Ellisdj review Arcam

[Andrewjvt]

My first behind the scenes article is up

Be interested in any feedback, sorry if there are any mistakes, very tired, I will correct them of course. Thanks 

Very good
Excellent website
Good job mon

 

[ellisdj]

Cheers Andrew, appreciate the feedback

Latest couple vids up

 

[seemorebtts]

Wow this post is still going. I just watched the b&w comparison. The other Speaker's sounded much better than the b&w. Keep it up I'm enjoying these vids

 

[ellisdj]

Thanks for the support

 

[ellisdj]

Latest Video is up

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Good review mate

I probably mentioned it before but Arcam used to make Pre and power Av I used to own one the AV8 which was a processer which was THX certified and P7 power amplifier I think it came out the same time as the AV100 or AV200 back in the 1990s and that was really good with film and music .

build quality has always been the same with Arcam it’s not changed much over the years but the remote was better quality on the AV8 that also was back light but also a leaning remote as well .

one issue I had was paint coming of the main volume dial after a while .

anyway before you splash the cash on the Arcam AV850 which is a hell of a lot of money have you checked out yamaha Pre and power amplifier which is the dogs tangle bits it’s a proper AV pre and power

 

[ellisdj]

No Dirac in the Yamaha so that wouldnt be my first choice, you can add it to it with an additonal mini dsp solution

If there is a chance to review it I will do so but I cant see it topping this Arcam, its really is spot on but you never know

 

[Blacksabbath25]

No Dirac in the Yamaha so that wouldnt be my first choice, you can add it to it with an additonal mini dsp solution

If there is a chance to review it I will do so but I cant see it topping this Arcam, its really is spot on but you never know

so are you demoing different Av amplifiers before making the final choice on the Arcam 850 ?

 

[ellisdj]

I wasnt going to no because I like the feature set of the Arcam and the sound and like how I was planning to Integrate it for atmos etc.

For me its perfect, The Yammys are much cheaper but would be more hassle but its got me thinking now I wouldnt mind hearing it obviously

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I wasnt going to no because I like the feature set of the Arcam and the sound and like how I was planning to Integrate it for atmos etc.

For me its perfect, The Yammys are much cheaper but would be more hassle but its got me thinking now I wouldnt mind hearing it obviously

I understand mate you know your stuff and like you said on your review it’s good for films and that is important I think so what will you use for music then as I no both are important to you like it is with me

 

[CnoEvil]

Latest Video is up

I recognize some of that....given my familiarity with the AVR600......and it's thanks to owners like me, suffering the endless bugs, that allowed you to enjoy the AVR850.

I take it you didn't try a high quality Source through Stereo Direct....which is how I would listen. IMO. Used like this, it's better than it has any right to be, for an AVR....but it can't compare with the likes of the Nu Vista, or AMS35i....though I think it's good enough to satisfy a lot of people, with the qualiity of the 2 channel performance.

 

[ellisdj]

I didnt have another dac to hand to try that but could tell that would work well.
But Losing the benefit of dirac live would be a deal breaker for me personally talking as a normal joe bloggs

 

[Native_bon]

I didnt have another dac to hand to try that but could tell that would work well.
But Losing the benefit of dirac live would be a deal breaker for me personally talking as a normal joe bloggs

That's what I thought as well from your video demo's of the 850. It was showing digital as suppose to Stereo direct. Each input can be configured to use Dirac live or bypassed. I really think you should try the direct mode when playing 2 channel music.

 

[ellisdj]

I tried Direct Vs Dirac Live - Dirac Live better every time.

I didnt try dirac live on in the source and then stereo direct - that could have been better overall but thats not really what someone using it is going to do.

You buy the Arcam for Dirac Live once you have it you wont want to listen without it

 

[ellisdj]

New video up

 

[Blacksabbath25]

New video up

just watched you video interesting project

I’ve seen quite a bit of YouTube videos on Dolby Atmos and DTS X and most of them I’ve watched have said they felt that using height channels front and back made a big difference to the over all sounds of home cinema .

Some of the videos I’ve watched say that the speakers that you put into the ceiling you need a very high ceiling to get any benefit out of them but you get better affects out of using height channels instead .

then there are speakers that you bounce sound of the ceiling some say it works and some it does not but you need a flat ceiling for it to bounce sound probably .

Thats good if you can get the right advice on what’s the best effect you can possibly get out of Dolby Atmos and DTS X as the last thing you want to do is wast money and be disappointed .

i will keep following as no doubt I will end up doing the height channels myself

 

[ellisdj]

Indulgence Show Coverage Starting - will be lots of videos I grafted today so hope you all enjoy

First video

 

[ellisdj]

Latest Video up

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Latest Video up

thank god for a new video I was getting bored *smile*

 

[ellisdj]

Cant do 17 every weekend...

 

[Blacksabbath25]

A question about Dirac live

can you use this software with just a Amplifier and CD player setup as it would be nice to try this as I no it works with streaming from a computer which I do from my Yamaha 1070 but for me pure music quality I just use my Yamaha A-S2100 with my Yamaha CD player but was wondering if it’s possible to use Dirac live .

it would be good to use it with the Yamaha Av as well for films because when I use YPAO it says my front speakers are out of faze which they are not and I’ve read speaker manufacturers reverse the faze on the tweeters which I think is why the YPAO says my fronts are out of faze so would Dirac live say the same as YPAO ?

 

[ellisdj]

Hi BS you can get dirac live in several ways.

Either computer software or from several minidsp units that all integrate into systems differently offering a lot of options to people.

1 option I think is great is the inline hdmi version so hdmi in and out so that could happily sit between the blu ray and av receiver.

Or you have stereo versions that use spdif connections for between source and dac or similar.

The main negative of these solutions is they are limited to that one source connection.
Compared to the solution in the arcams you get dirac live correction for all sources

They do sell analogue versions as well and I wonder if you could come out of the analogue pramplifier outputs into the dirac live then back into the analogue direct inputs on an avr. No idea on that one just a thought

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Hi BS you can get dirac live in several ways.

Either computer software or from several minidsp units that all integrate into systems differently offering a lot of options to people.

1 option I think is great is the inline hdmi version so hdmi in and out so that could happily sit between the blu ray and av receiver.

Or you have stereo versions that use spdif connections for between source and dac or similar.

The main negative of these solutions is they are limited to that one source connection. Compared to the solution in the arcams you get dirac live correction for all sources

They do sell analogue versions as well and I wonder if you could come out of the analogue pramplifier outputs into the dirac live then back into the analogue direct inputs on an avr. No idea on that one just a thought

i wanted to try the D-live with the A-S2100 with the CD2100 first but I take it will be a analogue connection ? And would you download the room measurements to what ever device is connected between CD player and amplifier To make this work ?

If I get on ok with the amplifier and CD player measurements and like the product I will buy it for the Av as well but wanted to start with the music side of things first but I am a 50/50 man in regards to music and films .

The other question I had is the D-live restrictive sonically towards the music as the last thing I want to do is ruin the sound I do get but obviously I understand that no room is perfect in anyway and I do have big tower speakers that can kick out some bass even though I feel they are quite refined for big speakers and the amplifier does a good job of controlling my Dali’s .

i did follow the YouTube stuff you did on D-live and it looked quite straight forward so basically I am after polishing the final sound .

so basically what bits do I need to buy for theses first steps ...

 

[ellisdj]

BS will reply when got more time

Latest Video - Indulgence Show review and best bits as requested by CNo

 

[CnoEvil]

BS will reply when got more time

Latest Video - Indulgence Show review and best bits as requested by CNo

*good* *good*

Speaking very personally, I like the personal insight on the rooms you picked, interspersed with the video footage.....for future shows, would you consider doing the coverage this way...in several parts if necessary?