Newbie question Arcam Alpha 8R amplifier

[cavez]

Dear all,

I've just discovered this site and I joined it straight away! Brilliant!
One of my dreams is to have a proper audio set up (room included) so I'm planning to get there little by little. I saw this amp for sale in my area: Arcam Alpha 8R amplifier with a set of B & W DM 603 S2 Speakers. Does any one have any experience with this amp and/or brand and speakers? I'd like to know if they'll be a decent "starter set". I'll keep doing a bit of research in the meanwhile, I just ask cause they might sell.

Thank you all

Cavez

[fergus]

Welcome to the Forum Cavez.

I am not the best person here to discuss equipment but I did have some Arcam equipment in the past and I really liked it. I have never owned B & W speakers but I have heard them obviously. Cloney Audio in Blackrock sell both brands and you would be able to hear both brands there. I think that if you are just starting off and beginning to build a system then this would be a good place to start if you get yourself a good CD player as well. Best of luck.

[Modest]

Hi cavez
Arcam & B&W is mariage made set. And I think it's a good starter to Hi - Fi roots. Just look for the same brand player and you gonna reach synergy. But before you buy anything have a good listen with your music and your ears :)
BTW welcome on board

[Ivor]

yeah, perfectly good starter system there. Welcome to the beginning of an expensive addiction!

[Fran]

Welcome on board cavez.....


Fran

[Seán]

Hi cavez and welcome to the Forum, Arcam and B&W are a very good combination, be careful though once you start exploring the wonderful world of sound reproduction you may get hooked and it can prove to be a expensive pursuit. Cloney Audio in Blackrock are very good and well worth a visit. If you can manage to do so: get a loan of the system before you buy it and listen to it in your own home before you make a decision on it.

Do please let us know how you get on.

[Claus]

I second what has already been said. My dad had the B&W speakers and I thought they sounded very good for the price. I have the DM303. But they are are a little too small for most rooms and can tend to get shouty or bright with the wrong equipment. I just tried them with my M3 Nu-Vista amp compared to PMC and Frugal Horns. They are pleasant but produce a much flatter image and detail is missing. The 602 should be a good bit better and match well with the Arcam amp.

Welcome to the forum!

[cybot]

Welcome on board cavez....You will most definitely not be lead astray in this hallowed place ;)

[jadarin]

Welcome Cevez,
I've used an Alpha 8R with B&W speakers in my system a good while back.It's a cracking little amp and a great
starter amp that's for sure.You could pick up an alpha 7se or an alpha 8 cd players for next to nothing on the net.
One thing though,spend a few quid on interconnects and speaker cables and you'll be in Hifi heaven.

[Ivor]

One thing though,spend a few quid on interconnects and speaker cables and you'll be in Hifi heaven.

Agreed (all hail the cable fairies). Have a look in the classified ads too, there's always a few for sale. I know other members have spare speaker cable and I have several Van den Hul interconnects sitting on a shelf.