Arcam FMJ AV888 Review

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Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor Review

Introduction

Just to give you some background into my previous experiences/history with AV products and in particular AV amps and Preamps / Processors that I have heard and owned over the years, I have had many ranging from low end budget Integrated amps to high end Pre/Pros, these Include Yamaha, Pioneer, Denon, Onkyo, Harman Kardon, Meridian & Lexicon to name a few but never once have I owned an Arcam product so this was a first for me, although I have heard and demoed some of their equipment in the past.

What led me on to purchasing the AV888 was the Arcam AVR600 that was on loan to me, and this unit closely shares a lot of the design and functionality of the AV888 but with power amps in a 7.1 configuration, it soon became apparent to me the quality of these new offerings from Arcam as the sound was in a word stunning and probably the best Integrated I have heard to date.

First Impressions


The build quality of the new FMJ range is superb with a high end feel and look about them and certainly sets them apart from lesser products and the usual off the line units that some of the bigger manufacturers make, attention to detail is second to none and the first thing you notice is the lack of a volume control knob, this seems strange at first but when you think about it, this is a state of the art digital product and in some respect why do we need it when everything can be controlled via buttons, in this digital age.

The AV888 comes in 2 colours, silver and black, I went for the black unit as it matches existing equipment I currently own, and to be honest black is the best looking, it comes packaged extremely well, and is carefully laid out and easy to get to, in the box you will find a pack containing the manual and nice letter thanking you for purchasing an Arcam FMJ product, also included is the very sleek and intuitive remote control CR102, this can used to control other kit that you own as it has learning ability, it also has a heavy and solid feel to it and is back lit, you will also find an Arcam specific microphone in the box which is used for setting up the AV888 as it has an Auto setup feature like most AV products nowadays do.

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Connectivity

The Arcam has an impressive set of connections on the rear of unit, with all that would be required and more out of today's Digital and Analogue sources, in particular it has 5 HDMI inputs and 2 outputs, this is plenty and in my opinion 2 HDMI outputs is a must as most people have HDTV's and Projectors for Home Cinema use, previous generations used to only come with 1 output which was slightly frustrating and would of required a HDMI switching device to control 2 displays, luckily this is not needed now, the AV888 has balanced and unbalanced outputs to either active speakers or power amps, dependant on your requirements.

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Ease of Use and Setup

When powering and setting up the Arcam it is very straight forward with a nicely laid out menu system, the inputs have auto sensing to determine the connections you have used and therefore you do not need to force the unit to display HDMI out at first which you do with some manufacturers products, to make things even easier you can then use the Auto setup feature and Microphone which calculates Speakers SPL / Speaker Types / Speaker Distances and also what cross over should be used, at first I had some problems with the results that the auto setup feature concluded, but after tidying up and making sure the room was a quiet as could be, the results got closer to what they should be, with distances spot on and also the SPL too, the cross over that it selected was way out (40hz) but like most other auto setups I have used in the past you can manually change them to the correct ones, and for my system the M&K's need to be crossed over at 80hz.

Included in the Auto setup is also Arcams EQ system, this is derived from the Sharc Digital Processors and in short it is called ART (Auto Room Tuner), I have had quite a few EQ devices in my setups in the past and at first I was not very impressed with the results but luckily it is a feature that you can turn on and off on all the inputs, and as default it is set to off.

But after several runs of the EQ I have now got the settings just perfect for my room and am very happy with the results that I have achieved, and for all music, whether it is 2 channel or Multichannel I prefer to have the EQ off, but for movies it seems to add to the experience so therefore have the EQ engaged for movies, and to me this is the best way to use the EQ system.


Video

The Arcam AV888 has a multitude of connections at the rear of the unit and Video is accepted by all the legacy connections as well as 5 HDMI 1.3 inputs and 2 outputs, although in this day and age personally I think composite should be abolished but I suppose they may come in use for some, but not many.

As the main chipset for video Arcam has used Pixelworks which incorporates broadcast quality scaling and frame rate conversion, Up-conversion of all video inputs to HDMI output as well.

Video enhancements (per input) are Edge enhancement, Mosquito noise reduction, Random noise reduction, Block noise reduction which is all selectable in the menu's options, all resolutions are catered for and the user can select from SD Interlaced/SD Progressive to 720p/1080i/1080p and a Preferred option also, tbh the selection is not the standard that I have seen in most other solutions and seems slightly confusing, 1080p24 is allowed through, but 1080p must be selected in the menu for this to work correctly, it would of been better if it had a "through" option available in the drop down menu, maybe this can be added with future firmware updates, this leads me to believe that the incoming signal is not a straight through output and is being processed via the Pixelworks chipset which is not Ideal if you are using the Video Processor in your BD player or a standalone VP for scaling and frame rate conversions and want video/film untouched.

The 3 main user options for tweaking the Black (brightness), White (contrast) and Colour options are available for calibration although the colour setting is basic and does not allow full access to the main Red, Green, Blue or temperature settings for proper setup, meaning it is limited compared to other solutions that I have used in the past, again this might be enhanced with future firmware updates?.

In all I have found the Video side of the AV888 slightly disappointing but with SD material it does give a clearer image which is more vibrant in appearance and seems cleaner than when the signal is going direct to the TV, so is of benefit for normal SD material/Satellite or cable TV viewing.

***I thought I would add some more detail to my initial review/reaction of the video side of the AV888, I have been watching some concerts on BD and outputting the source at 1080i and letting the Arcam do the de interlacing/scaling to 1080p, I have found some real benefit with this type of material as the PQ is certainly improved rather than using the Oppo BDP-83 to de interlace and scale the image, the image is cleaner and sharper than before and it seems to add more depth to the PQ on my screen, this is most certainly a plus point and feel I should include this after my initial comments of being slightly disappointed, which tbh after having more time with the AV888 the video processing is really rather good when viewing SD and 1080i HD material, in fact the more I play with the settings the more I am happier with the results and have set the different inputs accordingly, it would be nice if it did have memory settings for each individual input as then it would give even more flexibility, again maybe in time and future software/firmware updates Arcam could possibly include this feature, I think I will be switching DVD output to 480i/576i and see how the up scaling of DVD's are handled also***

Audio Performance

Music

On to the main agenda and that is the Audio Performance of the AV888, this processor is absolute state of the art and has all latest HD codecs from Dolby and DTS, but this processor does seem quite sparse compared to other makes and omits this time round THX certification and the post processing that goes with it, this does seem strange as previous models AV8 and AV9 both had THX Ultra 2 spec, but the way I see it is that Arcam have produced a processor for the purist audiophile, who requires ultimate fidelity rather than all the bells and whistles that some others offer.

Thankfully this unit makes up for any lack of features with a sound quality that is truly exquisite and the best I have ever heard and had the pleasure of hearing, it really is a leap forward in sound quality over previous generations in my opinion, and certainly sets the benchmark for others to try and follow.

First off is 2 channel material, I have and do enjoy a wide range of music from classical, jazz, rock, pop and more up to date artists and have an expansive CD collection which have been routing through since I first got the Arcam, the preamp stage is of very high quality and while I am not using the source direct feature it is sublime, my M&K speakers are satellites and therefore require the subwoofer to fill in the gaps so I am using the Analogue Stereo preset on the AV888, this from what I can gather will then use the DSP to cross over at 80hz and it is a seamless transition from sats to sub and the S150's sound like a full range speaker giving a rich and dynamic presentation with fast and articulate bass and excellent imaging, it really is toe tapping stuff which drags you right in and has made me grin on many occasions and certainly confirming to me anyway that I have made the right choice in purchasing this lovely kit, Paul Simons, Concert in the Park is an excellent recording which really puts you into the concert with vocals crystal clear and drums snapping so quickly, the clarity that this processor portrays music in really is a step up from previous equipment I have used and even rivals some dedicated 2 channel setups I have owned and heard in the past.

On to Multichannel Music, I have SACD, DVD-Audio discs and a wide variety of Blu Ray discs which contain both the new HD formats DTS HD and Dolby True HD, and some also including SACD recordings, these discs are from 2L label and have Classical themes but are reference demo material and worth demonstrating the ability of this processor, the detail on offer with the higher resolution formats really is impressive and again the Arcam loses nothing but gains on creating a bigger and more submersive soundstage than before drawing you in to the music.

Some more SACD discs I have enjoyed listening to are Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon, Roger Waters The Wall and Steely Dan's Gaucho, these again impress with so much detail than on previous systems, the one thing you notice over normal CD's is that these mixes seem to play a lot louder and there is no distortion but only how brave you are with the volume control, just crystal clear and sometimes quite scary how natural the music sounds.

DVD-Audio is also another high resolution format that I have always enjoyed and previously enjoyed on a Meridian system that I owned, the Arcam is easily on par with the G series for Sound quality and if I may be so bold to say better, the pre amp stage really does give a more natural and involving sound, with the Meridian being more laid back in presentation from what I remember.

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Movies

This is what a majority of people will be wanting this processor for and that is it's Movies audio performance, with the new HD formats dynamics are increased and this is where a good processor will shine through and thankfully the Arcam reproduces soundtracks with lightning speed and attack and bass which is best described as intense in presentation, slam, punch and attack in droves, but also bringing out the most subtle of details with in soundtracks.

Some of my favourite material has been used and surpasses anything that I have heard before, The Dark Knight is a great film both visually and the audio mix is one of the best in a film to date, action galore and yet again the Arcam manages to immerse you into the film, gun shots are instant and manage to scare you with the force in how they are presented, and in a way that's what the director intended to happen.

Kung Fu Panda is another film which cries out for a good processor, amp and speaker system to portray the brilliantly composed mix of music and effects which make this film into an audio and visual feast, lightning quick effects surround you with slam and punches from the lower bass regions and I have watched it so many times and never tire from this animated film, the Arcam makes it all the more enjoyable.

I thought I would leave this to last but IMO it is a very important feature which Arcam have included and it is the only other form of post processing that they decided to include in the final product and have to say at first I thought what does it do, Dolby Volume is a form of post processing to help eliminate the large volume jumps often found in broadcast TV sound, user selectable Dolby Volume processing is included, a world's first for an AV processor. In addition Dolby Volume includes programme dependant tonal correction to deliver a richer, more realistic sound experience at low listening levels, now this really does work and compared to the late night modes usually found in other processors this one manages to maintain the dynamics that you tend to lose when engaging other forms of dynamic compression to suppress the volume levels, I actually love what this can do and honestly could not be without it now, and I understand why Arcam have included this in there premium products.

Conclusion and final thoughts


I guess you can gather from reading this that I actually really really like this processor, I do, but what it has also done is reignite my passion for Home Cinema and also the enjoyment from my music collection that I own that has not been spun for quite some time. it is IMO that Arcam have made a benchmark product which will stand out as one of best processors available for both Movies and Music, an awsome piece of kit !!

The only slightly negative side of the AV888 is its Video options/performance but thankfully this is not what I really wanted the AV888 for, the sound quality and audio performance is what matters to me but it is nice to have the switching for HDMI inputs available and also the up-conversion for legacy inputs via the Arcam, and could possibly be tweaked for more user input in future updates.

Anyone who is looking for a state of the art processor you really do need to hear this in action as I am sure you will love what this reference AV processor can do, to me this is the first AV processor that I have experienced that does do good HiFi and Movies to reference standard.



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Specs for the AV888

Analogue Audio

  • Audiophile quality components for best sound quality
  • Multi-channel 7.1 analogue input for DVD-A or SACD sources
  • Stereo direct mode bypasses and disables all digital processing for 2 channel analogue sources
  • 9 stereo analogue inputs (including one MM phono input & front 3.5mm AUX input)
  • Zone 2 stereo audio, from analogue inputs (Source and volume control independent from main zone)
  • Zone 3 stereo audio, from analogue inputs, linked to Zone 2, volume control independent
  • Support for iPod via Arcam rLead / rDock (independent of RS232 connection)

Digital Audio

  • State of the art Analog Devices ADSP-21366 & ADSP-21367 DSPs for surround decoding
  • Wolfson 8471 high end 24bit 192kHz audio DACs
  • Crystal Semiconductor stereo ADC and precision electronic volume controls
  • Burr Brown DRV134 Balanced line drivers
  • Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital+, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS HD Master Audio*
  • DTS High Resolution Audio, DTS-ES Discrete, DTS-ES Matrix, DTS96/24, DTS Neo:6**
  • Dolby Volume gain management and Tonal correction processing*
  • Dolby Volume processing for balancing of program material gain and tonal balance
  • Adjustable crossover switching 40Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, 150Hz
  • 8 digital inputs 4 rear optical, 3 co-axial, 1 front 3.5mm optical AUX input
  • Global audio delay, adjustable from 0-1000 milliseconds, to compensate for video processing delays in digital displays and sources with auto lip-sync for compatible displays

Video

  • 5 HDMI inputs (up to 1080p, Deep Colour)
  • 2 HDMI outputs (up to 1080p, Deep Colour)
  • 5 Component inputs, one monitor output (up to 1080i)
  • 5 S-video inputs, one monitor output, 2 tape outputs
  • 5 Composite video inputs, one monitor output, 2 tape outputs
  • Full video up/down conversion & frame rate conversion of all inputs where technically allowed
  • Video enhancements (per input): Edge enhancement, Mosquito noise reduction, Random noise reduction, Block noise reduction

Custom Install Features

  • Independent Zone 2 (audio & video), with fixed/variable volume
  • Zone 3 audio with fixed/variable volume (follows Zone 2)
  • Balanced audio outputs (XLR) for long cables or active speakers
  • RC-5 remote input jacks for all three zones
  • IP control over Ethernet
  • IR pass through for source components
  • Full suite of discrete IR RC-5 codes, including separate on / off etc
  • 12Volt triggers, on / off for zones 1, 2 and 3
  • Full duplex RS232 control input for more complex control systems
  • Audio streaming and Internet radio via Ethernet port

General

  • Supplied with back-lit CR102 learning remote
  • control with support for up to 7 other components and a huge on-board code library
  • Large, high contrast dimmable VFD front panel display
  • User switchable between 120 & 230 volt
  • mains supplies
  • Size – 435mm (17.1in) wide, 415mm (16.3in)
  • deep, 185mm (7.3in) high
  • Weight 12kg (26.5lbs) nett, 17kg (37.5lbs) packed

Arcam FMJ AV888 Product

Arcam FMJ AV888 Manual PDF
 
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Thanks for the review Recruit. Enjoy your AV888. :smashin:
 
I also owned Denon, Yamaha, Lexicon, Bryston, Meridian G68, 3 Meridian 557 power amps, moved to Arcam AV-9 Processor P7 power Amp and I love the sound of it. The best I have herd in my house. Enjoy :thumbsup:
 
Cheers fuzzy, I am a complete convert to the sound of Arcam now and it is a truly wonderful processor :)

I know what you mean about the 'sound of Arcam'. Currently have the Arcam CD17 and DV137 in my system and love sound they produce.
 
REcruit,

Thanks for the update, I only wish I could afford the AV888 to replace my AV9!

Enjoy

Adrian
 
Hi Recruit,

You seem to have put quite a bit of effort into that review. Thanks for sharing it.

I notice that you had a 600 on loan prior to the 888. Given the price difference between the 600 and 888/777 combination, does the performance of the later reflect the more than double price tag?

Thanks.
 
Yes I had the 600 before the AV888 but am running a class D Rotel amp and not the 777 which is the preferred combo but I still noticed a jump in performance, the analogue section and preamp on the 888 is sublime.

Whether it is worth the extra is subjective and only each individual can make that decision but for me it was worth the extra over the 600.

That is not to say the 600 is a bad performer as it is not and easily the best reciever I have heard to date for both movies and music.
 
Hi Recruit,

You seem to have put quite a bit of effort into that review. Thanks for sharing it.

I notice that you had a 600 on loan prior to the 888. Given the price difference between the 600 and 888/777 combination, does the performance of the later reflect the more than double price tag?

Thanks.

The Arcam AV-9 is a lot better than the AVR 600 as well
 
I guess it's like anything else. if you want the best possible performance then you have to pay for it.

I've never heard the 888, but I would be interested to compare it with the 600. I may put it on my list of things to do.:)
 
@recruit; Interesting review, I have had an AVR600 and now the A888/P777 since launch, have you demo'd the BDP-100?
 
@recruit; Interesting review, I have had an AVR600 and now the A888/P777 since launch, have you demoed the BDP-100?

No, I have an Oppo BDP93 modified from Audiocom, was tempted though.

And no sorry I have not demoed it either.

Are you using one x86root?
 
Nice review, makes me wonder how much I'd gain from changing from a AV9 to the AV888?

Would be good to have a go with room correction again, like you not overly impressed with older systems I have tried.

Loving the Arcam sound since getting the AV9/P7, am now listening to a lot more music than I used to with the Japanese kit. I prefer it to even the Meridian/Nad combo I used to have using Trifield!
 
I love the AV888, at the moment I am listening to some 24/96khz recordings off my lowly Squeezebox Touch and it sounds amazing which is really making me think do I need a CD player anymore!

Can you not get a home demo as you already have the P7 amp, I have also had Meridian (G68) and Trifield which was nice but the longer I live with the Arcam it really is in another league :thumbsup:
 
Not sure who I could get a home demo from as I am not in a "relationship" with any Hi-Fi dealers since we lost The Hi-FI Co and Sevenoaks from Peterborough. Being self employed limits my time for driving round the country to see/hear kit.

I have been buying 2nd hand recently to slay the depreciation dragon, but if you want the latest I guess you have to swallow the pill and try to enjoy it rather than thinking about how much you are loosing (bit like cars really!).

I also have been wondering if a CD player is worth having these days since setting up streaming audio (Sonos) ;)
 
Nice review, makes me wonder how much I'd gain from changing from a AV9 to the AV888?

Would be good to have a go with room correction again, like you not overly impressed with older systems I have tried.

Loving the Arcam sound since getting the AV9/P7, am now listening to a lot more music than I used to with the Japanese kit. I prefer it to even the Meridian/Nad combo I used to have using Trifield!


I compared the AV-888 to the AV-9 for music and couldn't hear any difference.
I also had the meridian G68 processor
 
@recruit; Interesting review, I have had an AVR600 and now the A888/P777 since launch, have you demo'd the BDP-100?

I had a house demo of the Arcam bdp-100 for a week. Compared it to the oppo 83se. The oppo was a lot better than it for music and picture. just waiting for the oppo95
 
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I compared the AV-888 to the AV-9 for music and couldnÂ’t hear any difference.
I also had the meridian G68 processor

Interesting, I do wonder how much difference the room correction would make to a less than ideal room though? I have fixed my bass issues with a DSP8033 on the sub but that leaves everything else above to deal with.

Are you using the AV9 as a DAC for music or using analogue pass-through for offboard decoding? I am using the analogue outs on a BDP-5000ES for high def movie tracks and using the DAC in the AV9 for music from Sonos and CD.
 
Justin - I use an Antimode on my sub as it was too much of a bargain to not, the rest is left to the (ART) in the Arcam which when engaged gives good results with movies, its like the AV888 gets ramped up and things get going but with more ferociousness on movies, music I like left pure and the Arcam sounds beautiful with all types of music, I think my system just has good synergy also.
 
I compared the AV-888 to the AV-9 for music and couldnÂ’t hear any difference.
I also had the meridian G68 processor

I have not heard a direct comparison,but would say that the AV9 is still a great processor and now hooked up to the Marantz NA7004 even my wife is now constantly enjoying high quality files using Air Play via the ipad and the Marantz wizz remote app :thumbsup:.

I would not touch the Arcam bdp 100 but if my AV9 needs to be replaced eventually (not for a long time i hope) ,it will be an av888 or later model.

The AV9 has to go down as one of the companys defining moments.:)
 

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