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ARCAM Owners & Discussion Thread


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Hey Miles

Given you run a turntable with the Arcam AVR600 have you played with the mode selection ?On certain electronic type LPs and especially Live albums they sound great in Dolby PL11x music mode.Sounds just like a 5.1 CD.

Eamonn

I have not done that. I will give it a go today on some select vinyl and will let you know my thoughts. I do use the PLX2 music mode for Foxtel and it certainly is effective in deriving the 2 channel Foxtel audio stream. Therefore it seems logical that if PLX2 can do a thorough job with a highly compressed Foxtel 2 channel stream then I am thinking it would be even more effective with a high quality 2 channel stream.

Regards,

Miles

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Miles

Good to hear someone else uses PX2 MUSIC on Austar ! I have found it superior to PX2 Movie - better surround sound and effects. I am using an nIntegra 80.1, Electra Theatron with Aslan Minstrals and Krix surrounds.

Chewie

PS We can now get 5.1 DD thro HDMI - update about 1 week ago

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Great read cheers milesey74 very interesting i to am using a denon 4308 as a HT pre to my perreaux 6160 into vaf I 93 m11 with a I 66 center. I am currently tri amping the vafs with the perreaux one channel to each of the inputs on the speakers. I have been happy with this but for 2 channel thought it could be improved upon quite a bit.I have a new dedicated Preamp on its way from england it is a valve pre EAR 868.A mate of mine lent me his and to say that the sound improved would be an understatement it suddenly took on a lovely 3d effect going surround from only 2 channel fabulous ! Most of the problems i had associated with the vafs as problems ie upper mid harshness on some stuff went and the sound was so much nicer in all respects now i cant wait till mine turns up.The big vafs are just stunning IMHO very very revealing and as such can be blamed for electronics that are simply not up to the mark :P

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Oh and i am running a Arcam DV 139 as my main player for dvd's c d and sacd great player so i can only imagine how Good the AVR 600 sounds.I must admit i have been eying up the new BDP 100 from arcam i bet it is a nice machine :P

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  • 10 months later...

Milesey74, it's been very interesting to read of your journey and final conclusions on the AVR600 (I just discovered this thread today).

I have been using my AVR600 for the past year and interestingly have essentially come to the same conclusions as yourself.

I find the AVR600 is an excellent processor and preamp and does quite nicely on the power amp side in low demand situations, for example if your LR front speakers were small 2-ways it would do fine. As my mains are very large 4 ways (with 4 ohm impedance) I found the AVR600 struggled to match the dynamics and authority of my Primare A31.2 (120W/channel).

After much experimentation over the past year, I have settled on the following setup :

Oppo BDP-93 - HDMI video direct to Panasonic TV, HDMI audio to AVR600

AVR600 - poweramp stage driving centre and surround speakers only. LR main preouts driving Primare A31.2 power amp.

Primare A31.2 driving the LR main speakers

Main speakers - my own Gatti Apollo

As for video performance, I find the AVR600 quite ordinary when compared with the Oppo, and look forward to the HDMI videocard upgrade in the coming weeks.

Edited by scanspeak
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  • 2 weeks later...

As for video performance, I find the AVR600 quite ordinary when compared with the Oppo, and look forward to the HDMI videocard upgrade in the coming weeks.

scanspeak,

What is this about a videocard upgrade.....?? Sound interesting.

Cheers,

Geoff

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scanspeak,

What is this about a videocard upgrade.....?? Sound interesting.

Cheers,

Geoff

Hi Geoff, yes there is a HDMI hardware upgrade to 1.4 coming in the next few weeks (you will have to take your unit into your local Arcam dealer for upgrade). This upgrade will allow 3D and true video pass through. It is also believed to have fixed the frame rate issue with the current video processing. Regards, Miles.

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Hey Milesey

Just downloaded a Arcam app for the Iphone.I am considering getting a pair of I-90s for the kitchen and setting up Zone 2 on the Arcam to play the playlist on the phone remotely.Well I hope it works like that.

I haven't upgraded my firmware yet since new and dont have popping issues and other problems I've read the Arcam has.Id say because I only use the audio side without HDMI cables Ive been lucky.I wont be going for the hardware upgrade unless it covers a lot more then 3D capabilities.

Cheers Eamonn

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Hi Geoff, yes there is a HDMI hardware upgrade to 1.4 coming in the next few weeks (you will have to take your unit into your local Arcam dealer for upgrade). This upgrade will allow 3D and true video pass through. It is also believed to have fixed the frame rate issue with the current video processing. Regards, Miles.

Thanks Miles,

3D is no biggie for me, but true video pass through would be good. I've thought, from the first moment I hooked it up, that video through the AVR600 is a bit soft.

Any idea of $$ for the upgrade?

The cooling fan issue I was having has been fixed. Apparently a minor internal rebalance. All done under warranty, so very happy now.

Looks like it'll be heading back to the service centre some time soon.........

Cheers,

Geoff

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  • 5 months later...

Some AVR600 users in the UK have been quoted $920 for the upgrade!!!

Is this upgrade available yet, and has anyone done it? If so, what $$, and are there any REAL improvements?

I'm still using v2.5 firmware. Has anyone loaded v2.66?? How did it go??

Cheers,

Geoff

Edited by geoffayres
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Hey Geoff

Give John at Absolute Audio Vision a call ,very helpful and they do the 3D upgrade.The guys at VAF are just having there's done now.Im using mine for audio only so it is not needed.I did put on the V2.66 and works as normal.

P.S Read this on another forum.

"Got new AVR600 today with firmware 3.06 - no bangs /pops at all changing codecs on HTPC (or any where else) - but still mute of about a second or so - very very pleased with it."

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Hey Geoff

Give John at Absolute Audio Vision a call ,very helpful and they do the 3D upgrade.The guys at VAF are just having there's done now.Im using mine for audio only so it is not needed.I did put on the V2.66 and works as normal.

P.S Read this on another forum.

"Got new AVR600 today with firmware 3.06 - no bangs /pops at all changing codecs on HTPC (or any where else) - but still mute of about a second or so - very very pleased with it."

Thanks Stump.

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  • 7 months later...

It's a shame Raeyz hasn't posted in here - as he's had extensive experience with the Arcam AVR600. http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/32015-ht-as-good-as-2-channel-system/#entry531401

- essentially it was his view that for what it was, the Arcam 600 was a great bit of kit. But for music listening, it couldn't compete with less expensive 2 channel amps. So all the hyperbole about people selling off all their 2 channel gear and SOLELY using the AVR600 - seems odd.

For what it's worth, Raeyz sold it and was looking to get back into seperates again.

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It's a shame Raeyz hasn't posted in here - as he's had extensive experience with the Arcam AVR600. http://www.stereo.ne...em/#entry531401

- essentially it was his view that for what it was, the Arcam 600 was a great bit of kit. But for music listening, it couldn't compete with less expensive 2 channel amps. So all the hyperbole about people selling off all their 2 channel gear and SOLELY using the AVR600 - seems odd.

For what it's worth, Raeyz sold it and was looking to get back into seperates again.

You could be right there.On the Arcam forum I asked how much would I spend on a stereo Amp to match the Arcam AVR 600 and was told $1500.So a $7000 Luxman integrated Amp would sound better then the Arcam AVR 600. I love the Arcam because I play surround music with x3 Subs.I could not find a 2 channel amp at any price which can blend in the Subs with the front speakers the way the AVR can.

Stump

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It's a shame Raeyz hasn't posted in here - as he's had extensive experience with the Arcam AVR600. http://www.stereo.ne...em/#entry531401

- essentially it was his view that for what it was, the Arcam 600 was a great bit of kit. But for music listening, it couldn't compete with less expensive 2 channel amps. So all the hyperbole about people selling off all their 2 channel gear and SOLELY using the AVR600 - seems odd.

For what it's worth, Raeyz sold it and was looking to get back into seperates again.

I remember reading on one of the uk forums where the arcam designer himself said the 2ch equivalent of the arcam avr was base model 2ch integrated of theirs. as with this stuff. not taking away how good the arcam avrs can be for 2ch but I do think 2ch can be achieved a lot cheaper. dollar for dollar been my experience that 2ch gear will always win :)

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  • 11 years later...

About time that this thread got resurrected!

 

Now on my second Arcam, an AVR-30 which superseded an AVR-550.   If I had to use one word to describe the AVR-30 improvement,  it would be "effortless".  Channel separation improved, with more detail and better placement.  The biggest jump was probably due to the Class G amps in the AVR-30 but also the AVR-30 is a newer generation.  It was nice to use a web browser to change the settings.

 

Add in Dirac Live Bass Control for the 3 subs, and the AVR-30 became easily the best AVR I have owned.

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2 hours ago, Snoopy8 said:

About time that this thread got resurrected!

 

Now on my second Arcam, an AVR-30 which superseded an AVR-550.

 

That is some resurrection. How is the reliability and quality of the AVR-30? The design and sound quality of the Arcam appeared very impressive, but I saw some stories about poor QA and teething problems when this series of AV Receivers were introduced.

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32 minutes ago, Dingbat said:

 

That is some resurrection. How is the reliability and quality of the AVR-30? The design and sound quality of the Arcam appeared very impressive, but I saw some stories about poor QA and teething problems when this series of AV Receivers were introduced.

I have only had the AVR-30 for 6 months but had the AVR-550 for more than 3 years with no issues.  The teething problems you refer to are firmware problems at the start of new model introductions.  Arcam are notoriously slow in fixing these problems. 

 

Knowing this, I waited a while before I got my units.

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26 minutes ago, Snoopy8 said:

I have only had the AVR-30 for 6 months but had the AVR-550 for more than 3 years with no issues.  The teething problems you refer to are firmware problems at the start of new model introductions.  Arcam are notoriously slow in fixing these problems. 

 

Knowing this, I waited a while before I got my units.

 

Good policy. Always a good idea to give some time to let things settle.

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  • 3 weeks later...

StereoNET Product Of The Year Awards 2024 

 

Quote

AV PROCESSOR
ARCAM AV41


This British brand has a history of innovative and imaginative products stretching back to the nineteen seventies – from active loudspeakers to NICAM TV sound processors. These days of course, it does cutting-edge audiophile stereo and AV designs, such as the flagship AV41 processor you see here. It sports the latest HDMI 2.1 board to support ultra high-resolution video, and the highly regarded Dirac Live room correction technology, among a host of other features. Factor in superb connectivity and excellent build quality, and you have a class-winning home cinema product with excellent provenance.

https://www.stereonet.com/au/features/stereonet-product-of-the-year-awards-2024

 

https://www.stereonet.com/au/reviews/arcam-av41-av-processor-review/

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