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Can’t believe anyone

Has anyone else had this experience? First I should say that like many people I have a busy schedule and I don’t have unlimited time to audition gear, so I try rely on dealers to steer me in he right direction to narrow down choices.

I am in the middle of trying to upgrade my system. When I went to a dealer in the Chicago area and told him what kind of gear I had, he immediately by system was "uneven "and I HAD TO upgrade my CD player (from Arcam 7se to 8se or 9). A few days ago I went to a different dealer. As before I mentioned my system, this time it was amp that needed to be upgraded. As for my CD player, he does not feel that the move form the 7se to the 9 is really an upgrade.

So, whom do I believe? Yes, I know—listen for myself and then decide, but then what the hell good are dealers for?

By the way, my current system is:

Integrated Amp: Arcam alpha 10
CDP: Arcam 7se
Speakers: Dynaudio 1.3 Mk II
Interconnects: Nordost Blue Heaven
Speaker wire: MIT T2
xmore
thorman
1,262 posts
 
Unfortunately in this business you can't trust many.You really have to do your homework. Everyone is out to line there pockets at your expense.If you are going to buy new demand a home demo or move on to someone who will allow it. There are stil good people left in this business but they are much harder to find do to the direction this business is going. Good luck!
angela100
435 posts
 
Maybe someone in the Chicago area could recommend a trustworthy dealer? (is that an oxymoron?)
blbloom
286 posts
 
Xmore. I think you have a nicely balanced system. If you are not happy with the sound, there are a couple of possibilities. You could try different cables or you might want to consider a different sound altogether. I think to do that, is not necessarily an upgrade. You could try tubes in you cd player or maybe an amp that would give a different sound, like a YBA Integre or Electrocompiniet. The problem here might be that your speakers need a lot of power. What kind of music do you listen to and how large is your listening room?
I think you might find that the upgrade of one piece will just be the beginning of a long search, and if as you say, you don't have time, you might find yourself more frustrated.
doug28450
199 posts
 
Angela100, good suggestion. If X will search through the "Digital" forum and look for the thread "SACD Dealers in Chicago" several fine suggestions will be found. I live near Chicago and have had experiences with most of the dealers listed and can honestly say that I do not feel that any of them are "bad dealers".

X, e-mail me if you need additional information.

As far as the system goes, I would think that both the amp and the cd are currently the weak links. So, in a way I guess that makes both dealers correct.....sort of. But, the gear is good. Take a hard look and listen to the room. If you are happy with the room, speaker placement and other such things then start working with the system. I would work on the cd player first. I think you should try to get the source and the speakers taken care of first then the amp. The speakers are good so concentrate on the cd, then probably the amp. Good Luck, Doug
chstob
140 posts
 
Didn't you ask for advice? I think you did, here's mine. You are going to get the biggest bang out of findin' another amp/pre or combo. The difference between the 7, the 8 and the 9 will be one of degree (though more degrees if you go from 7 to 9).

As for the dealer's contention about no upgrade?? It makes little sense. I feel something has been left out in the translation. It makes a difference! But you gotta be able to resolve that difference.

On the other hand, a new amp/pre is likely to really change your sound, by both kind and degree. For list of recommended components of the members of this site, see recent thread 'amp/pre' or some such, it's recent. Later on you can refine with the CDP upgrades. That's what I think anyway.
Thanks,
Chris
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