Originally posted by ajb
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Any reasons for one or the other appreciated... Obviously the £hundreds extra is the main reason against the Arcam but will I benefit?
The Arcam is a better CD player, but apart from that cant think of a reason to choose it.
I have to say I have never been a great fan of Arcam, pre 85 they produced some great sounding, great value products, after that they became overpriced. Build quality and reliability have never been exactly top notch.
Latest products are supposed to be better but to put it into perspective 399.00 for the 963 and 1000.00 for the Arcam. Six hundred quid extra........dont think so.
When I opened up my old arcam alpha cd player, what stared me in the face..........oh look its a Philips CDM4 mechanism and by the looks of it , a slightly modified philips circuit board.
I know someone who repairs hi fi and the amount of arcam equipment coming through his doors is incredible. Most is beyond economic repair.
Reading the Forum re chroma bugs and faulty playing and massive price tags, just will not wash.
Im not saying the Philips is a perfect machine, but nobody seems to have a bad word to say about them. Unlike Arcam, Toshiba and Denon who seem to have no end of software updates and wrong firmware.
I have to say, 5 years ago I probably wouldnt have touched Philips equipment ( ooo errr missus ) with a barge pole. Now I have a CD recorder ( can hardly tell the difference between copy and original ), 28 " WS tv which I cant fault and finally the 962 its all fab stuff.
I will probably end up with a Philips pre / power amp in a couple of years................whoooaaa tiger
