Best AV Amp for 2ch?

JKD · 7 Sep 2008 at 21:14

Hi guys,

I'm looking to buy a new stereo, and thinking instead of going for another 2ch seperates system I want to go down the AV receiver route.

Looking to spend 3-400 on the receiver and about the same again for a set of 2ch speakers - obviously I intend to add the surround and sub speakers later when the wife will let me rip out some plaster!! For now I want the flexibility of be ing ready with the amp.

I intend to use the digital out on my PS3, and I have a decent Pioneer HD telly I want to connect this to. Probably about 90% of my listening will be music and PS3, mainly rock and house. Therefore I'm after a nice musical amp, rather than one that does 2ch as an afterthought if you see what I mean.

Also, there appears to be only a couple of receivers where it specifically mentions only setting up 2 speakers only - I'm assuming all decent receivers will allow you to run a normal stereo setup without any faff.

Cheers guys!

badbob · 7 Sep 2008 at 21:16

Arcam

Also, there appears to be only a couple of receivers where it specifically mentions only setting up 2 speakers only - I'm assuming all decent receivers will allow you to run a normal stereo setup without any faff.

Just use stereo preset, most have this or a pure 2 channel mode.

JKD · 7 Sep 2008 at 21:25

badbob said:
Arcam

Just use stereo preset, most have this or a pure 2 channel mode.

Great on the 2 channel mode, and I knew you were going to say Arcam!! The AVR350 is a bit out of my budget unless I cut into my speaker budget bigstyle - but reading reviews it seems to be the one to go for.

Cheers.

StevenG · 8 Sep 2008 at 00:45

Cambridge Audio tend to have decent DAC's in their receivers for music 2ch use.. possible to look into one of these possibly the 640r azur?

StevenG

kidloco · 9 Sep 2008 at 11:42

THeres quite a few arcams on the secondhand market out there, and musically they are head and shoulders above most AV amps. The cambridge audio one mentioned above is suppose to be quite a musical amp as well though, and can be found well within your budget.

JKD · 9 Sep 2008 at 18:33

Thanks - I actually have a Cambridge Audio DVD Player that's pretty musical. Can't remember the model number but it was £250 about a year ago. I was planning on using this via optical out into my Amp.

I'll get cracking on some amp action then.

Cheers

Bossk128 · 10 Sep 2008 at 11:36

JKD said:
Great on the 2 channel mode, and I knew you were going to say Arcam!! The AVR350 is a bit out of my budget unless I cut into my speaker budget bigstyle - but reading reviews it seems to be the one to go for.

Cheers.

I know you didn't specify a budget, but seeing as these RRP'ed at £1550, the current sale price of £600 is a bargain, you might be able to get an AVR350. Arcam are rumoured to have a new AV amp (with HDMI I supopose) by the end of the year, so the AVR350s are starting to drop in price.

Look up the AVR350 on an auction site, sometimes the sellers have retail premises too.

Edit: these also have pre-outs too, so if you are seriously serious about 2-channel music you can get a seperate high quality stereo power amp for your front speakers at a later date. The 350 also lets you bi-amp the fronts in a 5.1 setup (as it's 7.1 capable) iirc.

Bossk128 · 10 Sep 2008 at 11:40

JKD said:
Thanks - I actually have a Cambridge Audio DVD Player that's pretty musical. Can't remember the model number but it was £250 about a year ago. I was planning on using this via optical out into my Amp.

I'll get cracking on some amp action then.

Cheers

Sorry for the double posting- if you've a musical source, don't use the optical out. You're bypassing your musical DACs, and using the AV DACs which may be rubbish with music (depending on the AV amp of course).