fi companies.

What does this mean?
 

matthewpiano

Well-known member
Octopo:
matthewpiano:Arcam get more right than most hi-fi companies.

What does this mean?

As an overall package (build quality, design, customer service and support, sound quality) Arcam gear is very very strong and I think there are few companies who can match this, despite the fact that I've never settled with an Arcam system for my musical and hi-fi tastes.
 
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Anonymous

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I think only recently Arcam have been upping the anti with their build quality and design though I can't comment on their after sales support (I'm sure it's great). I've always thought Arcam seem to masquerade the brand as cutting edge and sexy to attract new customers whilst keeping the same sound which draws in the criticism.

I don't treat it as a package. As mentioned before - a Vectra is a good 'package' but I'll take the Alpha Romeo anyday.
 

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