Arcam CDS50 CD / SACD Player And Streamer

I had the same experience with the YES target cd, sounded better than on any other deck I’ve played it on, but that’s going to be hit and miss.
What I can suggest is if you own the recent vinyl version of atmp that has got such rave reviews, I would make a needle drop of it and be done with it! Hell, I don’t even own a cd copy of atmp! Just a needldrop an old friend of mine did on a 10,000 dollar turntable his friend had, and I don’t even know where that is! Lol.
Beave

 

I don't own a turntable so that's not an option, unfortunately. I've never done vinyl - CD / SACD / DVD-A / Blu Ray all the way for me!

 

Well......hmm.......I do have a turntable and a cd recorder so I might have to do something about this.
Beave

 

I don't expect a CDP to make a badly recorded CD sound better either. I was surprised. Maybe the CD was not poorly recorded but demanded a CDP with better resolution? I don't know.

I tried to play the few SACDs I have again and there is a clear step-up from CDs, a noticeable difference between the two that we did not find when the CDP first arrived.

 

I do not see it in mine at all and have no way to search it out? I believe you but where do you see it or how did you select it?

 

My apologies - you're right, Spotify is not there. I really thought it was, but I'm not really using the unit for streaming so I mis-remembered.

 

Any of you new owners noticed the missing audio at the start of a track? I've raised it with Arcam but nothing yet - starting to really annoy me now!

If you have the Beatles Please Please Me CD or stream that album from Tidal/Spotify etc. you can quickly check - the first track ( I Saw Her Standing There) should have a Paul McCartney count-in - 1-2-3-4 before the music starts. Play it on the Arcam and you will hear 2-3-4.

I sent a couple of digital files to Arcam with that album streaming from the Arcam and streaming from my Sonos set up. You can clearly hear the missing audio on almost all of the tracks.

Is no-one else hearing this!!

 

Nope.
Beave

 

I have no clue whether there is a setting like this on this disc player/streamer, but on Arcam receivers the default setting is to mute playback for a very brief moment when a digital signal is first detected. Apparently this is to mute loud thuds/pops from poorly designed sources. There is a setting called "cd direct" that eliminates this muting, with Arcam advising to only turn on cd direct if you are using a cd player since other devices may cause problems. Since you are referring to streaming and not disc playback, maybe there is some setting that's causing this muting.

 

Especially the old ring players. Years ago they were still easy to find.10 years ago,give or take they disappeared. People must've at that point to keep them.
I've consistently looked over last years and am still amazed how they dried. Up.

 

Beave,

Thank You so much for all of the information that you have provided here. I swear that I have read this Thread at least 5-10 times. I have reviewed a replacement for my aging Arcam CD Player for some time now to the point of being cross eyed. from $5K down this CDS50 has clicked all of the boxes for my needs from Size, Plug Layout, Toslink Digital Out, Display, etc... Will be using this as a Transport with Optical to my DAC.

I just ordered one from Analogue Seduction in the UK. If others order from this firm be careful how you pay since PayPal charged me a whopping $33.00 Surcharge on the Purchase. I complained to Analogue Seduction and they gave me a Partial Refund. Awesome Firm for doing this for me versus cancelling the Order.

Now I have to find an Audiophile Screwdriver

 

well thanks for that but the real thanks goes to jl151080 for starting this thread.
Well i had No knowledge of the Arcam before I stumbled across this thread, then when I found out that it has pretty much the same DAC as my OPPO 205 That was it!
I knew I had to try it out.
So mucho thanks to you our thread starter, I just tried to contribute what I can.
And by the way, using the streaming part of the deck IS qwerky!! If you go from streaming to popping in a disc, then try and go BACK to streaming, you either have to turn the deck OFF, or remove the CD from the tray and then get on your device and re sync the app to the player and then re launch your stream................how's that for a mouth full!!!!!!



But I really like this deck, in fact I haven't turned it off for weeks now, seriously.
If I'm not spinning a disc in streaming 24/7.
Beave

 

I've become a fan of the sound quality of Arcam products but the ones I have owned have all had operational quirks.

 

yeah and you know Jeff I've found the same thing, every one of my many CD player 's in the past have had something that bugged me about them.
but I have to keep remind ing myself that I didn't design them.
but for what it is the Arcam is a nice deck, sound quality is great and it functions well.
Beave

 

I am curious, why did you order from the UK when the player is available in the US.? I am curious about the possibility of ordering speakers from the UK...

 

Home trialling Arcam CDS50 and experiencing the 'missing opening' problem. So annoying. Will contact hi-fi store and see what they say. Will report back tomorrow. Sounds great otherwise!

 

Ok, let’s try this then, because I experienced no problems in this bug.....
Negotiate your remot to the settings then hit the down arrow until you come to ‘autoplay’, hit enter and turn it off.
Then back up and go to network settings and tie it to your WiFi.
Then after that go to firmware update and have it search for it, if it finds it hit upgrade, if it doesn’t back out and get to reset factory default.
When you’ve done all that, power down the unit to standby, then unplug it for 30 seconds and plug it back in and pop in a cd and see what happens.
Then take two aspirin and call me in the morning.
Beave

 

Does this annoying opening cut off glitch happen when playing discs too?

 

I don’t know because I haven’t experienced it with my player.
But I’m only streaming and playing discs, not doing anything else.
Beave

 

Paul's 1,2,3,4 opening to I Saw Her Standing There becomes 2,3,4. Aagghhh. Thanks for thoughts on re-set. Will check it out with hi-fi dealer, or simply go for a different CD.

 

Hi fi chap unaware of problem but told me to bring player in so he can apply software update. Hot-footing it there now with copy of I Saw Her Standing There to check Paul's count-in present and correct!

 

Yes, but it's easily fixable with a firmware upgrade.

 

Thanks for the thanks! And thanks for your contributions, which I'm unable to match as I don't have the technical knowledge.

 

Huh.All the Arcam players I have had worked good

 

Hi Fi chaps did software fix...and problem remained. They are genuinely baffled and plan on talking to suppliers Monday. Now home trialling audiolab 8300CD!