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Reviews 1 - 4 (4 Reviews Total)
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Submitted by
albie
a AudioPhileDate Reviewed: November 25, 2006
Bottom Line: I have had this little gem of an integrated for 10 months now.I have listened to numerous offerings from other companies from 2channel receivers to 2-channel integrateds ranging from $500-$2000.There were a few better and many worse than the A-65 plus but none could match it in value.Under $1000 nothing is better than this unit.The micro dynamics thrill to no end.Good staging and depth of field.Solid well defined sound.For a 40w per channel amp she sure sings.Add a matching power amp for biamping and you have a killer system.
I tried really hard to find a nice two channel amp under $1000.I wanted something with around 100 watts per channel.I soon realized that I had a tough order to fill.Good sound,100w per ch under $1000?No way!!!Not possible.For $2200,okay,possible.
So to cut to the chase I found the A-65 Plus and was not disappointed .
Used product for: 3 Months to 1 year
Duration Product Used: AudioPhile
Product model year: 2005
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At: Audio Ark
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Value Rating:
Submitted by
matthewpiano
a AudioPhileDate Reviewed: July 16, 2006
Bottom Line: I really wish that I could echo the positive reviews posted by other listeners but, I'm afraid my own experience of the Arcam has been of an amplifier which fails to satisfy in a range of music over an extended period of time.
I'll start with the positive things. The Arcam is quite attractive aesthetically and offers sensible facilities without adding anything unecessary to degrade the signal path. In operation, it creates good soundstages and images and the midrange is tonally excellent.
However, this amplifier desperately suffers from a lack of pace and attack, not helped at all by the rolled off bass and treble extremes. It makes everything sound flat and did not drive my Quad 11Ls to the best of their considerable capabilities. Orchestral recordings lacked impact and in pop/rock I often found myself wondering where the rhythm was in the music - bass guitarists almost fade into oblivion. In short, the A65+ is an amp that takes away the thrill of listening to music. Its far too safe sounding and after extended use, I lost the inclination to switch it on. Needless to say, its now gone and has been replaced by a Rotel RA-01 which completely surpasses it in every way.
Used product for: More than 1 year
Duration Product Used: AudioPhile
Product model year: 2005
Price Paid:
$420.00
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
dusdau
a Audio EnthusiastDate Reviewed: December 25, 2004
Bottom Line: Right out of the box, this amp sounds excellent. All comparisons in this article are to Denon PMA-560 integrated. Vocals, string instruments, and midrange frequencies represent the most noticeable difference. Bass is tight, but the difference is not as dramatic. The high frequencies do not get harsh at higher volumes, but simply become more detailed. The old cliche of "hearing things you haven't heard before" is absolutely true when upgrading to a high quality amp such as this one. Whether it's new instruments, or detailed nuances of instruments and vocals/background vocals you'll keep hearing details you haven't heard before. One example is the conversation at the beginning of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". Before it was just some mumbling, which I thought was just the way it was supposed to be. With the Arcam, this conversation can be heard. I'm sure the soundstage is better with genuinely better amplifiers, but the clarity and "depth" this amp brings to recordings is amazing. Very simple and attractive face. Considering my source component(Denon DCD-815) is a "good" cd player, but not necessarily a "very good" or better one, I really wonder how good this amp could really sound. Since it's power is rated at 40 wpc @ 8 ohms, some may want to consider this if buying an amp for a larger room or mating with speakers with a very low efficiency rating.
Used product for: Less than 1 month
Duration Product Used: Audio Enthusiast
Product model year: 2003
Price Paid:
$599.00
Purchased At: Primus Audio Pleasur
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Submitted by
dsockel
a Audio EnthusiastDate Reviewed: May 27, 2004
Bottom Line: Solid performer for the price. Very nice detailed integrated for the right application. I use mine in a master bedroom which is fine, but don't think it would provide sufficient punch in a huge room.
Used product for: 1 to 3 months
Duration Product Used: Audio Enthusiast
Product model year: 2003
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At: New York Dealer
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Reviews 1 - 4 (4 Reviews Total)
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