The
late Bob Reina
was one in all my favourite audio reviewers, partly as a result of he — together with fellow
Stereophile author Stephen Mejias
— bought genuinely enthusiastic about reasonably priced gear that delivered true listening
pleasure. Again in 2014, I used to be visiting buddies within the San Francisco Bay Space
once I learn Bob’s evaluation of the Revel Performa3 M106 bookshelf speaker. The Revels
had debuted a 12 months or two prior, and I had already learn good issues about them,
however Bob’s enthusiasm made me need to hear them for myself. I known as my favourite
audio retailer, Music Lovers Audio in Berkeley, and requested for an in-store demo.
The accommodating of us at Music Lovers requested if I had any specific
electronics in thoughts that I needed to listen to with the Revels, however I didn’t. I simply
requested to listen to the audio system at their finest. After I arrived on the retailer, I used to be
considerably stunned to see the engaging little M106 audio system related to an
Arcam built-in amp (alas, the precise mannequin escapes my reminiscence). Music Lovers sells
costly separates from the likes of Audio Analysis, Luxman, Boulder, and
Spectral. Why go along with the comparatively cheap Arcam? I used to be informed that it was
merely a great-sounding mixture (and certainly, it was). Plus, it allowed
individuals to listen to that you just didn’t should spend large sums to get certifiably
satisfying music playback. I bear in mind being happy that, though Arcam had
absolutely embraced the house theater market some years earlier, the model hadn’t
overlooked its Hello-Fi roots. Quick-forward a number of years, and Arcam is now
(since 2017) a part of the Harman Luxurious Audio Group, nonetheless comfortably
straddling the road between conventional 2-channel gear and the world of house
theater. Arcam’s AV merchandise are often priced greater than extra mainstream
choices from Denon, Marantz, and Onkyo, however they’re cheaper than
competing merchandise from some audiophile manufacturers, equivalent to McIntosh, and a few house
theater specialty manufacturers, equivalent to Trinnov. And to the corporate’s credit score, Arcam
has by no means been afraid to embrace new expertise. (The primary time I skilled
Dirac Dwell room correction in an AVR, it was in an Arcam. Ditto for sophistication G
amplification.) Now for 2022, the corporate has launched a trio of latest AV
receivers, plus a brand new preamp/processor, all filled with the most recent options.
The brand new receiver lineup consists of the AVR11 ($3,050), the AVR21 ($4,700), and
the flagship AVR31 ($6,900). The 16-channel AV41 processor could be yours for
$5,250. Arcam calls this assortment of merchandise its “most comprehensively
geared up AV fashions up to now, enabling customers to completely expertise the most recent
audio-visual applied sciences whereas reveling within the thrilling musicality for which
Arcam designs are famend.”
Arcam 2022 AV Receivers Overview by Audio Recommendation
All
of the brand new fashions boast HDMI 2.1 with HDCP2.3 helpaccepting 4K/120fps and 8K/60fps indicators on all HDMI
inputs. (These are passthrough solely; no video upscaling or processing is
carried out.) HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient are supported, together with Dolby Atmos,
DTS:X, Auro-3D, and IMAX Enhanced. Audiophiles who’re into streaming music
shall be happy to be taught that every one 4 fashions are Roon Prepared and help MQA
for Tidal. Tidal Join is on board for non-Roon customers, as is Spotify Join.
Apple’s AirPlay2 and Google’s Chromecast are each supported, additional increasing
the brand new Arcams’ streaming talents to incorporate just about each web
content material supplier. Bluetooth connectivity with help for aptX HD makes it straightforward
for company to stream tunes from their telephones. To make sure excessive sound high quality, all
of the brand new fashions make use of twin ESS Sabre DAC chips (ESS9026PRO) to deal with
digital-to-analog conversion, working in tandem with ESS reference voltage
regulators. After all,
high-quality elements received’t do a lot good if difficult room acoustics are
wreaking havoc on the meant frequency response of your loudspeakers. With
that in thoughts, the brand new Arcam merchandise all supply Dirac Dwell, the superior room
correction software program from Sweden’s Dirac Analysis.
Whereas
no software program resolution can utterly treatment all of a room’s potential points
(extra reflectivity is usually a actual ache), no software program resolution that I’ve
skilled does a greater job than Dirac Dwell. Arcam says that Dirac allows
its new fashions to ship “a bigger candy spot, correct staging, readability, and
voice intelligibility… (all) absolutely tunable to the listener’s choice.” Dirac
Dwell addresses frequency and timing points throughout your whole loudspeakers, however
what concerning the subwoofer(s)? In lots of instances, subwoofers are left to do their very own
factor, or they’re crudely adjusted for primary parameters equivalent to distance and
quantity degree. Based on Dirac, the result’s that “sound waves from audio system
and subwoofers bounce all through an area, colliding with each other to provide
an uneven bass distribution all through a room – good bass in sure areas,
poor bass in others, and no bass in others. This uneven bass distribution
ends in a suboptimal listening expertise that varies based mostly on one’s
place within the room.” That clearly received’t do. With the entire new Arcam fashions,
the person has the choice so as to add (at a further value through the Dirac web site)
Dirac Dwell Bass Managementwhich aggregates measurement and site information from
subwoofers (in addition to the principle audio system) to find out how bass is being
distributed all through the listening room. The app then mechanically maximizes
low-frequency efficiency from the system as a complete. It’s value mentioning
that the AVR11
receiver solely helps the single-subwoofer
model of Dirac Dwell Bass Management, which could be downloaded from the Dirac
web site for $349. The AVR21, AVR 31, and AV41 all help each the single-sub
and multiple-sub ($499) variations of this system. The multi-subwoofer model
helps an infinite variety of subwoofers, and incorporates section
co-optimization powered by machine studying. Very cool stuff.
The
audio and video efficiency of the brand new AVR vary is solely spectacular. Mix
that thrilling efficiency with a best-in-class characteristic set, together with absolutely
uncompressed 8K HDMI video functionality and the most recent immersive audio decoding,
and you’ve got an actual worth that’s unmatched available in the market.
—
Jim Garrett, Senior Director, Product Technique and Planning, Harman Luxurious
Audio
The
Arcam 2022 8K Receiver Product Particulars
Sitting
above Arcam’s present entry-level AVR5 receiver ($2K), the AVR11 options native 12-channel
decoding, although onboard energy is proscribed to 7
channels of Class AB amplification, rated at 85 watts per channel (all channels
pushed). Do you have to want to avail your self of these remaining channels of
decoding, Arcam will fortunately promote you the 4-channel, 50-watt/channel PA410 energy
amplifier for a further $1,650. However you received’t must shell out additional for
normal Dirac Dwell processing — nor for a calibration mic — each of that are
included with the AVR11.
(The cheaper AVR5 doesn’t embrace both of those in its asking value.)
Shifting as much as the AVR21
will increase the ability output to 7 x 110 watts (all channels pushed), and the
variety of native decoding channels will increase from 12 to 16. The AVR21 additionally presents 3 HDMI outputs, whereas the
AVR11 has solely 2. Maintain that in thoughts in the event you’re planning a Zone 2 setup.
The
AVR31 ups the ante by together with seven channels of Class G amplification — a topology that Arcam refers to as
“the last word amplifier expertise.” (See beneath for Arcam’s rationalization of
Class G.) In a nut shell, the amp makes use of a number of energy provides. Below low
demand situations, the system makes use of a decrease rail voltage than a comparable
Class A/B amplifier, rising effectivity whereas permitting the amp to function in
pure Class A as much as a sure level (as much as 20 watts in Arcam amps). When the
sign calls for it, extra energy is supplied by a second provide. The AVR31 presents
7 x 100 watts of Class G energy with all channels pushed into an 8 ohm load.
That quantity climbs to 180 watts into 4 ohms. Lastly, the AV41 is a
high-performance 16-channel AV processor
with the entire capabilities of the receivers described above, sans on-board
amplification. As an alternative, the AV41 presents balanced XLR outputs for all 16
channels.
For energy amplification, Arcam recommends some mixture of the
following choices:
- The PA720 7-channel energy amp ($3,300)
with 7 x 100 watts of Class G
amplification
- The PA240 stereo energy amp ($2,750)
with 2 x 225 watts of Class G amplification
- The aforementioned PA410 4-channel
energy amp ($1,650) with 4 x 50 watts of Class AB amplification
What
precisely is Class G? Like a hybrid automobile engine, Class G implements a number of energy
provides relatively than only a single provide. If a dynamic sign is acquired that
goes past the potential of this primary energy provide, the secondary provide is
regularly introduced in as much as full rated energy output as required. This provides a
very environment friendly design as extra energy is barely used when required, very like
a turbo-charger. Fashionable high-speed silicon permits us to make this swap quicker
than would ever be required, even means past the audio bandwidth, so there may be
no ‘turbo lag.’ The primary energy
provide is of decrease energy and inside this area we run in pure Class A, which
has no crossover distortion. Because the secondary provide is barely used when required,
excessive ranges of energy are attainable as a result of little or no vitality is wasted in
the amplifier as warmth when it’s not getting used. With out management, this energy
could be ill-used, so like excessive efficiency automobile tires, a number of output gadgets
throughout the amplifier preserve a decent grip on the loudspeaker always,
guaranteeing your listening expertise by no means leaves the street.
– The field
The
AVR11, AVR21, AVR31, and AV41 are all transport now from approved Arcam
sellers, equivalent to Audio
Recommendation in my
house state of North Carolina. For extra data, try this informative
video from the parents at Audio Recommendation.
Until in any other case indicated, this can be a preview article for the featured product. A proper evaluation might or might not observe sooner or later.
