Considering Arcam sa20

[robdmarsh]

I think we are getting cross wires. The A29 is, I was referring to the A39 being to deep for my unit.

One last thing I'll say, is the vocals seem very natural with Arcam almost like they are in the room, it all sounds very natural to me anyway.

Realism of and engaging quality of vocals is probably the most important element for me in a sound system. But this is where, I believe, synergy plays such a big part. Denon and Triangle give it in spades for these ears and brain. Audiolab didn't give me that particular fix. Wondering about Arcam ....

 

[Gray]

Hyperfi have a B grade 2500 for a very nice price.

Long while ago now but, If it's the same Hyperfi that myself and trading standards had the 'pleasure' of dealing with......good luck.

 

[robdmarsh]

That's right, barge poles don't cover the distance that we should all exercise in avoiding sites like these.

 

[WayneKerr]

Long while ago now but, If it's the same Hyperfi that myself and trading standards had the 'pleasure' of dealing with......good luck.

Aah, maybe not then

 

[bristollinnet]

I’ve had the Arcam SA20 for a number of years, and as a mid-range ‘old-fashioned’ hi-fi amplifier just playing music from good sources it is very good. However it doesn‘t have HDMI ARC or eARC input for a TV/monitor which in my view today is pretty unforgivable. If you connect a TV via its toslink input it is horrendously glitchy, effectively unusable as a result and overall the firmware updating experience and general support is appalling. I explored changing it for the SA30, but thats even more glitchy. I’ll never buy Arcam again.Shame.

 

[WayneKerr]

I’ve had the Arcam SA20 for a number of years, and as a mid-range ‘old-fashioned’ hi-fi amplifier just playing music from good sources it is very good. However it doesn‘t have HDMI ARC or eARC input for a TV/monitor which in my view today is pretty unforgivable. If you connect a TV via its toslink input it is horrendously glitchy, effectively unusable as a result and overall the firmware updating experience and general support is appalling. I explored changing it for the SA30, but thats even more glitchy. I’ll never buy Arcam again.Shame.

Why would you expect HDMI on a 2-channel stereo amp? Horses for courses. I tend to keep my audio and AV requirements separate, also my analogue from digital too, any digital feed duties are handled by the DAC in my CDP. Keep things simple.

 

[robdmarsh]

I’ve had the Arcam SA20 for a number of years, and as a mid-range ‘old-fashioned’ hi-fi amplifier just playing music from good sources it is very good. However it doesn‘t have HDMI ARC or eARC input for a TV/monitor which in my view today is pretty unforgivable. If you connect a TV via its toslink input it is horrendously glitchy, effectively unusable as a result and overall the firmware updating experience and general support is appalling. I explored changing it for the SA30, but thats even more glitchy. I’ll never buy Arcam again.Shame.

When you say glitchy, how do you mean? Does it work? I have no interest whatsoever in home theatre or surround sound, I don't have the speakers and don't care about recreating the cinema experience in my living room. Having said that, I do enjoy music videos/ concerts on telly in stereo so I would want the optical input to at least be reliable.

 

[Al ears]

Why would you expect HDMI on a 2-channel stereo amp? Horses for courses. I tend to keep my audio and AV requirements separate, also my analogue from digital too, any digital feed duties are handled by the DAC in my CDP. Keep things simple.

Hear, hear.
Cannot recall any stereo integrated with an HDMI port...

 

[RoA]

Hear, hear.
Cannot recall any stereo integrated with an HDMI port...

Cyrus ONE Cast

 

[RoA]

I’ve had the Arcam SA20 for a number of years, and as a mid-range ‘old-fashioned’ hi-fi amplifier just playing music from good sources it is very good. However it doesn‘t have HDMI ARC or eARC input for a TV/monitor which in my view today is pretty unforgivable. If you connect a TV via its toslink input it is horrendously glitchy, effectively unusable as a result and overall the firmware updating experience and general support is appalling. I explored changing it for the SA30, but thats even more glitchy. I’ll never buy Arcam again.Shame.

I am, as I write this, using the SA20 listening to TV through it's Toslink. No issues.

 

[robdmarsh]

Cyrus ONE Cast

Nope. Ugly as ****, and yes I'm that shallow, it does matter.
Oh sorry, you meant it has an hdmi! Well, that is neither here not there for me, but on second thoughts it would probably count against it, as why would I pay for a feature on a stereo amp that I would probably never use?

Also, suddenly half price?! How would you feel if you'd paid full price?

 

[Al ears]

Cyrus ONE Cast

Haven't seen that one and still no idea why it has HDMI when it's not doing anything with video

 

[RoA]

Nope. Ugly as ****, and yes I'm that shallow, it does matter.
Oh sorry, you meant it has an hdmi! Well, that is neither here not there for me, but on second thoughts it would probably count against it, as why would I pay for a feature on a stereo amp that I would probably never use?

Also, suddenly half price?! How would you feel if you'd paid full price?

It's a lovely amplifier but if you don't like the look then it doesn't matter. Yes, it has HDMI.

As for price, had I bought it when it came out at full retail ... I probably would feel the same as I do now but at its current price it is an absolute bargain imo.

 

[bristollinnet]

I am, as I write this, using the SA20 listening to TV through it's Toslink. No issues.

I am, as I write this, using the SA20 listening to TV through it's Toslink. No issues.

Well all I can say is that either you were lucky and/or I’m unlucky. Google around and you’ll find plenty of similar adverse comments specifically with Arcam, but also more widely in matching TV toslink into a stereo amplifier. I contacted Arcam who told me to update firmware (which I did) but it made little difference. But if you are wanting just a basic stereo music system, the Arcam performs very well.

 

[plastic penguin]

Nope. Ugly as ****, and yes I'm that shallow, it does matter.
Oh sorry, you meant it has an hdmi! Well, that is neither here not there for me, but on second thoughts it would probably count against it, as why would I pay for a feature on a stereo amp that I would probably never use?

Also, suddenly half price?! How would you feel if you'd paid full price?

Any closer to deciding?

 

[manicm]

Most new NAD Bluos amps have HDMI. The Naim Uniti series each have HDMI. To ask why is to have been sitting under a rock. It's the increasingly in demand convenience of hooking your TV to your hifi, where your TVs remote will automatically control the volume of said amp. But you can just use optical I hear - well from my experience volume control through optical often still requires the hifi remote to control it. Depends on the equipment, and it's not consistent.

That's one of the reasons I'm considering the LSX2, for example. Or a Mission LX Connect.

Which is also why I think the Sonos Ray is a fail. I don't want to risk removing my heavy TV from the wall just to access the optical port. LG rectified this atrocity with the C2, but I'll keep my C1 thanks.

HDMI on integrated amps is becoming increasingly common. It's a feature that's here to stay.

 

[robdmarsh]

Any closer to deciding?

Well, I'm working on it. Hoping to get a bit of a good deal. It's actually at a kind of Cash converter style shop in Salisbury. I am sure some would avoid going anywhere near such a place to buy a seriious bit of kit but they say it's mint and has they've tested it so don't see why not.

 

[robdmarsh]

Most new NAD Bluos amps have HDMI. The Naim Uniti series each have HDMI. To ask why is to have been sitting under a rock. It's the increasingly in demand convenience of hooking your TV to your hifi, where your TVs remote will automatically control the volume of said amp. But you can just use optical I hear - well from my experience volume control through optical often still requires the hifi remote to control it. Depends on the equipment, and it's not consistent.

That's one of the reasons I'm considering the LSX2, for example. Or a Mission LX Connect.

Which is also why I think the Sonos Ray is a fail. I don't want to risk removing my heavy TV from the wall just to access the optical port. LG rectified this atrocity with the C2, but I'll keep my C1 thanks.

HDMI on integrated amps is becoming increasingly common. It's a feature that's here to stay.

What's the sound advantage of it over optical if it's just a stereo amp?

 

[robdmarsh]

Saw a Denon pma 1600ne sell for £589 this morning on fleabay. Now that's a bargain!

 

[WayneKerr]

Saw a Denon pma 1600ne sell for £589 this morning on fleabay. Now that's a bargain!

What are you waiting for? Get in there Oh, sorry it was sold... well keep your eyes open for a 2500 and I'll loan you my jigsaw

 

[robdmarsh]

What are you waiting for? Get in there

No I mean it sold for that price. Guy dropped the starting price to £589 and then when I looked 20 mins later it had sold at that price. Kind of weird but wow, what a deal.

 

[manicm]

What's the sound advantage of it over optical if it's just a stereo amp?

Mostly the convenience, not sound quality. Don't know if anyone remembers, but Arcam was the first to launch a stereo AV receiver, about 10 years ago. Marantz offer the NR1200, and the Model 40 includes an HDMI port too.

It's for those who want to connect a TV to hifi without needing surround sound. And in that respect HDMI is more convenient and superior to optical. Someone like me in fact.

 

[Al ears]

Most new NAD Bluos amps have HDMI. The Naim Uniti series each have HDMI. To ask why is to have been sitting under a rock. It's the increasingly in demand convenience of hooking your TV to your hifi, where your TVs remote will automatically control the volume of said amp. But you can just use optical I hear - well from my experience volume control through optical often still requires the hifi remote to control it. Depends on the equipment, and it's not consistent.

That's one of the reasons I'm considering the LSX2, for example. Or a Mission LX Connect.

Which is also why I think the Sonos Ray is a fail. I don't want to risk removing my heavy TV from the wall just to access the optical port. LG rectified this atrocity with the C2, but I'll keep my C1 thanks.

HDMI on integrated amps is becoming increasingly common. It's a feature that's here to stay.

So the only reason they use HDMI is to enable the use of only one remote?
I am aware TV'S have output HDMI sockets as well as input but decent ones have more than one way of connecting audio only.

 

[manicm]

So the only reason they use HDMI is to enable the use of only one remote?
I am aware TV'S have output HDMI sockets as well as input but decent ones have more than one way of connecting audio only.

For TV duty optical is generally a monumental pain in the a**e. If a new amp has an HDMI save the BDSM for the bedroom and use it. Also, many TVs like mine have the optical port located at the rear. For those who've wall mounted it like I have accessing it is pain.

 

[Witterings]

I’ve had the Arcam SA20 for a number of years, and as a mid-range ‘old-fashioned’ hi-fi amplifier just playing music from good sources it is very good. However it doesn‘t have HDMI ARC or eARC input for a TV/monitor which in my view today is pretty unforgivable. If you connect a TV via its toslink input it is horrendously glitchy, effectively unusable as a result and overall the firmware updating experience and general support is appalling. I explored changing it for the SA30, but thats even more glitchy. I’ll never buy Arcam again.Shame.

I'm constantly using a streamer plugged into one of the optical In's without any issues on my SA30 and can't see why there should be any difference with a TV plugged in instead as it'll either work or it won't.
I get if you said there was lip sync as there's a delay with the DAC but that's obviously different to glitchy.

Makes you wonder if it's the TV not the Arcam, have you got another TV you can test on that optical or a CD player / streamer with optical out?