New Arcam preamp/processor

[MikeE]

Hi, does anyone have any news or gossip on the Arcam FMJ AV8 preamp/processor, like how much and when and what features? It's listed on the Dolby Labs site, along with the Diva AVR200, as a product featuring PL II.

It could be the answer to my dreams, as ever since integrating my HiFi and Cinema systems I've been a bit dissapointed with the sound (on CD), and fed-up with looking at an untidy pile of odd components (I know the last one shouldn't matter, but it would be the icing on the cake and go a long way to keeping my wife happy....). Up to now I've been considering the Arcam Diva range but have been a bit worried that the AVR100/200 would not be good enough to show off the abilities of a CD player like the CD92 even ignoring it's internal amp and using a P85 power amp for the front speakers. Providing it's not too expensive the FMJ processor may be just the answer I need in order to build a one make system with a music bias (given that I can't afford the Meridian/Tag alternatives).

PS first post EVER, so please be gentle...

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

Mike,

My rep has informed me that now the cat is out of the bag I can tell folk some info about this.....

First off let me say I haven't seen or heard it yet but that I hope to have a BETA unit soon. I'm not sure if I can tell you the price....I can mention a sort of cool thing they've done though. It will switch RGB through it's component inputs as long as you have a composite feed run from the source as well....ie SKY through amp to TV. rgb+comp to pre-amp then rgb+comp out to TV. At least, I believe it's going to do this. More info when I get my hands on one....

Oh and having met one of the chaps in the design team for this product I can say that I am actually quite excited to hear it!

Gordon

[lmccauley]

That feature is pretty cool, actually. I wonder how many RGB inputs it will switch in this way?
Does it do gain-matching like the A85?
Does it feature audio-delay to prevent lip-synching when using a video processor?
Does it contain any video processing, or the option of an add-on module?

It will be interesting to see what the price is - I may well investigate using my Alpha 10/DAVE setup purely as power amps if the performance gain is worth the money. Would dealers take a DAVE module as trade in, I wonder, or is it worth keeping the 10/DAVE intact for the inevitable day when I'd be tempted to trade up the power amps to P85's?

I wonder if Arcam'll do a lower specced Diva version for less (a la DV88/DV27)?

[MikeE]

Gordon,

Thanks for the info, sounds like it's going be worth waiting for. I just hope it's not priced to close to the Tag (or if it is, they do a Diva version).

I and I'm sure others would also apprieciate any further information as you get it (or are allowed to release it) and your thoughts on what it sounds like when you hear it.

[PeteM]

Personally being an Alpha 10 / Dave owner, I feel a bit left out in the cold WRT a lack of an upgrade to Dolby Prologic II.

The last time I spoke to my dealer (May this year), I was informed that there would be no upgrade for Dave due to the licensing costs for DPII making it uneconomical.

Now I see newer systems such as the DVA AVR200 and FMJ AV8 being launched that support these newer decoding standards, and also allow for the addition of an external decoder - i.e DVD-Audio / SACD support, something else which I am denied - although as an Alpha 10 / Dave owner, audio quality is likely to be quite high on my list of priorites!

I'd like to see an upgrade for the Dave module for Alpha 10 / FMJ A22 owners - or possibily a new Dave II module.

Certainly if I were to concider buying an FMJ AV8, I would make very sure that it were fully future proofed - i.e should have support for an external decoder, must support all current decoding standards, and must come equipped with an optical / digital output for connection to a digital recoder.

I'm really interested in the AV8 myself being an arcam owner and having thought of going to a tag av32r. Hope the price is more affordable

I have found a picture (a bit small) of the FMJ AV8 here :
http://shows.soundstagelive.com/show...wstop_01.shtml

Now has anyone heard the rumour of a 5 channel arcam power amp?

[slingshot]

Looks good, they mention a price of 3-4000 dollars, so it looks like they're pitching it around the price of a TAG, I was hoping for a fair bit cheaper so I could realistically upgrade my ageing AV50.

Oh well looks like I'll have to wait a bit longer.

[lmccauley]

Thanks for the photo link - looks very nice.

Hmm, $3-4k will be around £1500-2000 in this country, I guess. That's less than the Tag, but still quite hefty.

Like I said, I hope they do a cheaper Diva version.

Cheers,
Liam

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

I suspect pricing will be as much...if not more than AV32r......but they are planning on outperforming that model!

Gordon

[lmccauley]

Originally posted by Gordon, Convergent-AV
I suspect pricing will be as much...if not more than AV32r......but they are planning on outperforming that model!

Thanks Gordon,

Should be very impressive, then, but I fear that puts it outside my reach. Mind you I said that about the 10/DAVE when I had an AV50...

Cheers,
Liam

[MikeE]

Just noticed some more info on the bristol show website. Seems the processor is going to be part of an FMJ+ range which also includes a 7 channel (7 x 150watt) power amp. The processor is supposed to decode every known format and have over 100 inputs!

Sounds fantastic, but it definitely sounds like it's going to be out of my price range. I guess I'll have to keep waiting and hope Arcam do a cut price Diva version.

[ReTrO]

Originally posted by lmccauley


I wonder if Arcam'll do a lower specced Diva version for less (a la DV88/DV27)?

When i spoke to our rep he said they were hoping to do something in the DiVA range. He didn't know when it would appear though, we were just discussing what it should have.

[General Skanky]

This is a thread to catch the imagination.
It has always annoyed me the dearth of high quality proc. at an achievable price point, ie £800 - £1000!
The good ones are currently £1600+ ie, Tag.
The only option I can think of is Rotel at the price I mention. There are one or two others, but they 'all' seem to have one shortcoming too many to make me want to splash out!
Arcam in my opinion, are in the perfect position to produce a unit that will do all we want at a keener price. The only way I can describe this is, remember when the Yamaha A1 was launched at £1600? Great unit but a bit OTT. Then the A2 appeared, almost as good, but at £1000 a brilliant unit to those of us that couldn't go the extra for a few extra features.
If Arcam can do a double act as it were along the same lines I'd be very interested.
My current basis of comparison is the Tag. I mean it's in a class of its own at the moment. The quality is obvious. I want that but at a lower cost.
Don't ask for much do I?

[JohnS]

B]This is a thread to catch the imagination.[/b]

Just to add my 2p worth.
I have also been waiting for a more mid-priced (£900-£1700) alternative processor to the Tag, which will also offer future upgradeability. I dont think that anyone argues that the Tag is a great processor but a bit out of my price range.

There doesnt seem to be any middle ground alternative at the moment. You either buy a Jap receiver that does the latest formats and then change it every 18months to 3 years or sit on the fence waiting and wanting the Tag. I know the manufactures want to sell more products but many people will happily pay for the upgrades they want, even if the price is a little over the top if it doesn't mean "starting again".

If Arcam can produce a product of this nature and support it then they may have a winner.

[MikeE]

Thanks for the last few responses, it's nice to know I'm not alone in wanting a decent £1000 processor.

As a fan of Arcam's stuff, I certainly wish them luck with the FMJ AV8, I just hope they don't forget the more affordable end of the market while chasing after Tag and the like. When I first saw they were producing a processor I had hoped it would be around the price of other FMJ components (£1000 to £1600).

It strikes me, that as Arcam already have an excellent and flexible choice of DVD and power amps in the Diva range (choose and upgrade a combination of P85/2 & P85/3 to build 5, 6 or 7 channels as required), they must be perfectly placed to bring out a matching affordable processor.

One thought I had in trying to keep it as affordable as possible, was how many people actually use or need their video switching capabilities. I have what I assume is a fairly common set-up of DVD, VCR and Sat and as most TV’s now have at least 3 A/V inputs I don't really need to use the video side of my current receiver.

What do others think about having an audio only processor for say less than the psychological £1000 and having an optional and matching video switcher for maybe £200-£300 for when the system grows to need it. As a dedicated video switcher with perhaps the capability to switch RGB as mentioned earlier by Gordon, it might even have a market all on it’s own.

It would be nice if someone from Arcam (or their rivals) could let us know if any of this is likely to happen in the near future. I don’t want to spend another £800 on a receiver only to be disappointed again and find my perfect processor being launched 6 months later.