Question Old arcam avr’s

Stuffed Chimp

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I currently use a Tag Maclaren AV32R as a DAC and 2.1 stereo preamp. I’m also a big fan of the older Arcam house sound.

There are a lot of the older Arcam avr’s on the market going for silly money, avr100 and avr200 etc, and I’m struggling to rank them coherently against each other.

My question is which of this era Arcam was the best one electronics-wise? E.g. which had the best DAC or quietest operation most up to date software?

I’m very tempted to get one to see how it stacks up against my Tag in the same role as a 2.1 stereo pre but given the rather dreadful resale value I’d be keen to try the highest rated one!
 
I know that AVR 250,300 and 350 are very similar and use the same DAC which is
WM8770 aka Woflson 24-bit, 192kHz 8-Channel codec. Amplifier modules look almost identical. Sadly, all these amps have common issue related to +5V rail for digital circuit (no sound for first few minutes after power on, crackle and popping sounds) and problem with volume knob (unable to change +/- volume).Before you buy one, please ask seller about these issues.
 
Ah, that might be why they’re so cheap then. Thanks for the info - I appreciate it.
 
If you're anywhere near Harrogate I have an AVR200 you.wijkd be quite welcome to use for an audition.

To be clear I've no intention of selling it as I have plans for it but while it's sitting in my rack unused I'd be happy to help an AVF member gain some knowledge.
 
That’s a really kind offer - thanks very much. I’ll have to decline though as I’m too far away in Cardiff to take advantage.

Thanks though - I really appreciate it.
 

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