Arcam AVR 600 or Arcam 400 + P7 or anything else?

[WishTree]

Hi.. I am currently considering consolidating my AV System (Due to a possible relocation and a smaller living room size in future)

I like the Sound of Arcam AVR 600 but I guess the receiver is already three years old. So I was thinking of the possible alternatives. Also, would prefer wall mounting speakers.

Options that I am considering are

1. Arcam AVR 600 (used) + B&W MT60-D

2. Arcam AVR 400 (possibly used) + Arcam P7 + B&W MT60-D

3. Other options

I made a long journey in the HiFi world from Home Theatre to Stereo / HiFi to back Home Theatre. The reason why I moved to HiFi was that I could not handle the heavey processing done by the AVRs / Processors. No matter how many pure direct / Stereo only modes exist on these AVR / processor (likes of Denons, Marantz & Rotels) the final sound always sounded processed. I recently tried the Onkyo 5509 processor with a hope that the new league of processor might be able to outperform my old Classe SSP but it sounded extremely processed in the high frequeny that I could not tolerate. (well it got better the more I turn off the audyssey and other settings but even in pure mode also, it was stil not really clean / unprocessed)

Till now, to me, Classe SSP and Arcam AVR 600 only fitted my ears. Ofcourse, I could switch to 600 but I would like to take your opinion based on your experience before making the switch!

Please let me know your views

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi there again.

Here is my take on it - I would rate the AVR 600 better than the AVR400 + P7; in fact I thought the AVR 600 sounded a little better than the AV9 + P7.

 

[duaplex]

Now just to throw a spanner in the works I was in Sevenoaks recently and spoke to an engineer who told me he purchased the AVR400 ahead of the AVR600. He prefered the way it sounded!

Just food for thought, but Cno is right in what he says.

 

[WishTree]

Hi there again. Here is my take on it - I would rate the AVR 600 better than the AVR400 + P7; in fact I thought the AVR 600 sounded a little better than the AV9 + P7.

Hi Cno.. Thanks for the input. I guess AVR600 is the way to go! Any recommendation on wall mount speakers? Ofcourse, I will always have the PV1 or the PV1D (based on how much actual improvement the new one is versus the money that I have to spend on getting a new one)

 

[WishTree]

Now just to throw a spanner in the works I was in Sevenoaks recently and spoke to an engineer who told me he purchased the AVR400 ahead of the AVR600. He prefered the way it sounded!

Just food for thought, but Cno is right in what he says.

That is interesting! But I guess the general consenus looks like the AVR600 is ahead.

Any suggestions for wall mount speakers, pls ?

 

[CnoEvil]

Now just to throw a spanner in the works I was in Sevenoaks recently and spoke to an engineer who told me he purchased the AVR400 ahead of the AVR600. He prefered the way it sounded!

Just food for thought, but Cno is right in what he says.

He wasn't a washing machine engineer, was he?

IMO. The AVR 400 doesn't sound much (if any) better than the AVR350, which I used to own....the AVR 600 was a quantum leap up from that.

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi there again. Here is my take on it - I would rate the AVR 600 better than the AVR400 + P7; in fact I thought the AVR 600 sounded a little better than the AV9 + P7.

Hi Cno.. Thanks for the input. I guess AVR600 is the way to go! Any recommendation on wall mount speakers? Ofcourse, I will always have the PV1 or the PV1D (based on how much actual improvement the new one is versus the money that I have to spend on getting a new one)

No experience, except for rear surround di-poles, which is what I use.

 

[ric71]

Re speakers give MA Apex a demo. Brilliant with both movies and music. They are wall mountable and sound wicked with my ARCAM AVR 500.

 

[WishTree]

Re speakers give MA Apex a demo. Brilliant with both movies and music. They are wall mountable and sound wicked with my ARCAM AVR 500.

Thanks Ric. I will try to audition them.

 

[WishTree]

Re speakers give MA Apex a demo. Brilliant with both movies and music. They are wall mountable and sound wicked with my ARCAM AVR 500.

Thanks Ric. I will try to audition them.

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi there again. Here is my take on it - I would rate the AVR 600 better than the AVR400 + P7; in fact I thought the AVR 600 sounded a little better than the AV9 + P7.

Hi Cno.. Thanks for the input. I guess AVR600 is the way to go! Any recommendation on wall mount speakers? Ofcourse, I will always have the PV1 or the PV1D (based on how much actual improvement the new one is versus the money that I have to spend on getting a new one)

Much as it kills me to say so, I think you should probably only get the AVR 600 if you intend to keep the Proacs (I hope you do); but if you go for Style Speakers, the AVR 400 would be fine.

Be careful with too much down grading, as your system could lose its mojo, especially for music.