Arcam AV9 Purchase a Waste?

I'd be really interested in a 'digital only' AV10 (or whatever they call it) ... with just optical/coax and hdmi connectors and some high class DACs and the ability for software/firmware updates to accommodate new sound formats ...

Oh and two hdmi outputs - one for screen, one for projector

Surely the back panels of the behemoth amps/processors could do with losing some/most of the analogue/composite/s-video connectors - especially at the high-end of the marketplace ?

Just my 2p ...

Jon

I don't think you really want a digital only unit. Have you thought about having a CD player that has a better D/A converter than your pre/pro with the only way of accessing the D/A converter of the CD player being only the analog outs? With digital only, you are restricted to digital inputs only. This is whats wrong with Halcro.
 
....plus isn't the point of a processor to decode and process the signal and convert it to analogue to pass to an amp? If you had an AV10 with no analogue outs how would you then get sound to an amp? Have an amp which took hdmi digital input and then need to convert it? That defeats the pre/processor unit.

Now it does beg the question of a separate DAC which i have been discussing on another thread but that itself starts having problems with HD codecs and the sort.

I'm finding trying to marry up decent stereo and AV very hard. The best solution IMO is having video out of one cable and audio out of another so you can separate the components you use at each stage if you like e.g source, dac, clock, pre, amp

Prob is we only now have HDMI carry both signals for HD audio and video in the AV market. It makes marrying things quite hard unless you start having dual systems.

Sorry i seem to have digressed....
 
I contacted Arcam to ask about the AV9 and when/if they planned to bring it up to date with HDMI 1.3a, Dolby True-HD etc etc etc.

Here is their reply:

The replacement for the AV9 will be released Spring/Summer this year and will be an extended processor version of the AVR600. There is no possible way to update the AV9 and there will be no upgrades at all for it. The Processor version of the AVR600 will have similar specification but be of a much higher quality, there will also be a new version of the P7 to accompany it.


So I think it's definitely worth waiting for this!! strange that they call it a processor version of the AVR600 but with much higher quality components..... isn't that what an "AV10" would be??!!!

Anyway, I'm gonna start saving for this. No matter how good the AV9 is, I can't justify spending the cash and then have to watch movies without Dolby True HD (I was genuinely surprised how much better and bigger it sounded compared to normal compressed DD 5.1).
 
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I'd be really interested in a 'digital only' AV10 (or whatever they call it) ... with just optical/coax and hdmi connectors and some high class DACs and the ability for software/firmware updates to accommodate new sound formats ...

Oh and two hdmi outputs - one for screen, one for projector

Surely the back panels of the behemoth amps/processors could do with losing some/most of the analogue/composite/s-video connectors - especially at the high-end of the marketplace ?

Just my 2p ...

Jon

Agreed, that would be good for me too.

Ian.
 
I'm finding trying to marry up decent stereo and AV very hard. The best solution IMO is having video out of one cable and audio out of another so you can separate the components you use at each stage if you like e.g source, dac, clock, pre, amp

I was looking at the DVDO Edge and noticed that has 2 HDMI outputs, one to carry av and one for audio only. Thats a step in the right direction.

Ian.
 
I'd be really interested in a 'digital only' AV10 (or whatever they call it) ... with just optical/coax and hdmi connectors and some high class DACs and the ability for software/firmware updates to accommodate new sound formats ...

Oh and two hdmi outputs - one for screen, one for projector

Surely the back panels of the behemoth amps/processors could do with losing some/most of the analogue/composite/s-video connectors - especially at the high-end of the marketplace ?

Just my 2p ...

Jon

I second this, how many people actually use anywhere near to all these analogue ins, a few floating Aux inputs with labeling facilities would be far better.
And obviously leave a phono in.


And hope the Av 10 is not too similar version of the Avr600 - ie. the Avp700
But actually its core is built to be much better than the Av9 and not actually a souped up and cut down version of Avr600.

A decent setup menu and good remote like the other leading brands amps / flagships would also be very welcome.

And decent DSP processing, Yamaha has had it for over ten years now, so there is no excuse anymore.

Maybe the Av11 will be the real leap in performance we so desire.
 
Remove too many analogue connections and the complaining will start all over again for the inputs that aren't there but are require by people who still use such things as MD, DAT, Turntable (Hi-Fi and DJ), analogue TV decoders, tape, VCR. My Velodyne DD sub requires an analogue input to calibrate for example and I need analogue in for old games consoles. Regular sky boxes are analogue audio only. I'm sure there are other examples too. An argument for a digital-only processor I think would just make life difficult certainly for me as a dealer having to stock multiple lines of the same product, but also for the guy who buys digital only then realises he just one single analogue thing he wanted to plug in but now can't!!!
 
....plus isn't the point of a processor to decode and process the signal and convert it to analogue to pass to an amp? If you had an AV10 with no analogue outs how would you then get sound to an amp? Have an amp which took hdmi digital input and then need to convert it? That defeats the pre/processor unit.

Obviously phono's out are needed ... I wonder if it's possible to have some analogue in's that could be selected/programmed - apart from a separate phono for balance/impedence ?

...people who still use such things as MD, DAT, Turntable (Hi-Fi and DJ), analogue TV decoders, tape, VCR. My Velodyne DD sub requires an analogue input to calibrate for example and I need analogue in for old games consoles. Regular sky boxes are analogue audio only.

Guess I thought that if folks are spending 3k on a new digital processor then the use of a vcr/old sky boxes might not be required ... I might be in a minority but digital only would work for me ... ;)

Jon
 
Well I'm the kind of person that would use such a processor: in my system I have decks+mixer to plug in, with CD players I test at home I would want an analogue connection, I have a JVC SVHS player that gets used enough to necessitate a connection being available for it, and I have a handful of older games consoles that do not have digital audio connections. Oh and the DD12 which needs analogue inputs to calibrate. That's six analogues not including analogue video sources that many people will want to run through such a processor as an audio and video solution (Xbox360, SVHS, Sky(+), LD, older DVD players etc. I've also worked on plenty of installs where I would need analogue connections for european satellite decoders, maybe an audio input from the CCTV system etc
 
Maybe you can take my AV8 off me then Liam ;)

Jon
 
I'll stick with the Meridian for now.....
 
Perhaps we need two then

An av11 and av11 Digital

i know that s a bit silly

Anyhow, i have decks too, and plenty of other inputs aswell, but see all the digital inputs starting to run out, and the anolouge inputs hardly used.
and most decent stuff has digital out now days.

And by the time the Av11 is here, and that could be along, long, long, time.
i would have thought virtually everything will be HDMI and digital.

But see your point.
 
Two Comments:

1. HDMI is among the worst things ever inflicted on an unsuspecting public (IMHO, of course...). And aren't we all wondering just how many versions it will take for them to make it at least minimally acceptable? It is as ridiculous as it is embarrassing... :eek:

2. Sure wish I could find one of those heavily discounted AV9's here in the states -- I'd be all over it! :smashin:
 
I would imagine for simplicity of manufacture and stocking requirements it will just be the same I/O as the AVR600 back panel plus hopefully XLR connections. If we're looking at this from a perspective of I don't want to pay for what I won't use, then I would imagine in the long run it would be more expensive to design a different digital only case and second set of input boards etc than the rather negligable cost of having a big handful of analogue inputs on every unit.
 
Guess I thought that if folks are spending 3k on a new digital processor then the use of a vcr/old sky boxes might not be required ... I might be in a minority but digital only would work for me ...
Other than 3K is probably rather too low, I suspect you're quite young and therefore really are able to manage with limited inputs. Older customers will have a collection of legacy media, such as the 1500 LPs I collected prior to April 1984, and therefore require the facilities,such as the AV9 phono option to continue using them.

One of the reasons I bought the AV9 was that it had (just) enough inputs for me, although a second VCR tape loop would have been very welcome. The Lexicon MC8 for example was excluded because its analogue connectivity was far too limited to connect my devices. In addition to the kit in my sig, there's a Turntable, Cassette deck, TV, HDD/DVD recorder and VCR, plus the children's portable players (iPod / MP3). The VCR routes through the TV as the AV9 only supports a total of 2 tape loops; it's also not used all that often. A satellite / cable box will probably turn up eventually, but don't let SWMBO know I said that.
 
I contacted Arcam to ask about the AV9 and when/if they planned to bring it up to date with HDMI 1.3a, Dolby True-HD etc etc etc.

Here is their reply:

The replacement for the AV9 will be released Spring/Summer this year and will be an extended processor version of the AVR600. There is no possible way to update the AV9 and there will be no upgrades at all for it. The Processor version of the AVR600 will have similar specification but be of a much higher quality, there will also be a new version of the P7 to accompany it.


I hope this is not true,im fed up about the price going down so much on the av9.I would not get a decent trade in/resale price to even make a dent in covering the cost of getting a new processor.
I knew the price would drop but by so much is madness,now when i got the av9 i did not have the mind to sell it later on and buy the next new thing (like i could afford that,i worked bloody hard to buy the av9/p7) i wanted to upgrade it.
I was told there would almost certainly be an upgrade path as ive said in other posts i wont be happy if this does not happen.

well what can i say,lets wait and see what arcam do.
 
Slightly off topic

But does anyone know how the Audiolab processor sound compare's to the Av9.

Thanks
 
Sorry mate, the AV9 is currently selling via SevenOaks Hi-Fi for £1200 instead of £3700. When I asked them why, they just said that they bought a lot of them! I susepect Arcam were overstocked and did a deal to get rid of them.

Also in my post that you quote the blue text is literally cut/paste from the email I got from Arcam.... no upgrades for the AV9 and a new version (AV10) based on ARV600 but with higher quality components in it. So looks like Arcam are going for a totally new design / components on the "AV10" or whatever they call it. Personally I can't wait, I'm not going to spend £1200 to get an AV9, without room set up, room EQ, HDMI 1.3a, better DSP's, Dolby True-HD, DTS-Master etc etc it's just not worth it not matter how awesome it sounds!




I contacted Arcam to ask about the AV9 and when/if they planned to bring it up to date with HDMI 1.3a, Dolby True-HD etc etc etc.

Here is their reply:

The replacement for the AV9 will be released Spring/Summer this year and will be an extended processor version of the AVR600. There is no possible way to update the AV9 and there will be no upgrades at all for it. The Processor version of the AVR600 will have similar specification but be of a much higher quality, there will also be a new version of the P7 to accompany it.


I hope this is not true,im fed up about the price going down so much on the av9.I would not get a decent trade in/resale price to even make a dent in covering the cost of getting a new processor.
I knew the price would drop but by so much is madness,now when i got the av9 i did not have the mind to sell it later on and buy the next new thing (like i could afford that,i worked bloody hard to buy the av9/p7) i wanted to upgrade it.
I was told there would almost certainly be an upgrade path as ive said in other posts i wont be happy if this does not happen.

well what can i say,lets wait and see what arcam do.
 
Not sure if people have seen my post regarding connecting the Av9 to an av amp via the multi channel inputs.

But it works very well !!

Even better now i have added an extra pre-amp and changed the cables a bit between the Z9 and the Av9.

This lot sounds good.

I would now say the Av9 is not definitely not a waste, i was going to send it back, probably not now.

As mentioned before, i now have eqs, room eq, loads of decent Dsp,
and the Yamaha and arcam sound i love.
And a blue ray can still be added via the Z9 multi channel inputs.

OH and it pumps.

No need to dream of 888's

Well worth a go folks.
 
wow that's complicated, I admire your commitment!! I'm currently running a Yamaha RX-V2700 as processor so I have all the DSP's etc etc at the moment. For me I need room EQ and Auto-set up so I'm waiting for the new "AV10"


Not sure if people have seen my post regarding connecting the Av9 to an av amp via the multi channel inputs.

But it works very well !!

Even better now i have added an extra pre-amp and changed the cables a bit between the Z9 and the Av9.

This lot sounds good.

I would now say the Av9 is not definitely not a waste, i was going to send it back, probably not now.

As mentioned before, i now have eqs, room eq, loads of decent Dsp,
and the Yamaha and arcam sound i love.
And a blue ray can still be added via the Z9 multi channel inputs.

OH and it pumps.

No need to dream of 888's

Well worth a go folks.
 
Actually it was really easy, just left the Z9 as it was and just re-wired abit through the Av9s multi channel inputs and then connected a pre-amp back through the front channels today, took under an hour in total.

It sound's really great, i'm definitely keep the Av9 now.
loads of bite, with great ambience, even better bass but still very smooth
Will probably end up eventually with a Z11 and do the same again.

Definitely worth doing

Sure Av9's won't be £1300 for that long, so perhaps an option for others with decent HD amps that wish to smoothen them off just a touch.
 
Actually it was really easy, just left the Z9 as it was and just re-wired abit through the Av9s multi channel inputs and then connected a pre-amp back through the front channels today, took under an hour in total.

It sound's really great, i'm definitely keep the Av9 now.
loads of bite, with great ambience, even better bass but still very smooth
Will probably end up eventually with a Z11 and do the same again.

Definitely worth doing

Sure Av9's won't be £1300 for that long, so perhaps an option for others with decent HD amps that wish to smoothen them off just a touch.

So you take the Z9 as DSP for roomcorrection and take the signal out to the AV9?
 
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So you take the Z9 as DSP for roomcorrection and take the signal out to the AV9?

Correct, and then a pre-amp between the Z9 and the Av9 fronts.

I just had a good listen to it yesterday, instead of fiddling around, and trying out different cds.
The music has never sound so good !!

The highs are incredible, so clean and detailed, with no strain
And the bass is awesome.

Just need some new Cds.
 
Correct, and then a pre-amp between the Z9 and the Av9 fronts.

I just had a good listen to it yesterday, instead of fiddling around, and trying out different cds.
The music has never sound so good !!

The highs are incredible, so clean and detailed, with no strain
And the bass is awesome.

Just need some new Cds.

Hey, I don't follow. You use the z7 as DSP but why "a pre-amp between the Z9 and the Av9 fronts."

/Lars
 

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