Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
What do people think of these Arcam? I got a avr10 last week and I’m having a few of the common issues with Dirac and audio dropping. Just sounds incredibly good when it works. I still have a Yamaha 3080 and it’s great but Arcam is just better.
I sold my denon 4500, 6700, Integra drx7.1, onkyo rz920. Trying to keep the one I like the best but it needs to work.

I have newest firmware and everything sounds phenomenal when it works on Arcam. I’m using nad 7ch amp and canton vento 7.2.4 setup. Movies are incredible on Arcam really, and music is even better. Can I keep a receiver that’s so buggy, and has odd issues? Have others tried Arcam, and felt same way? We try to achieve the best we can afford but is reliability more important? It’s really too bad that Arcam can’t get this figured out.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
What do people think of these Arcam? I got a avr10 last week and I’m having a few of the common issues with Dirac and audio dropping. Just sounds incredibly good when it works. I still have a Yamaha 3080 and it’s great but Arcam is just better.
I sold my denon 4500, 6700, Integra drx7.1, onkyo rz920. Trying to keep the one I like the best but it needs to work.

I have newest firmware and everything sounds phenomenal when it works on Arcam. I’m using nad 7ch amp and canton vento 7.2.4 setup. Movies are incredible on Arcam really, and music is even better. Can I keep a receiver that’s so buggy, and has odd issues? Have others tried Arcam, and felt same way? We try to achieve the best we can afford but is reliability more important? It’s really too bad that Arcam can’t get this figured out.
Whether one AVR somehow sounds "better" than another AVR is purely a matter of personal opinion.

Most people would probably disagree that any Arcam, AudioControl, or any other AVR is "just better" than a Yamaha, Denon, or Marantz. :D

I would personally keep the Yamaha RX-A3080 any day over the Arcam or other AVRs. No issues. No bugs. Works 100% of the time. None of this "when it works" crap. Yamaha is Just Better. :D
 
M Code

M Code

Audioholic General
Arcam is now owned by Harman...
Their subcontractor in Vietnam is the same factory that originally built HK and Marantz AVRs...

Just my $0.02... ;)
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
I appreciate the feedback, I read the review as well. The person that sent him that unit admitted his unit had a bunch of issues. Was retested by owners with much better results. Still it needs to work better.

Absolutely to my ears the Arcam sounds better. When watching movies it’s more alive and accurate. Those are my ears though in my room with my speakers.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I've not had the experience where one avr sounds significantly different from another aside from its dsp. I have four avrs in the house, they all "sound" great. I doubt I'd be impressed by Arcam, certainly not by its price for what you get. Altho Dirac could be interesting....
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
So most people think Arcam is overpriced and a waste of money?

no way all receivers sound the same too. They all are a little different to me.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Well I don't see them as a particularly great value, no. I said significant differences....of course there would be differences. What your preference is based on hard to know. I've just changed these units in and out of several rooms/speaker systems and the differences are insignificant IME generally. I just don't go out of my way to use a particular unit, they're not that different except perhaps in REQ/DSP capabilities. Dirac I am curious about, tho, generally reports are good but then again Audyssey XT32 with the editor app is very good, too. I wish you luck, but spending so much time settling on an avr just seems time that could be better spent simply listening to music and enjoying movies, etc.
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
I totally agree with wanting to just use and enjoy my setup. I had my denons for a long time and they sounded good. Audyssey and the app never did it for me. I guess with everything just set to flat and no eq they all sound similar. Dirac definitely does something special though. Really it comes down to Arcam having odd issues. I got a call today from one of my kids asking how to get the sound to come on. I realized the issue right away and said change the source a few times then switch it back. Seems to work most of the time. Just ridiculous for a $2500 avr.

Arcam is like dating a super hot genius that’s bipolar.
Yamaha is like dating a great person that’s attractive and is always there for you.
Denon is like dating homecoming queen then realizing that I hated high school.
Onkyo is like dating a super model that has no brains.

haha. Lost it there in my comparisons. Really all these avrs have been decent. What avrs do you guys run? Maybe I should go back to the Yamaha or what else is there worth trying.
I also have pioneer 502 and 904 in different rooms. Also marantz 7011. Onkyo 730. Those others are in bedrooms, office and game room.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I think you think too much about the branding thing. Maybe it's just the speakers. Maybe the room.
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
Maybe. I really don’t care about the brand really though. I try different ones and tend to keep them in the house for at least a year.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Maybe. I really don’t care about the brand really though. I try different ones and tend to keep them in the house for at least a year.
But why concentrate on the avr? Do you change speakers as frequently?
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
Nope. Same speakers for last 2 years. Set before I had for 12 years. Some speakers I’ve had since early 90s. All those avrs I mentioned aren’t from that main room anyway, I have them Scattered throughout the house
 
P

PENG

Audioholic Slumlord
I have auditioned Arcam's and never found them have a particular sound on their own. At that level of gear, it is all about the room, speakers and most importantly the recording quality of the contents. That's my subjective observations.

On the objective side, just look at speaker's measurements, even anechoic ones let alone the in-room measurements, you will see how the basic measurements such as FR, impedance/phase, THD etc., would fluctuate so much that it wouldn't sound logical for we ordinary humans to be able to hear the relatively minute differences between the likes of Arcam's, D+M and Y's mid range and higher models. There are just too many things that can, and will mask the differences between such amps/avrs.

At the end of the day, if the OP believes his Arcam AVR sounded better than they sounded better to him, in whatever ways. Can't argue with one's subjective experience. I have read posts where people switched from Arcam or Anthem's to Denon, Marantz or Yamaha's and were happy with the results, can't argue with that either.
Again, on the objective side, one can't argue which one measured better if the gear were measured by the same person using the same Audio precision instrument and using the same protocols. And that's especially the case when the reviewers are EEs. That's why I would highly recommend people pay more attention to bench measurements done on Audioholics.com and ASR and use subjective measurements as a secondary criteria, perhaps as tie breakers.
 
M

Movie2099

Audioholic General
I totally agree with wanting to just use and enjoy my setup. I had my denons for a long time and they sounded good. Audyssey and the app never did it for me. I guess with everything just set to flat and no eq they all sound similar. Dirac definitely does something special though. Really it comes down to Arcam having odd issues. I got a call today from one of my kids asking how to get the sound to come on. I realized the issue right away and said change the source a few times then switch it back. Seems to work most of the time. Just ridiculous for a $2500 avr.

Arcam is like dating a super hot genius that’s bipolar.
Yamaha is like dating a great person that’s attractive and is always there for you.
Denon is like dating homecoming queen then realizing that I hated high school.
Onkyo is like dating a super model that has no brains.

haha. Lost it there in my comparisons. Really all these avrs have been decent. What avrs do you guys run? Maybe I should go back to the Yamaha or what else is there worth trying.
I also have pioneer 502 and 904 in different rooms. Also marantz 7011. Onkyo 730. Those others are in bedrooms, office and game room.
That's too bad those new ARCAM's are so buggy. Back when the AV40 dropped the review I was watching said it was a nice product but was super buggy. The guy kept it for a month to see if ARCAM would fix the issues. They would send updates and fix an issue, but then another issue would happen. He ended up sending it back and going with something different. Too bad that their AVR10 is having similar sounding issues. Their previous line of products were legit.

You could check out Anthem AVRs. I've heard great things about them. Otherwise, yeah, stick with that Yamaha 3080.
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
From what I’ve read and heard from my local shop, is new Arcam have gotten way better on reliability from when they first came out. Would of been really frustrating owning one in the early days. The one asr tested was admitted to be full of issues. I really like Harmon as a company, so I’ll continue to support them. Anyone want to buy Yamaha? Was bought new from one call in Washington just a few months ago.
 
M Code

M Code

Audioholic General
IMHO...
The biggest issue for Arcam is its software..
Their software is often released prematurely and buggy... :(
Product marketing team is in the UK, but software and hardware done in Korea and production in Vietnam..
Basic product features are fine, but the software team should spend more time validating the software before releasing the product for mass production..

Just my $0.02... ;)
 
Last edited:
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
Just wanted to thank everyone for their help. I just picked up open box marantz 8012. Not sure why but it was too good of a deal and maybe I can pass it on to another enthusiast. Went to pickup my daughter’s new phone and they got me again. Lol.
 

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