Has anyone heard the arcam a80? i am tempted to buy the a65 & arcam cd73T combo, but am a bit afraid that the 40wpc of the a65 will be a little on the short end.. The cd73T however seems to be designed for the a65... so how does it work with the ca80?
Which speakers would go with the a65 or a80? I was thinking of B&w 602 s3 but the sales rep told me that the 601 s3 would be a better buy for the arcam a65 (since it only has 40wpc)..
The CD73T is a fine CD player which will work perfectly well into both A65 and A80. no compatibility issues there at all. The A80 is a much better amp than the A65 so if you can afford it, definitely consider it seriously. That said, the A65 would only really have a problem if partnered with odd speakers or expected to drive a really large room (e.g 21ft x 16ft).
The 601S3 is an easier load than the 602s3, so this is why the rep suggested the 601s3 which is a cracking little speaker, and I'd agree with his suggestion. If you're in a room up to the size I mention above, you'll get better results out of the 601 with the A65, simply because it can control the 601 better and therefore drive the room better too.