Arcam fmj cd23 vs cd33

I own the cd23, an Alpha 9, and auditioned the cd33 when it came out. I liked the 23 and Alpha 9 better and still have them. The HDCD is handy also.

But beware, if the 23's DAC goes out, you may not be able to get a replacement. You can e-mail Arcam support to verify. They are really good about answering.

Jim S.

Many thanks.

if the 23's DAC goes out, you may not be able to get a replacement.

I wonder how many people would care about fixing a DAC when it goes wrong in a CD player, Or, even how often a DAC would go wrong. Has anybody heard of a ring DAC went wrong?

Ihcho,

No, I haven't heard of a ring DAC going bad, but I don't personally know a lot of people with that player.

"I wonder how many people would care about fixing a DAC when it goes wrong in a CD player".

Good point. I like the cd23 and alpha9 players well enough that I would certainly look into it if something went wrong.

Good luck on whichever your choice is.

Jim S.

I love my Cd23. I can listen for hours on end without a hint of fatigue. Haven't spent time with the 33. I think the Ring DAC-derivative chipset in the 23 is very hard to top for overall refinement to the sound. I hope my DAC board never fails.. ever! I'm pretty sure Arcam no longer stocks replacement parts for their older stuff.

I noticed on their website that they are no longer supporting/servicing/upgrading the older Alpha/FMJ pieces. Kind of a sad change for them since they built their brand around the concept of longevity/modular design and solid upgrade paths for many of their components in the past.

Now they just say some remark like "see your Arcam dealer for a demonstration of the latest model".

John,

"see your Arcam dealer for a demonstration of the latest model".

The change is sad. I have had the little Alpha 10 amps and an Alpha 10 integrated, along with the players, for almost ten years. Arcam and the local dealer have supported them well, when needed, during that period. For the money I think the equipment is pretty sound. I would hope that they never stop supporting their older gear.

Jim S.