Any Arcam experts here, buying a used FMJ dvd player of Fleabay

[noogieman]

Who's an expert on Arcam hifi products on this forum?

I migth buy a used dvd-audio player fro Fleabay?
I'd like to know if Arcam had upgraded their laser-mechanic on their successor dvd players?
15 years ago I had a DV-88 if I remember the correct model number.
this was their first launched dvd player.
It was very lovely with great audio and picture quality, however it's laser mechanism was a Frightmare!
I had to get the laser replaced maybe twice on warranty.
At the end I got fed up with this ****-ty player coz I had playback problems with laser mechanism and took it back to the shop telling shop owner to give me something else instead, so I bought a much cheaper H/K DVD25 which still plays great some 16 years later.

The Arcam player was not reliable to my disapointment costing approx 3 times more than the H/K dvd player!!

Did Arcam improve laser mechanism on their newer players?
They used a supplier from Korea for their laser mechanism on their earlier players.

Did Arcam have other component problems with their dvd-audio players?

I'm looking to buy a used Arcam Full Mental Jacket dvd-audio player of Fleabay, do I have the guts to waste maybe £100 on a used player or would I only waste my money on temperamental player that might give me laser problems?
I don't want to buy a used player with laser problems!

What was their best FMJ dvd players back in the days?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Why restrict yourself to Arcam?

I had a perfectly reliable FMJ DVD88 back in the early noughties. No issues to report, obviously - it was an expensive piece of kit, so it always worked.

Aren't the obvious questions "why buy an obsolete format (i.e. Blu-ray)," and one from a supplier that you don't trust?

Now that prices are insanely low, why not go for a Meridian, HK or whatever you fancy?

Are you actually going to use it purely as a DVD, or as a CD / DVD ?
(It's not as daft a question as it sounds and may colour the solution)

And what kind of TV / Monitor are you intending to use for the output?

 

[noogieman]

I'm still using obsolete technique like S-VHS and laserdisc!
I have a Kramer S-video matrix with Y/C connectors to connect all my toys.
Still use a phat CRT tv from B & O.
I'm looking to have a spare dvd player with Y/C connector if my Heckler/Koch DVD25 breaks down?
Maybe I got a lemon from Arcam back in the days?

I know Meridian, H/K, Arcam, Pioneer, Oppo players were great.
What other brands do you recommend?

Hopefully Arcam had sorted out their gremlins with laser mechanism?
Did the FMJ series differ a lot in quality to their lesser siblings

 

[E55 BBA]

My BDP 300 is about 3 years old now and has been faultless. I use it with an AVR 750 processor/amp and it's a great combination, all controllable from your I phone/I pad.
I only use the BDP for video as all my CD's are stored on a NAS and the AVR has a streamer built in.
Wholeheartedly recommended.

 

[E55 BBA]

System looks like this..

 

[noogieman]

when I find a used (FMJ) Full Mental Jacket DVD player from Arcam it needs to have all these formats for HDCD - DVD Audio and SACD.

I guess it will take some time to find the right specimen?
does anyone know if there are shops in UK specialized in selling used players?
please link the no.1 Arcam shop selling used stuff in the UK.

thanx

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Phat CRT from B&O ?

I'm afraid you lost me at "phat CRT from B&O." i'm using streamed services or downloaded content on an LG OLED - that's a long way from your set up.

eBay and Mr Google will tell you who is selling ARCAM FMJ's in the UK. HiFi shark summarise FMJ DV's being sold across Europe:
https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=arcam+fmj+dv

If you want a guide to HiFi alternatives, good old Hifi World still soldiers on in its same old way:
CD, DVD, Blu-ray.

Back to reliability, I had ARCAM kit for ten years before switching to Meridian "back in the day." I didn't come across any stories of unreliability back then, but this was really all pre-internet, when bad news didn't travel.

But still I come back to this question of the B&O CRT TV. Forget the FMJ - shouldn't you be looking at upgrading that TV to a top quality Pioneer or Panasonic Plasma first? Even a £200 ten year old 50 inch High Def Pioneer will be a huge improvement on a B&O CRT, assuming that you don't want to pay £1000 for a two year old LG OLED.

 

[noogieman]

the new flat screen TV's don't they have a short life span of maybe 10 years of use?
they might self explode being a ticking bomb and not worth repairing?

I have a Philips 32" widescreen tv bought brand new in the year 2000, it only lasted for 9 years!!
This CRT was the TOP of the line with Dolby Digital surround system.
It was very expensive.
A fter 9 years of use a component broke on my Philips and I can only see the top portion of the screen, the bottom is DEAD black!
I thought Philips was good stuff
Lesson learned I will never buy Philips again!

I will stick to my old stuff until they break, then I will buy something else

Phat tv = old skool FAT CRT :bannana: