Hi,

I went through a few demos and finally getting the setup below. Is it worthwhile?

B&W 603 S3 (USD1050)
ARCAM CD73 (USD600)
ARCAM A80 (USD1050)

or should i replace the AMP and player with ARKAM SOLO? it's about the same price.

Glen

If you like the sound of the system, then go with it. Your ears should be the judge, although the enviroment you listen to them in can have an effect on the sound. if you didn't get to audition the items at home, I hope the demo room was reasonably similar.

Factors such as polished floors without rugs and a lack of curtains can change the sound considerably.

As regards the Solo option, I'd go for the seperates every time. As a rule of thumb you'll get a better sound. (I also don't like the buttons on the solo, they feel a bit loose)

I used to own and pair of B&W 603 S3s and loved them to bits. They had tremendous clarity, presence and a real sense of performance.

I used them with the Roksan Kandy AMP and CD player but had also auditioned them with the Arcam kit. In my opinion they work well with the Arcam but one word of warning about the speakers - they need some space around them if the bass is not to be overpowering and are not suited to a close to wall position. You can fit the bungs to control the bass but this does degrade the sound a little.

Finally, you need to think about speaker cable - I used the Nordost Supeflat Biwire and found it gave a very detailed presentation that nicely balanced the speakers but this may not suit everyone.

The Arcam/B&W connection is a good, long standing one. Both will give you years of trustworthy service and good sound. And you will get better performance from the separates than the Solo.

You might find the sound a bit laid back at times; the smooth sound of the Arcams will make the accurate B&W seem slightly flat compared to more up-front sounding kit. But it's always entertaining and never puts a foot wrong.

Not everyone agrees, though. Arcam and B&W are both almost sacrosanct, especially in the UK. Saying even the mildest thing about the performance often ends in making angry comments about mislaid parentage.