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Up the A85
Arcam's new amplifier
by Michael Jones
May 2001
Arcam A85 integrated amplifier. $3299
It's a momentous moment for a specialist hi-fi company when they completely replace a brand. The Arcam Alpha series has been a huge seller for Arcam for several years, but in it's place is the new DiVA (Digitally integrated Video and Audio) range.
Included in the new range are two CD players, Arcam's first DVD player and AV receiver, a tuner, a power amplifier and three integrated amplifiers.
The A85 integrated amplifier incorporates microprocessor control and dot matrix fluorescent display similar to that of the older Alpha 10 amplifier. There's a menu-driven system which can preset the sensitivity and even tone control settings for each input. This means that, for example, the CD and tuner inputs can be set so that you don't get large changes in volume level between them.
Inside, Arcam say that the A85 has "totally new circuit designs in both the preamplifier and power amplifier section," over the previous Alpha models. There's a large toroidal transformer and decent power supply inside, all the better for keeping speakers under control.
The front panel is dominated by a large rotary volume control in the
centre, with the fluorescent panel to the right and controls to the left.
A headphone socket is provided, while two sets of speakers can be used
- you can even switch this from the remote!
Around the back are two sets of speaker terminals, as the A85 can run
two pairs of speakers. The terminals are BFA connectors, instead of the
more commonly used banana socket or binding post. While this was a major
pain for me, as my cables are terminated in banana plugs, for most buyers
it should cause no problems. Arcam dealers should have the BFA connectors
for your speaker cable.
Also around the back are a set of pre-out and power-in RCA sockets, along with a button to "split" the amplifier sections. This buttons allows the use of another preamp with the power amp built into the A85 or (more likely) to enable bi-amping your speakers with a P85 power amp.
The remote control works all functions and inputs. It even works Arcam CD players and any others that use the Philips RC-5 control codes, such as my Meridian. Music lovers with LP collections will be pleased to know that an phono module available as an optional extra.
The A85 is also designed to take an additional internal module. One may speculate that a version of the home theatre DAVE module might appear shortly.
While my sample of the A85 came in a fine looking silver finish, black is also available. Unlike the Alpha series, which had plastic front panels, the DiVA series have very nicely made aluminium front panels.
The A85 is rated at 85 watts into 8 ohms with both channels driven, and 140 watts in 4 ohms for one channel. So it should cope with all but the most demanding (and abnormal) loads presented by loudspeakers.
Quality rules
Immediately I knew that I was in the presence of a quality amplifier -
the sound had that sense of "rightness" that is still rare in
amplifiers.
The ability to portray tonal colours was quickly shown while playing Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. The sections of the orchestra were highly detailed and "hear through" while the dynamics through the Arcam were startling.
This detail wasn't thrust at the listener, which is a good thing. Instead, the more you listened in to the recording the more you heard. The low level detail - which can make a recording come alive - was well portrayed, with the small details of music-making and the ambience easily discernible.
I've usually found that amps with good bass qualities also are good in the pace and timing area. Curiously the A85 was sluggish in this area. Put on Michael Jackson's Off the Wall and you're not compelled to dance, or the momentum of a singer-guitarist didn't carry a song through. In this aspect the A85 is very "old school".
I was particularly impressed by the A85's portrayal of the lower strings. I often find that audio electronics can homogenise the lower frequencies to a greater or lesser extent, so I was pleased that the A85 enabled me to "listen in" to the orchestral cellos and double basses.
The lower frequencies and dynamics were carried on with one of my favourite jazz CDs - John Abercrombie's Current Events on ECM. On one part of the album the drummer hits the bass drum three times in succession. On the first two beats I could hear that the beater hit slowly, while on the third it hit the drum skin harder, but no louder. It's a rare piece of electronics that can differentiate this information.
Conclusion
This is a very good amplifier, possibly the best yet from Arcam. While
the diminishing of musical pace will be unimportant to many people, the
strengths of the Arcam A85 will shine through.
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