Arcam AVR850 Home Theater AVR Review

[crypticc]

Hi

When you wrote "CD Direct" improving the DAC performance just checking if you meant "Stereo Direct"?

CD direct can be enabled in digital sources to enable this PCM-only processing and bypass format detection circuity (e.g. why when doing testing in REW via digital sources you need to use this mode else you get clipping and distortion of the first couple of seconds of any test signal until the amp locks in).

"Stereo direct" is not accessible on the menus and only via the button on remote. If set for analogue sources it turns off all AD conversion. If not, then analogue input is digitised into whatever frequency you set as the "Digital output frequency" (output of the ADC) regardless of whether EQ is enabled.

i suspect you mean the "Stereo Direct" as you discuss ADC performance but also checking you set the Digital Output frequency to 96KHz. Default is 48 I think (lord knows why they do that).

Cheers
Chris

 

[bobopich]

What about the other Arcam AVR’s like 390, should we suppose that considering the very good analog amplifier measurements and that all the Arcam AVRs from this generation ( 390, 550, 850) are the same excluding the PSUs and analog amps if measured with all speakers set small and sub on we can get similar SINAD to AVR 850 ?

 

[Krobar]

What about the other Arcam AVR’s like 390, should we suppose that considering the very good analog amplifier measurements and that all the Arcam AVRs from this generation ( 390, 550, 850) are the same excluding the PSUs and analog amps if measured with all speakers set small and sub on we can get similar SINAD to AVR 850 ?

Some of this odd behaviour may be caused by the same HDMI config issue as in the original Denon X4700h review.

 

[pras1011]

I am thinking of getting the behringer a800 to use instead of the internal amps of the avr850. However looking at both reviews by Amir, it's seems that the avr850 has a better amp. Is this correct?

 

[rccarguy]

Your amp has 110w with 7 channels driven so only worthwhile upgrade would be 200w...if you need that much power, typically 100w is plenty

 

[pras1011]

Just saying that the a800 amp seems worse than the internal amps of the avr850. I am interested in the img stageline 1000d now but hopefully amir will review that too.

 

[rccarguy]

Just saying that the a800 amp seems worse than the internal amps of the avr850. I am interested in the img stageline 1000d now but hopefully amir will review that too.

I'd say not worth it all, since yours has decent amps.

 

[pras1011]

I am running 4 ohm 4 x monitor audio platinum pl300 and a plc350 and therefore would like more power and I like class d and g and h amps.

 

[Sieniek]

Is there any possibility that AV860 processor with external amps like Purifi from Audiophonics set for small speakers would have better SINAD and measurements overall than AVR850 measured here by @amirm ?

I've bought AV860 as I have some Purifi amps but I'm unsure if I've made a good decision to buy it.

And the second question, is it better if I will connect AV860 with RCA outputs to Purifi amps than from XLR outputs to Purifi ? Asking because I've read that XLR in AV860 aren't fully balanced XLR.

 

[pras1011]

Yes and yes. I have the Lexicon MC10 (clone of the Arcam AV860) and I do the same thing as you.

 

[Sieniek]

Thank you @pras1011

The other question which I have is this:

Can I somehow connect Minidsp flex 8 to front stereo of AV860 ? Asking because I have 3 way active stereo speakers which would be nice to blend into the 5.1 on this AVP but I'm not sure how I can make it if possible at all ?

 

[knownothing]

I will definitely do a spot check of the dashboard at least in the future with large and small.

I still don't understand why the output level suddenly increases when the speakers are set to small. Seems like they think they can drive their amplifiers harder if they are relieved of bass duty.

My thoughts as well. It may be part of optimizing how the class G amps handle lower frequencies. Dunno.

 

[knownothing]

Interesting and informative review, thanks. Since this product is intended for use with Dirac, is it possible the engineers didn’t bother trying to reduce high frequency noise in the DAC section because that will be eliminated by in-room sound processing?

I have an old AVR400 and to me the unit with 5 channels driven and Blu-ray quality audio sounds very good, but two channel redbook playback does not come close to matching input from a decent external DAC and using just the amp section of the Arcam. Bass reproduction is the only place where internal two channel digital shines on my receiver.