Arcam CD62 CD-player
The player has a bit simple design, but is made with exemplary neatness. You will find only the most important control buttons on the front panel. However, do not rush to conclude about functional poverty of CD62. An additional service (the modes of repeat, random playback, programming and so on) is available from the remote control for all the Arcam system, which CD62 is equipped with. Large alphanumeric display with music calendar softly glows in green, is informative and well-read from the distance up to two-three meters.
With all outward similarity with more expensive Diva CD92 our device is almost two pounds lighter. It also uses reading mechanism with three-beam laser head, but it doesn't already have a digital filter for playback of HDCD (a standard digital filter is used), circuit scheme is strongly simplified and instead of expensive, progressive 24-bit digital-to-analog converters DCS Ring DAC there is more simple, multi-leveled converter in CD62, although it is 24-bit too.
CD62 has optical and coaxial outputs. In addition, there is a mini-jack of the system control bus on the back panel. The function of reading CD-text is from the category - "dessert".
The sound is clear, smooth, with moderate detailing. Some nuances escape, but the overall musical form is worth of praise. CD62 keeps tact and follows the rhythm - listening to rock music gives a certain pleasure. No Doubt pleases by strong but not fabulous bass and good drive. Listening to Van Der Graaf Generator you are surprised at the softness and capitation of the playback. The upper range is very clear, the middle flatters.
If you compare the quality of CD62 playing with much more expensive Diva CD92, there are obvious errors in the stereo sound stage and no necessary neatness at the playing of complex specters. But there is something in common: like Diva CD92 a bit neutralizes the meaning of the weakest background sounds, generating the feeling of vacuum in quiet places, what is especially noticeable on the classics. And this feeling will likely be more noticeable if connect CD62 to an amplifier with less high resolution than in our one, which is, by the way, also of Arcam brand.
To sum up: CD62 takes with the dynamics and linearity, clear attack and almost complete absence of digital dirt. At the same time we lose a bit in details and find fails in localization. If not listen attentively, in whole the sound can be apprised on A. And if you use the player in the system with inexpensive speaker systems, which already have errors in creating of sound stage, shortcomings of CD62 will be just hidden from your ears. Only two "but" stay - nuancing and detailing. The amplifiers, which have problems with this subjective measure (almost all inexpensive AV-receivers suffer from it), are contraindicative to this player.
