Janinea

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Fleabay

Summary:
Basically I think the other reviewers here have it about right. i would just like to mention that the source selecting knob contacts can oxidise and that can limit sound quality - muffle it. This is cheap to fix if you do get one from ebay.

Also worth mentioning is that biwiring this amp seemed to improve the sound quality hugely (tech info: the induced feedback current from the speaker seemed to set up some resonant bass hum via the amp).

I have not bi amped, but not sure if it will make a huge difference on my 6 ohm monitor audio RS8's.

Strengths:
very good value
refined sound

Weaknesses:
Could have a little more clarity on mine, but there is some corrosion on my selector swith.

wrx74

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Pre owned

Summary:
I was a bit doubtful that the Arcam alpha 9 was able to deliver since it doesnt weigh much (about 5 kgs) and rated at 75watts per channel.The last integrated amp i owned prior to the Alpha 9 was the huge PM7200 which lured me into buying due to its size and larger RMS watts per channel.

The Marantz was indeed good value but somehow its sound does not covey as as much emotion to draw me into music.I started looking around and picked up the Alpha9 from someone changing to a Cyrus amp and remembered i was pleased with Alpha 8 only wishing it had a bit more power.A side by side test of the marantz 7200 and Arcam Alpha 9 was obvious.The vocals from Norah Jones Come away with me album feels more alive on the Arcam and music was more open and seemed to fill the room more than the Marantz.Even my girlfriend who doesnt believe much differences between components could tell the difference in the test.The Marantz does the basic job of presenting music well but doesnt give "life" to music.I think it means when you are playing a cd, u can feel that the performer is alive and performing "to you" rather than sound generated by equipment.All sound must come from equipment just that the Arcam makes u forget that and enjoy the music.

Craving for extra Power, i bought th Alpha 9P which improves bass and separation.Its probably not the best equipment to play rock and bassy music but it does a very good job for relaxing music.So far for me,having owned for 2yrs now, i have no plans to upgrade yet and listening at Audio shops dont really blow me away as i know my system can deliver within my budget or they just fooling you with room acoustics.

Now the Alpha 9 combo sits in my living room and I've gotten the Arcam Delta 290/290P in my bedroom.Both are my treasured possessions.

My equipment:
Arcam Alpha9(Qed P75)
Arcam Alpha 9P(Qed P75)
Arcam Alpha 9 cd player(Qed P75)
Tannoy Revolution 3 (biwired with QED xtube300)

Arcam Delta 290(Qed P75)
Arcam Delta 290P(Qed P75)
Arcam Alpha 8SE(Qed P75)
Tannoy Revolution 2 (biwired with QED xtube300)

Strengths:
Music breathes freely and naturally thru this equipment

Quality built -since the amp/cd player has been around since 1998,the fact that they are still working well today shows they have quality tho the exterior makes people feel they are not.

Weaknesses:
I wished the exterior would look like the FMJ or Diva series

Similar Products Used:
Marantz PM 7200
NAD 302
Arcam Alpha 8 Integrated

Anh165

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $800.00 from HiFi Experience Lond

Summary:

I have had the Arcam Alpha 9 & 9P in bi-amp configuration for about a decade now, and I still enjoy the clean and honest sound quality from these boxes and still works well considering its age. Only from 2 years ago, I do now get the intermittent left/right imbalance at low volumes but I dont listen at those levels anyway unless i needed to turn the music down for other purposes.

They are currently driving some Linn floor standers (nice high end AV monitors) with a 20 year old Meridian 200 Transport and DAC combo as the source.

The Alpha 9 amp on its own works well, I think this amp's performance is perceived consistently across many listeners, well weighted bass, open midrange and a confident treble (not clinical or fizzy). The Alpha 9 starts to lose "grip" on more pacy and complicated music at higher volumes but add the 9P on in bi-amp mode and the weaknesses of the amp are virtually eliminated and its strengths are enhanced a stage further.

Stereo imaging is good, solid, doesnt drift. Nice depth to the placement of instruments, and detail is great but obviously not in your face.

I dont think this kind of amp pulls any tricks, it doesnt add what isnt there in the music or colours the sound to instantly grab you by the throat impression at the demo room. When in 9/9P bi-amp mode, I think it is only beaten by much more expensive gear. I think adding extra 9P amps to drive each channel would further control music especially at high volumes.

Strengths:
- Balanced, clear and untiring presentation.
- Upgradable and thus will outperform the sum of its parts, what more could you want?

Weaknesses:
- It's not the most solid built amp in the world, but its nice to know that all the money was spent on the parts inside rather than bling.

Similar Products Used:
- Arcam Alpha 10 integrated amp
- Audiolab 8000A

jwsb

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $400.00 from 2nd Hand

Summary:
A very good product a the price it is being sold for now. Best contender against the newer Rotels and NAD's. Paiored this with an Alpha 8 CDP and Celestion SL 600.

Rich and laid back. Took the edges off usually glaring recordings from GRP. Great vocals and a relatively large sounstage. Bass is authoritative, weighty and controlled. Made me think I was listening to a much larger amp of 150 wpc. Sweet and detailed. Highs were never tizzy or metallic. (Perhaps due to the combo as well) The volume works with the CD player's remote. Mids breathe with ease and finds the right place for itself.

Imaging was not quite as pinpoint but the overall image was relatively accurate.

Very relaxed but not boring...

Strengths:
Musical

Weaknesses:
Plastic facia! Letterings have rubbed off. Plastic knobs! Would look a lot better if the front had more aluminum.

Similar Products Used:
Integrateds:
NAD 3020, Rotel, Adcom GCA

I HAVE A SHOP AND HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF GEAR!! The benefits of ownership...

Arcam, Audio Note, Audio Research, Audible Illusions, etc. etc.

jack1111

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.57 of 5, 7.00 votes

Price Paid:  $250.00

Summary:
I bought the Arcam alpha 9 some time ago to replace my old NAD 317, which I loved, but which had finally failed after many years of faithful service.
I chose the Arcam based on its overall good reviews,
and because the other ones I was looking for were not easily available here in
Singapore. Unfortunately, here in Singapore, it is also not usually possible
to audition the equipment, certainly not at home. Anyway, I bought the Arcam,
perhaps against my own better judgement, and certainly in spite of its ugly
appearance. It is one poor design job, really cheap looking. Unfortunately, it
is not at all cheaply priced.
It was a huge disappointment. Compared to the old NAD, which had a very clean,
analytical sound, the Arcam sounds muddled. The bass falls off
suddenly where the NAD had a wonderful deep clean sound. The treble is tiring
and the midrange is indistinct. The sound did improve somewhat over time; I like
to think it is the components getting run in, although it could be me getting
used to it, I suppose. Also, the tone circuitry is incredibly noisy!
So now I have this ugly poor-sounding piece of plastic, and considering buying
yet another amp. I would definitely not recommend this amp to anybody.

Weaknesses:
cheap looking
my old NAD was much better