Nowadays is pretty rare to find high-quality mini-systems and the Arcam Solo is one of the rare ones. Even after so many years have passed, this Arcam mini-system still stands tall and could compete with some of the finest currently out on the market. By pairing the Arcam Solo with matching speakers, it will help this mini-system to really shine and sound their best.
Finding the right speakers to match with the Arcam Solo, will involve learning and having a further understanding of the Solo’s sonic characteristics. Like most amplifiers, the mini-systems will have their own limitations and strengths which we also need to find out. Once we have gathered enough information and data, we will then be able to share with you the best speakers that you can get and partner them up with the Arcam Solo.
Table of Contents
Sonic Characteristics and Important Specifications of Arcam Solo
As a mini music system, the Arcam Solo comes built-in with a CD player that is based on the award-winning Arcam DiVA CD73. It also has a built-in 24-bit Wolfson D/A converter which was used to be one of the top DACs back in the day. There are other features as well but the most notable one will be the preamplifier output. This allows us to connect Solo to an external power amplifier which can help drive those speakers that demand more wattage and current. The option to add a power amp does give us plenty of speaker choices but we will be going with matching speakers that are close to the price range of Arcam Solo.
The Arcam Solo has a rated power output of 50 Watts RMS into 8 Ohms and 75 Watts RMS into 4 Ohms which is good for a music system. Going for bookshelf speakers will definitely be a priority here but we can also go for floor-standing speakers that are easy to drive. The speakers’ price point will also be one of the main factors as there is no point to include expensive high-end speakers and power amps that cost way more than the Arcam Solo. Another notable feature will be the iPod interface with control via the rDock or rLead but may not be useful to non-iPod users.
With their modest power outputs, the Arcam Solo is pretty muscular and can be quite a punchy performer which exceeded our expectations, as we didn’t expect it to be that expressive. The sound reproduction is clean and clearly delivered, there is no audible distortion, and the music background is just as polished. The stereo imaging is accurate with a defined separation and the Solo easily fills the spacious soundstage with rich musical nuances. The agility of the Arcam Solo is equally remarkable as we love how it paces and handles the music delivery with impeccable confidence.
It is an entertaining mini music system to own if you just want to enjoy listening to your favorite tunes without being analytical, the Arcam Solo is no doubt an ideal choice for you. Music is been delivered smoothly with a hint of warmth and no matter how high the volume is, the overall sound reproduction does not sound shrill. The sound quality is always pleasing and the Solo mini-system has that forgiving nature where bad recordings still sound good. The music presentations are detailed as well but the subtleties may lack some clarity.
The Arcam Solo’s sound quality is definitely one of the very best, still, we would not recommend pairing the mini music system with high-end speakers as the sonic improvements will barely be noticeable. The same goes with power amplifiers, you should just get decent entry-level amps to pair up with the Arcam Solo if you really want to. It definitely serves its function and by integrating the CD player into the integrated amplifier, you really do save up a lot of space. The design of the Arcam Solo also looks stylish and will fit nicely in most listening rooms. With this data, we can now start listing out the best speakers to pair with the Arcam Solo mini-system.
Arcam Solo Specifications
- Power Outputs: 50 Watts RMS into 8 Ohms, 75 Watts RMS into 4 Ohms
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.013%
- DAC: 24-bit Wolfson
- Inputs: 5 Line Level inputs
- Outputs: Optical digital output, 1 Preout, 1 Record, Headphone output
- Dimensions: 350mm x 429mm x 79mm (13.8″ x 16.9″ x 3.1″)
- Weight: 7.7kg (17lbs)
Best Speakers to pair with Arcam Solo
The Dali Zensor 1 will be one of the best speakers to go with the Arcam Solo especially if you want to be entertained when listening to your favorite songs/music. These are lively and musical-sounding bookshelf speakers with plenty of attacks that complement the Arcam Solo mini-system really well. The sonic characteristics of the Arcam Solo help to ease the edges so that the overall sound reproduction won’t sound overly bright. The speaker’s bass performance is tight which allows the expressive mids and energetic highs to shine. Furthermore, the Dali Zensor 1 is affordably priced and will fit most listeners’ budgets.
More Details at Amazon – DALI Zensor 1 Bookshelf Speaker
The Q Acoustics Concept 20 is an award-winning pair of bookshelf speakers that possess exceptional sonic performance and high sound quality at a modest price. In this price range, the Concept 20 is one of the very best stand-mounters and is definitely a worthy match to your Arcam Solo. The musicality and refinement, not to mention, the high level of insights of these speakers will deliver an accurate music presentation rich with details and dynamics. You should also go for their Q Acoustics Concept 20 dedicated speaker stands as they are specially designed to match with the speakers both visually and sonically.
More Details at Amazon – Q Acoustics Concept 20 Speaker
The KEF Q350 is another amazing bookshelf speaker that you might want to take a look at. The Q350 speakers are capable of unraveling loads of musical details and present them to their listeners with amazing clarity. The ability to deliver a large soundstage makes these stand-mounters a good match with the Arcam Solo, filling the stage with rich clear details and presented to you in an enthusiastic way will certainly entertain you for hours on end. Subtle musical details are been dug out by the KEF Q350 as well and the bass reproduction is tightly delivered. Furthermore, the KEF speakers are also able to produce deep bass frequencies.
More Information at Amazon – KEF Q350 Bookshelf Speakers
Dynaudio Emit M10 has a way of handling the music rhythm with impeccable timing, slowing down when it needs to, and quickens the pace with precise snappy attacks. It is a pair of entertaining performers that is well suited for the Arcam Solo music system allowing you to just fully enjoyed the music in front of you. The Dynaudio Emit M10 bookshelf speakers are also quite revealing where it fills the sound field with plenty of details. What’s more important, is that the Emit M10s are still able to sound lively even at moderate volume, making them a terrific partner for the Arcam Solo, not to mention, they are modestly priced. You should definitely check out these talented speakers.
More Details at Amazon – Dynaudio Emit M10
If your listening room is quite large and requires a pair of floor-standing speakers, the Klipsch RP-8000F will be an excellent choice for you. The high speaker sensitivity of 98dB (8 Ohms) makes the RP-8000F quite easy to drive and the Arcam Solo is able to push them to high volume levels. They may be lively floor-standers but they still have accuracy and balance. The dynamics and realism of the Klipsch RP-8000F enable these speakers to deliver an exceptional music performance to their listeners. The sonic characteristics of the Arcam Solo do help to soften the hard edges but these Klipsch speakers can still sound too bright for some listeners and it is highly recommended to audition them first.
More Details at Amazon – Klipsch RP-8000F Floorstanding Speakers
The Omega Speakers System Super 3 XRS will be another floor-stander option to pair with your Arcam Solo. It is a very efficient tower speaker where it just needs as little as 2 Watt to start playing. The only qualms we have for Super 3 XRS will be their price as they are not as affordable as the Klipsch RP-8000F. If you are planning to get power amplifiers and don’t wish to invest too much in them, we will suggest checking out Parasound and Emotiva. The Parasound NewClassic series 275 v.2 and the Emotiva BasX A2 stereo amplifier will be a good start. Furthermore, they are modestly priced and affordable.
More Details at Amazon – Parasound 275v2 Power Amplifier
To Sum It Up
The Arcam Solo is definitely not your average mini-system and does deserve a matching pair of high-quality speakers. The speakers listed here are certainly some of the best and you might want to go through them one by one. The price range of the listed speakers is quite close to the price point of the Arcam Solo including a few which are affordably priced such as the Dali Zensor 1. We highly recommend that you have an audition with these speakers first to see if you like how they sound before making any decision.
