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Arcam FMJ D33 DAC, need opinion

Out of interest have you tried toeing the speakers in so the axis’s cross in front of your listening position?
I know what your saying in regards to the headphone output but that won’t be a reflection of the amps ability with speakers connected.
 
Yes I am at first, but find them best to be toe in just 2-3 degrees. When they fire directly or almost directly to the wall in front of them, or behind me, that add a little bas response, but the midrange thinnes is more or less the same, no matter of toeing in.

I would have a quetion for you please. Do you feel that you have more fullness to the vocals and strings after you add power amp instead using one from A19? Not sure if that is the reason why you don't miss things that I am, although I somehow believe that this character is produced by the preamp section, but never know so please let me know what do you think of that after you add the p. amp.

If you don't miss the midrange to be more fuller, then I believe that you cannot find better amp for money. I know it sounds like cliche, but I really believe that.
 
It’s a bit tricky as I’m using some monitor audio gr10’s in that system.
Speaker & amp matching is so important.
I did pop the A19 back into that system on its own after I read your post to get a refresher of its abilities.
It only lasted a day in the system on its own.
It’s as if it’s just scratching at the surface.
As you say vocals are a bit one dimensional like your not hearing the whole voice.
Bass seems absent at times especially around instruments & drums.
It can’t steam roller through a track but floats on top of it.
If you can’t get on with it I would move it on rather than adding a power amp.
 
Seller agreed to take the amp back. It's a shame because amp is so nicely designed. Volume pot have expensive feel and the unit is actually much more robust than on the pics.

But that thinnes, oh my. Naim ND5XS2 have that signature too. Much different than original ND5XS.
You have impression that it would rip your head off.

It's a real stress to go again and again in unknown teritory. Talking about small systems, still nothing can beat Nait2 for me, even I want and search something that would beat it in some ways.

It's a shame Naim has deleted my account on their forum after 22 years as I wasn't active for a year or so. I wouldn't be surprised that my and accounts in similar status take so much storage space, but this is not the case, especially today. How tidy and meticulous they are. I spent years there.

Thanks everyone. I'm off to seabass fishing.
 
This is almost the same sound as Naim CDX2/NAC202/200. Thin hard guitar strings and 5cm small abnormaly tight snare drum. Everything is super smooth, but also very hard underneath. I know that sound well. Lean, very lean. Vocals are just mouth and nothing else. Tried on aux via mobile phone and headphones. It is the amp for sure,but probably dac also as it is from same series. This is it and that would stay like that I'mafraid. There is no that fullness and body to the instruments. Yeah, picture is relatively big, but it miss so much meat through midrange. It's like someone is choking you type of sound.

Toy-sized speakers really need to be supported by one or two subs.
 
It's not that simple tuga. There are rooms which are small like mine where sub would only make a mess. I spent years with fantastic sound through Kan's, Tablette and One SC. Couldn't imagine to add sub to them in any way actually. That what is missing is caused by electronic and you cannot replicate it further in the chain, nor trick it some way.
 
It's not that simple tuga. There are rooms which are small like mine where sub would only make a mess. I spent years with fantastic sound through Kan's, Tablette and One SC. Couldn't imagine to add sub to them in any way actually. That what is missing is caused by electronic and you cannot replicate it further in the chain, nor trick it some way.

I have a smallish room too and with a slight touch of EQ to a couple of room-generated peaks I can use large standmounts or medium-sized florstanders with excellent results.
Small standmounts are just too crippled in my experience in terms of low-end extension and dynamic capabilities. They sound just like you described above.
 
FWIW I’ve got D33 -> Harman Kardon HK980 -> PMC DB1+

I don’t get that thinness you describe so suggest keeping the D33 and borrowing some different amp/speaker combos to get close to what you want. When you auditioned the PSBs etc did that provide opportunity to hear compatible amps in your price range?
 
I have enough low end extension, or better said, I don't feel I missed some in my current case. I miss midrange information which was robbed by electronic. This is very clever and intentional design what Arcam made, although have almost nothing in common with their much earlier designs which was. fantastic for the price. Folk obviously like that as it sounds impressive in some way, but a little bit trained ears can immediately hear some basic flaws.
 
Linds, thank you for sharing your experience. Didn't have a chance to hear PSB's with other competitive gear as I bought them from private person. Actually I heard them on his Cambridge Audio and although I wouldn't choose CA anytime, there was definitely enough midrange depth.

I will try D33 with other amp, but somehow (maybe I'm wrong) I have impression as dac is from the same series that it would have the same sonic sig.

That what you said that you cannot hear thinnes with D33 sounds pretty encourageing. If I can save D33, then I solved 2/3 of the puzzle. Will let you know.
 
I owned a pair of PSB T2 floorstanders for a while and they sounded almost perfect balance tonal-wise (except for that tizzy tweeter).

The P5's frequency response is so bad it almost doesn't look like a PSB.
Maybe you should try different speakers before giving up on the Arcam.

Listening window
20Hz - 20kHz (measured @ 2m, plotted @ 1m)
fr_listeningwindow.png

https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/i...&catid=77:loudspeaker-measurements&Itemid=153
 
Thanks for that, but I heard PSB P5 yesterday with Hegel. All fine with them and even more, quite shocking performance for the price. Some cabinet colorations are here, but less than Dynaudio Emit 10.

To be honest, I do read measurements sometimes, but many times I witnessed great sound despite not perfect measurements results and vice versa. Ialways believe this is not that simple and many factors can affect final result in the room. I see that PSB P5 have roll of on 20kHz. That was ok as Nait2 have that too. It was commented many many times.
 
Thanks for that, but I heard PSB P5 yesterday with Hegel. All fine with them and even more, quite shocking performance for the price. Some cabinet colorations are here, but less than Dynaudio Emit 10.

To be honest, I do read measurements sometimes, but many times I witnessed great sound despite not perfect measurements results and vice versa. Ialways believe this is not that simple and many factors can affect final result in the room. I see that PSB P5 have roll of on 20kHz. That was ok as Nait2 have that too. It was commented many many times.

But the measurement I posted shows the pronounced dip in the lower-mids (200-700Hz) that you describe.
 
You may also like a passive pre into a power amp.
Much more unforced and natural.
Your basically just amplifying the signal uncoloured.
 
I use desktop PC with Foobar via Atlas USB cable into D33 high speed USB socket. Output is Arcam Asio. Everything as it should from that side.

Thanks for advice regarding passive pre plus amp. Don't know, but maybe little old Nait is the safest harbour for me.
 


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