Arcam AV40 AV Processor Review

[arcamfan1989]

I have used almost 100's of AVR's and ARCAM is considered one of the muscular AVR in the world. I have tried Marantz, Denon and StromAudio, NAD, and many more brands and Arcam AV40 had always stunned me with the surround effects and Audio and Video quality. At the end of the day what do you hear and like and your preference matters.

 

[ririt]

I have used almost 100's of AVR's and ARCAM is considered one of the muscular AVR in the world. I have tried Marantz, Denon and StromAudio, NAD, and many more brands and Arcam AV40 had always stunned me with the surround effects and Audio and Video quality. At the end of the day what do you hear and like and your preference matters.

To make a long story short: everything is in your ASR signature..

 

[peng]

Ground-loop is a common issue and, I thought, was one reason for balanced audio.

- Rich

Common only because of poor design! I have owned all sorts of audio electronic devices including my current set up that have every single HDMI inputs used, as well as at least one coax, toslink, analog (balanced and unbalanced), USB, antenna, Ethernet connected and have never experienced any ground loop issues, not audible anyway.

Surely you would agree that one doesn't need to be an EE to know how to hook things up to minimum the chance of getting audible noise from ground loops, unless the device(s) being connected together has some design issues making it/them inherently more prone! That's when a reputable manufacturers citing ground loop(s) being the reason for high noise/distortions, we should be skeptical about whether it is a legit "hook up" issues, i.e. not following good practice/instructions, or a design related issue, or a combination of both.

May be we should do a poll here to find out how many are currently suffering from ground loop related noise. May be your are 100% right, that it is in fact a common issue and I just happen to be so lucky to never experience it, except may be for a brief moment when I didn't do everything right. Or may be it depends on how we define "common".

 

[RichB]

Common only because of poor design! I have owned all sorts of audio electronic devices including my current set up that have every single HDMI inputs used, as well as at least one coax, toslink, analog (balanced and unbalanced), USB, antenna, Ethernet connected and have never experienced any ground loop issues, not audible anyway.

Surely you would agree that one doesn't need to be an EE to know how to hook things up to minimum the chance of getting audible noise from ground loops, unless the device(s) being connected together has some design issues making it/them inherently more prone! That's when a reputable manufacturers citing ground loop(s) being the reason for high noise/distortions, we should be skeptical about whether it is a legit "hook up" issues, i.e. not following good practice/instructions, or a design related issue, or a combination of both.

May be we should do a poll here to find out how many are currently suffering from ground loop related noise. May be your are 100% right, that it is in fact a common issue and I just happen to be so lucky to never experience it, except may be for a brief moment when I didn't do everything right. Or may be it depends on how we define "common".

You are indeed lucky. The more circuits involved the higher the chance for ground-loops and DC offset that drives transformers nuts.
There have been numerous posts involving cable connections that are poorly grounded. You can google "cheater plug" or look at the ground-pull option on built into Parasound amplifiers (that are not internally balanced).

Here is an Audioholics of the Model 7000 amplifier:
https://www.audioholics.com/amplifier-reviews/monoprice-monolith-7-channel-amplifier-review

If you have dimmers in your house or the issue known as DC offset then the Monolith’s massive transformers may start to hum. They did in my case when the lights on my microwave were on and set to low. To be clear, this isn’t a design problem with the Monolith. To fix the humming, I plugged the Monolith into Emotiva’s CM2 AC line restoration and common mode filter system. This two-outlet receptacle is specially designed to eliminate DC offset issues without limiting current or dynamics.

In the past, Plasma TV's have caused transformer hum in my system. I wont be going back to amps with large transformers.

- Rich

 

[peng]

You are indeed lucky. The more circuits involved the higher the chance for ground-loops and DC offset that drives transformers nuts.
There have been numerous posts involving cable connections that are poorly grounded. You can google "cheater plug" or look at the ground-pull option on built into Parasound amplifiers (that are not internally balanced).

Here is an Audioholics of the Model 7000 amplifier:
https://www.audioholics.com/amplifier-reviews/monoprice-monolith-7-channel-amplifier-review


In the past, Plasma TV's have caused transformer hum in my system. I wont be going back to amps with large transformers.

- Rich

Cheater plugs for bad designs, and sorry, as an EE I would not encourage the use the use of cheater plugs. I was only kidding about luck, it is not luck, it is just good engineering. I would rather like to think that I know what I am doing, when it comes to electrical hook up of such simple devices (in terms of grounding scheme I mean..). "Common"or not, we can even call it semantics, or agree to disagree and call it a day...

About that transformer hum thing, I can't stand that if I can hear it with my ears within a a few inches. Large ones naturally can hum louder, all else being equal. May be that's why AVRs typically don't hum that much, EI, or toroids, tend to be silent, compared to my bigger power amps. That's another reason why my next amp will be either the Benchmark amp or the Purifi.

 

[RichB]

Cheater plugs for bad designs, and sorry, as an EE I would not encourage the use the use of cheater plugs. I was only kidding about luck, it is not luck, it is just good engineering. I would rather like to think that I know what I am doing, when it comes to electrical hook up of such simple devices (in terms of grounding scheme I mean..). "Common"or not, we can even call it semantics, or agree to disagree and call it a day...

About that transformer hum thing, I can't stand that if I can hear it with my ears within a a few inches. Large ones naturally can hum louder, all else being equal. May be that's why AVRs typically don't hum that much, EI, or toroids, tend to be silent, compared to my bigger power amps. That's another reason why my next amp will be either the Benchmark amp or the Purifi.

Good choice for amps.
The number of circuits in use and their phase also play into grounding and many have no idea that cable has been installed without proper grounding. When grounding problems occur, solutions can be difficult isolate the cause and correct it. I once traced hum to a DC fan connected to keep those big AT6000 amps cool. That problem is now in the rear view mirror.

- Rich

 

[Gui0507]

Which amps were you using with this AV40? Do you‘re reviews ever demonstrate a ”good” pre-amp? Seems every time I read one of your reviews, the receiver/pre-amp is horrible lol.

 

[bigguyca]

You are indeed lucky. The more circuits involved the higher the chance for ground-loops and DC offset that drives transformers nuts.
There have been numerous posts involving cable connections that are poorly grounded. You can google "cheater plug" or look at the ground-pull option on built into Parasound amplifiers (that are not internally balanced).

Here is an Audioholics of the Model 7000 amplifier:
https://www.audioholics.com/amplifier-reviews/monoprice-monolith-7-channel-amplifier-review

In the past, Plasma TV's have caused transformer hum in my system. I wont be going back to amps with large transformers.

- Rich

From the Audioholics Model 7000 amplifier review above:

"If you have dimmers in your house or the issue known as DC offset then the Monolith’s massive transformers may start to hum. They did in my case when the lights on my microwave were on and set to low. To be clear, this isn’t a design problem with the Monolith. To fix the humming, I plugged the Monolith into Emotiva’s CM2 AC line restoration and common mode filter system. This two-outlet receptacle is specially designed to eliminate DC offset issues without limiting current or dynamics."

As is too often the case, Audioholics is off the mark. Bryston power amplifiers, such as the 4BSST2 for example, have the sort of circuitry to deal with DC offsets that is included in the Emotiva device, included in the 4BSST2. There is room in the Monoprice units for the same, well known, circuitry, Monoprice just decided to not include the circuity. DC offsets are an issue encountered in actual use of power amplifiers. Hum issues from DC offsets are more likely to occur in large toroidal transformers, which are exactly the type of transformers used in the Model 7000.

In addition to use of DC filtering devices, there are very likely design, manufacturing and QC techniques that can be applied to toroidal transformers to prevent the hum from DC offsets. Such techniques may add to the manufacturer's cost. Hum from DC offsets can be included in the product for free.

That Monoprice doesn't include circuitry to remove DC offsets, or use higher quality transformers, in their amplifiers is a design problem. That Audioholics doesn't understand the issue reflects poorly on Audioholics. Use care in accepting Audioholics measurements or conclusions without first applying critical reasoning.

 

[Robesini]

Wow... Seeing this type of performance (despite audibility) in AVRs over and over again is honestly irritating. Something has to change.

Sure wait for it. Looks like a Samsung and performs likewise. They are only intrested in making money. Let's look somewhere else for real high end. At the end you can just use a Sony which actualy gives a lot of value for the money.

 

[Fjodor2000]

Since Arcam's rebuttal is now in the public you should think about publishing your answer as well.

I will think about it. I have to edit the doc as it is written with intent of it being private communication to them.

@amirm: I just wonder if you ever published the doc you wrote in response to Arcam's rebuttal? I think a lot of people would like to know what your response was. And if they don't get to see your doc, they might draw the conclusion that Arcam's rebuttal was correct in all aspects. (When in reality Arcam may be correct in some aspects, and you in some.)

 

[Krobar]

I've done some simple measurements with a Focusrite Forte and Rightmark.

Firstly it seems the better performance in in 5.1 is not something I could replicate, the unit performs the same in stereo mode with no bass management or RC and 5.1 without bass management or RC. I tested this by putting the Righmark test file in a 7.1 FLAC causing measurements to be taken with a 7.1 input.

Using XLRs at vol 78 (4V):
94.2dB THD+N unweighted
102.7dB SNR

Using RCAs at vol78 (2V):
98dB THD+N unweighted
108dB SNR

These results are in rack with multiple HDMI devices connected and a bit of a cable rats nest so if anything will be a little worse than bench tested. I would prefer to wait until the next firmware release before putting up the results as I'm not running production firmware right now (Although I dont expect that to cause any differences).

There is definitely something wrong with the results in the AV40 review. The results I get point to similar performance to the SDP-55 but with a touch worse THD; whatever dragged down the results in stereo mode has likely caused issues with quite a few of the measurements. As a guide just look at the SDP-55 results and deduct 1 or 2dB from the SINAD for the AV40. The other thing of note is it seems the RCAs perform much better.

 

[RichB]

I have an Emotiva RMC-1 and it sounds great without processing enabled. Operationally, it has an occasional glitch that requires a handshake but that is less than once a month.

After reading this review, I removed the JBL and Arcam from the list. Clearly, Emotiva has better hardware design.
The feature set is not quite right for me but, judging from the forum traffic, the HTP-1 is doing the best for reliability and features, excluding OSD (On Screen Display, that which I really want.

I want a process with OSD (input, volume, active speakers, and format). I don't need an OSM (on screen menu) but if I were to buy a processor without an OSM, then it must have a web interface. There is always the possibility down the line, that a configuration app is no longer supported on smart devices. At that point, it will be unconfigurable and worthless.

- Rich

 

[Fjodor2000]

I have an Emotiva RMC-1 and it sounds great without processing enabled. Operationally, it has an occasional glitch that requires a handshake but that is less than once a month.

After reading this review, I removed the JBL and Arcam from the list. Clearly, Emotiva has better hardware design.

If you're going by ASR reviews alone, then Emotiva RMC-1 is a poor choice. It got a very bad ASR review too, and that has not been disputed either, unlike for the Arcam AV(R)s.

 

[Dj7675]

If you're going by ASR reviews alone, then Emotiva RMC-1 is a poor choice. It got a very bad ASR review too, and that has not been disputed either, unlike for the Arcam AV(R)s.

Did you read the updated one or the old one? Here is the updated one. I wouldn’t really call 100 SINAD bad. Emotiva has their issues on a few things it seems and were very slow getting Dirac out but Not really in the bad category.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...av-processor-review.11673/page-46#post-344170

 

[Rottmannash]

Common only because of poor design! I have owned all sorts of audio electronic devices including my current set up that have every single HDMI inputs used, as well as at least one coax, toslink, analog (balanced and unbalanced), USB, antenna, Ethernet connected and have never experienced any ground loop issues, not audible anyway.

Surely you would agree that one doesn't need to be an EE to know how to hook things up to minimum the chance of getting audible noise from ground loops, unless the device(s) being connected together has some design issues making it/them inherently more prone! That's when a reputable manufacturers citing ground loop(s) being the reason for high noise/distortions, we should be skeptical about whether it is a legit "hook up" issues, i.e. not following good practice/instructions, or a design related issue, or a combination of both.

May be we should do a poll here to find out how many are currently suffering from ground loop related noise. May be your are 100% right, that it is in fact a common issue and I just happen to be so lucky to never experience it, except may be for a brief moment when I didn't do everything right. Or may be it depends on how we define "common".

I've never experienced any ground loop induced hum in over 40 years of audio/video.

 

[Fjodor2000]

Did you read the updated one or the old one? Here is the updated one. I wouldn’t really call 100 SINAD bad. Emotiva has their issues on a few things it seems and were very slow getting Dirac out but Not really in the bad category.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...av-processor-review.11673/page-46#post-344170

So an ASR re-review of the Arcam AV40 could result in similar improvements as for the ASR re-review of the Emotiva RMC-1. To make a fair comparison, we need to either compare the original reviews, or the re-reviews. I.e. we need a re-review of the AV40 to make any conclusion if it's better or worse than Emotiva RMC-1, with regards to ASR measurements. In addition to that, there are other factors than ASR measurements that determine which AV(R) is best.

 

[TimoJ]

Did you read the updated one or the old one? Here is the updated one. I wouldn’t really call 100 SINAD bad. Emotiva has their issues on a few things it seems and were very slow getting Dirac out but Not really in the bad category.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...av-processor-review.11673/page-46#post-344170

That re-test was with 1.9 firmware. Since they seem to mixup things with every firmware update, you actually don't know how good or bad it performs with the current 2.2 firmware. I think 2.2 firmware added bass boost without any explanation where it comes from. Some users seem to report audio getting better with every firmware update...

 

[seedragon]

It seems like the JBL SDR-35 is built on the same platform and might be more similar to the Arcam than the JBL SDP-55. Any idea of the SDR-35 will measure similarly to the Arcam? I’m in the market for one.

 

[Andyg400]

AVForums have one to test, but no measurement ... See their Podcast

 

[Anterantz]

Hello, someone tried auro 3d on the new arcams? Works correctly? I just bought an avr20 and I notice that the auro 3d is different from the one I already used in my denon 8500h since the TS channel I do not notice that it is different from the others in height ... any suggestions?