[HD Elvis]

I am contemplating the Arcam AV500 although the price is still somewhat on the high side. I would still like a high end Arcam setup and older kit maybe an option for me. Therefore to cover all bases can anyone give me an idea of when the av9/p7 first came out and what price I should be paying for these 2nd hand. I would be reluctant to pay a high price for something that was due to give up the ghost however I am aware that the build quality over the arcam range is usally bomb proof.

Also, just out of curosity has anyone compared the AV9/p7 with the new AVR600 for outright s.q and dynamic range?

[crobo]

The going rate for a good used P7 seems to be £900 and AV9s go for about £650-800 I guess. Very hard to go wrong at these prices; the P7 is is a great power amp and the AV9 is excellent for both music and movies. The sound is a little on the warm side, which is not to everyone's taste, but they have been popular for a reason. Of course you will only get lossless sound from blu-rays if you use analogue 7.1 connections to the AV9 from a compatible player.

The AV9/P7 are also easy to sell on, which is no bad thing.

I haven't heard the AVR600 but I have read very good things about it. I tend to think of separates always having the edge over integrated amps, but this one might be different. Of course it's a lot more money.

[docsmith2k1]

I currently use the AV9/P7 set up and love it. My AV9 was recently sent back to Arcam for repair (5 year warranty) and I had a 600 for 2 weeks. Obviously it was nice to have HDMI switching and scaling (fewer wires round the back of the amp are also a bonus) and the newer sound formats, but I was glad to get my AV9 back. The 600 is less "musical". It sounds harsher and more strident in the higher frequencies. The AV9 gives a richer, rounded sound IMHO. Maybe my ears are just more accustomed to the AV9 which swaps some of the 600's dynamism, for warmth. They can both go loud without distortion, and for movie soundtracks most would notice little difference (except with the TrueHD and DTS MA tracks on Bluray which are amazing BTW) but on music I think many would prefer the AV9.
If the absence of the latest sound formats are not an issue for you I don't think you will regret getting an AV9.

Andy

[TheBlueFalcon]

While the AV9 and P7 are superb for music, the movie performance has been surpassed. Replacing an AV9 and P7 with the Yamaha Z11 was a huge upgrade to my system for movies, even just for DD and DTS from DVD. Obviously music was nowhere near as good, but that goes without saying.

It really does come down to what you want from your system. If music isn't important you can do far better than the AV9. Even using a Yamaha RX-V3900 with a P7 was a big step up from the AV9 and P7 for movies.

I would say that the AVR600 is a well balanced compromise between movies and music, unless you want to spend around double the price.

[Welwynnick]

Originally Posted by RobertPaulson

using a Yamaha RX-V3900 with a P7 was a big step up from the AV9

I think you've just marked your own card there.

Nick

[TheBlueFalcon]

Originally Posted by welwynnick

I think you've just marked your own card there.

Nick

Originally Posted by RobertPaulson

Even using a Yamaha RX-V3900 with a P7 was a big step up from the AV9 and P7 for movies.

It helps if you quote the full sentance. I'll stick by that statement as well. As I owned an AV8/P7 from not long after release and then upgraded to the AV9 with one from the first batch, I think I have lived with one for longer than most people have and probably compared it to far more equipment than a lot of others have had chance to.

[Welwynnick]

I've heard many people say great things about the Z11, and I recognise that you meant with movies.

But for the RX-V3900, can you clarify, do you mean that sounded better as a processor than the AV9 when using dolby digital and DTS soundtracks from DVDs when input over spdif or toslink?

Did you compare them using analogue connections?

Thanks, Nick

[TheBlueFalcon]

Yes, the performance from DVD was improved with the 3900/P7 over the AV9/P7. I was using a coax cable to take sound from the DVD Player.

After testing and comparing numerous cables (both for digital and analogue) for use in my system, I decided many years ago that taking the signal digitally into the AV9 was the best way and that coax was my preference.