Which replacement AV Receiver?

Home Theatre
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Well, it’s been a very eventful week. I started to wear hearing aids about 2 months ago (I’m 75), and have just got used to them. Alas, we went for our Covid jabs on Friday, and I must have pulled off the aids with the face mask elastic. Searched everywhere for them - no joy. Thankfully they’re insured so I’ll be receiving a new pair soon (sigh)

Anyway, back to the point …

My Arcam AVR 850 has been a little unreliable of late, and has had 2 visits back to them for various faults. As background I have connected it via AV bypass to use my Naim 300DR for the front channels, and the speakers are Naim n-System (it’s in a 13ft by 9ft room). I have 5 devices hooked up to the HDMI inputs on the Arcam : PS5, XBox X, WiiU, Humax PVR, Oppo 103D. The Arcam is connected via its eARC output to an LG OLED48C2 TV.

All was trundling along reasonably well, although the screen display when using XBOX X or PS5 would occasionally go black for a second for no apparent reason. Also navigating menus to close games on these machines was slow, with the same screen blank and hesitation when scrolling through menus to close games. On the XBox X a couple of games would not let me past the opening screens before sticking on a black screen.

So, today I set out to try to cure these problems. Went on t’interweb and tried various solutions (not involving changing leads, as the ones there are all recently purchased to HDMI Ultra HD standards. Gave up after a while, but now the TV screen can’t find the devices even though correct HDMI input is set.

Next, I climbed into the loft and got a bunch of spare leads, came back down, changed the eARC lead. No joy. So just tried connecting the PS5, XBox, Oppo, PVR directly to the TV HDMI inputs. All worked perfectly, with no lagging black screens or slow game switch off menus.

My conclusion is that my Arcam is f**ked and that I need a newer generation AVR. I suppose I’ll have to get the Arcam repaired (again!) if I ever want to sell it on FleaBay. So, what should I buy? I’ve always been happy with the sound quality from the Arcam/Naim with DVDs, BluRay, Games, PVR. I do own quite a few music DVD/Blurays which I like to play occasionally (Apocalyptic Plays Metallic live is very good!).

I will whatever I get must have a plethora of 2.1 HDMI sockets for my devices, and eARC so that I can get sound from the TV to the AVR when watching live TV or using a streaming service such as Prime Video or Netflix etc (one of the things I have done today is to set up the aforementioned on the TV itself, as the Arcam is currently unusable .It doesn’t have to be mega-powerful (small room!), but I would like to maintain audio quality

I did debate getting a newer Arcam AVR, but now I feel that the higher range AVRs might not be any more reliable than my current one. So … Anthem? Denon etc?

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Personally I’d just get a denon. There will be a model for your preferred budget. Mine was under £600 and it’s great for movies. And no issues with a ps5. I wonder if it’s 4k signals that are tripping up your arcam?

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I think that’s part of the problem. I was just putting up with the slowness for a time, but, as I say, it just had a catastrophic failure with video. Funnily enough the sound (if any) from the attached source was still present! Eventually it just stopped working and back to Arcam it went.

Earlier failures for which it went back to Arcam include suddenly losing audio output. It was easy to get back by switching to another input on the Arcam and then back again, but was VERY annoying. The other failure which I recall was not responding to the remote (yes - I did press the AMP button on the remote!)

Funny that you should mention Denon. Many years ago I bought a Denon CD player for one of my daughters. It’s now still doing sterling service for our youngest granddaughter (aged 10) using AV2/175/Royd speakers.

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Another vote for Denon. Good sq and mine has been rock solid.

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I would also recommend Denon, my last AV Amp lasted 25 years and was perfect until the centre channel failed last year, so I bought another new Denon (my original Denon AV Amp from 1994 is still going good too with my nephew), as sound quality is excellent and I use AV Bypass all the time too.
Build quality and reliability is excellent and a few models to choose from to suit your spec and budget.

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Another long history Denon user. But rather than say, “I use Denon, so I recommend Denon,” I will say to see if your dealer can give you a Denon and Marantz demo at a similar level. They are the same company for a long while now but have a very different house sound. You’re likely to have in instant preference for one style over the other. Pioneer AV amps are also seriously good quality.

The style of Marantz is a bit darker and fuller sounding. Denon, a bit more neutral and airy.

I used Yamaha AV amps for about 15 years and they were also very good but to my ears the Denon left it in the dust. Generally speaking, Yamaha have the best processing because they make most of the chips for surround processing and keep the current generation for themselves. But others often have better amplification stages.

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I bought my first Denon surround amp in 1993, then another in 2003 and another in 2012, all three at or near the top of the line. I am a Denon fan.

In 2011 I started integrating the Denons with NAP/NAC with notably improved results.

I moved in 2013 and never got 5.1 fully set up until a couple months ago, with a new Sony STR-AZ7000ES. The in-store demo I had in an excellent room supported/confirmed the reviews I found on the web versus current Denon, Marantz, Anthem and McIntosh amps and pres in the same league.

I am surprised I bought an amp; I was planning on getting an AV-pre by Anthem (since Denon does not currently make an AV-pre), and using Naim amps. Then I home demoed a used/nearly-new McIntosh MHT-300 at a fantastic half-price. I returned it and “exchanged-down” to the Sony because I liked the processing better, and wanted more inputs. I am thrilled with the results. The $300 I saved versus the McIntosh was irrelevant. The Sony felt more impactful without seeming to sacrifice realism.

I will eventually run it through my Naim system, but am in no hurry. The Sony onboard amps get the job done extremely well!

Good luck with your project.

Nick

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Firstly, can I just say it is awesome to hear a 75 year old using a PS5 and XboxX regularly! I will need need to tell my wife there’s no reason I can’t get a PS5 (again) :grin:

Secondly, all may not be lost with the Arcam.

It’s likely (and obvious) that the Arcam is not processing the video output from the the X and PS5 correctly. I have an elder Pioneer SC-LX57 which is still taking a daily beating with all and sundry so here are a couple of things to consider/try.

  1. Does the Arcam have a video passthrough mode you can enable? My Pioneer will pass through any video by input without processing.

  2. As you have already done, direct video connection of the X, PS5 and BR to the LG with audio to the Arcam either directly or via the EARC. Actually better video quality wise for the video source and individual picture settings in the LG for each input.

Hope that helps.
J

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Auditioned Arcam recently, returned. Lack of app, issues with reliability and better alternates.
Anthem on order - two reasons:

A few Naim dealers who also offer AV kit, believe Anthem sits well with Naim NAPs.
Anthem Room Correction (ARC) is considered excellent - vids on you-tube.

Anthem offer both AVR and AVM, with the latter matched with either two, three or five channel amp.
Looks like 7 HDMI inputs available.
If you watch Amazon and Netflix, consider an Apple tv box, connected to your AV directly, with video out to tv, works very well.

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The LG TV has Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV apps on it. I was thinking of just using that as a source but use the AVR for sound.

When (not if), I replace it then I will connect the Arcam up to my old Sony TV in one of the spare bedrooms and see if it works OK with that and a Sony DVD/HD recorder.

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jay

5h

Firstly, can I just say it is awesome to hear a 75 year old using a PS5 and XboxX regularly! I will need need to tell my wife there’s no reason I can’t get a PS5 (again) :grin:

Got the PS5 because there were a few games not available for the PS4. Finished up installing extra internal memory (2TB) and have attached a 2TB SSD to hold the “rip” of my old PS4 discs. The PS4 Pro which I was using before is now the proud possession of my eldest grandson, who uses it alongside his Gaming PC.

The XBox X is a recent purchase. I’ve had 3 XBox360s, and the third one was dying. I noted the backwards of the XBox X so it was a bit of a no-brainer to get one of those. Already added a plug in 1TB memory card to it.

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Well, I’ve finally got my new AVR. I decided to go with Anthem rather than Denon, because Musicraft (Derby) dealt with that company. So, I got an Anthem MRX 740 8K (don’t really need the 8K at the moment, but should my 4k TV “die”, then it’s an option). Took a couple of weeks to arrive at the shop because the Anthem importers decided to give “my” MRX to somebody else - after we were told it was only going to be 2 days! Not Musicraft’s fault.

Sounds fine, but what a pfaff setting it up. As usual the manual (which I had to download … sigh) was only marginally helpful, and I finished up looking up things on the net, YouTube etc. Took me a few hours to get it sorted - a lot of the time getting the Anthem web program to sync with the MRX, and then. Why can’t companies write a decent, idiot level, manual these days? I’m still using 5.1 (small room).

My old XBox 360 is about to wend its way to the tip (doesn’t work anymore) and I replaced it with an XBox X.

Must have one more go at the Arcam 850 to see if I can get it working again and make it saleable, othewise that will be going to the tip as well.

I’ll try to work up some enthusiasm for reconfiguring my Harmony remote for the new pieces of equipment.

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Recently installed a new AVM70, which sounds excellent as I reported in another thread.
All set up in just over an hour, including necessary update of firmware, to access ARC system.

First Anthem unit, so had to start the learning curve, but all fairly straight forward.
IMHO no faff at all; as I commented, it requires thought, patience and time. Ymmv.

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I’d installed home theatre amps for decades and found the Anthem added (for no reasons other than ‘marketing’ and having ‘end user data’ (to sell?) pointless difficulties in their networking software.

Having never needed to read a manual (although some esoteric kit benefited from a cursory read for ‘added functionality’); the Anthem setup, for such a simple ‘no frills’ processor/‘headunit’ was a huge pain.

Even going to length to cat5 direct to laptop and open ports; Anthem hardwares’ need to phone home, whilst being totally undocumented, was a right pain.

All became easy if I wavered any sense of consumer wariness and just gave them permission to use my network data gowever they saw fit.

sadly is only AVR I have ever owned that loses all sorts of HDMI handshaking facilities (like ‘TV on’) if it loses ‘phone home to Canada over my network’ rights.

Anthem would have a mich more consumer friendly product if they dropped their need to gather marketing info on ‘how we use their products’.

As mentioned, all difficulties (and impoasibilities) went away when I opened up my security to let them do whatever they wanted.

given none of their phone home nonesense is documented, it all seems a little covert and underhanded.

I sent feedback to their company and they chose that as invite to enquire around the dealer network to find out ‘who I was’; clearly I was deemed ‘not a problem’, and the company chise silence as the best path forward …

whilst I love Anthem Room Correction, something the Canadian government gave the funding to make a reality, and is the crown jewel rrason to choose their products; the much around setting them up (not even the most advanced setups) can prove hasslesome depending on how a households InfoTech is set up.

I value security and privacy, qnd own an Anthem processor that won’t even allow my TV to turn on using standard HDMI CEC flags… (unless I let my AVR permanently on the internet, “no thanks”).

Anthem Room Correction is great.
Company decisions that disadvantage their actual customer base on some basis of ‘improving future products’ isn’t a consumer win.
I’d agree that fighting archaic software decisions for nil reason can make setup a pain in the ass.
(easily remedied by bending over and receiving the vasolene treatment)

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Having difficulty getting eARC to work so that I can use the Netflix apps etc on my LG TV, but send the sound to the Anthem. Tried everything, but the sound wouldn’t ‘travel’ to the Anthem. Went on t’internet looking for solutions, and have just received a replacement suitable HDMI lead, in case that is the cause of the problem (I was using the one which came with the Anthem!). Will have to wait for a little while as “the boss” wants me to sort something out for her … sigh …

The Anthem room correction works very well, BTW.

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Anthem Room Correction is absurdly good! (seconded)

-reason to choose brand is easy…

Regarding HDMI ARC…

some TVs require HDMI2 as the AudioReturnChannel (back) to the amp.

On the amp, only one of the HDMI outputs is the AudioReturnChannel path…

eARC has more bandwidth and capability over ARC, ‘yes’, moght that be apart of an upgraded cable requirement…?

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I failed to get it to connect with the new cable. AFAICS there is only one eARC Socket on the MRX 740. I connected the LG TV eArc socket (HDMI2) to the only eArc socket visible on the Anthem. Went into sound output settings on the TV, set it to HDMI Arc. Still not working. So … I’ve plugged in my Amazon Firestick to watch my video streaming sources for now. Will try again tomorrow. I’ve been using computers for many years now, and don’t usually have any problems! Perhaps I should just give up and get an Apple TV 4K, but that will mean upgrading the Netgear gigabit switch I use with the hifi/AV system as all the ports are currently in use (I have an 8 port one). That would mean dismantling my system to get at the one currently in use - confined space, and cables neatly arranged in conduits attachd to the wall. Think I’ll recruit my younger son-in-law to give me a hand - those Naim amps etc are HEAVY.

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I would get a 9.1.5 soundbar, the LG or Samsung ones sound impressive, plus no wires, except HDMI-eArc or Airplay / Chromcast for input.

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:nerd_face:
Well, my wife uses a soundbar with the Samsung TV in the living room. I have my “stuff” in what used to be my study, and the sound quality is MUCH better than any soundbar I have ever heard.

So, I’ll stick with what I’ve got.

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I used to use Arcam AVRs but their reliability wasn’t very good. I finally tossed an old AVR300 in the trash bin a few years ago after both digital and analog circuits failed. They aren’t the same company anymore anyway. Samsung owns them now. I have a NAD T-758 I’ve had for 10+ years now, and it’s fine. There are upgrades for it to add newer audio and video codecs etc, but I don’t fuss about HT enough to warrant the expense.

FWIW: My HT system is entirely separate from my Naim music system. They aren’t even on the same floor of the house.