Hello!
Im too very interested in getting the Arcam. I think it will be an excellent unit once the bugs are sorted out with newer firmware.
I know there is alot of talk about different sounding recivers, and eventhough I dont have much experince I certainly belive there is a difference. Exactly the technical aspects that create them I dont know, but considering all the engineering that goes into these things I would think its a very complicated matter concerning everything from signal paths to DSPs, power etc.
If all recievers sounded the same then whats the point of developing new ones? More features and power only? I dont see all new recivers being more and more powerful and with more features only.
To say that the 3808 is as good as the Arcam sonically I dont belive for one second. Especially for music, recievers are known for not being able to deliver the goods. Just a couple of hours ago I did a comparison between the Denon 4308 and the NAD T775 on the same set of speakers, using CD fed over HDMI in direct mode/pure stereo whatever.
The difference is obviuos and the NAD is clearly superior.
Anyone who couldnt hear this must either be lacking some ability to hear certain things other people can, like being color blind only its affected your hearing rather than your vision. Or, just have made up their mind before hand and be too stubborn to even care.
I was originally set on buying the 3808 as many people here use them with their Axioms. But, I get the impression that most folks here are more orientated towards movies rather than music. Me, Im about 50/50, and eventhough the Denon has great features and a nice OSD I simply could not live with the knowledge of the musical wonders available elsewhere.
People are raving on about this AVR600 everywhere, and I cant believe that they are all wrong, and JohnK is right. One guy even switched from a 3808 to a AVR600, and described the difference as night and day. That cant all be just because of more power, or that its all in his head can it? I admit though that the guy writing that review seemed a little tripped up on something.
I will get that Arcam, I think it will be better than the Denon AVCA1HD, or 5308 as you call it. I only have to save some cash first for a (long) while.
