[jiggler]

I am interested in doing some upgrading to my Arcam Alpha 8 CD player. Anyone out there have an experience with this CDP or suggested mods for it? Thanks.

 

[Budgie]

Not with the Arcam particularly, but several other cd and dvd players.
Since most players are roughly similer, the same mods usually work with all brands.
Opamp upgrades.(install sockets at the same time, if dip size chips are used)
Better output caps or no output caps (if it has them to start with & most players do have them).
Bias the opamps to class A.
Remove muting transistors (if it uses transistors. some players use relays, which work fine).
Changing the output line resistors to better sounding ones.
After that the mods get more involved.
The biggest bang for the buck, in my exsperiance is to change or eliminate the output caps.
That any help?

edit- Also, try search on the Audio Asylum tweakers forum. Sombody over there has been mod-ed this player before, I'll bet.
http://www.audioasylum.com/index.html

 

[puppyslugg]

You may also want to poke around the power supplies.

 

[leovalve]

I have a highly tweaked Arcam Alpha 5+, I have spent a long time doing different mods etc but all the work has been worth it, the player now really kicks arse

I could tell you different mods I have done but the Alpha5+ uses a totaly different chipset to the 8 so it won't be much help.
The main thing to improve all cdps is better psu's,clock circuit and analogue out section, the other things like upgrading caps and resistors is all down to personal taste and getting it to match the rest of your gear