NEWS: ARCAM expands HDA AV lineup with receivers, power amps and processor

I loved the previous Arcam design; industrial, utilitarian, different. I know all change is bad and must be feared, but this new look strikes me as generic and does not convey an impression of quality. I want to say that they now look cheap. So I will: they now look cheap. And they would never pass muster with my in-house designer, partner and taste cop.
 
As an Arcam owner for more than 20 years, I can only agree with the above comment. These new products look cheap. The design looks more reminiscent of something produced by Bush or Amstrad.

I currently own an Arcam A39 coupled with a UDP411. Those FMJ products were sadly the last products with the looks and performance to justify their price. I also have a Solo Movie 5.1, the 2016 Blu-Ray version, and while it is a different style to FMJ, it still looks a quality product. The best thing I can say about these new AVRs is that they look fine from the rear!

So it’s truly mixed feelings, in that, on the one hand I am pleased to see that Arcam is still going and introducing a new range, but on the other, how can they think that this is a £5,000 look? I note that it is also only the top of the range AVR30 that has Class G amplification.
If I was looking to upgrade, which I’m not, I would keep an eye out for heavily discounted FMJ receivers shortly, like the AVR550 etc.

Oh dear........
 
Interesting... another one launching with no clarification on HDMI 2.1, or any of the sub features that the Japanese manufacturers have had for 2 years now.

I only want eARC.....
 
Look forward to the review to find out if they look better in the flesh. They'd need to, good grief. Want to upgrade my AVR600 at some point for Atmos and so on, so want to understand how much better the AVR30 is than the AVR850. Especially as I'm unlikely to ever have anywhere to fit a 9.1.6 system.
 
I disagree, I like the styling on the new kit.
What I would like is a larger character display within the new screen, which I'm unable to determine from the pictures what that will look like yet.
I run separate hdmi cables for video and audio so I don't get an on screen display and thus have to rely on reading the Arcam display for volume setting etc, which is, for my tastes, is a bit on the small side.
Main query for me in owning a AV860 processor is what's the differences in audio quality with the new dac used, the ESS 9026PRO audiophile DAC over the existing Cirrus dac in the 860?
 
Each to his or her own of course, if you like it that's fine and dandy, and it's true that it's what's inside that counts and so on. Normally I don't bother too much about these kinds of things, the AVR600 is pretty functional in appearance after all (though with nice clean lines I'd say). I'm struggling with this one though. Wasn't there something about asymmetrical design on the podcast not so long ago?
 
As I mentioned in another thread, they are ugly looking to the point that they would only look neat in a skip inspired room. (If anyone walked into a home cinema room and saw these in the rack they would turn around and walk straight back out)

Bill
 
I spy WiFi & BT antennas, which is interesting given that Arcam have been telling owners of the current FMJ range that they couldn't possibly be included because they degrade sound...
 
I spy WiFi & BT antennas, which is interesting given that Arcam have been telling owners of the current FMJ range that they couldn't possibly be included because they degrade sound...

this may have something to do with their new owners. I may be wrong but......
 
The design/layout hasn't really changed.

Large volume knob - check
Source buttons all in a row - check
Power on/off - check

Only thing that is missing is the retro green dot matrix display.

I don't mind the new look at all. It's about time they shook things up a little really. The HDA range started the trend, and these will carry it on.
 
as a relatively recent convert to an AVR390/IOTA combo running a 7.1.4 set up I don't see any advantage to me in changing for my set up as I wouldn't use any of the extra stuff added to the base model

you cant really argue that they weren't due to bring new stuff to the market as they are not in the business of pointless issues of very slightly tweaked models every year

it does rather look like as well as a radical redesign of the fascia (not for the better to my eye). the feature set does seem to suggest a move away from audiophile focus to the "swiss army knife" approach to the making of a receiver a la Marantz denon etc and is that a good thing? do they end up as another mass market device rather than the next rung up and if so is that a market place they can compete in?

is 12 channels on board an odd choice?

guess we have to wait for the learned reviewers to get their hands on them to see if progress sonically has been made
 
As an Arcam owner for more than 20 years, I can only agree with the above comment. These new products look cheap. The design looks more reminiscent of something produced by Bush or Amstrad.

I currently own an Arcam A39 coupled with a UDP411. Those FMJ products were sadly the last products with the looks and performance to justify their price. I also have a Solo Movie 5.1, the 2016 Blu-Ray version, and while it is a different style to FMJ, it still looks a quality product. The best thing I can say about these new AVRs is that they look fine from the rear!

So it’s truly mixed feelings, in that, on the one hand I am pleased to see that Arcam is still going and introducing a new range, but on the other, how can they think that this is a £5,000 look? I note that it is also only the top of the range AVR30 that has Class G amplification.
If I was looking to upgrade, which I’m not, I would keep an eye out for heavily discounted FMJ receivers shortly, like the AVR550 etc.

Oh dear........

The 550 is not Class G though, only the 850 is
 
I take it they are all Dirac 2.0 machines too?

If so, the 40 with a dozen active speakers will be interesting...
 
I take it they are all Dirac 2.0 machines too?

If so, the 40 with a dozen active speakers will be interesting...

All Dirac machines are Dirac 2.0 I think?
 
Interesting... another one launching with no clarification on HDMI 2.1, or any of the sub features that the Japanese manufacturers have had for 2 years now.

I only want eARC.....
I find this interesting. Releasing a new range and ignoring HDMI 2.1. I would love to know why they decided to go for 2.0b. They are asking plenty money for them.
 
The design/layout hasn't really changed.
It has for the AVRs. This is reverting back to the original FMJ look of 20 years ago, complete with the huge zit on the face that is a silver knob. At least they've finally ditched ye olde green VFD.
 
The most interesting thing about HDMI 2.1 (Apart from its only needed for 8K and above) is that pretty much all the high end manufactures are not fitting it, thus leaving the mainstream (Run of the mill) manufactures with the monopoly, therefore one can only presume that they do not consider the current HDMI 2.1 Chip sets up to the job yet, and rather than compromise on quality they will add it as an upgrade when suitable chip-sets are available.

Bill
 
I find this interesting. Releasing a new range and ignoring HDMI 2.1. I would love to know why they decided to go for 2.0b. They are asking plenty money for them.

I think the current issue is that HDMI 2.1 hasn't been finalised yet... so it's quite hard to guarantee it. It'll likely be compliant but they can't list it.

There are lots of sub sections to it though that they can incorporate right now. I only care about eARC, if it doesn't have it or can't be upgraded to it, then it's a no from me - i'll stick to my 18 month old Marantz than can do it!

I'm happily in the market for a higher end AV Receiver with a room correction system better than Audyssey - but not at the expense of eARC!
 
I quite like the look based on photos.
I wonder if they now let you adjust crossover points for different channels. This is a bit of a barrier for me ATM.
Probably more interested in the new NADs atm.
 
I think the current issue is that HDMI 2.1 hasn't been finalised yet... so it's quite hard to guarantee it. It'll likely be compliant but they can't list it.

There are lots of sub sections to it though that they can incorporate right now. I only care about eARC, if it doesn't have it or can't be upgraded to it, then it's a no from me - i'll stick to my 18 month old Marantz than can do it!

I'm happily in the market for a higher end AV Receiver with a room correction system better than Audyssey - but not at the expense of eARC!

On the rear of one of the receivers it shows that one of the HDMI output terminals has eARC.
 
@Phil Hinton I think there's a mistake in the article about the AVR10 having 12 channels of amplification. Surely that should read 12 channels of processing with 7 amplified? Apologies if you've got it right and it is in fact me that's in the wrong, there seems to be a lot of conflicting information bouncing round the net in relation to these new models.
 
Going to be interesting to see how things are going to be implemented with this new line. As an owner of the previous generation I will certainly not be upgrading with Arcam.

It took us months to get the bass management with Dirac implemented correctly after being told for months that there was nothing wrong even when tests were done proving the latter.

When firmware was released it was clear that very little testing was done as it introduced other bugs that had to be reported to Arcam for them to fix. The customer base are the beta testers & you will have to wait months for the "fix" to be released.

Even the latest firmware released has bugs present like when the power is turned off the height channels crossover loses it memory and needs to be reset every time.

DTS X has a strange bug where speech will come from the rear surrounds when it makes no sense for it to do so.

Both were reported over six months ago & we were told that a new firmware update would be released to resolve these issues but here we are still with no fix & this announcement for the new line seems to put the nail in the coffin that we are not going to get one.

Once burned twice shy as they say, there were many opportunities for Arcam not to leave us with a bitter taste in our mouths but it seems they do not care & for a "premium" product costing so much I am not prepare to play Russian roulette this time round.
 
Hmmm...

I’d heard vague stories of such things, but I didn’t bother checking them out as I wasn’t ready to buy then.

Perhaps I’ll stick With Nad.
 

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