Hitting all the right notes (Arcam A85)

Member Name: davey_26

Product:	Arcam A85
Date:	21/10/09 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great looks and design, lots of power, great sound

Disadvantages: Quite expensive

Arcam have built a reputation founded on quality, reliability and are synonymous with producing affordable amplifiers which target those who are looking for an extremely smooth sound component for their hi fi. This is part of a range also known as DIVA and though this might sound like a strange name with reference to a woman, it stands for digitally integrated video audio. The main advantage of this feature or so Arcam claim, is extremely low distortion levels.

The exterior has a very elegant, stylish modern look and in the silver colour, will surely suit any room and become a part of the furniture. A feature I look for in any good amplifier is a direct direct button which bypasses the tone controls and allows for the shortest signal path.

There are tone controls present also but these are an optional feature and something I tend to leave alone simply because I feel it does detract from the sound quality.

The amplifier offers a total of 5 inputs which is more than sufficient for a whole host of other connections and in reality only a few will ever be used, unless you have a huge range of external devices which you wish to connect to it.

The Arcam A85, offers 85 watts per channel which does not mean much more volume than a typical amp, but what it does mean is that regardless of the volume, the amp will retain control of the music. This is exactly what this amplifier does, by providing a huge soundstage where the layers of music are brilliantly seperated allowing you to appreciate each one, but with a depth and power which allows you to feel from the most graceful of notes, to the most slamming.

This is a fiercely competitive sector of the market but for looks, which are more than backed up by sonic performance, the Arcam gets 5 stars from me.

There are of course cheaper amplifiers out there by they might not necessarily appeal aesthetics wise.

Summary: A great amp from Arcam

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