Video Asylum

Arcam AVR-100 Receiver vs. Integra DTR-7.1 Receiver"

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Eric

(i)

I am buying a home theatre system that will be used 80% for music and 20% for movies. I have narrowed it down to these two receivers and am looking for any feedback, either positive or negative, on these products. The speakers will likely be the JM Labs Cobalt 810s, although I'm trying to see if my budget will allow the B&W Nautilus 804s. Any comments would be appreciated.

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Re: Go with the Arcam if music is your bag first and foremost audioman 22:27:36 03/21/01 (0)
Eric:
I am a high-end, 2 channel, tube audioman by heart. The confusion that "surrounds", ( no pun intended ) Home Theater receivers has kept me at arms length from it for a few years and it's complexity, and changing format generally has kept me away....Will that be DTS, or no DTS?, digital input for music or analogue?, etc. etc.
It finally came to a place where I said, "I am going to conquer this thing they call Home Theater by finding out for myself what sucks and what is acceptable by applying the same principals I learned from two-channel evaluating. Let's face it right off the get-go...No receiver, not even the Arcam as good as it is, is going to take you where even a fairly inexpensive tube amp is going to musically, this is more an exercise of "mental preparedness" but I have found, High-End Home Theater reciever manufacturer's are starting to pay a little closer attention to this, much more than they did even a 2 yrs ago.
My current HT/Music set up is very modest, yet, I am surprised at some of the sounds that come of it. Because I finally started to get involved in the "listening" instead of the "reviewers opinions" of Home Theater receivers, I found that you CAN integrate the two with success if you pay attention. That said, I auditioned the following:
Denon- AVR-681, 3300, 4800.
Marantz- SR-7000, SR-8000 (this one was decent musically too)
Onkyo- TXDS-575, 777, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1
Sherwood- Newcastle
and a few Pioneers to boot.....In the final analysis, they all had trade-off's and merits more pertaining to Home Theater than music. Now enter the Arcam. No, she's no tube job, but I was surprised at the level of musicality that came from this unit. It certainly was considerably better (in the same price class) that ALL the others tested.**** This is only my personal listening evaluations****
Use good interconnects, cones, power conditioning, or any other leftover Hi-Fi tweaks you have laying around and I tell you, it is way better than it should be musically for a HT receiver. I am only running a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 2's and PSB Subsonic-5 sub, and Tannoy MC-1 center channel, and even the processing is very good, maybe not quite as good as the upper line Onkyo's or Denons, Marantz's, but music is truly enjoyable, and I have 20k worth of high-end gear upstairs!.....
Yes, a break-in is IMPORTANT....approx. 110 hrs. before I started to notice an appreciable difference, especially in the top end frequencies. Mate it with an efficient speaker, and don't expect "The Who" to show up in your listening room and you will be notably impressed!.... Now my second choice would have been the Marantz SR-8000, followed by the Denon 4800, but to my ear, the Arcam's simplistic approach as usual, captured my Audio/Video ear.....buy with confidence unless you are prepared to spend double!
audioman
Arcam Arcam Arcam!!!!!!!! Hantra 21:10:15 03/21/01 (12)
Read my review on the Arcam here!!!! Integra should not be in the same post as Arcam!!!!!
B
- Read the review here!!!!!!
- Re: Arcam Arcam Arcam!!!!!!!! coldplay 21:53:56 03/21/01 (11)
  Does the Arcam sound better now than when you first got it? Is there a significant change in sound and did it sound at all strident in the first few hours of listening? I'm wondering if receivers need adequate burn as loud speakers do, and also if the better the parts the longer the break in period- which seems to be the case with loud speakers. Thanks!
  - It does require some breakin. . . Hantra 23:51:13 03/21/01 (10)
    However, it did sound very good upon plugging it in. It only got better the first couple of weeks. It has gotten better since I have tweaked it a la Michael Green, and set it on spikes.
    Ohhhh. . . AND Do yourself a favor and build the Crump Asylum cord for it!!!! SWEEEEET!!!
    B
    - Re: It does require some breakin. . . coldplay 10:08:13 03/22/01 (9)
      Thanks, I'm just starting to get into this hobby- what's the Crump Asylum cord?
      - It's a power cord >>>>> Hantra 10:42:31 03/22/01 (8)
        
        In Reply to: Re: It does require some breakin. . . posted by coldplay on March 22, 2001 at 10:08:13:
        
        It can be found here. SWEEEEET too!!!!
        
        B
        
        Click here for the Crump Cord. . .
        
        Re: It's a power cord >>>>> coldplay 13:07:39 03/22/01 (7)
        
        In Reply to: It's a power cord > > > > > posted by Hantra on March 22, 2001 at 10:42:31:
        
        Thanks Hantra. A few more questions. How much does this cord cost and would I have to build/solder? Also, I have a Monster Power Center, would it be ok to use it as a jack for the cord? Thanks.
        Also, what improvements have you noticed with the cord?
        
        Cold. . . Brrrrr. .. . Hantra 19:25:00 03/22/01 (6)
        
        In Reply to: Re: It's a power cord > > > > > posted by coldplay on March 22, 2001 at 13:07:39:
        
        Hey man,
        It is not that much work. Mine was around $20 for parts, and I had to buy a spool of the 19384, so it was about $75.00.
        I noticed much more natural sound with it!
        B
        
        You're cool!!! coldplay 22:11:53 03/22/01 (5)
        
        In Reply to: Cold. . . Brrrrr. .. . posted by Hantra on March 22, 2001 at 19:25:00:
        
        Hey man,
        YOU'RE A SNOB!
        J
        
        What? Hantra 11:48:31 03/23/01 (4)
        
        In Reply to: You're cool!!! posted by coldplay on March 22, 2001 at 22:11:53:
        
        What are you talking about? I am trying to HELP you! You want me to build you a cord?
        B
        
        Re: What? coldplay 14:18:19 03/23/01 (3)
        
        In Reply to: What? posted by Hantra on March 23, 2001 at 11:48:31:
        
        I'm cool. Dude maybe I'm a bit sensitive because I've never posted on this board. I told you I had zero knowlegde in this area. Maybe I misconstrued your tone, perhaps your foreign?... but your response came across as pompous... peace.
        
        You are so lame. . . Hantra 20:39:23 03/23/01 (2)
        
        In Reply to: Re: What? posted by coldplay on March 23, 2001 at 14:18:19:
        
        I have no idea how I could have POSSIBLY come across as harsh, or elitest. Maybe you are overly sensitive. Maybe you need to seek out some psychiatric help.
        BTMFW, I am from North Carolina, and if you ever need anymore help, and find someone WILLING to even answer any of your questions, you SHOULD be more appreciative.
        B
        
        Yep coldplay 00:36:49 03/24/01 (1)
        
        In Reply to: You are so lame. . . posted by Hantra on March 23, 2001 at 20:39:23:
        
        I appologize, your seem like a good guy and probrobly happy go lucky at that. Cold...Burrrr.. set us off in this downward spiral to my now appology. This can be the problem with typed words instead of face to face interaction or not being able to hear the tone of someone's voice. Again sorry. I'd buy you a beer.. if say well you know.
        BTW, I just got the Arcam a few days ago and I'm crazy about the little guy!
        
        The Arcam is GRRRREAT!!!! I love mine too!!!!!!. . . (nt) Hantra 00:39:35 03/24/01 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Yep posted by coldplay on March 24, 2001 at 00:36:49:
        
        sadgfg

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