Goodbye n-Vi, hello Arcam AVR

You have those front speakers very close together.

I have an Arcam AVR600 that has worked really well for the last few years. Once you have it setup it is no different from using a normal stereo amp. You select the input that gets fed to the TV and then just turn the volume up.

Have you tried using it as a streamer? The 600 is quite poor because the navigation is very slow.

I should take a picture.

Ah the n-Vi. I have fond memories of a brilliant pictures and sound and not so fond memories of bugs and general foibles - normally when we had guests, leading to the question "You paid how much !". 

Enjoy the new kit

James

Thanks, James.  I did enjoy my n-Vi and had learned to live with its foibles but the fault it developed - heavy buzzing & clicking through the amplification - rendered it unlistenable.  I was sorry to see it go.

Mike

Bananahead

The speakers are nearly 1.5m apart. I'm somewhat constrained by a large bookcase just to the left, out of picture. I think the residual glitches are related to the programmable remote which can also control the, Sony TV, Oppo and SkyHD box.  In retrospect, it might have been easier to simply continue to use all the remotes.

I haven't tried using it as a streamer.  Might have a play when I've got some spare time, though it would have to be over wi-fi which I guess would compromise the quality.    

Hi Mike,

I recently replaced a dying Onkyo with a nearly new ARV380. I went with the baby of the range because it was cheap(er!) and because the front stereo speakers are powered by the NAP300 (via uniti gain), so there didn't seem much point in spending on the Arcam power amps. Also, surround sound speakers are a mixture of B&W 804Ds and ten year old Monitor Audio Silver + ancient REL Q200E.

it sounds great and is much better than the Onkyo with music, as you might expect. 

The current range has apparently overcome the reliability issues that plagued recent Arcam kit. Operationaly, it's nice and simple as Arcam have concentrated on the basic stuff you really want and use.

Issues? Well, a few:

- The upscaling is best switched off, but that was true of the Onkyo;

- it can't do 6.1;

- The Logitech remote works nicely but tends to mute the Naim amp when I mute the Arcam and the ARC functionality seems to confuse the Arcam when I stick on with the Logitech so is switched off, unless needed.

Keith

Hi Keith

Well you certainly don't lack power with a 300 driving your front L & R speakers so I can understand your choice of going for the AVR380. If my HT system was integrated with my main system I might have done the same but the room layout where my main system lives means the TV has to sit in a corner.  So when I wanted 5.1 I had to use a different room.  I suppose I really should have demoed the 380 and 450 but to replace Naim amplification I thought I would need power so went straight to the 750.  Also Arcam were running a generous trade-in offer on the AVR range until the end of April so I was pleased to get a good reduction on the price.

So far, so good. But as you say, the remote and hand-shaking can have unintended effects.  I'll work mine out in due course.  

A couple of further thoughts. Don't you think that the manual that comes with the AVR is overly large (in keeping with the AVR itself, perhaps)? And isn't the automated set-up via it's plug in microphone clever and impressive?  

Mike  

The manual is ridiculously big. However, the AVR380 isn't as big and heavy as the outgoing Onkyo, presumably because the it has fewer, small power supplies.

The dealer warned me against relying on auto setup. I tried it found some of its results to be unsatisfactory, not least that it thought my wall mounted surrounds were full range. In the end, I just used it to check my manual settings made using an SP Meter, tape measure and ears.

I did notice that the level test tones made my NDS ring like a bell! 

Keith

Very nice post, and Arcam is one of the very few Hi Fi companies that do a musical AV receiver.

I need to audition an Arcam AVR sometime soon.

Personally I have had good results with a Naim DAC V1 fronting a Yamaha AVR. You only get 2 channels but source first works even on a Yamaha AVR. The grip on the subwoofer changed for the better and music was a lot more enjoyable. The DAC V1 has this Naim like tendency to extract any tiny of music on anything I played (not a naim cliche).

I was thinking of buying a more musical AVR like Arcam and I heard about Anthem, but a very high quality DAC fronting a good AVR gives amazing results too (albeit in 2 channel) 

Sorry to hear about the Nvi, almost bought one, but in hindsight glad I didn't after reading about your issues with it.

Thanks, analogmusic.  The n-Vi does have a chequered reputation, though a friend's has proven very reliable. I suspect that Naim hasn't seen a return on the n-Vi and I believe they have found supporting repairs increasingly difficult with supplies of spares so I think you're wise to look elsewhere.    

Mike,

Interested to hear your positive feedback about the Arcam AVR.

How did you find the switching between HDMI sources? Was this fairly smooth and reliable? 

Did it also lock on to audio streams quickly when using Sky to fast-forward through content? A recent demo of other AV processors was a pain for this, especially when switching between stereo and 5.1 sound formats as it resulted in a short 2-3sec audio delay which was annoying when flicking through adverts.

My AVR380 is fine for switching as long as you don't activate ARC control, which seems to confuse the unit when switching on and off.

Keith

Switching between Blueray and SkyHD can be sticky but I think that's down to set-up where each unit is configured to respond to signals sent through the HMDI connections. I need to simplify that and I wouldn't criticise the Arcam AVR.  More pertinently, I've found the channel hopping on SkyHD to be entirely smooth with near instant lock-on to the changing sound-mix outputs of different Sky channels.  In contrast, my n-Vi could take quite a while to catch-up and eventually would give up the ghost, display  'system fault' and require a mains off/on reset.

Mike  

Mike,

What were the issues you had with the Oppo and the V1s?

I use a 105 into Bel Canto/EAR for L & R and 250's in Audio Physic (Centre) and Linn Kan (rear) and haven't had any issues; apart from humming if I turn the Oppo off.

M

If I turned the 103D Oppo off when not in use and then came to use it again there was a hum through the speakers (our mutual expert warned me of this).  That I could have lived with, as my main system is left powered up all the time. However, with the Oppo powered up all the time I found that it lost 'sight' of my Rel sub from time-to time, necessitating diving into the sub-menus to find it again.  Irritating.  I suspect Oppo will eventually sort this in one of their firmware updates but having chatted the issue over with you-know-who, I decided to go with the ease of the Arcam.  Also, if I had gone for the 103D/3 x Nap100 combo, it was only a matter of time before I'd start thinking about a 200 or 250 on the front speakers etc etc.  An upgradist bug on both systems was too much to bear.

Mike 

Yes, that is a pain - having to dive into sub-menus to reset prior to listening. I am having a similar problem with a 2nd system I run, but to do with it losing one of the HDMI interfaces, I can get it working but the other family members understandably just give up.

I was pleased with the audio upgrade on the AV2, but I already had the power amps to hand and so the Oppo was a very logical step for me ....otherwise I would have stuck with the Naim. Shame they have ditched their AV but I think it is common sense on their part.

Glad you've got a solution that works for you.

M

I agree, Mr U.  I can well understand why Naim dropped the n-Vi but for all its foibles and, for many, unreliability, I had a strong fondness for it.  

Mike