Cambridge Audio Azur 640R AV Receiver - how good is it

thakre

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hello folks

Need your advice regarding these 7.1 recivers :

1) Cambridge Audio Azur 640R AV Receiver

2) Arcam DIVA AVR350 AV Receiver

3) Denon AVR-2809CI 7.1 channel Receiver

I want 80% music.
20% movies

thanks in advance
 
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If music is of prime importance, I will rate the receivers in this order:

  1. Arcam DIVA AVR350 AV Receiver
  2. Cambridge Audio Azur 640R AV Receiver
  3. Denon AVR-2809CI 7.1 channel Receiver

What is your budget? Are you ready to look at an independent music system in addition to an AVR for movies? You can actually get a low end AVR for movies, and a decent 2 channel amp for music to drive the same speakers for the price of a Denon 2809 plus some loose change.

Cheers
 
Venkatcr is right. I would say that if you are looking only for an AV Receiver for the purpose of music as well as movies, I recommend the CA Azur 640 R as it's really musical and also excellent for movies.
 
If i leave aside movies, what would be best amp for stereo playback..

or can i buy a low end AVR with pre out for stereo.

thanks
 
Im in the same boat and this is what I have been recommended by a local dealer,

AVR - Denon 1909 it has the pre out and all the latest bells and whistles of a good AVR, with great reviews in its class 90W X 7, also may go for Marantz SR 5003 which has similar specs and ratings.

Stereo Amp: well my budget and taste will afford me a Marantz 7003 (Coming this month end).

So you have independent systems for stereo and HT, Additionally for HT you could take out the pre outs for the fronts from the AVR and feed it to the stereo Amp to feed the front speakers, Im told that this would be a killer and would provide a performance may be better than many high end AVRs. I would request somebody senior and experienced to comment on this,

The speakers under consideration for me at least are Quad 22L2 for the front, the rest is still in works.

Best Regards,

Danccc
 
If i leave aside movies, what would be best amp for stereo playback.

There are a large number of amps available at various price ranges.

1. Between 45K to about 70K you have Arcam FMJ A28, Audio Analog Primo Cento VT, CA Azur 640A and 840A, Creek Evolution, Cyrus 6 VS2, Denon PMA 1500AE, Yamaha RX-497, Rega Mira, and models from Marantz and NAD.

2, At a more budgetary level you have the NAD 325BEE, NAD 315BEE, and CA's 340A, and 540A. These will cost you under 25K.

Or can i buy a low end AVR with pre out for stereo.

The best would be to use the AVR for movies, and the two channel system for music - independent of each other. The only commonality between them will be that they use the same speakers. Even if you use a simple CDP linked to the integrated amp, it will give you better musicality than routing anything through the AVR. This is for two channel music.

For movies, yes, the integrated amp can also do double duty as an amplifier for the front L&R. Whether the sound will be 'better' is debatable. When you route the sound through the AVR, it's preamplifier and DACs have already given a signature to the sound. The integrated amp just adds volume to the sound. The bulk of the sound in a 5.1 or 7.1 is in the Front L&R. Thus when you add more power to these channels, you will certainly get a larger sound stage and will be able to hear the dialogs better.

Cheers
 
Hello Venkat

Can you elaborate a bit on what you said to keep the AVR for moive and amp for music separate with the only connection betwn two are speakers.
I din't get how the setup will be..
Suppose i buy a AVR like 606/Denon1909 and CA 640A/840 , how do i set them up for separet movie and music experince.
Any commnets on what danccc has written ..

thanks
 
Can you elaborate a bit on what you said to keep the AVR for moive and amp for music separate with the only connection betwn two are speakers.
I din't get how the setup will be.. Suppose i buy a AVR like 606/Denon1909 and CA 640A/840 , how do i set them up for separet movie and music experince.
Any commnets on what danccc has written ..

There are two ways of doing this.

1. This is a little laborious. You have an AVR connected to a DVD Player. You have a separate integrated amp connected to a CDP. Both can be on the same rack or on racks nearby each other. When you are listening to music, connect the speaker cables of the front L&R to the integrated amp. When you are watching a movie, disconnect the cables from the integrated amp, and connect them to the AVR. If you dont want to meddle with the AVR and the amp, you can have two sets of speaker cables going to the speakers permanently - one from the AVR and another from the integrated amp. Connect the speaker ends of the ones you want at a particular time, and keep the other set ends near the speaker for later use.

2. Connect the Front L&R and a CDP permanently to the integrated amp. Connect a DVD Player to the AVR, and bridge it to the integrated amp through the pre outs from the AVR. When you are watching a movie, the CDP will be off. The DVD player, the AVR, and the integrated amp will be working. When you are listening to music, switch off the DVD player, and the AVR. Use just the CDP and the integrated amp. You will have a pure two channel system. This way there is no connecting and disconnecting the speaker cables.

Dancc is also thinking in the same line, I am sure.

Cheers
 
There are two ways of doing this.

2. Connect the Front L&R and a CDP permanently to the integrated amp. Connect a DVD Player to the AVR, and bridge it to the integrated amp through the pre outs from the AVR. When you are watching a movie, the CDP will be off. The DVD player, the AVR, and the integrated amp will be working. When you are listening to music, switch off the DVD player, and the AVR. Use just the CDP and the integrated amp. You will have a pure two channel system. This way there is no connecting and disconnecting the speaker cables.

Dancc is also thinking in the same line, I am sure.

Cheers


Yes Venkat Sir, This is exactly what I had in mind and Im leaning more and more towards this setup,

Just waiting for the Full and Final Settlement from the last job ;) (just moved into a new job recently).

Best Regards,

Danccc
 
Do most AVRs have a pre-out..
I have a very basic AVR Yamaha RXV-459, does it have a pre-out ..

The outputs listed in manual are :
Analogue A/v / Audio 1
Composite Monitor 1
Svideo 1 etc

What cables would be needed to use one.

thanks
 
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Do most AVRs have a pre-out..
I have a very basic AVR Yamaha RXV-459, does it have a pre-out .. What cables would be needed to use one.
thanks

Neither in the specs nor on the rear panel do I see any Pre-Out sockets for the 459. Please check the manual page by page and let us know.

Cheers
 
Thanks Venkat.

I was thinking of keeping this low-end AVR for movies and buy a expensive int amp as add=on.
But seems will have to go back to scratch and buy a AVR and a good AMP or a good combo like CA 640 AVR.


I am being offered Arcam FMJ 35 for 1200$.
CA 640R AVR : 1089$.

which one to choose
 
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I am being offered Arcam FMJ 35 for 1200$. CA 640R AVR : 1089$.
which one to choose

The Arcam FMJ 35 is a 2 channel Power Amplifier, while the Azur 640R is a 7 channel AVR. They cannot be compared.

Between the Arcam AVR 350 and the Azur 640R, here is a comparison.

Arcam AVR 350

Power: 2 x 120 watts, 7 x 100 watts
Frequency: 20Hz-20KHz
THD - 0.02%
HDMI - Yes
SACD/DVD-A Support - Yes
Pre Outs - 2 Channel Audio
Biwiring/Biamping - Yes
Analogue Up-conversion - No
Digital Up-conversion - No

Azur 640R

Power: 2 x 120 watts, 7 x 100 watts
Frequency: 10Hz-20KHz
THD - 0.006%
HDMI - Yes
SACD/DVD-A Support - Yes
Pre Outs - 7 Channel Audio
Biwiring/Biamping - Yes
Analogue Up-conversion - No
Digital Up-conversion - No

Both are award winners. The Azur is slightly better specified. It supports full LPCM for multi channel audio that will be useful if you use a DVD player that can decode and send out analogue multichannel sound. It may be better for low frequency as it goes down to 10Hz as against 20 of Arcam. It's harmonic distortion is better up to 1 Khz and may sound slightly better at high volumes.

Please audition both system before deciding which one to buy.

Cheers
 
Hi

I am also considering a stereo setup :

Amp : FMJ 35 ... how is it different from 28.
is it one of the top amplifiers around.

Spk : RS 6

thanks
 
hello

anyone has ideas of Indian MRP of these :
Arcam FMJ 35 28
AVR 350
CA 640R


thanks
 
Amp : FMJ 35 ... how is it different from 28.

The FMJ P 35 is a power amplifier that generates 100 watts per channel, while the FMJ A 28 is an integrated amplifier pumping out 75 watts per channel.

is it one of the top amplifiers around.

Top Amplifier? That is difficult to answer unless you are comparing product to product. Yes, Arcam is a good brand and makes good products. More than that you have to listen to a few brands in the same price range and decide which one you like.

Cheers
 
Hi Venkat,
In solution 2, could it screw the system in case both cdp and avr are on at the same time?

Do you have pricing info for denon 1909, 2309 and 2809?
regards

There are two ways of doing this.

1. This is a little laborious. You have an AVR connected to a DVD Player. You have a separate integrated amp connected to a CDP. Both can be on the same rack or on racks nearby each other. When you are listening to music, connect the speaker cables of the front L&R to the integrated amp. When you are watching a movie, disconnect the cables from the integrated amp, and connect them to the AVR. If you dont want to meddle with the AVR and the amp, you can have two sets of speaker cables going to the speakers permanently - one from the AVR and another from the integrated amp. Connect the speaker ends of the ones you want at a particular time, and keep the other set ends near the speaker for later use.

2. Connect the Front L&R and a CDP permanently to the integrated amp. Connect a DVD Player to the AVR, and bridge it to the integrated amp through the pre outs from the AVR. When you are watching a movie, the CDP will be off. The DVD player, the AVR, and the integrated amp will be working. When you are listening to music, switch off the DVD player, and the AVR. Use just the CDP and the integrated amp. You will have a pure two channel system. This way there is no connecting and disconnecting the speaker cables.

Dancc is also thinking in the same line, I am sure.

Cheers
 
In solution 2, could it screw the system in case both cdp and avr are on at the same time?

Do you have pricing info for denon 1909, 2309 and 2809?

Well DANCC has quoted you the prices.

Regarding your first question, I am a little confused.

How can anything happen if two units are on at the same time? In the solution, the CDP acts as the source, the AVR as a pre amp, and the two channel amp as a power amp. There is no danger at all.

As long as you connect everything properly, there are no dangers. Usually what happens is shorting of amps because of incorrect connection of speaker cables. If you take care of this, there are no issues.

Cheers
 
I would also add to not place anything directly on the amplifiers or AVRs as they generate heat and need a way to dissipate it.

Few weeks ago I was shocked to find a nice embroidered cloth on top of an AVR pretty much covering the entire vents to prevent dust from entering. Good intentions by the wife but bad practice at the same time!

Well DANCC has quoted you the prices.

Regarding your first question, I am a little confused.

How can anything happen if two units are on at the same time? In the solution, the CDP acts as the source, the AVR as a pre amp, and the two channel amp as a power amp. There is no danger at all.

As long as you connect everything properly, there are no dangers. Usually what happens is shorting of amps because of incorrect connection of speaker cables. If you take care of this, there are no issues.

Cheers
 
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