Can anyone review/comment on Arcam AVR10

Since my Sony STR-DG2100 has lost center channel in 2 of 3 HDMI ports, I need to purchase now unfortunately as the Fall seems the next right buying time.

I’m trying to find a local repair shop which would allow me to wait, but I f Arcam will provide 2.1 boards to local repair shops, then I’ll get the AVR10 now, upgrade it when available. I have a support ticket into Acram now. I’ll post any new info. Thanks
Seems ideal if you can get your Sony repaired and wait. It is known that the 2.1 upgrade will be at dealer level at least so shipping it to an authorised dealer is all that’s needed…

Complete guess territory here so please, pinch of salt! I can’t imagine the HDMI upgrade will be less than a few hundred pounds/dollars at best. Keep this in mind if you’re going to purchase something like the AVR10 imminently where the upgrade might end up being a substantial amount of the original AVR10 cost VS waiting as Krobar suggests above for the inclusion later this year/early Q1 2022, likely for the same amount you’d buy one for today.
 
FYI: The AVR10 will likely be shipping with a new HDMI 2.1 board at the end of this year. It will be 40gbps but all 7 inputs should be good for 40gbps not just 1 (I assume you are a games console or high end PC user who wants to use their HT setup for games)

Also I think the AVR10 does have full Auro 3D it just maxes out at Auro 11.1 (Although it can downmix Auro 13.1 media to Auro 11.1)
Not a gamer (yet), just thinking Future Proofing, which I know is only a concept, but I tend to hold on to things... if ain't broke, don't fix it. I've had my Sony STR-DG2100 for 8+ years. But tech is moving to fast now to hang on like that again.

I got this from Arcam today about the Fall 2.1 board upgrade for AVR10s, 20s, and 30s.

ARCAM Announces HDMI 2.1 Upgradability for Current Models: AVR10, AVR20, AVR30, and AV40 - Arcam

Arcam says this about bugs:

...several months ago we released Host v1.46, this update is extremely stable and has cleared up the reported bugs.
 
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Agreed. Auro3D is worthless if the base line audio is inferior. My experience with D&M versus Arcam has shown that D&M can have 94894894 upmixers and audio formats - Arcam and DIRAC just trounce it. I've played with in the last 12 months Denon, Marantz and Arcam. Arcam stopped me wanting to upgrade farther.

The issue is Arcam is if you can
a) Tune DIRAC well
b) Avoid the bugs galore.

I've luckily been able to do the two above.

D&M are great options for reliability but if looking for the next tier in sound quality, it seems to be beyond D&M. Best of the best is Trinnov and Lyngdorf but they're out of budget for most of us.

I demoed the AVR 390 versus the SR7015 and the 390 was streets ahead in pure audio quality.

The Marantz felt so tinny and withdrawn with EQ applies and without EQ, it was flabby and stereo separatgion especially was dreadful compared to the arcam.

without using the arcam, the marantz was awesome but comparively, I found it really really lacking.
I asked Harman support about bugs to which they just responded that the:

Host v1.46, this update is extremely stable and has cleared up the reported bugs.

Did you do this update and if so, you are still finding bugs?
 
I asked Harman support about bugs to which they just responded that the:



Did you do this update and if so, you are still finding bugs?
I have an AVR390. Not an AVR10.

I'm fine with no bugs. Can't speaker for the newer arcams :(
 
In case you all didn’t know this from Arcam Harmony: , I doubt you'll see another new Arcam AVR line up for at least 3 to 4 years.
 
In case you all didn’t know this from Arcam Harmony: , I doubt you'll see another new Arcam AVR line up for at least 3 to 4 years.

Yeah. Its mainly D&M that release the yearly or 2-yearly updates to AVRs.

As you go higher up the range of receivers, the less frequently they refresh their receivers.

Look at the last time Trinnov renewed their processor line..

The best brands provide longevity to their receivers which is why they gain cult followings. Its sadly also why they release processors and receivers with bugs; they know or think they have time to fix them.
 
Yes indeed, Pure Direct is much better. Does that mean I had a bad Audyssey outcome? I did use the cardboard mic, but not close to the walls, but I’m concerned about the natural echo from my 18’ ceiling. i gotta do a search re sound dampening.

Curious, if you feel the AVR10 can’t properly drive the 702s, why should the SR6015? I did A/B it against the AVR10 (into 702s) and was amazed at how much better the AVR10 sounded. Unfortunately I’d already purchased the Marantz which was in the mail, plus as you say the AVR10 is expensive. Plus it’s not HDMI 2.1 compliant, right?

There‘s a high end design and installation shop out of Kansas, selling 5 new in unopened boxed SR 6015s on eBay for only $1,400! At $300 less than retail, after researching, checking their site and talking to the owner who bought 25 units from Marantz for inventory due to concerns about chip unavailability, but needed to lighten his inventory load, I bought one. There are 4 left on eBay. I can attest they are fully intact, unopened. The owner is a great guy and their audiophile shop appears to do quite amazing work. I trust them. They recently switched favorites from the 702 s to Paradigm BTW and recommended I check the Forests before buying the 702s, FYI.

While pushing buttons to get rid of the bad Audyssey sound, I tried Pure Direct but also seem to have locked it into stereo mode and now my streamed vids from my computer are not sounding in 5.1 or 7.1. My old Sony STR-DG2100 that I’m replacing, does 7.1 and sounds better than the new SR 6015. If I can’t get the 6015 working, at $300 less than retail, I’ll be OK selling it and try to find a comparable receiver to the AVR10 with similar DACs, HDMI 2.1, and a similar warm sumptuous sound. The quest continues…

You need the app downloaded and then run the setup again from the app(!) with the mic placements fairly close each other with silent room. Then you need certain tweaks done from the app. You can ask them at Marantz 6015 owners thread. There is few different target curves, but you can and should also limit the correction to ~300hz so it will make the correction in the range where it´s usually needed most (problem area in rooms) and won´t alter your speakers natural tone too much. Then disable midrange compensation! Full correction can be hit or miss, with Audussey most of time people don´t like it - when you limit the correction it can compete with other systems set up in same way! You are going to be spending hours with Dirac to optimize things so don´t think it will be just plug&play, some people pay for someone who comes then do it for you. The benefit with Arcam (Dirac Live) and Anthem (ARC Genesis) is typically more effective full range correction if that is required.

If you think 20$ for app is much, with Arcam it´s more to get the full version. " The AVR10 also relies on Dirac room correction, with a frequency-limited free version and a $99 upgrade for the full-frequency version."

We can see from measurements the Marantz has higher power output for 4ohm loads, even if it wouldn´t make massive difference with your use (moderate listening levels) you get it so much cheaper and i think it really comes down will you get the Marantz (Audussey) sounding good or not. Arcam says in the back of unit recommended for 8ohm loads or something like that. The higher models from Arcam should be lot better power output wise even for 4ohm loads without protection kicking in and shut downs (high volume), but this AVR10 really looks bit underwhelming for full price. I mean you paid 1300$ for Marantz and Arcam is 2500$, massive difference! For me it wouldn´t be acceptable performance for paid price even with Dirac, but the decision is yours. You can drive the speakers to certain level no doubt, but would you be hearing them at their best, we could argue the same with Marantz though? I doubt cause you see US owners reporting that these 700 range speakers start to sing when you have 200w amplification with them. You can always add poweramp with both Arcam and Marantz though, for the front three. The B&W front three costs 6000$ alone which is big amount of money.

The 702 S2 has nominal impedance of 8ohm, but looking the measurements there is more to it. It`s not just the mains as you would be running 7 speakers.

"My measurement of the impedance magnitude (fig.1, solid trace) reveals that while the impedance does lie at and above 8 ohms in the low treble and in two regions in the bass, it actually drops below 6 ohms through much the audioband, with a minimum value of 3 ohms in the upper bass. There is also a current-hungry combination of 4 ohms and a –48° electrical phase angle at 88Hz. Although technically this is an 8 ohm design, I think it should be used with amplifiers that are comfortable with 4 ohm loads."
 
You need the app downloaded and then run the setup again from the app(!) with the mic placements fairly close each other with silent room. Then you need certain tweaks done from the app. You can ask them at Marantz 6015 owners thread. There is few different target curves, but you can and should also limit the correction to ~300hz so it will make the correction in the range where it´s usually needed most (problem area in rooms) and won´t alter your speakers natural tone too much. Then disable midrange compensation! Full correction can be hit or miss, with Audussey most of time people don´t like it - when you limit the correction it can compete with other systems set up in same way! You are going to be spending hours with Dirac to optimize things so don´t think it will be just plug&play, some people pay for someone who comes then do it for you. The benefit with Arcam (Dirac Live) and Anthem (ARC Genesis) is typically more effective full range correction if that is required.

If you think 20$ for app is much, with Arcam it´s more to get the full version. " The AVR10 also relies on Dirac room correction, with a frequency-limited free version and a $99 upgrade for the full-frequency version."

We can see from measurements the Marantz has higher power output for 4ohm loads, even if it wouldn´t make massive difference with your use (moderate listening levels) you get it so much cheaper and i think it really comes down will you get the Marantz (Audussey) sounding good or not. Arcam says in the back of unit recommended for 8ohm loads or something like that. The higher models from Arcam should be lot better power output wise even for 4ohm loads without protection kicking in and shut downs (high volume), but this AVR10 really looks bit underwhelming for full price. I mean you paid 1300$ for Marantz and Arcam is 2500$, massive difference! For me it wouldn´t be acceptable performance for paid price even with Dirac, but the decision is yours. You can drive the speakers to certain level no doubt, but would you be hearing them at their best, we could argue the same with Marantz though? I doubt cause you see US owners reporting that these 700 range speakers start to sing when you have 200w amplification with them. You can always add poweramp with both Arcam and Marantz though, for the front three. The B&W front three costs 6000$ alone which is big amount of money.

The 702 S2 has nominal impedance of 8ohm, but looking the measurements there is more to it. It`s not just the mains as you would be running 7 speakers.

"My measurement of the impedance magnitude (fig.1, solid trace) reveals that while the impedance does lie at and above 8 ohms in the low treble and in two regions in the bass, it actually drops below 6 ohms through much the audioband, with a minimum value of 3 ohms in the upper bass. There is also a current-hungry combination of 4 ohms and a –48° electrical phase angle at 88Hz. Although technically this is an 8 ohm design, I think it should be used with amplifiers that are comfortable with 4 ohm loads."

The version of Dirac that comes with the AVR10 is the full version. The only additional addon if you want to EQ more than one sub is the DBLC addon for £300 more and that isnt needed if you have two subs in standard locations within the listening area (ie left and right in the same distance).
 
The version of Dirac that comes with the AVR10 is the full version. The only additional addon if you want to EQ more than one sub is the DBLC addon for £300 more and that isnt needed if you have two subs in standard locations within the listening area (ie left and right in the same distance).

Ok. Then the article in the hometheater review site was wrong.
 
Direct from the AVR10 product page on the Arcam website:

Audiophile listening experiences are optimised with full 12-channel Dirac calibration on board
 

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