Arcam HDA & FMJ AV Receivers Compared

ARCAM HDA SERIES

The Arcam HDA (High Definition Audio) Series first appeared in 2018 with a CD player/network streamer and two stereo amplifiers. It was the first step in refreshing the Arcam product range since it 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 essential 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 features for each receiver in this series are very similar, although there are one or two other differences in the specification if you look closely. But, the main difference between each model is the power output.

ARCAM FMJ SERIES

The FMJ Series doesn’t just include integrated AV receivers. A stereo AV receiver and AV processor sit alongside the receivers, but they are all built with a black metal casing, where the series name originates.

FMJ originally stood for Full Metal Jacket to describe the solid build of these models. However, Arcam later switched this branding to Faithful Musical Joy, a description that really tells you where these products are aimed – audiophiles.

A standout feature with these Arcam receivers is that each AV receiver is essentially the same – save for one or two fundamental differences. Once you realize only the amplification for each receiver changes, it is pretty simple to choose. Everything else is the same.

The only difference between each is the power and Class G or Class A/B amplification if you’re comparing – and the price!