Who are AudioControl?

[Ian_S]

I only ask as it seems they have a bit of a history for releasing products that look extremely close to Arcams.

Case in point in this months HCC, the AudioControl Concert AVR-1 looks like a pretty sure-fire copy of the AVR600, except with a volume knob. Rear panel layout is virtually identical.

AVR-1

However, it costs £6000!!!

And they have a processor too which looks just like....

Maestro M3

An AV888.

Here's the previous....

http://www.avforums.com/forums/arca...stro-attack-clone.html?highlight=audiocontrol

 

[Seraphim]

Yes curious isn't it. The menu on the front screen was identical too. And HCC didn't remark on the resemblance despite having had the AV888 through their hands only last month.

 

[crestron boy]

I only ask as it seems they have a bit of a history for releasing products that look extremely close to Arcams.

Case in point in this months HCC, the AudioControl Concert AVR-1 looks like a pretty sure-fire copy of the AVR600, except with a volume knob. Rear panel layout is virtually identical.

AVR-1

However, it costs £6000!!!

And they have a processor too which looks just like....

Maestro M3

An AV888.

Here's the previous....

http://www.avforums.com/forums/arca...stro-attack-clone.html?highlight=audiocontrol

i'm reliably informed that arcam are moving production of AVR600's,500 and 888 back to the uk with the AVR500 already manufactored in the uk anyway

Now this is pure speculation here but i know that alot of us and american companies have had big problems with there chinese partners either producing complete clones of there units on shadow production lines or the plans mysteriously falling into someone else's hands. Maybe arcam's I/P was being sold out the door or maybe there's some sort of licensing deal or maybe the two units arent connected what so ever

i'm sure there will be lots of fun speculation though!

 

[NonPayingMember]

Have no idea who Audiocontrol are, but in the UK HHB do some professional products based on Arcam units that I'm sure are manufacturered jointly with Arcam. The UDP-89 is basically a DV137 with built-in pre-amp and XLR/BNC analogue outputs for studio use. Cracking piece of kit. Anyway perhaps these audiocontrol people do the same thing? Can't get those links to do anything at the moment.

 

[coldmachine]

Audio Control are very well known in the N.America, and have an excellent reputation.

They are currently offering the 600 and 888 as re branded units, primarily for the CI market.

The AVR-1 costs $5500 over here, around £3400. As such, it is actually slightly cheaper that the Arcam. Both the AVR-1 and the M3 are very well priced in N.America.

Ive just Googled it and seen it at £6000 in UK, thats nearly $10k, near double its cost here.. Just buy an AVR600 for far less, its the same machine.

The M3 is the 888.

All the answers are on AVS, including photos of the internals with AVR600 and AV888 stamped all over them.

This is actually a very sensible symbiotic relationship.

Hope this helps.

 

[crestron boy]

not to mention the AVR600 looks alot nicer!

 

[MrJB]

FYI, I asked Arcam customer service in an email this week about AudioControl's kit showing strong similarities to the Arcam branded kit, and photos of the interior with AV888 and AV600 stamped on the boards. The only response I received was "Out of Office..."

Also, do I understand correctly from the above post that the AV888 is manufactured in China?

 

[NonPayingMember]

No the AVR600 is/was but it is all being moved to England so it doesn't take so bloody long to implement changes. I reckon if the AVR600 was produced in the UK it wouldn't have been massively delayed as it was. Probably still quite delayed, just not as massively!!!!!

 

[mark241165]

I've been chatting to somebody about Audiocontrol
They work together and use some of the same kit but Audiocontrol fine tune the final product it's meant to be a lot better kit a review on the M3 said it was very close to a Anthem D2v the 888 was never quite up to the Anthem.

 

[Nabs]

It would be interesting to see a head to head of both (Arcam and Audiocontrol) then...