[Dav1dF]

ARCAM / KEF / MICHELL / MITSUBISHI / CHORD COMPANY
AND DIVERSE VINYL EVENING

WORLD EXCLUSIVE FIRST PUBLIC DEMO OF ARCAM'S AVR600!

WEDNESDAY 26th NOVEMBER 6:30pm

We're going to start publishing the details of this evening and update it whenever new information comes to light, but here are the plans so far.

Downstairs, as well as the usual buffet and alcopops, you'll be greeted by the Arcam's new entry level FMJ components - the CD17 CD player and A18 amplifier, driving KEF's iQ5SE replacement, the iQ50.

We'll be joined once again by the Diverse Vinyl boys, with many new and classic albums, where you can peruse their vinyl collection or place pre-orders for upcoming releases.

Michell will be showing theirclassic Gyrodec, TecnoDec, and Orbe which will be fed into Arcam's FMJ A28 amplifier via a Trichord Dino phono pre-amp through KEF's new iQ70loudspeakers.

On the first floor, Arcam's eagerly awaited AVR600 will be driving a 7.1 KEF XQ system based on their XQ40and XQ50c along with KEF's monstrous 209 subwoofer. Spare underwear will not be provided on the night. This system will be viewed on a Mitsubishi HC7000 projector (stock permitting).

On the top floor, KEF's Reference 203/2's will be driven by Arcam's FMJ C31 pre-amp supplying two P1 monoblocks. This will be fed by a CD37. We'll also have an A38, again fed by a CD37, driving KEF's XQ40 floorstanding loudspeakers. Chord Anthem 2's interconnects and Epic 2 speaker cables will be used.

A second system in this room will consist of an Arcam CD37 supplying an A38, which along with a P38 will be bi-amping a pair of KEF Reference 201/2 standmount loudspeaker. Cabling will be Chord Odyssey 2 speaker cable and Chorus interconnects.

Another AVR600 will be be feeding a KEF IQ90 / IQ60C / HTB2 being viewed on a Pioneer LX6090 plasma. There will be three Arcam reps on hand to answer any questions you may have.

All cabling will be from the Chord Company, who will have a rep on hand to answer any of your cabling questions, even the anal ones

All AV sources will be Bluray, and no, not an Arcam one before you ask! For convenience, we will be using M&K's tripole speakers for rear duties to save running cabling over the floor.

Our usual competitions will be present, and this year will be for an Arcam Solo Mini with a pair of KEF C3 loudspeakers and some Chord cabling (yet to be confirmed which one).

Also, we will be offering our usual discount for visitors placing any orders or purchasing on the evening, which will also include next Mondays VAT reduction.

As per usual, things change! I have just updated the above (24th Nov) to show the plan of what's being shown.

Any questions or requests for dem material etc, just ask here!

Regards
David

[mwomwell]

Do you know what time the session will kick off yet - I might just come along - sounds like the shop may be a little full though with the kit being demoed. Are you planning to do a Denon session as well - maybe with the M&K speaker set up - might be interesting. I think you should get a Mitsubishi HC7000 in as well to do the visuals.

[Dav1dF]

Hi

It will all kick off around 6:30pm or when we've finished our pizza, whichever is later

Most of the equipment will be set up the day before or during that day, but sometimes systems may not be fully tweaked and finished until the last minute, as usually there's lots to do! Feel free to give us a call during the day as you're welcome to pop in for a listen to anything that is fully set up.

We will close normally at 5:30pm and re-open after putting our feet up, eating pizza, and starting on the wine

Regards
David

[mwomwell]

Sounds good - don't forget to get the Mitsu in though.

[Dav1dF]

Hmmmmm....not sure about that one! They need to look at dealers margin requirements first!

[craigizmo2k2]

Hi mate, a friend and I may attend this.

Do we just show up or do we have to slip you a fiver in a back alley way?

[Dav1dF]

Originally Posted by craigizmo2k2

Hi mate, a friend and I may attend this.

Do we just show up or do we have to slip you a fiver in a back alley way?

You can slip us a fiver if you like, or a jumbo bottle of Grolsch and a tube of Pringles (Percy Pigs for Lee - he'll pamper to your every need for the whole evening for a pack of Percy Pigs)

But seriously (Phil Collins has killed that saying for me) In all seriousness, just turn up - doors open at 6:30, everyone's welcome, no money involved......well, not until we come to let you out of course

[Dav1dF]

Originally Posted by mwomwell

Sounds good - don't forget to get the Mitsu in though.

It looks as though you have your wish Mr.W......our HD80 is now sold and our Mitsubishi account is being sorted as we speak.....

[Dav1dF]

I've just been informed that our musical evening will be the first ever public demonstration of the AVR600 - so with Arcam being a UK company, I think we can claim a World Exclusive!

[x86root]

Dav1dF -

Any updates on the event? Just called and spoke to your colleagues this morning and sounds like its all going forward. I'm based in West Sussex and plan to attend the event with the primary intention of exploring the AVR600 and of course enjoying the evening. =)

[Dav1dF]

Hi Root

Yes, the evening is still going ahead!

Other than the 2 demo AVR600's, we are also promised a 'dud', pretty much a shell as it were, that people can view up close and check connections etc, rather than bending down in the dark.....

Also, for those interested, our HC7000 will be here as of tomorrow.

Regards
David

[x86root]

Hi David, Sounds great and cannot wait. Thank you!

[Dav1dF]

Just updated

[Dav1dF]

Our HC7000's will be turning up just in time for the event tomorrow, and just in case anyone is coming to see it specifically, I'm going to request the use of the rep's demo model so we have a 'run in' one to show, rather than using one that has only been used for a few hours

[mwomwell]

I bet you can't wait to see how it performs - almost time to get your credit card out - LOL

[Russell.Williams]

What time does the event run until?

I'm considering making my excuses and ducking out of work early, but it's still quite a run from Braintree.

Russell

[Dav1dF]

Originally Posted by mwomwell

I bet you can't wait to see how it performs - almost time to get your credit card out - LOL

Again!

Originally Posted by russ.will

What time does the event run until?

There's never a specific ending time, it just runs to whenever it finishes. Normally, around 9:30/10:00ish. Just tell them your missus is having a baby

[x86root]

russ.will -

I'm travelling from West Sussex, hope you make an appearance. Would be great to hear about the Audiolab 8000AP/8000P experience.

Plan to start making my way up by about 1500 in an attampt to miss the traffic!

[TheBlueFalcon]

I had an invite to this through the post about a week or so ago. I'll be going as I am interested in the AVR600 and HC7000. They are offering 15% off to people that attend, which is seriously tempting me. Just wish I could afford to buy them both.

[x86root]

Not to mention the reduction in VAT on the night too!!!

[TheBlueFalcon]

Originally Posted by x86root

Not to mention the reduction in VAT on the night too!!!

I didn't think about that. That would be about another £50 off each of them. This is not good for my blood pressure!!

[x86root]

haha, sorry but I'm just happy someone else feels the same!

The problem is you have to justify the Kit before you even make a decision purly on the bais it may come to the point that it meets your requirements and you must have it!

[TheBlueFalcon]

I think mentally I've already bought it.

[x86root]

haha - you might want to start keeping them cards closer to your chest!!

[Dav1dF]

Thanks to those who attended our evening, I hope it was of some use to those who were looking for certain answers!

The HC7000 was looking stunning, so stunning in fact that it's silly the sort of quality that's on offer for less than £3k these days. Black level and detail on the Dark Knight was amazing, and similar results were on offer from Battlefield: Bad Company on the X-Box 360.

The KEF Reference 209 sub is actually a little hard to sum up. In some ways it didn't initially impress, but the more you listened to it, the more you realised it was doing it's job, it just wasn't drawing attention to itself, which is a good thing. Admittedly, the room it was being used in with the KEF Reference 205/2's is about the worst room in the store acoustically - an exaggerated top end and subdued bass energy due to no solid walls - but then again, with it being a 16th century building, none of our rooms have any solid walls! The AVR600 was very impressive driving the KEF Reference range (M&K SS150's at the rear for convenience) with a very good detail level, decent sized soundstage,

I was quite impressed with the DVD playback of the Pioneer LX71 Bluray player as well when i tried Pulse. I wanted to hear the depth the KEF sub would reach with the scene where the source of the story's problems is discovered. Wow

Trying the Dark Knight on Bluray was extremely impressive, even more impressive than the opening scene on the Batman Begins Bluray - the gunshots in the opening bank robbing scene were most impressive! Picture quality was excellent, amazing detail, and great depth.

Wall.e just looked stunning. The solidity of some of the droids on the space ship amazing. I couldn't really guage the audio as i haven't seen the film yet.

I only got a brief chance to hear the IQ AV setup with the other AVR600, along with the HTB2SE, which i was most impressed with! But you could tell it didn't match the depth of bass on offer from the monstrous 209......

The rep agreed to leave an AVR600 with us over the weekend, so hopefully, as long as we're not too busy on Friday morning, maybe I can set up a showdown between the AVR600 and DSPZ7, to see what differences shine through regarding movies, music, and speaker driveability go.

[coldmachine]

Originally Posted by Dav1dF

Thanks to those who attended our evening,

Would you mind answering any of the questions, that you are able to, that were posted in the thread in the Arcam forum.

Thanks.

[Dav1dF]

Originally Posted by coldmachine

Would you mind answering any of the questions, that you are able to, that were posted in the thread in the Arcam forum.

Thanks.

I'll try!! After a few glasses of wine, the ability to accept incoming information, process it, and store it somewhere where it can be easily found becomes a little harder. The stuff I remember I'll answer now and the stuff I can't answer I'll try and find out on Friday when I'm back in work