Price Paid:  $628.00 from Audio Lab

Summary:
here is my two cents.. I have spent a good deal of time very carefully putting together my system and upgrading each component over time. I have Nautilus 805s with Sound Anchor stands, blue heaven cableing, adcom gfp750 preamp and a mc275 power amp. This is all fairly primo stuff. AND I still have my alpha 7!!!! After trying a ton of others (everyone always says my CD player needs to be upgraded- without hearing it) I still have this player. listening to the other players, I feel that material only sounds different but only better half the time. That means it sounds worse the other half! This player does not have the depth that others do, but you have to take your choice. You either want depth or detail. Sure, everyone promises both but the more you have of one, the less you have of the other (except for price ranges over 10000). It's like with my amp, the mc275- lots of warmth. This means less clarity. Unless you pay 15000 for an amp you cannot have it both ways. I am keeping my alpha until I A/B something that actually sounds better!

Strengths:
beautiful upper range. tons of detail, warmth

Weaknesses:
not the depth of some other players

Similar Products Used:
alpha 9, rotel hdcd disc player (can't rember exact name), Linn gudek? -or something like that.....marantz cd player and rega planet. I tried all of these!!!!

Price Paid:  $450.00 from £300 new in Edinburgh

Summary:
I've enjoyed my 2 and a half years with the Arcam 7 CD player - it's been a capable performer, and whilst originally purchased as front-end to an Arcam 7R and Tannoy M20 speakers, I've moved on a lot from there.

Until very recently, each upgrade has revealed the A7 to be a far more capable machine than I'd given it credit for. In the context of its price range, it was a bargain and a star performer. However, my current setup:

Crimson pre- and 640D 200w hicurrent monoblocks
Neat Petite/Gravitas subs
Linn LP12/Cirkus/Lingo/Aro/Asaka plus external phono stage
Mana support system (Phase 5 under electronics, Phase 6 under LP12)

...is an extremely revealing setup, and in this context the A7 struggles. It still shines, only with enthusiasm rather than ability. The LP12 is so much more musical, detailed and with better pace, rhythm and timing, that the CD player is shown up to be what it is - a cheap and cheerful, entry-to-mid-range consumer audio player.

The addition of the Mana support system supercharges the capability of this player to the extent that it sounds better at Phase 6 than almost any player I have heard on other stands - however, it still fails to reach the musicality of the LP12 and that is the next step for me.

The A7 has recently developed a small amount of transport noise with some discs, although it doesn't seem to have affected its sound quality in any way. However, I suspect that perhaps the transport is therefore on the way out.

Arcam hit upon a good formula with this player, and I applaud them for it; however, technology has moved on and so must I, so I will soon be auditioning the latest generation of CD players from people like Resolution Audio, Naim, Sim Audio, etc., but maintain to this day that I am going to have to spend in the thousands rather than hundreds to improve on this player enough to justify the change.

Weaknesses:
Not as detailed as some, not pretty, has developed a bit of transport noise over time (doesn't appear to have affected the sound though).

Similar Products Used:
Naim CD3.5, CD5, cheaper DVD players, etc.

Price Paid:  $650.00 from Sound by Singer

Summary:
I got this player for the sound, and the option to upgrade, I listened to the 8se and the 9, which were nicer. The problem I have is this thing can't read about half the cd's I put in it. it might play most of the tracks, but there's usually one or two that it won't play. this happens w/cd's new out of the box. The funny thing is, when I play these cd's on other players, boom boxes, computers or car stereos, I get to hear all the tracks. It's only the crappy arcam machine that can't get it right. I took it back to the dealer, they sent it to arcam, who replaced some parts (including the dac module, i believe) and the problem persisted. Now it's out of warranty. There's no way I would upgrade to the 9 or the 8se, given I'd still be stuck with this horrible transport. I don't know if this is a design problem, or if I just got a defective unit. So I'll give it 1 stars. (4 for the sound, 0 for the performance as a transport, 0 for arcam's failure to solve the problem or replace the player)

Hail Britannia!

Strengths:
Great Sound for the $$

Weaknesses:
Can't read CDs, can't fast forward, can't skip tracks

Similar Products Used:
Rega planet, cal

Summary:
I am very happy with this unit. While there is competition out there in this price range, this CD player is like a set of Vandersteen speakers, i.e., performing well across the whole spectrum of sound. I would agree with some of the previous comments on this page that the unit is certainly not "overbuilt" in terms of parts/construction, but I have had no problems with quality control issues (unlike a previous Adcom CD player).
What you do miss with this unit are the deep bass notes, as they are more hinted at than let loose into your listening room/living room. However, if most of your listening runs from jazz vocals to classic rock, you will be happy with the sound of this player.
My sound system:
Pioneer Elite VSX-07TX Reciever
Polk S-10 Speakers
Rega Planar 2 Turntable

Strengths:
-good mid-range

Weaknesses:
-remote very small; not designed for people with five fingers

Similar Products Used:
-mid-fi NAD, Adcom,

Summary:
This player is good value for the money. It sounds very good with the right amplifier, and is easy on the pocket book. Let's face it, who would spend the ridiculous amound of money Arcam is asking for the "9"? My ears are not made of gold. I can live with the sound of the "7".

Strengths:
Detail, warmth