Old Hi-fi problems

[Mark13]

I am hoping somebody has some ideas for me.

I have a lightly used 10 year old CD Player - Arcam A70??, a Delta 60 Amp (17 or so years old) and Arcam 2+ speakers.

The speakers are beaten up and need replacing but I have a nagging doubt about the CD Player and Amp because the sound seems distorted, particularly in 1 channel. I was already looking at new speakers but need to suss out whether either of the other components are a problem before I shell out any money.

(I am looking at Wharfedale Diamond 220 speakers and need something suitable for Rock/Metal.

[V8A*ndy]

Swap the speaker leads around and see if the "particular 1 channel" issue is replicated in the other speaker.

Unless you have already tried other speakers and ruled out that problem.

You might just have a dirty pot on the amp.

[TEKNOPUG]

Mark13 said:

I am hoping somebody has some ideas for me.

I have a lightly used 10 year old CD Player - Arcam A70??, a Delta 60 Amp (17 or so years old) and Arcam 2+ speakers.

The speakers are beaten up and need replacing but I have a nagging doubt about the CD Player and Amp because the sound seems distorted, particularly in 1 channel. I was already looking at new speakers but need to suss out whether either of the other components are a problem before I shell out any money.

(I am looking at Wharfedale Diamond 220 speakers and need something suitable for Rock/Metal.

Are you asking us or telling us?

[Mark13]

Asking and trying to give as much info as possible.
Thanks.

[Mark13]

V8A*ndy said:

Swap the speaker leads around and see if the "particular 1 channel" issue is replicated in the other speaker.

Unless you have already tried other speakers and ruled out that problem.

You might just have a dirty pot on the amp.

I swapped the leads over and it made little difference. There is actually distortion in both channels.

I have arranged to take the whole system down to a dealer and try out some new components starting with speakers. I am looking at Wharfedale Diamond 220, Monitor Audio MR2, Bronze 1, Bronze 2 and whatever else they want to show me c£300.

[SS2.]

If both speakers are misbehaving the same way, I'd be looking at the amp / CD player first.

Can you connect another device with Line Out into one of the spare inputs on the amp ?

[Mark13]

Purchased some new speakers after really good demo versus my current equipment at Audible Fidelity (Daventry).

I went for Dali Zensor 3 speakers with stands. I couldn't believe how efficient they are and the Arcam Delta 60 although 20+ years old, drives them effortlessly.

In discussion with the guys there it appears that I will need to spend £550 to improve on the amp and much the same to improve on my Arcam CD73.

[-Pete-]

Mark13 said:

In discussion with the guys there it appears that I will need to spend £550 to improve on the amp and much the same to improve on my Arcam CD73.

I think 'the guys' may have seen you coming

[Tony1963]

So there's nothing wrong with the CDP and amp? In that case let the system settle down with the new speakers and spend your money on music. I guarantee that in a short while you'll forget about spending £1,100, so keep away from the pushers unless something breaks!

[ian996]

Mark13 said:

In discussion with the guys there it appears that I will need to spend £550 to improve on the amp and much the same to improve on my Arcam CD73.

As an alternative for the amp, I can give this bloke the highest possible recommendation http://jsaudiorepairs.co.uk/ He does a lot of repairs for various independent HiFi shops but also excels at servicing / upgrading. Typically, he would replace any components that are likely to have degraded and, depending on budget will also replace PSU transformers, RCA & speaker terminals and internal wiring. Some on here will say this is a waste of time/money but the testimonials don't lie. It's surprising what improvements can be made to mass produced kit by reversing the effects of ageing and addressing manufacturing short-cuts / cost savings. It's worth giving him a ring - the bloke is a genius.

As a caveat - I'd reiterate that The above recommendation is for your amp only - I'd always be wary of investing anything in an ageing CD player, as how long the transport will last (and whether it will be repairable /replaceable) is an absolute lottery.

Edited by ian996 on Thursday 7th January 08:21

[Mark13]

The guys at the dealer were not pushy at all. The CDPlayer and Amp performed well and they were particularly impressed with the amp. Their estimates of cost for improvements were just confirming the quality of my kit rather than an attempt to sell me new stuff.

It was interesting listening to the speakers. The Dali speakers were considerably better for rock music than the MonitorAudio speakers I also listened to and my existing speakers.

[Tony1963]

Be very careful when passing judgement on speakers in demos. Speakers are almost entirely dependent on the room for their sound, so in another room the MA speakers might wipe the Dalis all over the floor. Or they might not.