(October 20, 2021) ARCAM’s newest HDA range member, the AVR5, is an entry-level receiver designed to deliver higher-end performance with comparatively reasonable pricing. The bones of the AVR5 give owners access to 12 channels of decoding with speaker arrangements as large as 7.1.4. Of course, the “.4” designation signals immersive capabilities, which are handled by DTS:X and Dolby Atmos decoding, along with both technologies' upmixing solutions.
The AVR5’s amp section and stable linear supply should excite buyers looking to avoid Class D amplification, as ARCAM delivers Class AB performance with a rating of 80 watts per channel (2 ch, 20Hz-20kHz, <0.02% THD). That performance slides to 60 watts per channel when driving seven channels, making the AVR5 a good choice for sensitive speakers. Digital to analog conversion is handled by a pair of ESS ES9026PRO DACs, a high-performance HyperStream II chip that’s also used in the step-up AVR30.
ARCAM says the AVR5 ships with onboard support for Dolby Vision and HLG, 4K HDR passthrough, and Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) via HDMI 2.0. Like all other ARCAM AVRs, it can be upgraded to support HDMI 2.1 for uncompressed 8K video on all inputs and outputs.
Continuing with a history of convenient, easy-to-use designs, AVR5 users can stream from smartphones and tablets using Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth aptX HD, Google Chromecast built-in, and Spotify Connect. The latest Harman MusicLife UPnP app (Android and iOS) also enables playback and control of the receiver while facilitating internet radio, music streaming, and podcast listening. Additionally, ROON Ready status allows owners to access Qobuz, TIDAL, and locally stored media libraries, and MQA compatibility allows TIDAL subscribers to enjoy TIDAL Master recordings.
While not included from the factory, AVR5 owners can add Dirac Live room correction. ARCAM is currently running a promotion that knocks 50% off license fees. This discount drops entry-level Dirac Live/Limited Bandwidth performance to $259, maxing out at $649 for a Dirac Live/Full Frequency plus Bass Control Single Sub package. For more information about Dirac integration, visit www.dirac.com/online-store/arcam-avr5/.
The ARCAM AVR5 will land with a base price of $2,000. Shipping is scheduled to begin in November 2021.
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