Arcam A90. How would the review read if the price was £400? (which it can now be bought for)

[Big Chris]

Headline says it all really.

Would the A90 be a better proposition at the £400 price point than before?

 

[plastic penguin]

I would of thought at over half the original price the A90 would be very good value for money.

Back in 2004, WHFI tested the A90 with its sibling power amp as an alternative to multi-channel receivers and it gained a rave review. Since then, of course, as as stand alone product (£900) it seem to have faded from peoples reckoning.

 

[Anonymous]

There's nowt wrong with the amp anyway and it was worth the price it originally sold for - many people (those that listened to it and purchased it, as opposed to those who only buy stuff that gets five stars) will agree. Of course its better value at £400. Not sure that reviews always reflect the price anyway and many reviewers make irrelevant and unrealist comparisons, comparing things to equipment no longer made and also to stuff much more expensive. Some reviewers also seem biased against some manufacturers (although not WHFI? ooh no).
The other thing to bear in mind is that generally the press (all press) tend to review new kit and forget about stuff that's been about a bit. That drives manufacturers to keep meddling with their kit in order to re-invent it so it can be re-reviewed.

 

[Alec]

Rev:There's nowt wrong with the amp anyway and it was worth the price it originally sold for - many people (those that listened to it and purchased it, as opposed to those who only buy stuff that gets five stars) will agree. Of course its better value at £400. Not sure that reviews always reflect the price anyway and many reviewers make irrelevant and unrealist comparisons, comparing things to equipment no longer made and also to stuff much more expensive. Some reviewers also seem biased against some manufacturers (although not WHFI? ooh no).
The other thing to bear in mind is that generally the press (all press) tend to review new kit and forget about stuff that's been about a bit. That drives manufacturers to keep meddling with their kit in order to re-invent it so it can be re-reviewed.

couldnt possibly comment on most of that... but whf do indeed take price into account when reviewing.

 

[bigblue235]

I have an A85, and I haven't heard a £400 amp that I like anywhere near as much. I'm pretty sure the A90 would get a decent review at £400, it did get decent reviews in certain places at £900, albeit a while ago now!

I'm considering changing to an A90 myself, purely because P90's are a lot easier to pick up and I've been keen to try bi-amping for a while.

 

[DistortedVision]

bigblue235:

I have an A85, and I haven't heard a £400 amp that I like anywhere near as much. I'm pretty sure the A90 would get a decent review at £400, it did get decent reviews in certain places at £900, albeit a while ago now!

I'm considering changing to an A90 myself, purely because P90's are a lot easier to pick up and I've been keen to try bi-amping for a while.

You can biamp your A85 with a P90. All Arcam amps are gain matched and I had this same combination in my previous system. Andrew Dutton Head of Engineering at Arcam and John Dawson, Managing Director of Arcam both say you can in this thread.:

EDITED for house rules violations - Mods

Hope this helps.http://www.anothersite/forums/showthread.php?t=207341

 

[bigblue235]

DistortedVision:You can biamp your A85 with a P90. All Arcam amps are gain matched and I had this same combination in my previous system. Andrew Dutton Head of Engineering at Arcam and John Dawson, Managing Director of Arcam both say you can in this thread:


Hope this helps.

Ah, it has indeed, much appreciated.

I knew the amps were gain matched, and I knew it would feasible to use P90 with A85 as I'd spoken to Arcam about it. I just wasn't sure if it was a good idea!

What I was wary of was the fact that some reviewers and consumers had mentioned supposed performance differences between the A85 and A90. I wondered if this performance difference in the integrated amps would be applicable to the power amps too.

I guess not if Mr. Dawson says they're pretty much one and the same.

Thanks again!

 

[JoelSim]

From everything I've read the A85 seems to be the better amp, I'm very happy with mine, albeit with P85.

ÿ