Upgrade for Arcam player?

I've had my Arcam FMJ 23cd player pretty much since this model appeared nearly 15 years ago. It is a fine performer and I've no complaints. It contains the then very highly regarded Ring DAC and I highly doubt anyone would've bought this player to be a mere transport. However, that was then and I'm now curious: could this player be significantly upgraded now with a separate DAC and if so about how much money are we talking? Are there any models out there that could make a worthwhile upgrade? Thanks.

 

Bump

 

I have the Arcam CD72 and have absolutely NO desire to use anything else. Don't Arcam still offer the upgrades to the innards of their CD players?.

 

I don't know

 

I still have an Arcam Alpha 9 kicking around here somewhere. It's like the FMJ 23 without the expensive case. Still has the dCS Ring DAC. A pretty nice sounding player which I put to one side when I started on SACDs.

 

I have an Arcam cd73. When I bought it in 2009 (it was a used model.I got a great deal on) my dealer said it could be sent to arcam by him to.upgrade to cd192. It's really great so I never felt the need the CD23 looks to 've a great piece with the ring dac......

 

Just a suggestion, but perhaps not think about purchasing a seperate DAC as an upgrade to the CD player, but for opening up other source possibilities.

ARCAM does have some well reviewed DACs (I own one of them: irDAC).

 

I'm not combined there is a massive difference between DACs of recent vintage. My ten years old AVI Lab Series CD player still more than cuts the mustard. Compared to the earlier Marantz CD -63 mkII kind, it and more recent players are noticeably better, but even then, it's not a huge gulf.

If it's still in good shape, run with it. If you fancy a change then what's the budget? I suspect you'd need to spend more than you would on the ir-dac for instance.

 

Thanks to everyone for their views. It appears I would probably have to spend quite a bit of money to make a worthwhile upgrade to what is still an excellent player. I was just curious about possible upgrades. Cheers all

 

I have an Alpha 9. I have had it since 2000. Over the years my audio buddies have brought newer DACs and players over for comparison. We are always amazed at how well the Arcam holds up against the newer gear. I've heard some nice things but never enough to make me want to abandon the Arcam.

 

Very reassuring to hear.

 

My thoughts exactly. I got my CD72 secondhand four years ago (absolutely mint and very little use) for £120 delivered. It gave me a brand new CD collection; used with my Arcam Alpha 9 amp through Epos ES12 speakers, it still surprises me. I KNOW I'm going to enjoy any CD that goes into the player. If I ever have a problem with it, I'm having it repaired rather than buying a new one.

 

For startes a good after market power cord. Does wonders.

Second, the player has a great transport. You might try a different DAC.

 

He's in the UK. The power cord element is less of an issue. Stable supply and all that plus the bundled cord from Arcam will be more than up to the job. Agreed re: the transport though.

 

Could you recommend a dac that would significantly outperform the player's own?

 

Have you heard the Arcam irDAC?
I have the Arcam CD37 and love it!

 

Both my Arcam CD player and amp have benefitted GREATLY from good quality, well-shielded power cords. Only had the cords since last year; wish I'd done it years before.

 

Which ones did you go with VM?

 

Perhaps I should've mentioned that the player and my Cyrus amps are all plugged in with very good quality Russ Andrews power leads. They cost quite a bit at the time so I don't want to replace them. It sounds as if I should stop worrying and enjoy the player as it stands. My local dealer was very honest and said that the irdac would not be an improvement over the player's own dac. He could just have easily said the opposite and clinch a sale.

 

Those are the ones I use. Never regretted spending the money on them.

 

Which Russ Andrews leads are you both using out if interest? I know about the Powerkord range.

 

It's been a while and it's hard to see round the back of all my stuff but I think I have the classic powerkords on my amps and blu ray/sacd and the reference powerkord for the cd player. They're all plugged in to a RA mains extension. Perhaps overkill for my setup but I had more disposable income back in the day.

 

Both of mine are the Classic PowerKord. The first one was bought for the CD player. It was in a Summer sale last year. It should have been around £170 because it was fitted with the most expensive Wattgate 350i plug (at the CD player end); in the sale it was £100. When it arrived, I'd been playing disc one of The Beatles' 'Blue' CD that morning so it was the obvious thing to do to listen to it again. Straight out of the box, the bass was deeper but brilliantly controlled; bass players would LOVE this mains cable. Basslines are so clear and powerful, but without overwhelming everything else. My admiration for Queen's John Deacon is now out-and-out worship. The Classic PowerKord for the amp was ordered a couple of weeks after I got the first; this time, I got it from their 'bargain corner' where people trade in leads and cables against more expensive ones. I paid £95 for the second one (which had a less expensive Wattgate 320i plug) and the results were more or less equal to the first. There seems to be so much more space around instruments; since I got them, I've literally played disc after disc, even playing discs all the way through where before I'd skip certain tracks I wasn't keen on. I love my Epos ES12 speakers (had them since 1997, as with the amp) but - just occasionally - I wished the bottom end went just a touch lower; after buying the two mains cables, they do. For me, they've been the finishing touch to my (albeit modest, by the standards of many here) system. I've not the slightest wish to upgrade anything at all now and, for that reason alone, I think the £195 I paid for the two mains cables was worth every penny.

 

For some reason, the Alpha 9 really responded to a good power cord. Maybe it's true for other Arcam players.

My first listen to after market power cords at my house was with a Cardas Golden Reference on the Alpha 9 in 2000.

I had been reading about the phenomenon for a couple of years, and was sure it could not possibly make any difference (using the normal electrical theory arguments). My dealer lent the Cardas to me for the weekend, and it rocked my world. I never bought a Cardas cord, but that experience that weekend changed my audio life.

 

My Arcam CD73T has a Pangea AC14 power cord and it sounds awesome.. especially for what i paid for it ..