Arcam CD23 worth saving?

Unfortunately due to where I live it's unlikely I'd be able to try out any gear before buying so I'm relying solely on reviews and like minded fellows to guide me. I took a punt on the Ifi zen one signature for playing files from my phone and it impressed me that much that it might just be good enough to ditch the arcam and use a transport to play discs. I've been quietly ripping most of my cds in as high a quality as possible so I think the disc player will be sidelined for long periods anyway. All of my mixes are extremely long so they are digital files only which was the reason for the zen purchase.

I'm pretty sure Peter at Deco audio said it would be around 200 pounds which includes postage, new transport, and labour, but that's before looking at it so the symptoms I described may have led him down the wrong path, or worse the parts are no longer available. I'll have to wait and see but there's no way you could buy a new transport let alone a dac for that amount of money. I have a rotel rcd 12 in another room which could be used as a transport to the zen dac but I'd rather that stayed where it was...

The Arcam has a certain smoothness and finess that the new generation seem to lack though...

You’ve really gotta think about whether it’s worth throwing more $$$ at this given the newer options out there.  The newer R2R DACs, for example, exhibit the sound characteristics you seem to like, so one thing you might consider is ordering one you like through Amazon and try it with your Rotel and if it doesn’t knock your socks off you can just return it.  At least you’ll get an idea of what’s out there now, and a DAC would also allow you to start streaming music (a lot of it in hi-res thru Qobuz, etc.) by adding something like an iFi Zen Stream ($399), and as many have said, once you start streaming you’ll likely rarely spin CDs anymore.  A couple examples of very well-regarded R2R DACs are linked below, and I’ll also add the Denafrips Pontus ll if that also might be in your budget.  I’d encourage you to read DAC reviews on soundnews.net as he writes very thorough reviews and does a good job comparing units so you get some perspective on how they compare.  Anyway, just my $0.02 FWIW, and best of luck. 
 

https://smile.amazon.com/Gustard-R26-Discrete-R2R-DAC/dp/B0BDLJYRVN/ref=sr_1_3?crid=VZOZ4JWWRKAR&keywords=gustard+r26&qid=1667329628&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjM0IiwicXNhIjoiMi4xNSIsInFzcCI6IjEuOTIifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=Gustard%2Caps%2C73&sr=8-3

https://smile.amazon.com/Musician-Pegasus-Decoder-DSD1024-Amplifier/dp/B0891X8BM8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1J0XVMVR4VKU6&keywords=denafrips%2Bpontus%2Bii&qid=1667329411&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjg4IiwicXNhIjoiMC41NCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=Denafrips%2Caps%2C65&sr=8-3&th=1

Thank you. I'm sure there are many fine DACs out there and although I am on a budget, I'll certainly stretch for the finer gear if I think it's worth it. Streaming services are not really an option for me because the music I play is a bit too underground. We'll not get into musical tastes here as that is purely a personal thing but sound reproduction does matter, even if it's not your cup of tea so to speak. Don't get me wrong I like all kinds of music in small doses but tend to lean towards non mainstream most of the time. Had a look at those links but they are currently unavailable and I'm in the UK anyway so probably wouldn't be worth the shipping and import costs. Like I said before I already have an iFi zen one signature(actually I have two now) so I'm not sure I could better them without spending significantly more. I like the Cambridge audio dacmagic 200m but that is another 500 GBP on top of what I've already spent and one Zen dac would then become redundant. I'll see what the repair costs come back as and take it from there.

The overall consensus here I think is that the arcam was a bit special(and still is) but has perhaps had its day now and it's time to move on if the costs are prohibitively expensive.

@cafedelmike

If most of your files are already stored on a computer, then it’s probably better to add streaming capability to your system. This could mean installing software or enabling OS features for UPnP / DLNA if you can connect the DAC to the stereo and PC easily. You could set all of this up temporarily (and at low to no cost) to see if it works for you.

For example, Windows has a built-in DLNA / UPnP server - How to Enable / Disable DLNA Media Server on Win 10 or 11.

If you have a Mac or run Linux, Kodi is a free app that can enable DLNA / UPnP capability. (You can also install it on Windows.)

Then you can access your music library and control playback from your phone using a UPnP app like BubbleUPnP (Android) or mConnect (iOS). If you'd rather use a standard web browser, Kodi comes with a web app user interface too.

I started with a new Alpha 9 and then bought a used CD 23 to see if I could tell a difference. I really couldn't. I liked them both so I can empathize with your dilemma. Plus they will play HD Cd's which I have few of.

Alas, the transports in both broke last year and the stock transports are not available. It would be great to know if your audio shop can find a replacement.

Jim S.