Conference hips::uk_audioo

    �300 Rotel bitstream jobbie
    �400 Arcam Alpha
    
    I don't know if the CD104 has an optical out but if it has then you
    could save yourself some money by getting a QED ``littlebit'' DAC. This
    uses the same Phillips bitstream chip as the Rotel but sounds better -
    especially when used with Phillips transports... all for only �125

    Rotel RDC965BX as mentioned. �300
    Marantz CD52SE	�280
    
    Both are superb and worth a listen.
    
    Kev...

    Try the Pioneer PD-9700 also. 
    
    I went for the Rotel , but its worth a listen and feature packed too!
    
    Regards,
    Jonathan
    

    
    Does anybody know how the PD-8700 compares with the PD-9700. The 8700
    had some rave reviews in HI-Fi choice and what Hi-Fi?
    

    RE -1
    
    The 8700 sits between the 7700 and the 9700 in the Pioneer range,
    surprisingly enough! I compared the 8700 to my Rotel 965 when I bought
    it and there wasn't much between them (for my ears). The thing that put
    me off the 8700 was the cluttered front panel - crammed with buttons and 
    functions. The 9700 is a purer design with very few buttons and much less 
    function wise than the 8700, and I read, a better sound. 
    
    -Roy

    I read a while back the Musical fidelity are bringing out a second new
    CD player (not the CD1) which uses a valve based analogue section as in
    the cary player and the CAL tempest. the price was expected to be
    around 400.00 I think. You may laugh but some of the stateside player
    that use a "tube" output stage have been very well reviewed. It's due
    out this month I believe so it may be worth waiting for.
    
    The CD player with the valve based DAC is due out next april :-)

    Well, Saturday was audition day. In the end it was a head to head
    between the Arcam Alpha and the Rotel 965.
    
    First track up was Five Variants on Dives and Lazarus by
    Vaughn-Williams. All my preconceptions seemed to be confirmed. Whilst
    the Rotel sounded pretty good, the Arcam was light years ahead in
    resolving detail, but without detracting from the overall effect.
    
    The next track was Eight Tunes for Archbishop Mathew's Psalter by
    Thomas Tallis and performed by the Tallis Scholars. This was a real eye
    opener, the Rotel sounded almost as good as the Arcam. So close in
    fact that justifying the extra �100 for the Arcam would be difficult.
    The Rotel did suffer from a touch of sibilance on S's which the Arcam
    coped with.
    
    This was followed by Star of the County Down by Van Morrison and The
    Chieftans from the album Irish Heartbeat. As with the Tallis, the two
    players were very close, although the Arcam still seemed to pull a
    little more detail out. You could almost picture where each musician
    was standing in the sound stage, but the music still hung together.
    
    Cape Breton Song by Capercaillie was next. A solid base line along with
    clear fluid vocals. And the result was the same as for the previous
    track. 
    
    Next up, Cruisin' by Al Di Meola. The Rotel came a very sorry second to
    the Arcam on this one. The fast guitar work just blurred on the Rotel
    losing a lot of detail. The Arcam was really impressive on this track,
    coping with the combination of high speed guitar and keyboard playing
    comfortably.
    
    Now the joker in the pack. The Collecter by Twelfth Night. This disk
    was selected because although the music on the disk is good, the
    recording leaves a lot to be desired. The most glaring problem is that
    the drums are poorly mixed, the snare drum sound like someone banging
    on a biscuit tin. And the result: The Rotel sounded appaling, or at
    least, failed to do anything constructive with the music. The music was
    horribly muddled. The Arcam salvaged this track. The extra resolution
    and detail provided by the Arcam enabled you to concentrate on the
    other aspects of the music. Ths poor drums failing to drag everything
    else down to the same level.
    
    And finally, Book of Days by Enya. The result of this was the same as
    for the Vaughn Williams earlier, the Arcam providing greater detail and
    musical coherence.
    
    At the end of the audition the Arcam came out on top. It wasn't that
    the Rotel was a bad player, far from it. The Rotel is a superb player,
    but given my budget the Arcam provided equal value for money with a
    better sound. Back to back with my Rega Planer 2 I would say that the
    two are comparable. Pity that you have to spend �400 on a CD player to
    match a �200 turntable.
    
    And yes, I did by the Arcam in spite of tempting thoughts of the Rotel
    and �100 worth of CDs for the same expenditure.
    
    Clive

    A good review, Clive. Where did you audition the two players?
    
    Dave

    Image Hi-Fi in Headingley. They were really good. Apologised for having
    to ask me to bring my own speakers in as they didn't have any
    comparable. Then the person (I forget his name) running the audition
    just sat there and operated the players as per my instructions. No
    pressure, no hassle, just take as long as you want. And he kept his
    opinions to himself. I only found his preference after purchasing the
    Arcam.
    
    Clive

re. - a few

i too compared the Rotel 965 with the Arcam Alpha, and agree with
much of what has already been said.

the Rotel is a v. good machine but it always jangled a bit on the
ears a bit (poor treble?), and the bass was not well resolved. the
Arcam always sounded in control, producing a much `better' sound.

i'd summarise it by saying that the Rotel sounds like high fidelity 
musical equiment; the Arcam sounds like music

The difference was even more noticeable when the amp was upgraded
(see below)

other equipment:

Arcam Alpha 3 amp - later replaced by an Arcam Delta 60
Linn Speakers

music:

Various tracks from the IMP Classical Sampler, Vol. 1

Capercaille  - tracks from the Delirium album

Enya - tracks from Shephard Moons album

tests done at Russ Andrews Hi-Fi (no relation - i think!), Edinburgh


I bought the Arcam Alpha (and the Delta amp!)