Anyone experience/have info re. Arcam FMJ AVR 600?

Haven't yet, the unit will sell for $5K! Supposely Arcam is updating there AVR350...

Check out this lengthy, in-depth review from J. Peter Moncrieff. He claims it to be better than anything out there, including the most expensive separates.

http://iar-80.com/page161.html

Here I had convinced myself to go with parasound separates and now this comes along! There is a local dealer with arcam so I will have to check it out when it comes in stock. Life is never easy.;)

Joe in Mobile

If Mr. Moncrieff's observations are accurate this new Arcam Receiver will doom much of the high end audio industry. The idea of a giant killer receiver of the degree and proportion he describes would be a welcome universal economic solution for many.

While my knowledge is limited I can't remember there ever being a single component that single handedly provided enough power to drive such a load and solve as many audio quality issues we face with our now potentially substandard systems. I'm not mocking this review, I truly hope this receiver performs as he described. I'd truly welcome the simplicity I experienced with my first system a Fisher Receiver, Benjamin Miracord/Shure turntable, AR speakers, with the sonic finesse described with the Arcam.

With such a lengthy detailed review I was surprised that, in my opinion one of the most important features of the latest multichannel offerings, room correction or in the case of the Arcam, automatic speaker setup, was given only a few sentences of description. I'm assuming there isn't an on screen display of the rooms acoustic signature before and after the Arcam's setup. I have many other questions regarding this review but this was glaring to me.

I did think it was a bit over the top, but I will give one a listen. I really liked the parasound I listened to. I am waiting to hear either the C3 or HDP70 paired with an A51 amp. That will simplify my decision process. Anyone heard them yet, meaning the processors?

Joe in Mobile

If you'll notice at the end of his review, he mentions that it is very important to evaluate this receiver after adequate break-in and with only a top-notch power cord. He states that the stock power cord is awful sounding.

I too am looking forward to hearing a demo when it becomes available at my local dealer. I wonder how much of the perceived sound quality will be due to it's new Dolby Volume feature and I wonder if it is defeatable so you could compare the sound to plain "direct" mode...

Don't take this the wrong way as I'm just mildy poking fun here.. I'm a big fan of Arcam gear and have a few of their fine pieces in my system and I'm sure the AVR600 is going to be an awesome unit. But as I read the Moncrieff review mentioned above and got to the part describing the amplifier design ("adaptive Class A" and Class G) I got serious deja' vu. Not to take anything away from the Arcam effort, but wasn't he basically describing NAD's Power Envelope ampifier design from twenty years ago?

I wonder if someone over at NAD goofed and let their patents expire?! LOL ;)

I don't know about all of the proceeding responses but I'm in.

And that was before I read that seriously L O N G review.

But I did read it and you need to understand the reviewer didn't spend much time on all of the multi- channel offerings, the video connections, room corrections and other new era "stuff.". No he didn't much at all. He focused on SOUND.

Presumably what most who read AudioGoN are into.

I'm excited to get one. I have only one concern. Yep. That one. So let's talk about the elephant in the room.

Reliability. Arcam must--by now know that this reliability issue hurts them, hurts their dealers, and hurts their ability to be mentioned in the same breath with the great legacy audio companies.

Arcam. Get it together!

In the end, $5000.00 may not be a life's salary but it's still some serious change.