Upgrade to either Diva AVP700+P1000 'v' FMJ AV9+P7 from AVR300

[darron027]

Hi all yet again its me the pain...

Firstly wish to say that I'll be arranging demos in the near future but would love to hear your thoughts on the following:

Currently using AVR300 in system listed below, wanted to know if there would be a 'substantial' improvement of audio clarity (not volume) if I devided to bite the bullet and go for a full upgrade to either:
AVP700+P1000
OR
AV9+P7

For your info, currently using MA silver RS6+Centre at moment, but am gonna change to MA silver GS10+Centre in the very near future.
For now will keep DV79 (with a view to finally changing when Arcam goes hd....)

Cheers!!

 

[PenguinHiFi]

Hi Darron,

Well, I think in fact the best thing to do is to listen and let your ears decide.
As far as clarity is concerned, I have no doubt you will hear an improvement by changing for the AVP700+P1000 combination. But you will probably get close enough to what you already have to decide to keep the AVR300.
The improvement should be much larger if upgrading to the FMJ combination. To me, FMJ and DIVA series are somewhat different in sound, so you should definitely hear something different if going for the FMJ combination.
Whether you like it or not is then completely up to you. Please keep in mind that the price difference between both solutions is not trivial. As far as I am concerned, I must admit that I have always been a great fan of Arcam sources and control (pre-amp), but that I was never convinced by their amplifiers... Don't get me wrong : they're not bad ; just not on par with what Arcam produces besides them.
So maybe you should consider an Arcam Preamp and an amplifier of another brand... This is what I personally did (Arcam AVP700 pre/processor + Linn Amps).

Hope this helped.

Regards.

FRED

 

[regent8]

Hi Darron,

Well, I think in fact the best thing to do is to listen and let your ears decide.
As far as clarity is concerned, I have no doubt you will hear an improvement by changing for the AVP700+P1000 combination. But you will probably get close enough to what you already have to decide to keep the AVR300.
The improvement should be much larger if upgrading to the FMJ combination. To me, FMJ and DIVA series are somewhat different in sound, so you should definitely hear something different if going for the FMJ combination.
Whether you like it or not is then completely up to you. Please keep in mind that the price difference between both solutions is not trivial. As far as I am concerned, I must admit that I have always been a great fan of Arcam sources and control (pre-amp), but that I was never convinced by their amplifiers... Don't get me wrong : they're not bad ; just not on par with what Arcam produces besides them.
So maybe you should consider an Arcam Preamp and an amplifier of another brand... This is what I personally did (Arcam AVP700 pre/processor + Linn Amps).

Hope this helped.

Regards.

FRED

Perhaps you've some answers here to my questions (see http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=620087&highlight=avp700)

I'm considering AVP700 + Rotel Amps - I'm not familiar with Linn or Naim (yet)

/Lars

 

[cjohnson6]

Go for a bigger amp.... Keep the AVR300 as a pre-amp and get a Parasound A51...

I just connected mine up last night and it's awesome

It makes mincemeat of any Arcam power amp.... including the P7....

 

[darron027]

Hi guys, many thanks for all your input and advice.

Have demoed all........

Ive already got on order fmj:
AV9
P7
DV139
T31 (fm tuner)
hope all be here by the end of this week.

My AVR300 has been sold on to my next door neighbour. My DV79 has been moved into another room and connected up to a loewe tv.

 

[proux]

Sounds good!

 

[cjohnson6]

Good choice... I'd be interested to hear if you prefer the sound of the analogue connections or the digital connection when replaying 5.1 DD or DTS through the DV139 / AV9.

 

[darron027]

Hi,
will let you know with regards to analogue/digital DD/DTS playback, however may take a little while as initilally will only set up using didital coax. Simple reason being that Im now a little skint and have got immediate spare cash for further analogue interconnects to connect the analogue outputs of the dv139-AV9 (excluding 1 pair which will be used for analogue CD playback.

 

[cjohnson6]

Even this far up the ladder you can't go wrong using Mark Grant's Belden 3 x 1694A RGB Component - Phono to phono cables for the analogue connections.
2 sets will give you 6 cables and at around 75 squids all in they're a bargain!

You'll need this if you want to hear DVD-A and SACD

 

[Dankeech]

... a 6-way is available (6 seperate cables) at a slightly reduced rate.

Here's the link

Very happy with mine

Dan.

 

[cjohnson6]

Dan, you need to make your bed

 

[Dankeech]

Dan, you need to make your bed

Too true, I also need more up-to-date pics of changes to my setup:

Arcam DV89
A nice media PC with Full HD video output & wireless 'DiNovo' keyboard & mouse
Hifi-rack & laptop removed from setup
Beyerdynamic DT880's, just arrived this week

Will update my pics at some point....

...Anyway, back on topic.

I hear the MA GS Series is a significant jump up from the Silver RS series, though I didn't want to demo the GS series whe I was looking at the RS series as would have blown my budget...

Dan.

 

[darron027]

Hi all,
Nice to see all the posts above
Nice looking setup btw Dan
Thks for the advice on the analogue cables.......sorry to say that initially though will still have to hold off as this as the crazy upgrade binge that Ive just got through has about bankrupt me..............Not only have I on order the 4 fmj units I have changed my front 3 speakers to MA gold C channel and a pair of MA fold stand-mounts (inc matching MA stands ofcourse) then finally added to this have purchased interconnects etc...................

All of my fmj's have not arrived yet. Most probable eta will be approx wed next week. Which is no probs as Im going to town on other DIY jobs first:

1. The missus has had me paint the fmj room to be top to bottom (have now completed this.....)

2. My current AV cabinet (as built by my dad) needs some rework to display all fmj's (except the pow.amp as this will be out of sight, but well vented...). This task is starting this morning but may take a couple of days to complete..

3. Have decided to investigate running a dedicated spur (or poss ring-main) from house consumer unit to a designated double gang wall socket to power all AV gear (Only require 1 double gang as this will feed an 8 way music works power block). Have a sparky coming over this afternoon to have a look at the job. As definately dont want to be choping into plasterboard and taking up floor boards etc, wanting to see if he can route to the room (which is a run of only 4M) externally using some armoured 2.5mm cable / 3core cable i have aquired.
Assuming this can be done not sure yet when the sparky will have time to actually do the job.

Even if I had the fmj's today I would actually leave them in their boxes until all DIY is complete........cant have plaster dust and paint splats on my new shiny toys...

Will let ya all know how I get on with the above

 

[TopMeTom]

Go for a bigger amp.... Keep the AVR300 as a pre-amp and get a Parasound A51...

I just connected mine up last night and it's awesome

It makes mincemeat of any Arcam power amp.... including the P7....

Out of interest how much was the a51?

 

[chantrys]

Darron, did you try out the 2 channel performance of the AV9, and if so how did it perform?

 

[darron027]

Hi there,
all my new fmj gear has not arrived yet :-(

have been issued an approx eta at the end of this week however wont hold my breath. Im away this wkend so 'hope' to be setting up the system early next week.

Today Ive installed a dedicated power supply running direct from consumer unit to a double gang wall socket, just for my AV gear.....

 

[table manners]

Darron, did you try out the 2 channel performance of the AV9, and if so how did it perform?

dont mean to jump on a thread but ive had my av9 for a few weeks and i was more then happy to hear it in my system (its replaced my myryad pre/power combi) the av9 is very good the detail on the highs is pin sharp and the bass is very tight but goes very deep,run it on stereo direct,it does make a difference.

 

[cjohnson6]

Out of interest how much was the a51?

Way too much... 30,000Nok... that's close to 2500GBP... But you'd have to pay 47,500Nok ( 4000GBP ) here in Norway for a new one so I thought I got a good deal... It's all so horribly expensive, even an Arcam P7 costs 40,000Nok ( 3300GBP ) and the AV9 costs 49,000Nok ( just over 4000GBP ).

Now it turns out there's a bunch of smart Noggies buying Parasound in from the US at a fraction of the price....I'll bet the local agent doesn't like that one bit. Parasound is becoming very popular here in Norway. It may even be getting more attention than Arcam.

One thing I will say.. Arcam build quality is better than Parasound. The Parasound exterior is good and tough looking and the panels are made from really thick gauge steel and aluminium, but the interior appears to be assembled by chimps. I also wonder if, because the A51 runs so hot, maybe they should have used teflon insulated wire.

 

[darron027]

THEY HAVE ARRIVED!!!

Hi all,
All my shinny new fmj gear arrived with me yesterday.
AV9 / P7 / DV139 / T31

Spent into the early hours cabling all together and completed a 'basic' setup of all.

Im blown away with the sheer power of the system over my now gone AVR300 setup. Added to the mad power of the system is added clarity from all source material. Via the DV139 CD and DVD sound is excellent, also Sky audio clarity etc has much improved.
There is no way I could ever reach max volume as I would be deaf in seconds!

You will see all my new gear listed on my updated sig below. Im now just waiting for the MA rear FX speakers and the REL R505 sub to arrive (using my current Rel stampeded and MA silver FX at mo), which 'should' be mid next week. When all is here and Ive plumbed all together etc, the dealer will be coming over to calibrate all the sound side of things...So Im guessing things will get even better.

As always Im sure I'll be asking you guys questions on setup etc....

Im using a 5.1 set up. My current dilema is weather to use the P7 to biamp front L/R with the 2 spare channels (which is how Ive initially setup). OR to biamp the C channel and leave one of the back channels empty??
Obviously in an ideal world Id biamp all 3, but cant afford a mono block for a long time.....

Cheers.