Arcam AV50, P85, A85 Combo Advice required

[admin_exported]

Hi,

I've recently bought a second hand Arcam AV50 amplifier and would like advice on how to combine it with my existing Arcam P85 and A85 power and integrated amps in a 3.1 arrangement.

I have a pair of B&W 685 stereo speakers and a B&W CMC centre, so was hoping to have the centre speaker connected to the AV amp and the 685s speakers bi-amped with the P85 (to woofers) and A85 (to tweeters). This would mean that my 685s can be used for music.

It doesn't seem to be so straighforward to do this. Do I have to setup my A85 to be a power amp? This means that I will have to flick a switch at the back when I want to change from movies to music.

Thanks

Marc

 

[jog3004]

Hi, I'm not familiar with the av 50, but there should be outputs for each of the five channels, & output for the sub. I'd connect your sub direct to av50 output. Then you need to choose what you want each amp control, so if you want the p85 to control the left & right front channel, using interconnects put these from your av l front left & right channel into the left & right in put of your p85, then if you want surround right & left operated by a85, follow those steps using surround outs of av to inputs of a85 then for centre simple connect speaker wire to centre channel of av.

 

[seemorebtts]

yea jogs right i got av50.remember to get a blu ray player with 5.1 audio outputs to make the most out of the av50

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses. The problem I have is that I have my speakers bi-amped using the P85 and A85 and the A85 has its own volume control.

I can set up my A85 to be a power amp so the AV50 can control the volume, however its not convenient to have to flick a switch at the back every time I want to alternate between music and video.

I wonder if this kind of arrangement is common or should I get another set of fronts and connect directly to the AV amp.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses. The problem I have is that I have my speakers bi-amped using the P85 and A85 and the A85 has its own volume control.

I can set up my A85 to be a power amp so the AV50 can control the volume, however its not convenient to have to flick a switch at the back every time I want to alternate between music and video.

I wonder if this kind of arrangement is common or should I get another set of fronts and connect directly to the AV amp.

 

[jog3004]

Sadly I don't think you'll be able to bi amp fronts without buying another power amp, & I suppose it depends what's more important movies or music, if the latter I'd keep the a85 & p85 for music & just use the av for movies

 

[Big Chris]

I'm sure the A85 has a processor mode accesible by the remote/ front panel which fixes the volume so it's easy to integrate with an A/V amp.

Never used it myself though.