Arcam SA30

[What Hi-Fi?]

With its SA30 streaming amp, Arcam combines old-fashioned amplification and modern-day music streaming to great effect.

Arcam SA30 : Read more

 

[bristollinnet]

Some recent Arcam kit has ‘stumbled’, not least with its software. What version firmware was the SA30 running?

 

[i4orr3l7ruc]

Back panel picture is wrong. Doesn’t match Arcam website. No HDMI connector shown.

 

[Rodentman]

I bought an SA30 in Jan 2020. Issues:

1. Remote will turn unit off but NOT on, even in standby mode.
2. Cannot access PROCESSOR modes via remote or front panel.
3. Sometimes digital input will stutter, or "motorboat" when signal applied.

Arcam is aware of #1. SW update supposedly coming sooner or later. I will wait for that or a new unit, but these are unacceptable defects.

 

[ambrosew]

I bought an SA30 in Jan 2020. Issues:

1. Remote will turn unit off but NOT on, even in standby mode.
2. Cannot access PROCESSOR modes via remote or front panel.
3. Sometimes digital input will stutter, or "motorboat" when signal applied.

Arcam is aware of #1. SW update supposedly coming sooner or later. I will wait for that or a new unit, but these are unacceptable defects.

The software update has been out for at least a week already, and the processor mode is accessed through the audio settings, which you can access with the remote and front panel. You have to apply processor mode to an input though. Unless you're complaining that there's not a one-button toggle for each input?

 

[Rodentman]

Update ran but didn't address issue #1, and the download blew up my router. I returned the SA30 and bought a McIntosh.

 

[ambrosew]

Update ran but didn't address issue #1, and the download blew up my router. I returned the SA30 and bought a McIntosh.

Pretty sure one specific update can't blow up a router. Sounds like a faulty router.

Was your SA30 in low power standby mode? If so you have to hold the power button to wake it up. That doesn't appear the be in the manual though for some reason.

 

[M42TYN]

I've had mine now for 3 weeks. It was shipped without the correct "User" update . Arcam support were very helpful in providing this once I'd explained the issues I'd had - at that time the Dirac calibration just wouldn't connect properly.

The remote issue above - if you switch to an input say, AV or CD then ALL the buttons appear to then be linked with that source until you click AMP and then you get full control back.

The processor modes have to be turned on for whichever analogue input mode your using and then you can switch between the modes. TBH the manual doesn't cover this very well. Actually the manual doesn't mention a whole host of information like how to access the amps web page for update checks/versions etc (it's just the IP address of the unit in a browser which can be got from the system information menu).

The sound issue, stutter, distortion whatever you want to call it would appear to have been identified by Arcam and related to volume signals not being processed in a timely manner. Only happens on digital inputs - in my case ARC and Coaxial from BlueSound Node 2i and not very often.

Once these little glitches are sorted then I'm a happy bunny - sounds FANTASTIC!

 

[Rodentman]

Well it's all moot now since I got the McIntosh. The shop gave me a Node 2i for my trouble. I would have been happy had there been no glitches but there were and they were enough for me to bail. The shop has stopped selling Arcam.

 

[Adamsandwiches]

The WHF review quite irresponsibly glosses over the awful, infuriating soft product Arcam have pushed out of the door.

Chromecast drops out for seconds at a time. Music Life doesn't work at all on my LG G7 phone, so there's no alternative to Chromecasting, meaning no Tidal Masters streaming. Arcam support don't know when the firmware or the apps will be updated. They actually told me that. At least they were honest, I suppose.

Just scrolling past one minor menu setting on the front panel causes the whole unit to switch off and reboot.

The user manual seems to have been written by someone in a great hurry. The remote control codes aren't listed, certain options it catalogues don't exist and the presence of a mysterious micro usb port on the back aren't acknowledged, for example.

The hard product in sonic terms is really, really good but so is that of the much cheaper SA10 and SA20, or the CXA81. Adding Dirac doesn't justify the massive price premium over those products.

 

[Rodentman]

Thank you for your perceptive post. I am quite happy with the McIntosh.

 

[M42TYN]

First Unit returned Friday as had issues with distorted sound randomly. Second unit picked up.

Second unit returned Saturday. Crackling through the right speaker connection with Nothing connected and even with volume at zero (confirmed back at the dealer).

I demo'd a NAD C388 and the MF 6si in store but decided to take NAD home to try with B&W 603s2 speakers. It just doesn't cut it in terms of sound that the Arcam had when it was working.

Whilst I've let the dealer know I'd still like to get a fully working SA30 I'm now looking at upping my budget for a Hegel H190. Will see what happens this week.

 

[doifeellucky]

Why is this product constantly stuck at the top of the list of reviews?

 

[Rodentman]

Maybe a few working pieces were released.

 

[bristollinnet]

Why is this product constantly stuck at the top of the list of reviews?

Because WHF have traditionally had a ‘cosy‘ relationship with Arcam going back decades?

 

[RJH1975]

Hi, when I press the mute button on the SA30 remote, it mutes for 2 seconds then unmutes, any answers on this? Thanks

 

[Paulguk]

I am trying to set up my SA 30. When I connect the left and right analogue outputs from my Yamaha processor into any of the 3 analogue inputs CD / PVR or STB and select that input on the amp I am not hearing those channels. I know the inputs work because if I connect my CD player to any of them I get an output. I also know the processor is outputting the signal as I have put my old Delta 290 back in place and all works. Any idea why?

 

[Paulguk]

Pretty sure one specific update can't blow up a router. Sounds like a faulty router.

Was your SA30 in low power standby mode? If so you have to hold the power button to wake it up. That doesn't appear the be in the manual though for some reason.

How do you check if it is set to low power standby mode as I don’t see it in the menu. I only see the standby timer setting which was set to 20 minutes but I have disabled because I was watching a mono film at the weekend with my AV amp connected and because there was nothing going to the SA30 left and right channels it went to standby. I also can put the amp to standby using the remote but cannot use the remote to take it back out again even pressing the Amp button then standby.

 

[Rodentman]

Clearly there are SW concerns that haven't been addressed. I really liked the SA30 and wanted to keep it but there were too many glitches.

 

[scene]

Clearly there are SW concerns that haven't been addressed. I really liked the SA30 and wanted to keep it but there were too many glitches.

I love Arcam kit, in terms of their physical build quality and sound, but I find the software quality they ship infuriating and they're slow to fix SW issues - it's a long time problem with their kit, and I can understand how you feel.

 

[Paulguk]

Having had the SA30 for a week now the 2 issues I have encountered are;

1. if the amp is put to standby using the remote it will come out of standby if done straight away but if it is left a while it will not. What happens is it recognises the standby button is pressed on the remote and the led on the amp goes amber as if it is going to turn on but then immediately goes back to standby and the only way I’ve worked out to resolve it is to press the power button and restart.

2. Occasionally when streaming an album from my NAS using the Music Life app it will begin a track and skip to the next track even though I haven’t done anything. I know this is amp related because prior to purchasing the SA 30 I was streaming to the Arcam CDS27 streamer / CD player in the same way and it never did it with that.

Apart from those issues I love the amp. I’m sure they will be fixed in a later firmware update but I’m surprised the standby one wasn’t picked up in tests prior to release.

 

[Rodentman]

It's not a perfect world of course but such basic issues should have been addressed before release. How hard is it to program the on/off function?

 

[Paulguk]

Yet more issues found. I cannot select the USB input either on the remote or on the front panel. If Arcam carry on like this they are going to drop massively in consumer confidence. Are these things not tested before the product is released. None of them are show stoppers to how I use the device but when I've just paid £2000 for a piece of kit I do expect it to fully work and not feel like a guinea pig to test and report back on all the faults.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

This is why I have come close to buying Arcam products but never actually have. If you read around a bit, watch YouTube videos by independent people you get get to learn their products are unreliable. Strange how this seems to happen to high end products too such as Arcam and Pioneer too.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

This is why I have come close to buying Arcam products but never actually have. If you read around a bit, watch YouTube videos by independent people you get get to learn their products are unreliable. Strange how this seems to happen to high end products too such as Arcam and Pioneer too.

Here’s our friend EllisDJ talking about an Arcam amp 850 he reviewed and he mentions they are not 100 per cent reliable:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB810T8OI3s


I cancelled my order from last week of this amp thanks to him and his review.