Arcam AV receivers are aimed at the top-end of the market. So, if you are somebody who demands the best that money can buy, then an Arcam receiver should be on your list of 'possibles'.
What you can expect from Arcam is an attention to detail and the highest possible engineering standards. They are a British brand and their receivers are designed for audiophiles.
One big difference from many brands in this market is they don't release a new model every year. These receivers are built to last and will receive essential new core features via firmware updates.
Arcam makes sure you have all you need for a fantastic receiver that looks and sounds great. But they don't waste time and money on things which don't serve the core requirements.
It's all about the sound and performance.
The models below are listed by release year and MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price). Just be aware that you will often be able to buy a receiver below the MSRP. But, it's useful guideline to it's place in the market.
If you want a more general overview of AV receivers, and which features you should look out for, take a look at my AV receiver guide.
The Arcam HDA (High Definition Audio) Series first appeared in 2018 with the release of a CD player/network streamer and two stereo amplifiers. It was the first step in refreshing the Arcam product range since the company was bought by Harman International (and, subsequently, Samsung).
With a departure in the styling of the familiar FMJ Series, the HDA Series kept the most important part of the Arcam brand - high-quality audiophile sound. It wasn't until late 2019/early 2020 that Arcam released a series of AV receivers in this range.
As with the FMJ series, the AV receivers in this series are very similar in features. The main difference between each model is the power output. However, if you look closely, there are one or two other differences in the specification.
2020
Amplifier Type | Class G |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 |
Dolby Atmos | 5.2.2 (Support for 9.2.6) |
HDMI In / Out | 7/3 (eARC) |
Zones | Zone 2 (HDMI & 2-ch audio - powered or line out) |
Pre Out / Line Out | 15.2-Ch + Zone 2 (2-Ch) / Stereo 2-Ch |
Power (W)* | 120 |
Speaker Impedance (Ohms) | 8 recommended |
UHD / HDR Support | 4K/60p, 4:4:4, HDCP2.2 / HDR10+, HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG |
Network / Wireless | Ethernet / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / Airplay 2 / Chromecast |
Auto Room Calibration | Dirac Live |
Selected Audio Decoders | Dolby Digital, DD+, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS Express, DTS-HD HR Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Auro-3D |
Selected Sound Modes: Post Decoding | Dolby Surround, Dolby Virtual Height, DTS Neural:X, DTS Virtual:X, IMAX Enhanced |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17-1/16 x 6-3/4 x 16-3/4 in (433 x 171 x 425 mm) |
Weight (lbs) | 39.9 |
2020
Amplifier Type | Class A/B |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 |
Dolby Atmos | 5.2.2 (Support for 9.2.6) |
HDMI In / Out | 7/3 (eARC) |
Zones | Zone 2 (HDMI & 2-ch audio - powered or line out) |
Pre Out / Line Out | 15.2-Ch + Zone 2 (2-Ch) / Stereo 2-Ch |
Power (W)* | 110 |
Speaker Impedance (Ohms) | 8 recommended |
UHD / HDR Support | 4K/60p, 4:4:4, HDCP2.2 / HDR10+, HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG |
Network / Wireless | Ethernet / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / Airplay 2 / Chromecast |
Auto Room Calibration | Dirac Live |
Selected Audio Decoders | Dolby Digital, DD+, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS Express, DTS-HD HR Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Auro-3D |
Selected Sound Modes: Post Decoding | Dolby Surround, Dolby Virtual Height, DTS Neural:X, DTS Virtual:X, IMAX Enhanced |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17-1/16 x 6-3/4 x 16-3/4 in (433 x 171 x 425 mm) |
Weight (lbs) | 36.6 |
2020
Amplifier Type | Class A/B |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 |
Dolby Atmos | 5.2.2 (Support for 7.2.4) |
HDMI In / Out | 7/2 (eARC) |
Zones | None |
Pre Out / Line Out | 11.2-Ch / Stereo 2-Ch |
Power (W)* | 80 |
Speaker Impedance (Ohms) | 8 recommended |
UHD / HDR Support | 4K/60p, 4:4:4, HDCP2.2 / HDR10+, HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG |
Network / Wireless | Ethernet / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / Airplay 2 / Chromecast |
Auto Room Calibration | Dirac Live |
Selected Audio Decoders | Dolby Digital, DD+, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS Express, DTS-HD HR Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Auro-3D |
Selected Sound Modes: Post Decoding | Dolby Surround, Dolby Virtual Height, DTS Neural:X, DTS Virtual:X, IMAX Enhanced |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17-1/16 x 6-3/4 x 16-3/4 in (433 x 171 x 425 mm) |
Weight (lbs) | 36.4 |
The FMJ Series doesn't just include integrated AV receivers. There is a stereo AV receiver and an AV processor - alongside the receivers. They are all built with a black metal casing which is where the series name originates.
FMJ originally stood for Full Metal Jacket, to describe the build of these models. Currently, Arcam is branding this series as Faithful Musical Joy. A description that really tells you where these products are aimed at. Audiophiles.
One thing I really like about this series is how each AV receiver is essentially the same - save for one or two fundamental differences. Once you realize it is only the amplification that is different for each receiver, it is quite simple to make your choice. Everything else is the same.
I've included the feature tables and images for each AV receiver. This is to make it easier for anybody checking out a particular model. But, if you're comparing, the only difference between each is the power and Class G or Class A/B amplification. And the price!
2016
Amplifier Type | Class G |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 |
Dolby Atmos | 5.2.2 (Support for 7.2.4) |
HDMI In / Out | 7/3 (ARC) |
Zones | Zone 2 (HDMI & 2-ch audio line-out) |
Pre Out / Line Out | 11.2-Ch / Zone 2 (2-Ch) |
Power (W)* | 120 |
Speaker Impedance (Ohms) | 8 recommended |
UHD / HDR Support | 4K/60p, 4:4:4, HDCP2.2 / HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG |
Network / Wireless | Ethernet / Spotify Connect |
Auto Room Calibration | Dirac Live |
Selected Audio Decoders | Dolby Digital, DD+, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS Express, DTS-HD HR Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X |
Selected Sound Modes: Post Decoding | Dolby Surround, DTS Neural:X, DTS Virtual:X, IMAX Enhanced |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17-1/16 x 6-3/4 x 16-3/4 in (433 x 171 x 425 mm) |
Weight (lbs) | 36.8 |
2016
Amplifier Type | Class A/B |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 |
Dolby Atmos | 5.2.2 (Support for 7.2.4) |
HDMI In / Out | 7/3 (ARC) |
Zones | Zone 2 (HDMI & 2-ch audio line-out) |
Pre Out / Line Out | 11.2-Ch / Zone 2 (2-Ch) |
Power (W)* | 110 |
Speaker Impedance (Ohms) | 8 recommended |
UHD / HDR Support | 4K/60p, 4:4:4, HDCP2.2 / HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG |
Network / Wireless | Ethernet / Spotify Connect |
Auto Room Calibration | Dirac Live |
Selected Audio Decoders | Dolby Digital, DD+, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS Express, DTS-HD HR Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X |
Selected Sound Modes: Post Decoding | Dolby Surround, DTS Neural:X, DTS Virtual:X, IMAX Enhanced |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17-1/16 x 6-3/4 x 16-3/4 in (433 x 171 x 425 mm) |
Weight (lbs) | 34.1 |
2016
Amplifier Type | Class A/B |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 |
Dolby Atmos | 5.2.2 (Support for 7.2.4) |
HDMI In / Out | 7/3 (ARC) |
Zones | Zone 2 (HDMI & 2-ch audio line-out) |
Pre Out / Line Out | 11.2-Ch / Zone 2 (2-Ch) |
Power (W)* | 80 |
Speaker Impedance (Ohms) | 8 recommended |
UHD / HDR Support | 4K/60p, 4:4:4, HDCP2.2 / HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG |
Network / Wireless | Ethernet / Spotify Connect |
Auto Room Calibration | Dirac Live |
Selected Audio Decoders | Dolby Digital, DD+, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS Express, DTS-HD HR Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X |
Selected Sound Modes: Post Decoding | Dolby Surround, DTS Neural:X, DTS Virtual:X, IMAX Enhanced |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17-1/16 x 6-3/4 x 16-3/4 in (433 x 171 x 425 mm) |
Weight (lbs) | 34.6 |
Paul started the Home Cinema Guide to help less-experienced users get the most out of today's audio-visual technology. He has worked as a sound, lighting and audio-visual engineer for around 20 years. At home, he has spent more time than is probably healthy installing, configuring, testing, de-rigging, fixing, tweaking, re-installing again (and sometimes using) various pieces of hi-fi and home cinema equipment.