Arcam AVR390 / AVR550 / AVR850 including Dirac Live®

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Do you mean burn in of the Arcam AVR? If so, there's no burn in required, you can run a Dirac calibration any time you want.

Thanks Steve356,

I assumed DIRAC uses test tones across the frequency range, and if an AVR was not fully burned in, the test tones might not be accurate across the frequency range.
 
ARC won’t work - have to use audio channels (wont upmix).

My old Panny TV shows ARC labelled on HDMI2, but it won’t play connected to the AVRs OUTPUT1, so I have the TV L & R audio out connected to the AVRs AV analogue input.

The only way it will work is if I choose Stereo Direct (on the AV input), I assumed (as my old Yammy RX-V765 did with pro-logic2 etc) it would apply the chosen effect to an analogue as well as digital input?

Am I doing something wrong, or any analogue input will only be treated as stereo?
 
Thanks Steve356,

I assumed DIRAC uses test tones across the frequency range, and if an AVR was not fully burned in, the test tones might not be accurate across the frequency range.

I didn't find mine changed with use of my AVR from new. For me, the only changes to Dirac calibrations occurred when measuring again after major Arcam and/or Dirac updates, e.g. when Arcam changed their Dirac bass management and when Dirac went from v1 to v2. The only other major changes to calibrations you could expect would be if you moved the MLP and/or moved speakers.
 
ARC won’t work - have to use audio channels (wont upmix).

My old Panny TV shows ARC labelled on HDMI2, but it won’t play connected to the AVRs OUTPUT1, so I have the TV L & R audio out connected to the AVRs AV analogue input.

The only way it will work is if I choose Stereo Direct (on the AV input), I assumed (as my old Yammy RX-V765 did with pro-logic2 etc) it would apply the chosen effect to an analogue as well as digital input?

Am I doing something wrong, or any analogue input will only be treated as stereo?

Can't help you with ARC as I don't use it - sorry. The only analogue input I use on mine is for CD and it is treated as Stereo only. As far as I know, the same will apply to any of the analogue inputs on the Arcam.

I think other Forum members use ARC, so I'm sure they chip in later.
 
ARC won’t work - have to use audio channels (wont upmix).

My old Panny TV shows ARC labelled on HDMI2, but it won’t play connected to the AVRs OUTPUT1, so I have the TV L & R audio out connected to the AVRs AV analogue input.

The only way it will work is if I choose Stereo Direct (on the AV input), I assumed (as my old Yammy RX-V765 did with pro-logic2 etc) it would apply the chosen effect to an analogue as well as digital input?

Am I doing something wrong, or any analogue input will only be treated as stereo?

ARC is just a total PITA to get working. You need CEC enabled on both devices, at least to some extent, (depending on the device the various CEC sub-functions may be able to be turned on or off individually once CEC is enabled).

So see what CEC settings you’ve got, with any luck you should be able to have it enabled on both devices, but disable power control if you want to.

Also, not sure what audio output settings you have on your TV, but on many there are different options for internal speakers, optical out, ARC out etc., so check that if you haven’t already.

You may need to power cycle both devices after making any changes for them to take effect.

If you absolutely can’t get ARC to work, then does the TV have an optical out? That will be better than analogue stereo (same spec as ARC format/quality wise).
 
ARC is just a total PITA to get working...

Agree!!! SWMBO moaned yesterday asking 'how long does it take to replace an amp'...

I'll work though the settings you suggested, and I've got a cheapo optical cable somewhere so will test it too when I remember were I've put it.

Impressed by the improvement in sound so far (no DIRAC), watched a bit of Gravity via a recording on YouView (the bit the wiring/electronics are sparking), amazing…
 
Impressed by the improvement in sound so far (no DIRAC), watched a bit of Gravity via a recording on YouView (the bit the wiring/electronics are sparking), amazing…
Ha, I watched Gravity too, after buying my 390, but before running Dirac. Wait until you have, you’ll be amazed (and the Mrs will forgive all too).
 
I posted a while ago about not being able to output 4K when using both outputs on the Arcam.

After purchasing a Vertex to try & resolve the issue I can confirm that when a device or even just a cable with nothing connected to the other end is connected to output 2 of the Arcam the EDID that Arcam reports to the connected device is only 4K @ 60Hz, 4.4.4, BT2020 which can been seen here in the Vertex GUI. As you can see only 1080P @ 60Hz will be passed to the display.

b99d4ca18f.jpeg


Then with just unplugging the HDMI cable connected to output 2 on the Arcam the EDID the Arcam sends changes to 4K @ 60Hz 4.4.4 BT2020

b99d4a3b99.jpeg


With only a HDMI cable attached to output 1 I can pass 4K @ 60Hz 4.4.4 10bit BT.2020 no problem.

I have tested all the cables when I was conducting these test & they are all able to pass 600MHz / 18Gbps which is the limit of the HDMI 2.0 so i know this is not a cable issue.

I will submit my findings to Arcam as this to me at least is an issue that needs fixing via a firmware update but I am sure Arcam wont see it that way.

I can but only try I suppose.
 
Have you tried other Vertex settings just to see what happens? I am using Automix with the Max Audio, Max Video algorithm. Haven’t tried playing around with the custom EDIDs.
 
Have you tried other Vertex settings just to see what happens? I am using Automix with the Max Audio, Max Video algorithm. Haven’t tried playing around with the custom EDIDs.


Yes I tried max video & max audio but the same result. I have been in contact with HDfury & they have been guiding through how to troubleshoot.
 
ARC is just a total PITA to get working. You need CEC enabled on both devices....

DT79 your advice on turning on CEC on both did the trick! Enabled it on the AVR and to my surprise its working!

The only niggle is Display always defaults to the ‘Digital Stereo’ mode, and I can’t find anywhere in the menu/setup to change it to ‘Dolby Surround’. Anyone found the same? Might have to try assigning a mode via my Harmony remote on the activity startup.

I read through the other bits of the manual and worked out why my 2 channel analogue inputs weren’t working with Dolby Surround, that’s now fixed too.

DIRAC next…..
 
DT79 your advice on turning on CEC on both did the trick! Enabled it on the AVR and to my surprise its working!

The only niggle is Display always defaults to the ‘Digital Stereo’ mode, and I can’t find anywhere in the menu/setup to change it to ‘Dolby Surround’. Anyone found the same? Might have to try assigning a mode via my Harmony remote on the activity startup.

I read through the other bits of the manual and worked out why my 2 channel analogue inputs weren’t working with Dolby Surround, that’s now fixed too.

DIRAC next…..
Great to hear.

Regarding the mode, it normally remembers what audio mode you put it in for each input, but that may depend on the incoming content. Does it default back to digital stereo each time even with content playing?
 
... Does it default back to digital stereo each time even with content playing?

Yes it seems to :( ... Just switched from BlueRay with ‘Dolby Surround’ to TV with the Display input, and its back to ‘Digital Stereo’. Display does not appear in the input list, so cant set it.

I’ll ping Arcam support and see what they say.

Annoyingly I can add a ‘mode’ command to my Harmony remote, but it does not give me the option to choose the various modes, in the harmony setup…
 
The only niggle is Display always defaults to the ‘Digital Stereo’ mode, and I can’t find anywhere in the menu/setup to change it to ‘Dolby Surround’.
Sounds like a config on the TV, maybe set to PCM?

But you're not supposed to use CEC with Harmony, as it can screw up routines by turning things on that Harmony thinks are off.
 
Also, on the Harmony, I have just mapped one button to 'mode' then you can press it repeatedly to cycle through the different modes that are available.
 
Sounds like a config on the TV, maybe set to PCM?

But you're not supposed to use CEC with Harmony, as it can screw up routines by turning things on that Harmony thinks are off.

Agreed, which is why it's particularly annoying and stupid that the facility to use ARC is baked into the CEC system rather than being a stand-alone feature. But if you disable all the power functions of CEC you can normally get it to work OK in conjunction with a Harmony. I did with AVR390 and a LG B6. The only niggle I couldn't resolve was that the Apple TV kept turning itself on and switching the amp to that input, which no amount of fiddling could resolve, so for that device specifically I bought an in-line HDMI CEC killer.
 
Agreed, which is why it's particularly annoying and stupid that the facility to use ARC is baked into the CEC system rather than being a stand-alone feature.
Not sure that it is, at least not on my Samsung TV. I have CEC turned off on the TV & amp & have a Harmony activity set to switch the TV & amp on & set the Display input on the amp. That gives me sound through the amp for the rare occasions I want to use the TV's apps.
 
What model of Harmony remote do you use to control both your TV and Arcam AVR
How easy is it to set up for selecting Display input on the AVR with no CEC enabled?

On a side note I was wanting to part ex a Yamaha 3070 + S1100 for a Arcam 390 and Yamaha 5000 11 ch power amp, I gave Audio affair a call (they are an Arcam dealer) not good, the sales guy told me the 390 could not do 11.1 it did not have the outputs needed but an 850 did he would not be told otherwise and when I told him the Arcam site said the 390 could do 11.1 he said that was an error on Arcams part !! his loss I did the deal with another shop.
 
Not sure that it is, at least not on my Samsung TV. I have CEC turned off on the TV & amp & have a Harmony activity set to switch the TV & amp on & set the Display input on the amp. That gives me sound through the amp for the rare occasions I want to use the TV's apps.
Depends on the device. Some absolutely will not do ARC without CEC being enabled. Those that do I suspect have CEC enabled in the background to the extent it needs to be just for ARC to work (very sensible of them).
 
What model of Harmony remote do you use to control both your TV and Arcam AVR
How easy is it to set up for selecting Display input on the AVR with no CEC enabled?

On a side note I was wanting to part ex a Yamaha 3070 + S1100 for a Arcam 390 and Yamaha 5000 11 ch power amp, I gave Audio affair a call (they are an Arcam dealer) not good, the sales guy told me the 390 could not do 11.1 it did not have the outputs needed but an 850 did he would not be told otherwise and when I told him the Arcam site said the 390 could do 11.1 he said that was an error on Arcams part !! his loss I did the deal with another shop.

I think that is incorrect. I assume the 550 is the same and it has 8 pre outs including sub and another bank of pre outs for 4 ceiling speakers and a second sub.
 
What model of Harmony remote do you use to control both your TV and Arcam AVR
How easy is it to set up for selecting Display input on the AVR with no CEC enabled?
I use an Elite but should work for any. Since we got the Display input added to the Harmony database it's just a case of setting that input in the activity as you would any other. But as alluded to above, there's no guarantee it will work as it depends on how ARC has been implemented in your TV. If it doesn't you can always use an optical input to the AV input of the amp, which is what I did originally.
 
Hi
Can somebody tell if on the 550/850 you can use external power amp for the 7 base channels and internal amps for 4 atmos channels?

Thank you
 
Afraid not :(


Thanks. Makes the decision easier actually. If I decide to go for Arcam it'll have to be the 860 then.

Cheers
 
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