Considering upgrading from a Denon mini-system to better hifi standard kit for around £1000. Does anyone have a feel for sound quality of the Arcam Solo compared to a Cambridge Azure 640 v2 CD/Amp/DAB combo? The Cambridge system is obviously bulky but if it sounded significantly better I would go for it. I have listened to the Arcam which seemed great but have not been able to hear the Cambridge system. Looking at Monitor Audio speakers too.

The Arcam Solo is very good, but the Cambridge is better. You'll find it more powerful sounding and detailed. It also has an added advantage; if your DAB radio packs up (for example), you still have a CD player while getting the tuner fixed.

i'd go for it, an owner myself. You won't be disappointed, don't think the v2 will last as long as my a60 but the sound is a lot better, which surprised me.

It's cheap, but the ca 640 v2 is rich and detailed, there IS an obvious reason why the next level cambridge is so much more expensive. Choose ur speakers well, to help, i do have the Monitor Audio BR6'S, but playing my Castle Conway 3's makes as close to perfection as possible methinks.

Sadly Castle have gone bust but their speakers are still available. U know how it goes, listen and find what u want. The BR6'S work well with the cambrige, a long way from the conway sound tho.

I love the solo i have got one and run it with NEAT MOTIVE 3 spekers. And chord carnival silver plus speaker cable,with a REL QUAKE and a YAMAHA CDR-1500 recorder. And all QUED interconnecters and CHORD POWER MAINS CABLE. Sounds very nice and the build is quality and sound is very good with all different types of music.

Hi All

I am now listening to the most inspiring system that I have ever heard in my life, it has taken some months to get together but it is stunning.

Basics:-

CD player - Tesco DVD/CD unit at £25
Amp - Tripath 100WPC module built into a small case with PSU, cost about £120

Speakers - Magnat Vintage 650 purchased ex demo for £560

Speaker cable - some heavy gauge single core wire, approx £9 per 100M

Interconnects - pretty low end, about £4

The result - stunning beyond belief.

A highly musical friend called round tonight, having previously studied Bach, we played Adagio by Johann Sebastian Bach, his mouth dropped in disbelief and he went on to say, ‘I did not believe that level of reproduction was possible’
So there be it, paying thousands is no guarantee, reading the mags is no guarantee, but trust your instincts and you may uncover some hidden depths. This system has now inspired me to find new premises that will avoid the neighbour problems that I have living in a flat, with people above and below, I know an expensive solution but one that has to be addressed in the pursuit of Hi Fi nirvana

The picure that is attached to my rambleings is a Tripath 20WPC unit witha led acid battery al in a case less than 150mm wide, this was my first foray into class 'D' and sounds just beutiful !!!

Sounds very nice system.Do not know much about this set up tell me more.

Dave, what more can I tell you. The CD player is Tesco's finest at £25, the amp module came from Autocostruire.com at £50 ish, the speakers are Magnat Vintage 650 at £550 ex-demo, a three way design with two bass units, and so heavy that I had to 'walk' them into the room. No exotic interconnects, speaker cables or mains systems and no 'snake oil'. However I did build the amplifier into a case and built the power supply for it and some input switching latching relays for three channels, no rocket science here but sound engineering practice. However the result is detailed, holographic and dynamic beyond beleif, total cost including a 32" LCD telly - just over £1000.
When I say the best I have ever heard, take that in context, I have owned equipment from Leak, Radford, Thorens, Tannoy and Quad electrostatics both 57 and 63 and origanally expected to use Quad's latest speakers. However the Hi Fi dealers attitude towards my homebuilt amp, and my writings on class 'D' deswayed me from buying anything from him !!
If anyone would like to hear this - you are more than welcome - I am based in Barnet, North London, and in a couple of weeks should have the new listening room finally sorted.

You have owend some nice hi fi in your time.One thing that i can not undrstand is a lot of audiofiles do is mess with system all the time,and do they ever listen to music at all.

Probably not, however I do and am now going to hear Bach's Adigeo, yet again as the ambience is fully conveyed in an uncanny way on this system !!!

Well what more can i say. I like all different types of music, and love the sound of my system. The neat motive 3 speakers sound so good,and give me the sound i wanted,after trying so many different ones.

Yeh, It seems to take forever to get there, but you know when you have. What exactly are motive 3 speakers, have not heard...

They are from NEAT AUDIO britsh speakers very good,they cost me £699.00

Had a look at NEAT look very good, what more can I say maybe wer've both found Hi Fi nevana.. But have you tried Tripath amps ???

No will look on the net how much are they then just spent a lot on this system.It cost me all together about £3000.00.hAD It about 5 months thats all.

Whow thats a lot of dosh, so far my complete home entertainment system including 32" digital telly is runnibg at just over £1000, so I wonder what you spent the rest on ???

Sorry, will send again whithout silly errors..

how thats a lot of dosh, so far my complete home entertainment system including 32" digital telly is running at just over £1000, so I wonder what you spent the rest on ???

Arcam solo motive speakers yamaha cdr-hd1500 hard disc recorder and cd recorder 250gb grado headphones cabels chord and qed speaker stands atacama rel quake bass system.

Hi all.. i seem to have a little bit of a problem with Arcam products here in Malaysia. I've came across so many units ranging from the Alpha series all the way to the latest FMJ/DiVA or even the Solo's! and they all had one same problem... 'power'. after some time... the units will develop the same problem, they seem to be unable to power up. and when this happens, it'll also affect the transport as well sooner or later. So, my question is.. is this normal with Arcam products back in the UK? i do know that if i add a voltage regulator, i might be able to avoid this problem. But what about those who've already purchased the Arcam's without using any voltage regulator? is there any other way to avoid this from happening? I'm asking this because i work for a dealer in Malaysia, and i can see a lot of Arcam product being sent for service and most of them had the same problem... the unit(s) just cant power up.

As for the Solo's.. yes, it is a good combo, but i am a firm believer in a seperate system! but it is u who decides what kinda system u'd like to have in ur room/hall. the solo is a minimalist. a must have if u want a simple set up. try hooking it up with a B&W CM1. it's fast, it's compact and no nonsense!

would appreciate a response regarding the power problem. Thanks and Have a merry Tuesday!

Sounds like a seriouse design problem, virtually all equipment has internal voltage regulation on logic functions, transport and the like.
Suggest a hard hitting letter to Arcam, they may offer an upgrade kit, or even a recall of the affected items.
I do not have any Arcam gear so no real experience. The only problem I have encounted was with a Sony CD player, from strong RF fialds and that caused the unit to mis-track and cut out, but never come across this on any other make !!